2023 has been a packed year of blockbuster movies. Several highly-anticipated comedies, dramas, and documentaries have made and will continue to make their way to the big screen, with previously delayed action films making their debut both in theaters and on streamers like Netflix. From Marvel epics and the newest John Wick to the return of Indiana Jones and The Hunger Games prequel (not to mention Cocaine Bear), read on for the action films to check out this year.
‘Plane’
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Release date: January 13, 2023
Starring: Gerard Butler, Mike Colter, Daniella Pineda, Kelly Gale, Yoson An, Remi Adeleke, Tony Goldwyn and Paul Ben-Victor
Why it’s worth watching: Don’t let the one-word title fool you; this film about a pilot (Butler) who’s forced to make a crash landing on a war-torn island is packed to the brim with heart-racing action. When his passengers are taken by hostages, Brodie has to team up with accused murderer Louis (Colter) to rescue them, get them back on the plane, and get the plane back into the air.
‘Cocaine Bear’
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Release date: February 24, 2023
Starring: Keri Russell, Margo Martindale, Ray Liotta, Alden Ehrenreich, O’Shea Jackson Jr., Jesse Tyler Ferguson Christian Convery, and Brooklynn Prince
Why it’s worth watching: This irreverent action-comedy is inspired by the true story of a bear who gets into a bunch of cocaine that was dumped in the woods. Sure, the real-life bear didn’t go on a coked-up killing spree, but where’s the fun in that?
‘Creed III’
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Release date: March 3, 2023
Starring: Michael B. Jordan, Tessa Thompson, Jonathan Majors, Florian Munteanu, Wood Harris, Selenis Leyva, and Phylicia Rashad
Why it’s worth watching: Franchise star Michael B. Jordan makes his directorial debut in this threequel about the heavyweight champion son of Apollo Creed, as he goes up against his former childhood friend (played by Majors).
‘John Wick: Chapter 4’
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Release date: March 24, 2023
Starring: Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Ian McShane, Donnie Yen, Hiroyuki Sanada, Rina Sawayama, Shamier Anderson, and Lance Reddick
Why it’s worth watching: If you’re an action fan and haven’t seen the John Wick films, be sure to check out the acclaimed series, including the latest (and maybe final?) thrilling installment.
‘Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves’
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Release date: March 31, 2023
Starring: Chris Pine, Michelle Rodriguez, Regé-Jean Page, Justice Smith, Sophia Lillis, Chloe Coleman, Daisy Head, and Hugh Grant
Why it’s worth watching: Even if you’re not familiar with the popular tabletop game (how could you not be after Stranger Things?), Chris Pine and the Duke of Hastings in a medieval action flick should be enough to make you interested.
‘Kill Boksoon’
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Release date: March 31, 2023
Starring: Jeon Do-yeon, Sol Kyung-gu, Kim Si-a, Esom, and Koo Kyo-hwan
Why it’s worth watching: This Korean-language film is full of style and heart-racing fight sequences, following a top-class assassin (Jeon) as she tries to balance her career with raising her teenage daughter (Kim).
‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie’
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Release date: April 5, 2023
Starring: Chris Pratt, Anya Taylor-Joy, Charlie Day, Jack Black, Keegan Michael-Key, Seth Rogen, and Fred Armisen
Why it’s worth watching: The American Mario accent aside, seeing the beloved game characters animated on the big screen is sure to be a delight (or at least reignite your childhood fear of Bowser.
‘Polite Society’
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Release date: April 28, 2023
Starring: Priya Kansara, Ritu Arya, Nimra Bucha, Akshay Khanna, Seraphina Beh, Ella Bruccoleri, Shona Babayemi, Shobu Kapoor, and Jeff Mirza
Why it’s worth watching: This awesome flick about an aspiring stuntwoman who’s determined to save her older sister from marrying into the “perfect” family is full of epic fight scenes and hilarious commentary on modern dating.
‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’
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Release date: May 5, 2023
Starring: Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldaña, Dave Bautista, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper, Karen Gillan, Pom Klementieff, Elizabeth Debicki, and Will Poulter
Why it’s worth watching: It’s been six years and a whole Infinity War since the last standalone Guardians movie, and we’re excited to return to the team’s irreverent world (and excellent soundtrack).
‘The Mother’
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Release date: May 12, 2023
Starring: Jennifer Lopez, Joseph Fiennes, Omari Hardwick, Gael García Bernal, Paul Raci, and Lucy Paez
Why it’s worth watching: In this more-serious iteration of Jennifer Lopez, Action Star, she plays an assassin who comes out of hiding to protect the daughter that she gave up years before.
‘Fast X’
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Release date: May 19, 2023
Starring: Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Jason Momoa, Charlize Theron, Brie Larson, Alan Ritchson, Nathalie Emmanuel, Michael Rooker, Daniela Melchior, Jordana Brewster, Sung Kang, Ludacris, Cardi B, Scott Eastwood, and Rita Moreno
Why it’s worth watching: The 10th Fast and Furious film (which really missed out on some great puns using Fast10) has the biggest cast of the franchise so far (Momoa! Larson! Moreno! Cardi!).
‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’
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Release date: June 2, 2023
Starring: Shameik Moore, Hailee Steinfeld, Jake Johnson, Oscar Isaac, Jason Schwartzman, and Issa Rae
Why it’s worth watching: This highly-anticipated follow-up to the Oscar-winning film about Miles Morales’ Spider-Man will see the hero teaming up with Gwen Stacy to fight a villain throughout the multiverse.
‘Transformers: Rise of the Beasts’
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Release date: June 9, 2023
Starring: Anthony Ramos, Dominique Fishback, Peter Cullen, Peter Dinklage, Pete Davidson, Michaela Jaé Rodriguez, and Michelle Yeoh
Why it’s worth watching: This reboot (the first Transformers film since 2018’s Bumblebee) takes place in the 90s and bring new factions of the living robot race to the big screen (as well as the return of Optimus Prime!).
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Release date: June 16, 2023
Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Adam Bessa, Tinatin Dalakishvili, Patrick Newall, Rayna Campbell, and Hector Andreu
Why it’s worth watching: The sequel to the 2020 Netflix hit Extraction is finally dropping this year, with Tyler Rake (Hemsworth) on a new mission involving one of the world’s deadliest prisons.
‘Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny’
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Release date: June 30, 2023
Starring: Harrison Ford, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Antonio Banderas, Boyd Holbrook, Mads Mikkelsen, and Toby Jones
Why it’s worth watching: The fifth Indiana Jones film is both thrilling and stunning (just look at the trailer!), with Fleabag star Waller-Bridge joining the franchise.
‘Nimona’
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Release date: June 30, 2023
Starring: Chloë Grace Moretz, Riz Ahmed, and Eugene Lee Yang
Why it’s worth watching: Animation fans should look out for this film set in a cool techno-medieval world. A knight has been framed for a crime he didn’t commit and the only person who can prove his innocence is Nimona, a shape-shifting teen who might also be the monster he’s sworn to kill.
‘Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One’
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Release date: July 12, 2023
Starring: Tom Cruise, Rebecca Ferguson, Hayley Atwell, Vanessa Kirby, Pom Klementieff, Simon Pegg, and Ving Rhames
Why it’s worth watching: The best part of any new Mission: Impossible is seeing how Cruise will one-up his old death-defying stunts. The upcoming installment also brings back Fallout stars Ferguson and Kirby in their badass roles.
‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem’
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Release date: August 2, 2023
Starring: Micah Abbey, Shamon Brown Jr., Hannibal Buress, Rose Byrne, Nicolas Cantu, John Cena, Jackie Chan, Ice Cube, Natasia Demetriou, Ayo Edebiri, Giancarlo Esposito, Post Malone, Brady Noon, Seth Rogen, Paul Rudd, and Maya Rudolph
Why it’s worth watching: This latest reboot of the beloved pizza-loving, crime-fighting team is powered by eye-catching animation and a packed voice cast.
