As World War Z, one of this summer's most action-packed movies, hits DVD and Blu-ray, we look back at 30 summer action movies of the last 30 years. Read on...and have a blast!
Grab your cigars and man your panels as Tony Scott's tense thriller kicks off our list of the top 30 action movies of the past 30 years. Featuring excellent back-and-forth dialogue between Denzel Washington and Gene Hackman (some scripted by Quentin Tarantino), the movie earned three Oscar nominations.
Legendary Hong Kong action director John Woo brought his unique touch to the Mission: Impossible franchise. The second installment in the Tom Cruise-starring franchise found the special agent in Australia trying to destroy a genetically modified disease.
If it's a list of action movies, you know Arnold is going to be in there. Teaming up with Carl Weathers, Arnold leads a team of special force ops to hunt down some ugly mother-effers.
Staying with the Arnold theme, the action star joined forces here with James Cameron for the blockbuster True Lies. Co-starring Jamie Lee Curtis, Tom Arnold and a very young Eliza Dushku, the film features Arnie taking down a bunch of terrorists no matter what it takes... including a missile.
Interestingly enough, out of all the Fast & Furious movies, fans voted Tokyo Drift into the Top 30. Perhaps this means we'll be seeing more drifting in the next two Fast movies...
How do you make the ultimate action movie? Well, start off by casting a bunch of action movie icons, add in a rescue mission and kick back and watch the good guys blow stuff up and shoot down the bad guys real good.
Four years ago, hardly anybody knew who Sharlto Copley was...then Neill Blomkamp's District 9 happened and put the actor on the map. Drawing on sociological themes, the sci-fi thriller about a government agent and extraterrestrial creatures captivated audiences worldwide.
The Asgardian God earns a solid spot on the Top 30 list. Before he teamed up with The Avengers or prepared to enter The Dark World, the son of Odin was banished to Earth, fell in love with Natalie Portman and took down a giant walking incinerating robot aptly named Destroyer.
The Joes returned to theaters earlier this year in full force, but four years ago the comic book/toy franchise made the leap to the big screen with big names playing famous (toy) characters.
Well, he did say he'd be back. Sure enough Arnold and that pesky T-1000 played by Robert Patrick make our top action movie list. James Cameron's sci-fi action flick deployed some breakthrough computer technology to animate the metallic T-1000.
If the world is coming to an end, Roland Emmerich is probably behind the camera. Famous for destroying the White House in Independence Day, Emmerich took a much more global approach to mass destruction in this movie as Dennis Quaid and Jake Gyllenhaal were left to figure out how to save us all.
We searched every warehouse, farmhouse, henhouse, outhouse and doghouse in the area and sure enough, Andrew Davis' action adventure and one of Harrison Ford's best thrillers was a fan favorite.
How do you revive a franchise that left a sour taste in fans' mouths? Start from the beginning. Matthew Vaughn brought us all the way back to the beginning of the X-Men story and interlaced real world events in a superhero movie that both fans and critics loved.
Speaking of superheroes and starting from the beginning, Marc Webb and the folks at Sony decided to start over fresh with the story of Peter Parker. Co-starring Emma Stone and Denis Leary, the superhero flick performed so well, we're getting two more installments over the next few years!
Yippie-kai, oh, you know the rest. In the late '80s John McTiernan helmed one of the most influential and entertaining movies ever made. While there was no indication of how the franchise would devolve over the years, the original Die Hard still stands as one of the smartest and best action movies ever made.
Is Christopher Nolan's mind-warping sci-fi flick really at number 15... or is it all a dream? Quick, grab your tops and give them a spin! Nolan steps outside the Batman franchise to weave this trippy tale of dream invasions that earned $800 million worldwide to become one of the highest grossing movies of all-time.
If you don't know his name, you're probably living under a rock. Just don't tell that to Tony Stark; you might bruise that massive ego of his. Marvel's run-up to one of the highest grossing movies of all-time *cough* Avengers, began here, with Tony escaping from a cave in Afghanistan and being forced to stop his business partner Obadiah Stane.The rest, as they say, is history.
Ah yes, Men in Black. Back in the late '90s when summer blockbusters starring Will Smith were accompanied by hit rap songs, Barry Sonnefeld's extraterrestrial busting flick was cleaning up at the box office, much to fans' delight. The unforgettable one-liners and characters are proof that Neurolyzers don't work on movie audiences.
Very few directors could bring Bruce Willis, Ben Affleck and Billy Bob Thornton together in the same movie and yet, Michael Bay did just that. While the premise of the movie is quite action-packed, the movie did earn Bruce Willis a Razzie Award for Worst Actor and left us with a terribly annoying Aerosmith song.
