Cool Action Films We’re Looking Forward To

Last Updated on February 23, 2023

Action films of all types and budgets are coming out left and right. With all the streaming services, direct-to-VOD, and smaller theater runs, films that may not even have gotten greenlit at all years ago are making it to our eyeballs fairly easily. With so many titles coming, which ones should everyone look forward to? Here are five action films that are coming out relatively soon that we’re looking forward to. 

Darkness of Man (2023)

The new Jean-Claude Van Damme flick just wrapped and should be coming out later this year. It’s being labelled as a neo-noir action thriller. The story follows an Interpol operative played by JCVD who ends up entangled in a gang turf war when he takes an informant’s son under his wing. Of course, things go from bad to worse, and some JCVD heroics are needed to save the day. The film comes courtesy of director James Cullen Bressack and is based on an original story he wrote with Van Damme and screenwriter Alethea Hnatko-Cho. If the director’s name is familiar is because he regularly churns out DTV action flicks (his recent Hot Seat with Kevin Dillon and Mel Gibson recently hit VOD). Darkness of Man’s cast also includes the legendary Cynthia Rothrock, Kristanna Loken, Sticky Fingaz, and the recently announced Nick Diaz. If anything, this one will be interesting for the cast alone.

Lights Out (2023)

This one stars Frank Grillo, Scott Adkins, Dermot Mulroney, Jaime King, and a cast of familiar faces to action film fans. Written by Chad Law with Garry Charles and directed by Christian Sesma, this film has a ton of potential and images released show hand-to-hand combat that promises to be brutal. Fans of the genre will want to see a fight between Grillo and Adkins, and hopefully, the film doesn’t pull its punches. Lights Out’s story follows an ex-soldier turned underground fighter as he must face all kinds of opponents, including cops and hired killers who end up going after those he loves. This one promises lots of fights and action, and with the talent involved, it definitely should deliver and then some. Law and Sesma worked with Adkins and Mulroney on Section 8, an entertaining and violent piece of action cinema. Law has an interesting action resume with films such as Beyond the Law, The Shadow Effect, Hollow Point, and Black Water. Fellow writer Garry Charles was recently involved in Flashburn and 200 Degrees. Director Sesma has been pumping out tons of action films, including Pay Dirt, AWOL-72, and Shoot the Hero.

John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023)

Possibly the most anticipated action film of 2023 for most action fans, John Wick: Chapter 4 practically needs no introduction, but let’s have one anyway. This 4th installment in the series brings back Keanu Reeves in a role he was made for, plus a ton of names action fans associate with high-octane action. While the film sees the return of Lawrence Fishburne as the Bowery King, a highlight of previous entries, as well as Ian McShane and Lance Reddick, the film also brings in Donnie Yen (second billed here, so expect to see him a bunch) as well as Scott Adkins who Yen has faced off against previously in Ip Man 4: The Finale. Also joining the cast as Bill Skarsgård, Hiroyuki Sanada, Rina Sawayama, and Shamier Anderson. This cast is stacked, and the film has all the makings of a really fun action romp. Will it live up to expectations? We’ll see at the end of March.

Havoc (2023) 

Tom Hardy and Timothy Olyphant. That’s it, that’s the pitch. Do we really need to say more? Ok, so the film is about a drug deal going sideways and leading to the search for a politician’s son, some corruption and of course a conspiracy. This one, besides the top listed names, is from writer-director Gareth Evans who action fans know for The Raid movies, which if you not seen them… well – you’re missing out. Once those those required action viewings are done, you’ll know exactly why fans of Evans’ work can’t wait for this one. 2023 cannot come soon enough here. 

Extraction 2 (2023) 

A Netflix film worth paying attention to, this one is clearly a sequel, and it brings back Chris Hemsworth to the part of Tyler Rake. Working with him on screen here are Daniel Bernhardt (a regular of mid-range action films) Golshifteh Farahani, and Tinatin Dalakishvili. The talent behind the camera includes director Sam Hargrave who directed the first one and is a well-established stunt coordinator as well as Joe Russo of Marvel fame. This one, like the first, screams theatrical release, yet is not getting one. This is top tier talent in a streaming release and given how fun the first one was, this one is a film to look forward to. Another 2023 release that is highly anticipated.  

What do you think of the above titles? Worth a watch? Which ones are you looking forward to in the next few months?