Ranking the 25 all-time best action movie franchises

While Predator  grew into a franchise of films, Arnold Schwarzenegger was there for just the original 1987 — and best — installment. The action movie legend plays a Vietnam War veteran and leader of a highly respected and resourceful paramilitary  rescue team that finds itself taking on a camouflaged, extra-terrestrial trophy hunter. From there, things kind of went wild with the franchise. Predator 2 wasn't bad, but the five films that followed tend to be hit or miss — depending on preference. The crossovers Alien vs. Predator (2004) and Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem (2007), however, are both solid offerings.

The Planet of the Apes franchise is quite expansive. There are the five from the original movie series (1968-73), with the starter Planet of the Apes, starring Charlton Heston, still the best,  though 1971's Escape from the Planet of the Apes, starring Roddy McDowall, has long been regarded as the best of those sequels. Tim Burton's 2001 Planet of the Apes remake surfaced and renewed interest in the franchise, but the reboot series of five movies from 2011-24, are actually more worth the time invested.

Here, we highlight the trials of tortured (in both the mental and physical sense) war veteran John Rambo, Sylvester Stallone's second character to enjoy franchise success. As of June 2025, there were five movies in the Rambo series, though a plan for a prequel with the working title John Rambo still remains a possibility. While 1982's First Blood had the most depth, follow-ups Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985) and Rambo III (1988) were straight-up, Hollywood blockbuster action films known for quick one-liners and plenty of kills. For action film-lovers, this franchise is a must.

Martin Riggs (Mel Gibson ) is a loose cannon who flies by the seat of his pants and likes adventure and the rush of danger that comes with being a detective. Roger Murtaugh (Danny Glover), meanwhile, would rather play it by the book. Plus, he's getting too old for this... well, you know. Together, Riggs and Murtaugh are as good as it gets as buddy cops, and they have the kind of chemistry one would need to face the challenges they come up against in four Lethal Weapon films, with perhaps one more on the way. All of which are worth watching.

As of June 1, 2025, we've got 14 total released films among the "X-Men" series. Yes, there is a rather wide range of critical acceptance and praise among these movies, but if you're looking for pure superhero action, it's worth taking in when you have some time. The first two Deadpool films helped give the franchise some solid credibility, while 2009's X-Men Origins: Wolverine is an underrated piece of work and arguably the best of the three "Wolverine"-themed projects — though critics and fans alike both lauded 2017's Logan. Not to be forgotten, 2024's Deadpool & Wolverine has its moments.

The .44 Magnum. The lines: "Go ahead, make my day" or "You've got to ask yourself one question: 'Do I feel lucky?' Well, do you, punk?" Need we say more about the ruthless San Francisco police inspector Harry Callahan, aka "Dirty Harry", whose hard-nosed nickname serves as the title of the first movie? 1971's Dirty Harry, directed by Don Siegel, kicked off a five-film series featuring the character. Harry likes to push boundaries when pursuing the bad guys, especially if incompetent police or government bureaucracy gets in the way. But Harry's status as an icon goes behind the big screen; it's a part of American pop culture and escapism. As is usual with almost any franchise, the original is still the best, though 1973's Magnum Force and '83's Sudden Impact are strong, as well.

As of June 1, 2025, there are 15 films that make up the DC Extended Universe, and, of course, there are more in the works. Starting with 2013's Man of Steel, and including hits like Suıcide Squad (2016), Wonder Woman (2017) and Aquaman (2018) — still the highest-grossing movie in the franchise — there are plenty of action and superhero options for fans of the genre to be satisfied.

Let's hope the present-day rise of artificial intelligence doesn't lead to a Matrix-like existence. Originally brought to us by the American filmmakers Lana and Lilly Wachowski, The Matrix series features four films of various people flying around and fighting each other. The series reintroduced movie fans to Keanu Reeves, while the first three films — The Matrix (1999), The Matrix Reloaded (2003) and The Matrix Revolutions (2021) — also featured Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss, and Hugo Weaving as Agent Smith, one of the best big-screen action villains of all time.

This group of films basically consists of the movies that starred Christopher Reeve in the title role, and is also known as the Richard Donner years. There have been several Superman-related movies released over the years, but it's still hard to beat the four starring the late Reeve as the Man of Steel. While his debut as the character in 1978's Superman was strong, Reeve's most memorable stint in the role came when he took on General Zod and Co. in Superman II (1980). And if we listen to Michael Bolton from Office Space, Superman III is an "underrated movie, actually." Don't forget 1987's Superman IV: The Quest for Peace.

OK, there's a bit of a fine line when it comes to including the Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit live-action film trilogies of the 2000s and 2010s under the action genre. However, Peter Jackson's action sequences are quite special and breathtaking at times throughout these series of movies. There's a lot to process in both realms, but for fans of the books and films, it's always fun to revisit. Or, to introduce to new generations of viewers.

There is plenty of Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) to keep viewers of most ages entertained when taking in the five films that make up this popular franchise. Beginning with 2003's The Curse of the Black Pearl, and all the way to 2017's Dead Men Tell No Tales, the swashbuckling good times charmed viewers young and old. And globally as well, as the Pirates family of films grossed more than $4 billion around the world.

From the 2001 original The Fast and the Furious installment to 2023's Fast X, there is plenty of speed and action to keep one enthralled when looking to escape into one of Hollywood's most popular film franchises. There are 11 films in this street-racing series (we're counting questionable 2019 spinoff Hobbs & Shaw ) that make up this franchise, which has grossed more than $7 billion worldwide and continues to make Vin Diesel very rich. And on a more melancholy note, the franchise keeps fans missing Paul Walker.

