Top 15 Action Stars of the World: Based on Worldwide Box Office Hits

When evaluating the world's top action stars, one key criteria that stands out is the number of worldwide action movie hits they have starred in. This article will provide an in-depth look at the top 15 action stars, listed by their box office performance. Additionally, it will explore the patterns and franchises that have consistently produced a string of action hits over the years.

Criteria for Evaluation

In order to maintain objectivity, the following criteria were applied:

Action stars: Only those with a leading role in action movies were considered. Supporting roles in action franchises were excluded. Action movies: Films with a significant action component were included, while purely fantasy or science fiction films without an action element were excluded. Global hits: Only films that were among the top ten box office earners in their year of release were counted. Franchise limitation: Only films from 1975 onwards were included, excluding early action legends like Bruce Lee and John Wayne.

Top 15 Action Stars

11 Action Hits: Tom Cruise

Topping the list with 11 action movie hits across four decades, Tom Cruise stands out. Here are the films:

Top Gun Mission: Impossible Mission: Impossible 2 Minority Report The Last Samurai War of the Worlds Mission: Impossible III Mission: Impossible—Ghost Protocol Mission: Impossible—Rogue Nation Mission: Impossible—Fallout Top Gun: Maverick

9 Action Hits: Will Smith and Robert Downey Jr.

Actions stars Will Smith and Robert Downey Jr. each have 9 action hits:

Will Smith:

Independence Day Men in Black Men in Black 2 Bad Boys II I am Legend Hancock Men in Black 3 Suicide Squad Bad Boys For Life

Robert Downey Jr.:

Iron Man Sherlock Holmes Iron Man 2 The Avengers Iron Man 3 Avengers: Age of Ultron Captain America: Civil War Avengers: Infinity War Avengers: Endgame

8 Action Hits: Harrison Ford and Sylvester Stallone

Harrison Ford and Sylvester Stallone lead with 8 action movie hits:

Harrison Ford:

Star Wars Ep. IV: A New Hope Star Wars Ep. V: The Empire Strikes Back Raiders of the Lost Ark Star Wars Ep. VI: Return of the Jedi Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade The Fugitive Air Force One Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

Sylvester Stallone:

Rocky Rocky 2 First Blood Rocky III Rambo: First Blood Part II Rocky IV Rambo III Cliffhanger

7 Action Hits: Dwayne Johnson and Chris Hemsworth

Dwayne Johnson and Chris Hemsworth each have 7 action movie hits:

Dwayne Johnson:

Fast Five Fast and Furious 6 Furious 7 The Fate of the Furious Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle Jumanji: The Next Level F9: The Fast Saga

Chris Hemsworth:

The Avengers Thor: The Dark World Avengers: Age of Ultron Thor: Ragnarok Avengers: Infinity War Avengers: Endgame Thor: Love and Thunder

6 Action Hits: Orlando Bloom, Zoe Saldana, Chris Pratt, and Chris Evans

Orlando Bloom, Zoe Saldana, Chris Pratt, and Chris Evans each have 6 action movie hits:

Orlando Bloom:

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End

Zoe Saldana:

Avatar Guardians of the Galaxy Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 Avengers: Infinity War Avengers: Endgame Avatar: The Way of Water

Chris Pratt:

Guardians of the Galaxy Jurassic World Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2 Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom Avengers: Infinity War Jurassic World: Dominion

Chris Evans:

The Avengers Captain America: The Winter Soldier Avengers: Age of Ultron Captain America: Civil War Avengers: Infinity War Avengers: Endgame

Franchises and Patterns

The top action stars often belong to franchises that provide multiple hits:

Franchises: Mission: Impossible, Rocky, Indiana Jones, Lethal Weapon, Die Hard, and Jumanji have consistently produced action hits. Ensemble franchises like the Avengers, Fast, Furious, and Guardians of the Galaxy have provided numerous opportunities for stars to shine. Outliers: Older action stars like Mel Gibson have also had standout careers but often lack the same franchise consistency.

Conclusion

The world of action cinema is full of talented stars, and their box office success is often tied to the strength of their franchises and ensemble casts. Whether leading a standalone action film or being a key member of an ensemble cast, these action stars have consistently delivered hits that captivate audiences worldwide.