He may be the king of sci-fi nowadays, but just a few years ago, J.J. Abrams was rebooting the Star Trek franchise much to the nervous anticipation of Trekkies everywhere. Their concerns were for naught as Abrams delivered a solid movie worthy of a sequel and a ticket to prolonging the Star Wars franchise.
Of Christopher Nolan's three Batman movies, the second one remains the most beloved. Featuring an Oscar-winning turn by the late Heath Ledger as The Joker, The Dark Knight raised the level of drama and chaos in the Caped Crusader's life up to a whole new level.
“I feel the need. The need for speed!” Tom Cruise stars as ace fighter pilot Maverick in this glorified commercial for the US Navy. In fact, the US Navy set up recruiting booths in major cinemas to try and catch some of the adrenaline charged guys leaving the screenings. They had their highest applications rates for years as a result!
Action director Michael Bay was tasked with turning a 20-year-old toy franchise into a super, action-filled mega movie and he did it with Transformers, the 2007 film starring Shia LaBeouf and Megan Fox. Giant robots that turn into cool cars and back again to fight each other -- What’s not to love?!
Ewoks aside, 1983’s Return of the Jedi was a great action movie and the culmination of George Lucas’s original trilogy of Star Wars films at the time. Space battles, Jabba’s barge and, ok, the Ewok battle of Endor all make this movie an action-filled, fun ride.
One of director Roland Emmerich’s first big budget action/destruction films was this 1996 spectacle that had Will Smith fighting off an alien invasion, of course, on July 4th, Independence Day!
The Bourne franchise started with a young Matt Damon playing the secret spy trying to figure out his identity in the 2002 film that started it all, The Bourne Identity. Damon starred in two more sequels before handing the torch off to Jeremy Renner in 2012’s The Bourne Legacy.
“Welcome to Jurassic Park!” Although the iconic Steven Spielberg film came out 20 years ago, it is back in the theaters in a modified 3D format for a whole new generation to enjoy. And, although the dinosaurs are mostly CG, we dare you not to be adrenalized when the T-Rex chases the jeep!
Christian Bale's Batman shows up again in his last outing directed by Christopher Nolan and going up against a menacing Bane, played by Tom Hardy. The summer action flick was a huge success at the box office taking in over 1 billion dollars worldwide. That’s billion with a ‘B.'
Who can turn a theme park ride into a billion-dollar franchise? Johnny Depp can! And he did with the Pirates of the Caribbean movies as lovable pirate Jack Sparrow. The 2003 movie started it all and it’s had 3 sequels to follow, with a fifth planned for 2015.
"The Best Superhero Movie Of All Time" is the quote on the box art (and yes, it's our own)...and we still believe it. Joss Whedon’s A-list collection of Marvel superheros was an action lover's dream come true, the Star Wars for the new generation, and our favorite summer action movie of the last 30 years.
Buy a ticket to WWE WrestleMania in theaters and unlock Hulk Hogan, Stunning Steve Austin, and Liv Morgan in WWE Champions!
Limited time offer. While supplies last. Log into your account on Fandango.com or the Fandango app between 8:00am PT on 3/24/26 and 3:00pm PT on 4/19/26 and purchase at least one ticket to see ‘WWE WrestleMania’ at a participating Fandango theater. Purchaser will receive a post purchase email containing one (1) WWE Champions Promotional Code (“Code”) that is good for one (1) Hulk Hogan Superstar, one (1) Stone Cold Steve Austin Superstar, and one (1) Liv Morgan Superstar. Code expires, and must be redeemed at https://wwechampions.com by, 11:59pm PT on 10/19/26. Code is one time use only. Limit one Code per Fandango account and WWE Champions account. You must have, and be logged into, your Fandango account to receive a Code. Fandango is free to join; you must be 18 years of age or older to create a Fandango account. A WWE Champions account is required to play WWE Champions and redeem a Code. Fandango reserves the right to modify or cancel this offer at any time and without notice. This offer is subject to Fandango's terms and policies, at http://www.fandango.com/terms-and-policies. Redemption of the Code is subject to Scopely, Inc. Terms of Service, at https://www.scopely.com/tos.
Buy a ticket to The Super Mario Galaxy Movie and get a Galactic Passport! See it more than once to collect more Lumas
Limited time offer. Log into your account on Fandango.com or the Fandango app between 2:00pm PT on 3/9/26 and 11:59pm PT on 5/6/26 and purchase at least one (1) movie ticket to ‘The Super Mario Galaxy Movie’ at a participating Fandango theater. Purchaser will receive a post-purchase email containing one (1) confirmation code (“Code”) that is good for (i) one (1) Galactic Passport and one (1) Luma Badge for first-time redeemers of a Code, or (ii) one (1) additional Luma Badge per Code for consumers who already have a Galactic Passport (for up to a total of six (6) Luma Badges per Galactic Passport). All Codes must be redeemed at gatewaygalaxy.com by 12/31/26. You must have, and be logged into, your Fandango account to receive a Code. Fandango is free to join; you must be 18 years of age or older to create a Fandango account. Codes are one-time use only. If lost or stolen, cannot be replaced. No cash value, except as required by law. Void where prohibited. Not valid with any other offer. Offer valid in U.S. only (excluding U.S. territories and where prohibited by law). Non-transferable. Not for resale; void if sold or exchanged. You may have to pay taxes additionally. Fandango reserves the right to modify or cancel this offer at any time and without notice. This offer is subject to Fandango's terms and policies, at http://www.fandango.com/terms-and-policies. Microsoft is not a sponsor of this offer.