It can get pretty complicated when figuring out which Batman movies make up the franchise. Not including cameos and that of the aforementioned DC Extended Universe, the 1940s serials and 1966's "Batman: The Movie," we are talking about those that make up the 1989-97 series, the Christopher Nolan-helmed The Dark Knight trilogy, the two Joker movies and most recent, 2022's The Batman. Keaton, Kilmer, Clooney, Bale, Affleck, Pattinson — these A-list actors all took on the role of The Caped Crusader, for better or worse.

With the release of 2025's series spin-off Ballerina, we're at five films in the ever-popular John Wick franchise. After starring in the aforementioned Matrix series of movies, Keanu Reeves seemed to revive his career again in the title role of this franchise, which began in 2014, and chronicles a hitman who returns to the business and eventually finds himself being hunted down the road.  

The Mad Max series of films might be the most underrated of any franchise on this list. The otherworldly, dystopian action fun began with 1979's Mad Max, starring a young Mel Gibson. He was part of the next two widely popular sequels Mad Max 2 (1981) and Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (1985). Gibson's off-screen issues forced him out of the surprisingly solid Mad Max: Fury Road (2015), which is widely considered one of the greatest action movies of all time. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, from 2024, serves as a prequel and origin story for the events of Fury Road.

As with any major motion picture star, especially leading male actors, they seem to eventually find their way into action thrillers. The superstars tend to get a franchise, and that's the case with Matt Damon and the  Bourne family of movies. His role as superspy Jason Bourne proved Damon could succeed in action pictures, and the character has essentially taken on a fictional life of its own. Arguably, the first three of the five films — The Bourne Identity (2002), The Bourne Supremacy (2004) and The Bourne Ultimatum (2007) — are still the best of the lot.

An exceptional all-around actress, Sigourney Weaver earned critical acclaim as Ripley in 1979's Alien. She became an even bigger action star with the following films in the series, including the sequel Aliens, which earned her an Oscar nomination. She appears in the first four of the seven films in the Alien franchise, which unlike others on the list, is consistently solid in terms of action. When it comes to the story, it depends on your taste or for your appetite for old-school, sci-fi action movies.

The Terminator (1984) turned the aforementioned Arnold Schwarzenegger into an international action superstar. The seemingly unstoppable cybernetic killing machine thrown back in time to kill the woman (Linda Hamilton, who is a badαss in her own right as Sarah Connor) who will give birth to the world's savior. Schwarzenegger returns as a "good" guy in Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991), which was more Hollywood than the original, with director James Cameron's big-budget, state-of-the-art special effects making the sequel both critically lauded and commercially successful (an understatement, to say the least). Schwarzenegger appears in five of the six Terminator movies, but the first two still rule the day.

We were first introduced to NYPD Detective John McClane (Bruce Willis) in 1988's  Die Hard, when he saved hostages, including his estranged wife, from the deliciously evil Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman). From there, McClane thwarts an attack on Washington's Dulles International Airport in Die Hard 2. The action and fun continue in Die Hard with a Vengeance, Live Free or Die Hard, and Good Day to Die Hard. When you want to binge a franchise without having to do much thinking, this is the choice.

A classic film franchise, and one that made  Harrison Ford  a true Hollywood icon, Raiders of the Lost Ark (1980) started it all and, yes, remains the best of the five films. Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom generated some controversy upon its 1984 release, while Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, featuring the late, great Sean Connery, is a fine mix of action and subtle comedy. Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008) didn't live up to the others, but 2023's Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, made up for that and nicely put a likely bow on the franchise.

Tom Cruise  has certainly become synonymous with this famed franchise that concludes with 2025's The Final Reckoning. The one good thing about the MI films is they are just enjoyable entertainment that does not involve a lot of deep thinking. Cruise has always pushed the boundaries when it comes to action scenes, and what he delivers across the eight films in the series are some of the best cinema has ever produced. 

Back in 1993, when Jurassic Park was released, it should not have been a surprise that they are still making these type of dinosaur flicks more than 30 years later. The franchise has grossed more than $6 billion as of June 1, 2025, undoubtedly a big reason why studios continue to give them the green light. Whether talking about the original trilogy, which spanned through 2001, or the more recent Jurassic World films (with a seventh, Jurassic World Rebirth, due out in July 2025), they are tame enough that younger children (say, ages 6 and up) will be able to enjoy at least dinosaurs without being frightened throughout.

The 25th Bond film, No Time to Die, was released in 2021. The aforementioned Sean Connery 's portrayal as the suave agent of action arguably remains the best. But, Roger Moore , Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan and Daniel Craig, heck, even George Lazenby, are here to entertain in the leading role. Obviously, the Bond movies generate endless opinions as to which film, or films, are the best of the bunch. That argument will never die.

Science-fiction fantasy complete with plenty of action, the Star Wars franchise of films can hold its own with any such franchise — even if some of the later offerings were considered hit or miss. If we include standalones Rogue One and Solo, it's 11 live-action films in all. We'd understand if you want to bypass Episodes I-III, but there will still be plenty of time spent "in a galaxy, far, far away." Those of a certain age, or younger, still prefer the original trilogy (A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi) when it comes to the franchise's gold standard.

This was a close call, but in the end, the MCU's dominance of the box office, even for those — is it fair to say "many"? — mediocre offerings, is nothing short of amazing. The top-grossing film franchise of all time (nearly $32 billion as of June 1, 2025), there are 36 films that have been released under this blanket — among the fives phases of The Infinity and Multiverse Sagas. If one has access to each of those films, that makes for quite the binge: The Avengers, Iron Man, Thor, Captain America, Guardians of Galaxy, Ant-Man and most recently Thunderbolts. So much to choose from and so much to love.