With a career spanning over 20 years, iconic Scottish actor Gerard Butler has made his mark on a wide range of genres. From playing the title character in the musical drama The Phantom of the Opera to his supporting role in the How to Train Your Dragon franchise, Butler has brought many iconic characters to life and proven that he’s easily one of the most versatile actors of his generation. But while all those films are an important part of his legacy, the actor is best known for his work as an action star.
With his rugged charm and intense physicality, Butler has a talent for bringing heaps of charisma to even the most loosely written stories, transforming otherwise mediocre films into wildly entertaining thrill rides. Whether you’re a longtime fan or new to his work, if you’re into action movies, it’s a safe bet that you’ve probably watched and loved one of his films. And if you’d like to find more, read on to discover our ranked selection of the best Gerard Butler action movies and where you can stream them.
8
‘Geostorm’ (2017)
Directed by Dean Devlin
A sci-fi disaster film, Geostorm stars Gerard Butler as satellite designer Jake Lawson, who helps create a global climate-controlling satellite system. When the system goes haywire, Jake must work together with his brother (Jim Sturgess) to uncover a political conspiracy and save the world from an epic world-ending storm. The film features Abbie Cornish, Ed Harris, Andy García, and more in key roles.
Geostorm was a massive disappointment at the box office when it first came out in 2017, and it wasn’t any better received by critics either. Yes, the film’s effects are cheesy and the characters are practically caricatures, but it’s a more entertaining movie than it gets credit for. It’s not a movie you watch for the plot, but Geostorm does have some enjoyable action and a fairly engaging narrative. And if you’re a Butler fan, this conspiracy sci-fi thriller is a unique experience you’ve got to see for yourself. The movie is currently available for rent and purchase via Amazon, Apple TV+, YouTube, and other online video rental services.
7
‘Angel Has Fallen’ (2019)
Directed by Ric Roman Waugh
The third movie in the Has Fallen film series, Angel Has Fallen is a political action thriller that revolves around a drone attack on the President of the United States, Allan Trumbull (Morgan Freeman). When Butler’s Mike Banning is framed for the attack, he sets off on a race against time to prove his innocence and find the people responsible. Besides Butler and Freeman, the film also features Jada Pinkett Smith, Lance Reddick, Tim Blake Nelson, Piper Perabo, Nick Nolte, and Danny Huston in supporting roles.
Like all the movies in the franchise, Angel Has Fallen premiered to mixed reviews and box office success, earning over $146 million worldwide. The series as a whole has generally favored action and visual spectacle over any meaningful attempts at a plot, which is true of this one as well. However, it’s also arguably the most fun movie in the franchise, with some genuinely thrilling action sequences and all the fights, car chases, and explosions you could want. Angel Has Fallen is currently available for streaming on FuboTV.
6
‘Greenland’ (2020)
Directed by Ric Roman Waugh
An apocalyptic disaster movie, Greenland follows a family that must fight their way to safety before a massive comet hits the Earth and causes worldwide extinction. Butler leads the cast as John Garrity, with Morena Baccarin as his estranged wife, Allison, and Roger Dale Floyd as their son, Nathan. The film also features Scott Glenn, David Denman, Hope Davis, Andrew Bachelor, Merrin Dungey, and Holt McCallany in supporting roles.
Released in December 2020, Greenland was quite well-received by both critics and audiences at the time of its premiere, with a highly successful VOD release. While the premise might sound like that of an effects-laden B-movie, Greenland places the focus closer to ground level, using the threat of planetary destruction to bring out the dark side of everyday people. The result is a genuinely entertaining movie with great performances, enjoyable action, and a surprisingly well-crafted plot. A sequel, Greenland: Migration, is expected to come out sometime in 2025, and Greenland is currently available for streaming on HBO Max.
5
‘Copshop’ (2021)
Directed by Joe Carnahan
Copshop is a neo-noir dark comedy action thriller set primarily inside a small-town police station. Directed by Joe Carnahan, the movie stars Gerard Butler as a professional hitman who gets himself arrested to get closer to his mark, a con artist (Frank Grillo). When the station is attacked by more people trying to kill the same man, both hunter and hunted must work together with a rookie police officer (Alexis Louder) to survive the night.
