9 Upcoming Action Movies, Ranked by Hype

No matter what time of year it is, what cinematic trends are in vogue, and what movies have just been released, audiences always have a keen eye towards what’s coming soon in the realm of action blockbuster fun. Right now is a time of high hopes and anticipation for moviegoers who love a good, hard-hitting dose of action mayhem, with the coming months bringing everything from epic sci-fi sensations to high-octane and ultra-violent shoot-em-up spectacles.

While it is difficult to quantify a set “hype meter” to adjudicate which of these films audiences are looking forward to most, everything from social media hype to trailer viewership numbers, pop-culture discourse, and industry expectation has been factored into this ranking. Needless to say, the upcoming period of late 2026 and early ’27 has some great action titles that all movie lovers should be penciling into their calendars.

8

‘Violent Night 2’ (2026)

Image via Universal Pictures

After the surprise success of its 2022 predecessor, Violent Night 2 is set to present another blood-soaked Christmas miracle with David Harbour reprising his role as Santa Claus with a talent for violence. The story seems accessibly simple, with Santa himself being put on the naughty list and stripped of his magic after forgetting the true meaning of Christmas. His efforts to rediscover his festive spirit must be put on hold when he happens across a small village community being terrorized by a ruthless Russian gangster.

Maintaining the same creative team as Violent Night, with Tommy Wirkola directing, Pat Casey and Josh Miller screenwriting, and modern action maestro David Leitch serving as one of the producers, those who adored the ultra-violent fun of the first movie should be gearing up for another dose of absurdist, seasonal chaos when it is released on December 4. With Kristen Bell, Jared Harris, Joe Pantaliano, and Daniela Melchoir joining the cast, Violent Night 2 is shaping up to be a delightfully depraved spin on holiday happiness.

7

‘Star Wars: Starfighter’ (2027)

Image via Lucasfilm

It may seem odd for a Star Wars movie to be so far down on any list pertaining to hype and anticipation, but it is no secret that the once medium-defining sci-fi franchise has lost a lot of goodwill over the past decade. Disney’s management of the universe has been mismanaged at best, and moviegoers have spoken with their money, as The Mandalorian & Grogu and Solo: A Star Wars Story ended their theatrical runs as box office misfires. But there is certainly cause for hope for Star Wars: Starfighter.

Its story promises adventure, with Ryan Gosling set to star as a roguish pilot hired to escort a mysterious youth to a Jedi refuge planet across a galaxy still fragmented and lawless in the wake of the First Order’s collapse. The self-contained approach should certainly entice viewers, as should its relatively new, post-Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker setting and the ensemble cast including Amy Adams, Matt Smith, Mia Goth, and emerging newcomer Flynn Gray. With its release scheduled for a worldwide IMAX release on May 28, 2027, Star Wars: Starfighter still has plenty of time to build momentum and greater hype heading into its premiere.

6

‘The Beekeeper 2’ (2027)

Image via Amazon MGM Studios

Amid a litany of vehicles that present his gritty action charm, The Beekeeper has emerged as Jason Statham’s best foray into the genre so far this decade. Given its fanfare and strong box office return, it is little surprise that a sequel has been produced, and judging from its teaser trailer, it’s going to indulge in even more action mayhem, stylistic excess, and delightfully bad puns from Statham’s highly trained ex-assassin, Adam Clay.

While plot details can be unclear in a teaser trailer, it appears as though The Beekeeper 2 will see Clay return to service to protect U.S. President Jessica Danforth (Jemma Redgrave) when the current Beekeepers go rogue. Jeremy Irons and Emmy Raver-Lampman return, while new cast members arrive in the form of Pom Klementieff and Adam Copeland, a WWE star better known by his ring name, Edge. True action enthusiasts can rest assured that The Beekeeper 2 promises to feature all the high-octane carnage and bloody fight scenes they love from the genre, making it a must-see event when it appears in theaters on January 15, 2027.

5

‘Godzilla x Kong: Supernova’ (2027)

Image via Warner Bros.

The Godzilla x Kong franchise has been a fascinating one to watch unfold. It has struggled to gather and maintain pop-culture momentum, but there is undoubtedly an irresistible urge among the masses to watch two giant titans do battle, a point proven by 2024’s Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire raking in $572 million. Unsurprisingly, Godzilla x Kong: Supernova promises to be another big-budget spectacle defined by mass destruction and the brawling brilliance of its titular heroes.

