List of action film directors

Updated on Jan 24, 2024

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Action film directors guide the filming and creative elements in action movies, a film genre where action sequences, such as fights, shootouts, stunts, car chases or explosions either take precedence, or, in finer examples of the genre, are used as a form of exposition and character development. Action movie directors may also blend other genres into their films, such as romance, science fiction, or even comedy (e.g., Rush Hour). This genre is closely linked with those of thriller and adventure films.

Notable directors

J.J. Abrams

Paul W.S. Anderson

Michael Apted

Jose Balagtas

Andrzej Bartkowiak

Michael Bay

Henry Bean

Peter Berg

Luc Besson

Kathryn Bigelow

Neil Blomkamp

James Cameron

Martin Campbell

Joe Carnahan

John Carpenter

Steve Carver

Enzo G. Castellari

Rob Cohen

George Pan Cosmatos

Andrew Davis

Jan De Bont

Brian De Palma

Richard Donner

Roger Donaldson

Roland Emmerich

Gareth Evans

Jon Favreau

Sam Firstenberg

Isaac Florentine

John Ford

John Frankenheimer

William Friedkin

Kinji Fukasaku

Antoine Fuqua

Lewis Gilbert

John Glen

James Glickenhaus

Menahem Golan

David S. Goyer

F. Gary Gray

Paul Greengrass

Guy Hamilton

Tsui Hark

Renny Harlin

Jonathan Hensleigh

Walter Hill

Patrick Hughes

Sammo Hung

Brian G. Hutton

Peter Hyams

John Irvin

Peter Jackson

Joe Johnston

Irvin Kershner

Andrei Konchalovsky

Ted Kotcheff

Stanley Kubrick

Akira Kurosawa

Robert Kurtzman

Ringo Lam

Jess Lapid, Jr.

Lito Lapid

Mimi Leder

Ang Lee

Danny Lee

Sergio Leone

Mark L. Lester

Richard Lester

Louis Leterrier

Sheldon Lettich

Jonathan Liebesman

Doug Liman

Justin Lin

Dwight H. Little

William Lustig

Jennifer Lynch

Peter MacDonald

Michael Mann

Antonio Margheriti

Baldo Marro

Nico Mastorakis

Bruno Mattei

Sam Mendes

McG

Andrew V. McLaglen

John McTiernan

Christopher McQuarrie

Joseph Merhi

Willie Milan

John Milius

George Miller

Steve Miner

Cesar Montano

John Moore

Pierre Morel

Russell Mulcahy

Geoff Murphy

Chris Nahon

Neveldine/Taylor

Christopher Nolan

Aaron Norris

Sonny Parsons

Sam Peckinpah

Wolfgang Petersen

Prachya Pinkaew

Fernando Poe Jr.

Ted Post

Albert Pyun

Sam Raimi

Brett Ratner

Kevin Reynolds

Ronnie Ricketts

Guy Ritchie

Eddie Rodriguez

Robert Rodriguez

Chuck Russell

Cirio H. Santiago

Ridley Scott

Tony Scott

Jack Sholder

John Singleton

Brian Trenchard-Smith

Zack Snyder

Stephen Sommers

Steven Spielberg

Roger Spottiswoode

Chad Stahelski

Richard Stanley

Oliver Stone

John Sturges

Lee Tamahori

Billy Tang

Quentin Tarantino

J. Lee Thompson

Josh Trank

Pete Travis

Dante Varona

Paul Verhoeven

Roi Vinzon

The Wachowskis

James Wan

Marc Webb

Peter Weir

Simon West

Joss Whedon

Michael Winner

Len Wiseman

John Woo

Peter Yates

Wilson Yip

Terence Young

Ronny Yu

Corey Yuen

Joseph Zito

Action stars who have directed their own action movies

Jackie Chan: The Fearless Hyena (1979), The Young Master (1980), Dragon Lord (1982), Project A (1983), Police Story (1985), Armour of God (1986), Project A Part II (1987), Police Story 2 (1988), Miracles (1989), Armour of God II: Operation Condor (1991)

Clint Eastwood: High Plains Drifter (1973), The Eiger Sanction (1975), The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976), The Gauntlet (1977), Firefox (1982), Sudden Impact (1983), Pale Rider (1985), The Rookie (1990)

Mel Gibson: Braveheart (1995)

Bruce Lee: Way of the Dragon (1972)

Jet Li: Born to Defence (1986)

Dolph Lundgren: The Defender (2004), The Mechanik (2005), Missionary Man (2007), Diamond Dogs (2007), Command Performance (2009), and Icarus (2010)

Steven Seagal: On Deadly Ground (1994)

Sylvester Stallone: Rambo (2008), The Expendables (2010)

Jean-Claude Van Damme: The Quest (1996), Full Love (TBA)

References

List of action film directors Wikipedia

(Text) CC BY-SA

Contents

Notable directors

Action stars who have directed their own action movies

References