14 Action Movies To Watch For Epic Battles & Big Stakes
by Explore Disney+ Contributor
Revised: May 20, 2026
Get caught up in these fast-paced, thrilling movies featuring Super Heroes, lightsabers, spies, and more
Looking for movies that get your adrenaline pumping? This Watch Guide invites you to join Indiana Jones on an archeologic expedition, step into the world of the Yautja with Predator: Badlands, and witness the epic clash between light and darkness in Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith (Episode III). Scroll on to build a Watchlist filled with unforgettable showdowns, death-defying stunts, and otherworldly adventures.
Best Action Movies To Watch On Disney+ & Hulu
We’re covering the top action movies spanning decades, sub-genres, and even galaxies. Whether you’re in the mood for classic escapades, larger-than-life Super Hero bravery, or something to watch with the kids, you’ll find it on Disney+ and Hulu on Disney+ for bundle subscribers.*
Dramatic Action-Thriller Movies
These movies are fueled by personal stakes and cat-and-mouse dynamics, building tension as they move toward inevitable final clashes. To watch all of these titles, you need a bundle subscription.*
A Fatherhood Story Gone Wrong: Sovereign, Hulu
Inspired by true events, Nick Offerman and Jacob Tremblay play Jerry and Joe Kane, a father deep in debt and his homeschooled son. Together, they travel the country selling self-taught legal seminars. As Jerry indoctrinates Joe into his sovereign-citizen worldview, he steers him toward a confrontation with Dennis Quaid’s police chief. Things like eviction notices and a traffic stop become breaking points in this thriller about a boy realizing his father’s idea of freedom has trapped them both. (Hulu)*
Add Sovereign to Watchlist (login required) or learn more on Hulu.com
A Samurai Western In Scotland: Tornado, Hulu
When her father’s traveling puppet samurai show is ambushed by the outlaw Sugarman and his son Little Sugar, young Tornado steals the gold from their latest heist, sparking a tense chase across 1790s Scotland. After the attack, she turns her samurai training back on the gang in her hunt for vengeance. The thriller’s unique puppet show setup gives the sword fights an offbeat feel that elevates the action. (Hulu)*
Add Tornado to Watchlist (login required) or learn more on Hulu.com
Action-Adventure Movie Franchises
These movies are the start of two long-running and beloved sagas. After you watch the originals, why not fully immerse yourself with a weekend-long action-adventure movie marathon?
A Whip-Smart Archaeologist On A Mission: Indiana Jones™ and the Raiders of the Lost Ark
It’s 1936, and archaeologist Indiana Jones is tasked by Army Intelligence to help locate a legendary ancient power, the Ark of the Covenant, before the Nazis get there first. In a race against the clock, Indy and his friends are whisked away on a journey across the world in a thrilling adventure. Directed by Steven Spielberg and featuring an iconic score by John Williams, this first installment of the Indiana Jones franchise was the winner of four Academy Awards®, including Best Effects.
Add Indiana Jones™ and the Raiders of the Lost Ark to Watchlist
Hijinks On The High Seas: Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
Jack Sparrow washes into Port Royal and pulls blacksmith Will Turner into a chase after Captain Barbossa, who has stolen the Black Pearl and kidnapped Elizabeth Swann. Barbossa’s cursed hoard of gold has turned his men into a crew of undead skeletons, giving the movie the feel of an old fisherman’s tale. Despite the creepy twist, Captain Jack keeps things light with his unique charm as he tries to steal back his own ship in this first installment of the Pirates of the Caribbean movies.
Add Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl to Watchlist
Family Action Movies For Movie Night
These PG-rated movies are perfect for when you want to bring some extra excitement to movie night with the kids.
Journey To A Fantastical World: Bridge to Terabithia
Based on the acclaimed novel by Katherine Paterson, Bridge to Terabithia follows two misfit kids who stumble upon a wondrous secret kingdom where imagination lets them escape the real world. This coming-of-age story is deeply grounded in typical middle school experiences, with the additional layer of a realm inhabited by fantastical creatures, big and small.
Add Bridge to Terabithia to Watchlist
Slapstick Comedy Meets Robot Action: Inspector Gadget
After an injury, naive security guard John Brown is not only patched back up, he’s upgraded with incredible built-in gizmos and contraptions. Now a human Swiss army knife, he tries to fight crime (if he can control his upgrades). As Inspector Gadget tries to settle into his new life, the evil Dr. Claw is about to make sure he meets his match. Hilarious mishaps mix with ingenious inventions in this action-comedy for the whole family.