Buy a ticket to Mortal Kombat II and receive 750 Dragon Krystals to be redeemed for use in the Mortal Kombat 1 game!
Limited time offer. While supplies last. Log into your account on Fandango.com or the Fandango app between 9:00am PT on 4/9/26 and 11:59pm PT on 5/24/26 and purchase at least one (1) ticket to see ‘Mortal Kombat II’ at a participating Fandango theater. Purchaser will receive a post-purchase email containing one (1) Mortal Kombat 1 (“Game”) Promotional Code (“Code”) that is good for 750 Dragon Krystals in the Game. Code is only valid for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. Code is not valid on Nintendo Switch. Code expires, and must be redeemed by, 11:59pm PT on 12/31/26, or when the Game is no longer available to play, whichever comes first. Code is one time use only. Limit one Code per Fandango account and WB Games account. You must have, and be logged into, your Fandango account to receive a Code. Fandango is free to join; you must be 18 years of age or older to create a Fandango account. A WB Games account is required to play Mortal Kombat 1 and redeem a Code. Fandango reserves the right to modify or cancel this offer at any time and without notice. This offer is subject to Fandango's terms and policies, at http://www.fandango.com/terms-and-policies. Redemption of the Code is subject to WB Games Terms of Service, at https://legal.wbgames.com/terms-of-service/
Join the WB Horror Fright Club today! Buy tickets to see the latest spine‑tingling Warner Bros. horror films and unlock exclusive perks automatically.
Limited time offer. While supplies last. Not for resale. Offer only available from 3/11/2026 until the last released Movie (defined below) is no longer available in theaters. Log in to your Fandango account on Fandango.com or via the Fandango app beginning at 9am PT on 3/11/2026, and buy at least one (1) ticket to each of They Will Kill You, Lee Cronin’s The Mummy (when tickets become available), Evil Dead Burn (when tickets become available), and Clayface (when tickets become available) (each a “Movie”) at participating Fandango theaters. The purchases do not have to be in the same transaction. You must be logged into the same Fandango account when you purchase each of your tickets to the four (4) Movies to qualify for the Grand Reward (defined below). Fandango is free to join; you must be 18 years of age or older to create a Fandango account. After your purchase of at least one (1) ticket to They Will Kill You, you will receive a post-purchase email with one (1) digital exclusive behind-the-scenes look at They Will Kill You. After your purchase of at least one (1) ticket to Lee Cronin’s The Mummy, you will receive a post-purchase email with one (1) digital never-before-seen, inside look at Lee Cronin’s The Mummy. After your purchase of at least one (1) ticket to Evil Dead Burn, you will receive a post-purchase email with a to-be-determined digital reward. After your purchase of at least one (1) ticket to Clayface, you will receive a to-be-determined digital reward. After you have purchased at least one (1) ticket to each of the four (4) Movies, you will receive a post-purchase email with the “Grand Reward”, consisting of one (1) Fandango at Home Promotional Code (“Code”) that is good for the purchase (and not the rental) of the “5 WB Horror Films Digital Bundle” (which includes Evil Dead Rise, IT, IT Chapter Two, The Conjuring, and The Shining) for $5 in My Offers in your account on http://fandangoathome.com and via participating Fandango at Home apps. Code expires on (and must be used by) ninety (90) days after tickets go on sale for the latest-to-release Movie. Code expiration date is subject to change in the event of a Movie release date change. You must have a Fandango at Home account to redeem your Code on Fandango at Home. Fandango at Home is free to join; you must be 18 years of age or older to open a Fandango at Home account. Credit card may be required for transactions on fandangoathome.com. Codes are one-time use only. You may have to pay taxes additionally. If lost or stolen, Codes cannot be replaced. Codes have no cash value, except as required by law. Codes are not for resale; void if sold or exchanged. Void where prohibited. Not valid with any other offer. Offer valid in the U.S. only (excluding U.S. territories and where prohibited by law). ALL MOVIES AND RELEASE DATES SUBJECT TO CHANGE. Fandango reserves the right to modify or cancel this offer at any time and without notice, including the right to substitute any Movie and/or related bonus materials in its sole discretion. This offer and redemption of the Codes are subject to Fandango’s Terms and Policies and Privacy Policy at http://www.fandango.com/Terms-and-Policies and https://redeem.fandango.com/policies/terms-of-service. They Will Kill You © 2026 Warner Bros. Ent. All Rights Reserved Lee Cronin’s The Mummy © 2026 Warner Bros. Ent. All Rights Reserved Clayface © & TM DC © 2026 Warner Bros. Ent. All Rights Reserved Evil Dead Burn © 2026 Warner Bros. Ent. All Rights Reserved Evil Dead Rise ©_© 2023 Pacific Renaissance Evil Dead 21 Limited and Blade Rights Limited 2022 IT © 2026 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. IT Chapter Two © 2026 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. The Conjuring (first film) © 2012 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. The Shining © 1980 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.
