2022 has many exciting action movies on the way. The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have made the theatrical experience a slow crawl back to semi-stability. While it's still not back to completely normal, theaters have gradually begun returning to life, and 2022's action movie scene has a lot on the way for audiences to flock to. It also won't be the only place where action fans can see intricate fight choreography, car chases, and gunplay.
The straight-to-video/video-on-demand world has exploded in the past few years thanks to streaming. Action movies have arguably been the genre to take stake the biggest claim on this side of the release landscapes, with many big action stars emerging from it. Naturally, the overseas world also has its share of action movies on the way, as well. 2022 has already seen a few big action hits already drop, such as Netflix's Fistful of Vengeance and Sony's Uncharted.
Plenty of superhero movies are arriving in 2022, as well, which will no doubt add some excellent and memorable action sequences to 2022. That said, for the purposes of this list, capes will occupy their own equally revered but parallel genre. Even with that caveat, action fans have a lot to mark their calendars for. Here are 2022's upcoming action movies.
Invincible - (March 8)
Chile's martial arts master Marko Zaror is kicking and flipping again in the upcoming sci-fi action movie Invincible. Zaror plays Brock Cortez, the test subject at a military black site, who has been augmented with nanotechnology. When he escapes, the site's security officer Cam Davore (Johnny Strong) is tasked with bringing him in. Despite its sci-fi elements, Invincible looks to a be relatively grounded man-on-the-run story. Marko Zaror of Undisputed 3 fame is an astonishing screen presence in fight scenes that are equal parts crisp and finessed, while Johnny Strong holds his own against himself in the trailer.
Everything Everywhere All At Once - (March 25)
Superhero movies aren't the only place where audiences can investigate the multiverse, with Everything Everywhere All At Once also diving right in. Directed by Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert (or "Daniels," as they're known together), Everything Everywhere All At Once stars Michelle Yeoh as Evelyn Yang. When Evelyn finds herself pulled through the multiverse by an alternate version of her husband Waymond (Ke Huy Quan), she finds herself tasked with stopping an evil presence moving one from one universe to the next. Everything Everywhere All At Once is being brought to cinemas by A24, which on its own promises it to be a very different kind of sci-fi action film. Fans of former Bond girl Michelle Yeoh and Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom star Ke Huy Quan will surely be in for a quite a unique experience in the film's multiverse-exploring martial arts story. Everything Everywhere All At Once premieres at South by Southwest on March 11, before its theatrical debut on March 25.
578 Magnum - (March 25)
Vietnam's action movie scene has gradually gotten more attention in recent years, with 578 Magnum being the latest on the radar. When An, the daughter of single father Hun, is kidnapped, he embarks on a rescue mission that takes him deep into Vietnam's criminal underworld. The film's Death Wish-style premise is set to be very heavy on swordplay with John Wick-worthy martial arts at its core. Vietnamese martial arts films like The Rebel and Furie have brought plenty of Ong Bak-style thrills to audiences, and 578 Magnum looks appropriately headstrong in this regard. 578 Magnum hits theaters in Vietnam on March 25, and hopefully, news about its Western release should arrive soon after.
Ambulance - (April 8)
Michael Bay's entry on the 2022 action movie calendar, Ambulance stars Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as William Sharp, who needs thousands of dollars for his wife's surgery. This leads him to call up his brother by adoption, Danny (Jake Gyllenhaal), to pull off a heist of $32 million. However, things go awry when an L.A. cop is shot during their robbery. With Danny and William on the lam in an ambulance, Ambulance is definitely a smaller scale Michael Bay joint than his Transformers outings, with an appropriately fast-paced premise.
Top Gun: Maverick - (May 27)
Top Gun: Maverick brings Tom Cruise back into the cockpit as Captain Pete "Maverick" Mitchell. The now veteran naval aviator is tasked with training some new Top Gun recruits, including the new hotshot "Rooster," the son of Maverick's late friend Goose (Anthony Edwards). The long-awaited sequel to 1986's breakout hit Top Gun, Top Gun: Maverick has been one of the most significant victims of the pandemic, experiencing multiple release date delays as a result. Originally set to hit on July 12, 2019, its first delay was technically related, in order for the movie's flight sequences to be as refined as possible. The trailer certain makes it look promising with the advances made since the original Top Gun. Hopefully, Top Gun: Maverick stick the landing as a legacy sequel to the beloved '80s cult classic.