Add Inspector Gadget to Watchlist
A Stunt Pilot Turned Global Hero: The Rocketeer
In this 1991 movie, one man (and a top-secret jetpack) stands between a secret Nazi organization and their plan for world domination. Set in 1930s Los Angeles, the movie features classic gangster aesthetics, an epic score by James Horner, and larger-than-life stunts. This old-school, action-packed adventure is ready to jet into your next movie night.
Add The Rocketeer to Watchlist
Sci-Fi Action Movies
Incredible special effects and high-octane action collide in these sci-fi movies set in alternate universes and distant galaxies. If you’re looking for adventures full of intensity, fast-paced action, and explosive face-offs, look no further.
A Predator Worth Rooting For: Predator: Badlands, Hulu
Dek, a young Yautja (Predator), embarks on a mission to prove his abilities as a hunter after he’s shunned by his clan. When he arrives on the "death planet" Genna, he meets android Thia, and the two team up to take on the feared Kalisk. This Predator movie gives new insight into Yautja culture, a species previously portrayed only as bloodthirsty villains. (Hulu)*
Add Predator: Badlands to Watchlist (login required) or learn more on Hulu.com
A Virtual Soldier Enters Our World: Tron: Ares
The world of Disney’s groundbreaking Tron expands with Tron: Ares, the electrifying, visually stunning follow-up to the 1982 seminal science fiction film Tron and the 2010 sequel, Tron: Legacy. When a highly sophisticated Program named Ares is sent from the digital world into the real world on a dangerous mission, it marks humankind’s first encounter with A.I. beings. Featuring innovations that feel both staggering and increasingly within reach, this stylized action adventure is paired with an electrifying score by Nine Inch Nails.
A Republic On The Brink: Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith (Episode III)
Discover the true power of the dark side in Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith (Episode III). Years after the onset of the Clone Wars, the noble Jedi Knights lead a massive clone army into a galaxy-wide battle against the Separatists. When the Sith unveil a thousand-year-old plot to rule the galaxy, the Republic crumbles, and from its ashes rises the evil Galactic Empire. Jedi hero Anakin Skywalker is seduced by the dark side of the Force, becoming the Emperor’s new apprentice, Darth Vader.
Add Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith (Episode III) to Watchlist
A Sea Odyssey For The Senses: Avatar: The Way of Water
The second chapter of the Avatar saga expands the world of Pandora, exploring the depths of its oceans. It follows the Sully family more than a decade after the first film, depicting the challenges they face as they fight to protect their home and each other.
Add Avatar: The Way of Water to Watchlist
Super Hero Action Movies
For some of the most epic showdowns in movie history, Marvel on Disney+ has you covered. Check out the highlights below, then browse the full Marvel Collection for more exhilarating battles between Super Heroes and Super Villains.
Peter Parker Enters The Multiverse: Spider-Man™: No Way Home
For the first time in the cinematic history of Spider-Man™, our friendly neighborhood hero's identity is revealed, bringing his Super Hero responsibilities into conflict with his normal life and putting those he cares about most at risk. When he enlists Doctor Strange's help to restore his secret, the spell tears a hole in their world, releasing the most powerful villains Spider-Man has ever faced. Now, Peter must overcome his greatest challenge yet, which will not only alter his own future, but the future of the Multiverse.
Add Spider-Man™: No Way Home to Watchlist
A Red-Hot Test Of Leadership: Marvel Studios' Captain America: Brave New World
After meeting with newly elected U.S. President Thaddeus Ross, Sam Wilson finds himself in the middle of an international incident. He must uncover the truth behind a nefarious global plot before the mastermind behind it has the entire world seeing red.
Add Marvel Studios' Captain America: Brave New World to Watchlist
A Mother At Mission Control: Marvel Studios' The Fantastic Four: First Steps
Set against the vibrant backdrop of a 1960s-inspired, retro-futuristic world, Marvel Studios’ The Fantastic Four: First Steps introduces Marvel’s First Family: Reed Richards / Mister Fantastic, Sue Storm / Invisible Woman, Johnny Storm / Human Torch, and Ben Grimm / The Thing. Forced to balance their roles as heroes with the strength of their family bond, they must defend Earth from a ravenous space god, Galactus, and his enigmatic Herald, Silver Surfer. And if Galactus’ plan to devour the entire planet weren’t bad enough, it quickly gets very personal.
Add Marvel Studios’ The Fantastic Four: First Steps to Watchlist
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