Buy a Dolby Cinema Ticket to The Devil Wears Prada 2 and use code RUNWAYREADY to redeem your special offer!
Limited time offer. While supplies last. There is a limited quantity of Code redemptions allowed in this promotion. Log in to your Fandango account on Fandango.com or via the Fandango app between 3/12/26 and 5/8/26, purchase at least one (1) Dolby Cinema ticket to see The Devil Wears Prada 2, and enter the promotional code RUNWAYREADY (“Code”) to receive $5 off your purchase. Code expires, and can no longer be used, if not redeemed by 5/8/26, or when the limit of Code redemptions is reached, or when The Devil Wears Prada 2 is no longer available in Dolby Cinema theaters, whichever comes first. Code must be entered at checkout. Only valid for purchase of movie tickets made at Fandango.com or via the Fandango app and cannot be redeemed directly at any theater box office. You must have, and be logged into, a Fandango account to redeem the Code on Fandango. Fandango is free to join; you must be 18 years of age or older to create a Fandango account. If cost of movie tickets and associated fees and charges is more than Code’s maximum discount, then user must pay the difference. Any price difference between total transaction price and Code’s maximum discount will not be refunded. One-time use only per transaction. Void where prohibited. Offer is non-transferable and cannot be combined with any other offer or discount. No cash value, except as required by law. Not for resale; void if sold or exchanged. Offer valid in the U.S. only (excluding U.S. territories and where prohibited by law). You may have to pay taxes additionally. Fandango reserves the right to modify or cancel this offer at any time and without notice. This offer and redemption of the Code are subject to Fandango's Terms and Policies and Privacy Policy at http://www.fandango.com/terms-and-policies.
Halle Bailey and Regé-Jean Page on You, Me & Tuscany—romance, chemistry, and behind-the-scenes moments.
Join the mission with the Project Hail Mary Eridian Plush Bundle, including a Movie Ticket, an Exclusive Collectible Print, and an Eridian Plush Bag Clip
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Get the WWE WrestleMania Bundle for a ticket to see WWE WrestleMania 42 in theaters and an exclusive WrestleMania T-shirt!
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Get 2 free tickets instantly when you join FanClub with your The Super Mario Galaxy Movie ticket order.
The ‘The Super Mario Galaxy Movie – 2 free tickets FanClub Promotion' offer (the “Offer”) begins 3/9/26 and will run for a limited time. Offer valid for new FanClub members only. To be eligible, you must subscribe to a 3-month paid FanClub membership ($29.97 + tax, then $9.99 per month thereafter) when purchasing tickets The Super Mario Galaxy Movie on the Fandango website or mobile app, and Offer will be automatically applied at checkout. To redeem the Offer, you must complete checkout while an eligible FanClub membership is in your cart and Offer is applied. Offer valid in the U.S. only (excluding U.S. territories and where prohibited by law); void where prohibited. Adjustments to prior purchases not permitted. Taxes may apply. Offer may only be redeemed once per person. Fandango reserves the right to withdraw or modify this Offer at any time, in its sole discretion, and without notice. Additional terms and conditions apply, including Fandango’s Terms and Policies at www.fandango.com/terms-and-policies.
Get the Pond Crew Pin Bundle and receive one movie ticket to Hoppers ticket plus one exclusive character pin featuring Mabel, Tom, or King George!
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Get 2 free tickets instantly when you join FanClub with your Michael ticket order.
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Sign up for FanAlert on The Mandalorian and Grogu ticketing page and enter for a chance to win a Star Wars LEGO® SMART Play™ Prize Pack!
NO PURCHASE OR APP NECESSARY. Purchase does not increase chances of winning. Open to legal residents of the 50 United States and D.C., 18 years of age and older. For official rules, odds, and alternate entry, visit https://www.fandangomovietickets.com/BuildTheWaySweepstakes. Void where prohibited. Ends April 21, 2026. Sponsor: Fandango Media, LLC, 10 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, CA 91608.