Jurassic World: Dominion - (June 10)
Like no other Jurassic Park or Jurassic World movie, Jurassic World: Dominion is set to kick off with the dinosaurs roaming freely across the world. The intelligent Velociraptor Blue is also back, now having her own offspring, while Owen Grady (Chris Pratt) and Claire Dearing (Bryce Dallas Howard) try to get the situation under control. Dominion is also bringing back Sam Neill, Laura Dern, and Jeff Goldblum as the original adventurers of the franchise, Alan Grant, Ellie Sattler, and Ian Malcolm. While there are few other details about where Dominion is headed, frankly, none are needed with dinosaurs unleashed on the world. The bigger question is where that will leave the series going forward, and Dominion is sure to have an answer for that this coming June.
Bullet Train - (July 15)
Despite the move of John Wick: Chapter 4 to 2023, Bullet Train offers the summer's best action replacement for John Wick. Helmed by original John Wick co-director David Leitch, Bullet Train stars Brad Pitt as Ladybug, an assassin recruited for one final mission to retrieve a briefcase aboard a Japanese bullet train. However, he quickly comes to realize that multiple other passengers are after the briefcase, too. Bullet Train's ensemble cast clearly trained hard for the film's rigorous stunts and fight scenes, with Pitt himself reportedly performing 95% of his own. Bullet Train's action looks to be a blend of guns, swords, martial arts, and spur-the-moment weapons, such as the briefcase itself, while it also puts a more comedic spin on the John Wick tone. With assassin movies being where the action genre has its head set right now, Bullet Train looks like quite a ride.
The Man from Toronto (August 12)
The Man from Toronto was another of the many films impacted by the pandemic, being delayed multiple times from its original November 20, 2020 date. Hart portrays Graeme, who finds himself the unwilling associate of an assassin after a case of mistaken identity. Despite the film's long delay, Hart's comedic chops should make it worth the wait. With Woody Harrelson as the titular Man from Toronto (replacing Jason Statham), it'll be interesting to see their chemistry together in an action-comedy.
Creed III - (November 23)
After the Creed films and Black Panther, Michael B. Jordan is making the leap to directing with Creed III. Jordan's portrayal of Adonis "Donnie" Creed has been physical and dramatic, with Jordan establishing Donnie as the full equal of Rocky Balboa. The boxing fights of the Creed movies have also been some of the best of the long-running Rocky franchise, which sets expectations high for what Creed III has in store. While precious little is known about the story of Creed III, Tessa Thompson also returns as Donnie's wife, Bianca, while Sylvester Stallone is sitting the film out as Donnie's mentor Rocky. While fans of the Italian Stallion might be saddened by his absence, it does indicate that Donnie is the true center of the franchise, and a worthy one indeed to Rocky himself.
Violent Night - (December 2)
Another of 2022's action-comedies, Violent Night will bring a holiday season theme to a decidedly different kind of heist story. In Violent Night, a team of mercenaries busts into a rich family's home on Christmas Eve, only for Santa Claus himself to enter the picture. The premise of Violent Night makes it sound like Reindeer Games meets The Santa Clause. With 87North Productions of the John Wick franchise involved, Violent Night will most certainly be a divergence from the average Santa movie. David Harbour will appear as Santa in Violent Night, with his co-stars including John Leguizamo, Beverly D'Angelo, Alex Hassell, and Alexis Louder.
Avatar 2 - (December 16)
Under normal circumstances, a sequel to the world's box office champ would've taken two or three years, max. Then again, James Cameron has never been accused of rushing things, especially with respect to the Avatar movies. The long-in-development Avatar 2 was filmed simultaneously with Avatar 3, both being in active production over the course of three years from 2017 to 2020. That and the original Avatar should give viewers a sense of what Cameron has in store with Avatar 2, which will explore Pandora's underwater world. As a sci-fi adventure movie, Avatar had its share of very big-scale action scenes. With Avatar 2 going on an aquatic adventure, audiences should probably ready themselves for another quantum leap in visual effects.
Nogales - (TBA)
Michael Jai White's upcoming action movie Nogales sees him playing Bryant, a man who relocates to the Mexican town and takes a troubled kid under his wing. As he mentors the kid in martial arts, the old life Bryant was trying to leave behind follows him, forcing him and his young student into a battle for their lives. Michael Jai White is well-known to action fans for his commanding presence and dynamic martial arts abilities, and Nogales sounds like a compelling action drama with both in its toolbox.
