15 Modern Action Stars We’ll Remember as ‘Classic’ Someday
Were action stars considered classic at the start of their careers? That’s a trick question; of course they weren’t. While they certainly made blockbuster hits here and there, to become an action icon you need perspective, and that can only be gained through the passage of time.
As such, we’re left wondering: who will become the classics of the future? Their careers are being built right now, with movies and shows that are already hits. Here, we’ve gathered the faces that, at least to us, will become the icons of the future of action cinema.
Karl Urban
From Éomer and Bones to Dredd and Billy Butcher, Karl Urban has spent decades quietly accumulating iconic action roles. His combination of physicality, dry humor, and unmistakable intensity makes him one of today’s most recognizable genre performers.
Glen Powell
Glen Powell already feels like someone Hollywood could build an entire era around. Top Gun: Maverick established his cocky action-star persona, while Twisters proved he could carry a major blockbuster himself, giving him the charisma associated with classic leading men.
Austin Butler
Austin Butler’s transition from Elvis to Dune: Part Two and The Bikeriders demonstrated an unusually strong combination of physical presence and dramatic credibility. His old-school movie-star charisma increasingly makes him look like someone built for enduring action roles.
Alan Ritchson
Alan Ritchson has the sheer physical presence of a traditional action hero, but Reacher has also shown he can bring humor and personality to the archetype. His recent work increasingly recalls the straightforward, muscular stars of earlier action cinema.
Aaron Taylor-Johnson
Aaron Taylor-Johnson has quietly assembled an action-heavy résumé spanning Kick-Ass, Godzilla, Tenet, Bullet Train, The Fall Guy, and Kraven the Hunter. His charismatic assassin in Bullet Train particularly demonstrated the effortless cool associated with classic action stars.
Taron Egerton
Taron Egerton established himself as an action lead through the Kingsman movies before expanding into dramatically different territory. His continued work in thrillers and action projects, including Carry-On and Apex, suggests he has plenty of room to build a lasting genre legacy.
Michael B. Jordan
Michael B. Jordan has become one of the defining action performers of his generation through Creed and Black Panther, while directing Creed III himself. His combination of athleticism, dramatic intensity, and franchise experience gives him genuine long-term action-star potential.
John Boyega
John Boyega went from Attack the Block to one of cinema’s biggest franchises with Star Wars, establishing himself as an unusually charismatic action presence. His willingness to pursue varied projects afterward could ultimately give his career greater longevity than blockbuster stardom alone.
Dave Bautista
Dave Bautista has deliberately avoided becoming merely another wrestler-turned-action star. Guardians of the Galaxy, Blade Runner 2049, Dune, and Army of the Dead demonstrate his range, while his upcoming role as Kratos could further cement his genre legacy.
Simu Liu
Simu Liu became an action star almost overnight with Shang-Chi, combining martial-arts ability, humor, and leading-man charisma. His continued Marvel appearances, including Avengers: Doomsday, give him a franchise platform capable of defining his generation.
Ana de Armas
Ana de Armas proved she could dominate an action sequence as Paloma in No Time to Die before taking center stage in Ballerina. With Bond and John Wick credentials already attached to her résumé, she has the ingredients of a future action icon.
Florence Pugh
Florence Pugh entered the superhero-action world as Yelena Belova in Black Widow and continued through Hawkeye and Thunderbolts*. Her dramatic reputation gives those action roles additional weight, while Yelena provides a character audiences can easily imagine remembering decades later.
Charlie Hunnam
Charlie Hunnam’s Jax Teller made him an international star through Sons of Anarchy, while later projects such as King Arthur and Rebel Ridge kept him connected to action. His rugged screen presence feels tailor-made for enduring genre roles.
Andrew Koji
Andrew Koji may be less famous than some names here, but Warrior established him as a formidable martial-arts performer. Bullet Train expanded his exposure, while his casting as Ryu in Street Fighter gives him another major opportunity to become synonymous with action.
Henry Golding
Henry Golding moved from romantic leading man to action territory with Snake Eyes and The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare. His polished charisma and physical presence give him a distinctly old-fashioned leading-man quality that could become increasingly valuable as his career develops.