The film features an impressive array of new cast members, from young stars Kaitlyn Dever and Jack O’Connell to the late, great Sam Neill in what will be one of his final film roles. However, few would deny the most intriguing addition to the roster is the film’s antagonist, SpaceGodzilla, with Kong and Godzilla having to team up to stand against the cosmic threat. Audiences can enjoy every second of the monster mayhem when Godzilla x Kong: Supernova hits theaters on March 26, 2027.

4

‘Godzilla Minus Zero’ (2026)

Image via Toho Studios

While it was made on a budget of just $10 million, the 2023 release of Godzilla Minus One took the world by storm, with the Japanese release’s emphasis on the original 1954 movie’s themes of post-war depression and exploring the trauma of the nuclear attacks through the lens of the titular monster. In fact, Godzilla Minus One was so astonishing that it even won the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects despite giving up so much in the way of financing, resources, and manpower to Hollywood competitors.

It is no great surprise that it has spawned a sequel, with the very imminent release of Godzilla Minus Zero on November 4 making for a must-see international blockbuster. Set two years after the events of its predecessor, it is set to follow former kamikaze pilot Kōichi Shikishima (Ryunosuke Kamika) as he strives to safeguard his young family when Godzilla emerges from the water again. There will understandably be some who are tentative about revisiting what a perfect first film was, but with the much larger budget at its disposal, Godzilla Minus Zero is sure to be one of the defining big-screen events of the year.

3

‘Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse’ (2027)

Image via Sony Pictures Releasing

It may still be a long while away, with audiences having to wait until June 18 before they can finally see it, but there is no doubt that Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse is already one of the most anticipated releases of 2027. It will mark a touch over four years since Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse hit theaters and ended with an agonizing cliffhanger. Audiences have had to wait longer than first thought, but if anything, those delays have only heightened the hype.

All but certain to carry on directly from where Across the Spider-Verse ended — Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) falling in with, and then being rejected by, a multidimensional creed of Spider-people — Beyond the Spider-Verse is expected to give an epic ending to what has been an awe-inspiring trilogy. The marriage of high-energy storytelling with incredible animated visuals and meaningful, complex characters has got movie lovers of all ages eagerly awaiting June 18 to see how the story ends.

2

‘Avengers: Doomsday’ (2026)

Image via Marvel Studios

From one superhero blockbuster to another, Avengers: Doomsday promises to be yet another record-breaking box office sensation from the MCU, with it already surpassing $125 million through presales around the world. It marks the first major crossover film from the Marvel Cinematic Universe since Avengers: Endgame’s seven years prior, and needless to say, superhero fans couldn’t be more excited.

Combining some of the franchise’s oldest and most iconic heroes with newer superhero squads, Avengers: Doomsday is set to unfold as the Avengers join forces with the Thunderbolts and mighty heroes from alternate universes to stand against Doctor Doom (Robert Downey Jr.). While there are still some raised eyebrows over Downey Jr.’s return to the franchise in a new role, there is little doubt that Avengers: Doomsday will be a box office juggernaut and one of the defining blockbuster releases of the holiday period.

1

‘Dune: Part Three’ (2026)

Image via Warner Bros. Pictures

Three years ago, the world eagerly anticipated “Barbenheimer,” the dual release of Barbie and Oppenheimer on July 21, 2023. We could be about to see something that makes a similar impact on pop culture while completely devastating box office records. In an event already being dubbed “Dunesday,” the fiercely anticipated Dune: Part Three will be released alongside Doomsday on December 18, 2026.

With both previous movies in the series being adored as two of the defining blockbuster sensations of the decade so far, Dune: Part Three is expected to be a monumental financial, cultural, and critical success, especially with Denis Villeneuve basing it on Frank Herbert’s far darker and more cynical Dune: Messiah. The added significance of it being Villeneuve’s final project in the Dune franchise only intensifies the pre-emptive excitement. Dune: Part Three is set to mark the end of the trilogy and deliver an end to Paul Atreides’ (Timothée Chalamet) bitterly complicated arc. If they can pull it off while maintaining the astonishing visual and aural display of the first two movies, it could well be the biggest cinematic event of the decade, let alone the year.

Dune: Part Three

Release Date

December 18, 2026

Director

Denis Villeneuve

Writers

Jon Spaihts, Denis Villeneuve, Frank Herbert