The Outlaw Johnny Black - (TBA)
Speaking of Michael Jai White, 2022 will also see him return to the Black Dynamite universe with the prequel spinoff The Outlaw Johnny Black. Set in the Old West, The Outlaw Johnny Black follows its titular gunslinging hero as he embarks on a revenge mission against Brett Clayton (Chris Browning). After becoming a wanted man, Johnny Black disguises himself as a preacher and comes to the defense of a small town under siege. Black Dynamite was a comedic tribute to '70s blaxploitation movies, while The Outlaw Johnny Black (which White also directed) transplants its zany formula into a Blazing Saddles-type of story. As the next chapter in the Black Dynamite universe, The Outlaw Johnny Black is sure to bring equal doses of action and comedy to viewers when it debuts.
Accident Man 2 - (TBA)
Another of 2022's action comedies is also another star's pet project, specifically Scott Adkins' Accident Man 2. Directed by George and Harry Kirby (taking over for the first movie's director Jesse V. Johnson), Adkins returns as assassin Mike Fallon, who boasts the talent of making his hits look like simple bad luck. Accident Man 2 will see Fallon shift from assassin to bodyguard when he's tasked with protecting a crime boss's son. Mike has additional challenges in also trying to save a friend of his while re-establishing contact with an old father figure of his. Based on the British comic strip from the comic book title Toxic!, Accident Man was a hilariously dark romp as Adkins' first foray into black comedy. Action fans also got their money's worth with the abundant martial arts fights with Adkins, Michael Jai White, Ray Park, and Amy Johnston. For Accident Man 2, Adkins is joined by a new set of martial artist co-stars, Beau Fowler, Sarah Chang, Zara Phythian, and Andy Long Nguyen of the Jackie Chan Stunt Team, who also serves as fight choreographer. For fans of action and comedy, Accident Man 2 is a release to watch out for.
Day Shift - (TBA)
In Netflix's upcoming Day Shift, Jamie Foxx plays an unassuming single father and pool cleaner, hiding the secret that he's actually a vampire hunter by night. With a more comedic tone compared to Blade, Day Shift also co-stars Snoop Dogg, Dave Franco, Megan Good, Karla Souza, Zion Broadnax, Eric Lange, and Scott Adkins. Not many other details are public about Day Shift, but the world should be hearing more about it as it nears its release on the streaming platform. With Scott Adkins aboard the movie, one assumes that Day Shift will have a pretty decent chunk of martial arts, too.
Section Eight - (TBA)
Another of 2022's numerous Scott Adkins movies, Section Eight focuses on an imprisoned ex-soldier whose released and sent on a government mission. Directed by Christian Sesma, Section Eight also stars Adkins' frequent co-star Dolph Lundgren, along with Mickey Rourke, Dermot Mulroney, Paul Sloan, Ryan Kwanten, and Justin Furstenfeld of the band Blue October. Section Eight hasn't released a trailer or much other info yet, but both should hopefully be on the way soon, along with its release date.
The Expendables 4 - (TBA)
Sylvester Stallone's ragtag ensemble of mercenaries are ready to jump back into action again with The Expendables 4. Stallone has stated the movie will be his last in The Expendables franchise and will act as a torch-passing to Jason Statham's Lee Christmas. With Stallone and Statham returning alongside Dolph Lundgren and Randy Couture, The Expendables 4 also brings on Megan Fox, 50 Cent, Tony Jaa, and Iko Uwais. The latter two previously portrayed allies in The Expendables-esque ensemble Triple Threat, while Uwais is set to appear as the villain of The Expendables 4. If that puts him and Jaa on opposite sides, hopefully, audiences could be in for quite a showdown. While The Expendables 3 suffered from a badly misplaced PG-13 rating, The Expendables 4 seems ready to get the franchise back on track as the intense, '80s-style action throwback like the series began. Even better, Hollywood's past underutilization of Iko Uwais might finally end with The Expendables 4.
Kowloon Walled City - (TBA)
Development on the Hong Kong martial arts flick Kowloon Walled City stretches all the way back to the year 2000. Adapted from the manhua City of Darkness, Kowloon Walled City finally got underway in November of 2021. Louis Koo stars as Tornado, a legendary martial arts master within the community of the once walled-off section of Hong Kong's Kowloon City. The movie brings together many big Asian stars, including Sammo Hung, Philip Ng, Richie Jen, Raymond Lam, and others. No hard release date has been set yet, but once details on the Hong Kong release of Kowloon Walled City have been set, the martial arts film's release plans in the West should follow fairly soon after. Being helmed by director Cheang Pou-soi, known for the Hong Kong debut of Tony Jaa, SPL 2: A Time for Consequences, Kowloon Walled City is certainly one for martial arts fans especially to anticipate among 2022's action movies.