‘Blue Beetle’
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Release date: August 18, 2023
Starring: Xolo Maridueña, George Lopez, Adrianna Barraza, Harvey Guillén, Bruna Marquezine, Damián Alcázar, Belissa Escobedo, and Elpidia Carrillo
Why it’s worth watching: DC’s first Latino superhero movie will hit the big screen this year with the origin story of Mexican-American teenager Jaime Reyes, who gets superpowers when a blue scarab binds to his spine and gives him a powerful suit of alien armor.
‘Gran Turismo’
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Release date: August 25, 2023
Starring: David Harbour, Archie Madekwe, Orlando Bloom, Darren Barnet, Geri Horner, Emelia Hartford, and Djimon Hounsou
Why it’s worth watching: This thrill ride is based on the true story of a Gran Turismo video game player who dreamed of becoming a race car driver (spoiler alert: he actually did it!).
‘The Equalizer 3’
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Release date: September 1, 2023
Starring: Denzel Washington, Dakota Fanning, Eugenio Mastrandrea, Gaia Scodellaro, and David Denman
Why it’s worth watching: Another continuation of a hit action franchise, this installment follows former CIA operative Robert McCall through a plot set on Italy’s Amalfi Coast.
‘The Creator’
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Release date: September 29, 2023
Starring: Gemma Chan, Allison Janney, John David Washington, Ralph Ineson, Ken Watanabe, and Sturgill Simpson
Why it’s worth watching: This dystopian flick pits the human race against the now-sentient AI that has turned on them. It follows a special forces agent and grieving widower (Washington) tasked with finding a weapon that could end the war, which happens to be a mechanical child (Voyles).
‘The Marvels’
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Release date: November 10, 2023
Starring: Brie Larson Teyonah Parris, Iman Vellani, Zawe Ashton, Park Seo-joon, and Samuel L. Jackson
Why it’s worth watching: Remember the days when the MCU only had one female Avenger? This year will see a team-up film with three female heroes, a female villain, and a splash of eye candy with Park Seo-joon.
‘The Killer’
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Release date: November 10, 2023
Starring: Michael Fassbender, Tilda Swinton, Charles Parnell, Arliss Howard, and Sophie Charlotte
Why it’s worth watching: Fight Club and Gone Girl director David Fincher returns with his first film in years, a noir thriller starring Fassbender as an assassin without a moral compass who begins slowly losing his mind during an international manhunt.
‘The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes’
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Release date: November 17, 2023
Starring: Tom Blyth, Rachel Zegler, Hunter Schafer, Peter Dinklage, Jason Schwartzman, Burn Gorman, and Viola Davis
Why it’s worth watching: The world of the Hunger Games made a compelling return with this prequel, following an 18-year-old Coriolanus Snow (Blyth) as he mentors Lucy Gray Baird (Zeglaer), the female tribute from District 12.
‘Concrete Utopia’
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Release date: December 15, 2023
Starring: Lee Byung-han, Park Seo-joon, Park Bo-young, Kim Sun-young, Park Ji-hu, and Kim Do-yoon
Why it’s worth watching: After a massive earthquake levels Seoul, the residents of the only apartment building left standing have to band together to figure out how to survive the cold winter. The apartment community becomes a peaceful utopia, but that can only last for so long…
‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’
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Release date: December 20, 2023
Starring: Jason Momoa, Patrick Wilson, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Nicole Kidman, Indya Moore, Dolph Lundgren, Randall Park, and Ben Affleck
Why it’s worth watching: Though most of the DCEU will be rebooted going forward, we’re still getting an Aquaman sequel starring Momoa this Christmas.
‘Rebel Moon — Part One: A Child of Fire’
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Release date: December 22, 2023
Starring: Sofia Boutella, Charlie Hunnam, Stuart Martin, Anthony Hopkins, Jena Malone
Why it’s worth watching: Acclaimed action director Zach Snyder helms this sci-fi flick about a mysterious young woman who seeks out warriors from neighboring planets to help her defend her peaceful colony in the face of a tyrannical king.
