List of action film directors
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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
- F. Gary Gray
- Paul Greengrass
- Guy Hamilton
- Tsui Hark
- Renny Harlin
- Robert Harmon
- Jonathan Hensleigh
- Walter Hill
- Patrick Hughes
- Sammo Hung
- Brian G. Hutton
- Peter Hyams
- 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
- Fernando Poe Jr.
- Prachya Pinkaew
- 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
- Zack Snyder
- Stephen Sommers
- Steven Spielberg
- Roger Spottiswoode
- 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)