Dwayne Johnson led an army of demon warriors in 2001's The Mummy Returns, leading to his starring role in The Scorpion King the following year and, eventually, a fine career as an action hero. Now, we've just learned from The Hollywood Reporter that he'll be rewinding a bit. As the star of the upcoming Seal Team 666, Johnson will play a member of an elite group of Navy SEALs who "battle demons and assorted threats and discover that there’s a greater supernatural force bent on destroying the world."
As Johnson's first notable role (pictured above) demonstrated, fighting evil spirit forces -- whether they're called demons, sorcerers, or just plain mean ghosts -- is harder than it looks, even for Hollywood's top action heroes. Here are just a few examples.
Big Trouble in Little China (1986)
Tough guy Kurt Russell stars in John Carpenter's action-adventure as a truck driver who gets mixed up with supernaturally powered magicians and all manner of monsters.
Hellbound (1994)
Chicago police officer Chuck Norris and his partner (Calvin Levels) must investigate the death of a rabbi, eventually learning that the culprit is a demonic emissary of Satan.
Fallen (1998)
If Denzel Washington looks a little freaked out, it's become he's on the trail of a serial killer who proves to be a fallen angel named Azazel. Complicating the investigation is Azazel's ability to switch bodies.
End of Days (1999)
As the 21st century beckoned, mercenary Jericho Cane (Arnold Schwarzenegger) took on Satan (Gabriel Byrne) himself. Our favorite line remains Jericho's response to Satan's offer: "Go to hell."
Hellboy (2004)
No one epitomizes the challenge of fighting demons more than Hellboy (Ron Perlman), who is himself a demon. He works, often reluctantly, for the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense, squashing supernatural opponents who don't know their place in the universe.
Constantine (2005)
Keanu Reeves may not look like your average buffed-up action star, but he certainly demonstrate his credibility in The Matrix and its sequels. Here he plays the titular supernatural detective, a demon hunter who is well-suited for the job.
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