Released in September 2021, Copshop had a disastrous box office run, but it was generally well-received by critics. A pulp, old-school action movie with great performances and contained action sequences, the film is a highly entertaining watch, with Butler playing the role of charismatic anti-hero to perfection. While the plot isn’t particularly inventive, the film leans into tried-and-true genre tropes to deliver a wild ride that’s simply delightful for the hardcore action fan. Copshop is currently available for streaming on FuboTV, Peacock, and Plex.
4
‘Plane’ (2023)
Directed by Jean-François Richet
Starring Gerard Butler and Mike Colter, Plane is an action thriller movie that follows a commercial airline pilot (Butler) and a suspected murderer (Colter), who is being flown to Canada to face trial. When they’re forced to make an emergency landing on a dangerous island controlled by violent rebels, these two unlikely allies must work together to survive. Besides Butler and Colter, the movie also stars Tony Goldwyn, Yoson An, Evan Dane Taylor, Paul Ben-Victor, Daniella Pineda, and more in supporting roles.
After nearly five years in development hell, Plane premiered in January 2023 to highly favorable reviews and box office success, grossing over $74 million against a budget of $25 million. A surprisingly well-put-together thriller with a character-driven story and gritty action, Plane is a familiar but entertaining journey anchored by the performances of its two leads. A sequel is reportedly in the works (with Butler set to feature in a cameo), and the movie is currently available for streaming on Netflix.
3
‘Den of Thieves 2: Pantera’ (2025)
Directed by Christian Gudegast
A sequel to 2018’s Den of Thieves, Den of Thieves 2: Pantera is an action heist film inspired by a real-life diamond heist that happened in Antwerp, Belgium, in 2003. Written and directed by Christian Gudegast, the movie sees Butler and O’Shea Jackson Jr. reprise their roles as Deputy “Big Nick” O’Brien and criminal mastermind Donnie Wilson, respectively. When Donnie travels to Europe and joins a notorious crew to rob the world’s largest diamond exchange, it’s up to Big Nick to infiltrate the group and stop them.
Released almost seven years after the original movie, Den of Thieves 2: Pantera was a long time coming, and it turned out to be even more entertaining than its predecessor. The movie has received largely favorable reviews from both critics and audiences, earning praise for Butler’s compelling performance. A slick, well-directed action movie that leans into the silliness, Den of Thieves 2 is a solid entertainer and arguably one of the best movies Butler has done in recent years. The film is currently available for streaming on Netflix.
2
‘RocknRolla’ (2008)
Directed by Guy Ritchie
A 2008 crime-comedy film written and directed by Guy Ritchie, RocknRolla revolves around a crooked land deal that draws the attention of various competing groups in the London underworld. Butler stars as One-Two, a small-time crook who leads an oddball gang called the Wild Bunch, who find themselves caught in the crosshairs of international mobsters after being hired to interfere with the deal. Besides Butler, the movie also features Tom Wilkinson, Thandiwe Newton, Mark Strong, Idris Elba, Tom Hardy, Toby Kebbell, Jeremy Piven, and Chris Bridges in key roles.
RocknRolla had fairly mixed reviews from critics at the time of its release, but it performed quite well at the box office, hitting the number one spot in the UK within the first week of its theatrical run. Many of the movie’s tropes may be familiar, especially for longtime fans of Ritchie’s films, but RocknRolla delivers just enough unpredictability and slick gangster action to stand out from the usual fare of crime movies. The film is currently available for rent and purchase via Amazon, Apple TV+, YouTube, and other online video rental services.
1
‘300’ (2007)
Directed by Zack Snyder
Adapted from Frank Miller and Lynn Varley’s eponymous 1998 comic series, 300 is a fictional retelling of the historic Battle of Thermopylae starring Gerard Butler as Spartan King Leonidas. Directed and co-written by Zack Snyder, the film follows Leonidas as he leads a group of 300 Spartan warriors to fend off an invasion by the Persian god-king Xerxes. Besides Butler, the film also features David Wenham, Lena Headey, Giovanni Cimmino, Dominic West, Vincent Regan, Andrew Tiernan, Rodrigo Santoro, Michael Fassbender,and more.
300 is arguably Gerard Butler’s most popular movie of all time and one of the most iconic films of the 2000s. While it may not be particularly well-written, the movie is carried by Butler’s rousing performance as Leonidas, and it features some truly spectacular action scenes that rank among the best of all time. The film earned several accolades, including 10 Saturn Award nominations, and a sequel, 300: Rise of an Empire, was released in 2014. 300 is currently available for streaming on TNT, TBS, and truTV.
