Top 33 Action Movies of 2016
by spideynw | created - 12 Mar 2018 | updated - 16 Mar 2018 | PublicBe sure to sort by "List Order".
This list is based on a weighted score of domestic box office earnings 25%, IMDB's Metascore 15%, and Cinemascore of 60%. Domestic box office earnings are used because this list is for the U.S. market.
Cinemascore is used, as opposed to IMDB or Rotten Tomatoes, because their results are from actual movie-goers. However, when a Cinemascore was not available, the average score of IMDB and Rotten Tomatoes was used.
Box office earnings are only weighted 25% because of these factors:
1) Earnings are dependent on how many theaters a movie is shown in.
2) The movie's rating (R, PG-13, etc.) affects ticket sales in general.
3) Ticket sales can be affected by how much marketing is spent on promoting the film.
4) Earnings don't reflect profitability (A film that earned $300M but only made a profit of $50M may not be considered as successful as a film that earned $150M but made a profit of $100M).
The box office earnings score is calculated based on other movies in the same categoyr. In other words, for action movies, only the earnings of other action movies are used. The top earning film in a category gets 100 points. The earnings of the rest of the films in a category are then divided by the earnings of the top earner to get their score. Only movies that earned at least $30M at the box office are included in the rankings.
Metascore is only weighted 15% because critics aren't the target audience and their views are not necessarily reflected by the masses, who are the target audience. However, because they have probably seen a lot more films than the general population, their views are given some weight. Since the general population is the target audience, Cinemascore is given a weight of 60%.
- Instant Watch Options
- Genres
- Movies or TV
- IMDb Rating
- In Theaters
- Release Year
- Keywords
1. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
PG-13 | 133 min | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
In a time of conflict, a group of unlikely heroes band together on a mission to steal the plans to the Death Star, the Empire's ultimate weapon of destruction.
Director: Gareth Edwards | Stars: Felicity Jones, Diego Luna, Alan Tudyk, Donnie Yen
Votes: 685,717 | Gross: $532.18M
2. Captain America: Civil War (2016)
PG-13 | 147 min | Action, Sci-Fi
Political involvement in the Avengers' affairs causes a rift between Captain America and Iron Man.
Directors: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo | Stars: Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson, Sebastian Stan
Votes: 848,936 | Gross: $408.08M
3. Deadpool (2016)
R | 108 min | Action, Comedy
A wisecracking mercenary gets experimented on and becomes immortal yet hideously scarred, and sets out to track down the man who ruined his looks.
Director: Tim Miller | Stars: Ryan Reynolds, Morena Baccarin, T.J. Miller, Ed Skrein
Votes: 1,123,817 | Gross: $363.07M
4. Doctor Strange (2016)
PG-13 | 115 min | Action, Adventure, Fantasy
While on a journey of physical and spiritual healing, a brilliant neurosurgeon is drawn into the world of the mystic arts.
Director: Scott Derrickson | Stars: Benedict Cumberbatch, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Rachel McAdams, Benedict Wong
Votes: 803,707 | Gross: $232.64M
5. Pete's Dragon (2016)
PG | 102 min | Action, Adventure, Comedy
The adventures of an orphaned boy named Pete and his best friend Elliott, who happens to be a dragon.
Director: David Lowery | Stars: Bryce Dallas Howard, Robert Redford, Oakes Fegley, Oona Laurence
Votes: 61,625 | Gross: $76.23M
6. Hacksaw Ridge (2016)
R | 139 min | Biography, Drama, History
World War II American Army Medic Desmond T. Doss, serving during the Battle of Okinawa, refuses to kill people and becomes the first man in American history to receive the Medal of Honor without firing a shot.
Director: Mel Gibson | Stars: Andrew Garfield, Sam Worthington, Luke Bracey, Teresa Palmer
Votes: 592,860 | Gross: $67.21M
7. Star Trek Beyond (2016)
PG-13 | 122 min | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
The crew of the USS Enterprise explores the furthest reaches of uncharted space, where they encounter a new ruthless enemy, who puts them, and everything the Federation stands for, to the test.
Director: Justin Lin | Stars: Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Karl Urban, Zoe Saldana
Votes: 258,285 | Gross: $158.85M
8. Suicide Squad (2016)
PG-13 | 123 min | Action, Adventure, Fantasy
A secret government agency recruits some of the most dangerous incarcerated super-villains to form a defensive task force. Their first mission: save the world from the apocalypse.
Director: David Ayer | Stars: Will Smith, Jared Leto, Margot Robbie, Viola Davis
Votes: 721,725 | Gross: $325.10M
9. Jason Bourne (I) (2016)
PG-13 | 123 min | Action, Thriller
The CIA's most dangerous former operative is drawn out of hiding to uncover more explosive truths about his past.
Director: Paul Greengrass | Stars: Matt Damon, Tommy Lee Jones, Alicia Vikander, Vincent Cassel
Votes: 241,853 | Gross: $162.43M
10. The Accountant (2016)
R | 128 min | Action, Crime, Drama
As a math savant uncooks the books for a new client, the Treasury Department closes in on his activities, and the body count starts to rise.
Director: Gavin O'Connor | Stars: Ben Affleck, Anna Kendrick, J.K. Simmons, Jon Bernthal
Votes: 320,852 | Gross: $86.26M
11. X-Men: Apocalypse (2016)
PG-13 | 144 min | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
In the 1980s the X-Men must defeat an ancient all-powerful mutant, En Sabah Nur, who intends to thrive through bringing destruction to the world.
Director: Bryan Singer | Stars: James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, Nicholas Hoult
Votes: 460,593 | Gross: $155.44M
12. 13 Hours (2016)
R | 144 min | Action, Drama, History
During an attack on a U.S. compound in Libya, a security team struggles to make sense out of the chaos.
Director: Michael Bay | Stars: John Krasinski, Pablo Schreiber, James Badge Dale, David Denman
Votes: 160,364 | Gross: $52.85M
13. Central Intelligence (2016)
PG-13 | 107 min | Action, Comedy, Crime
After he reconnects with an awkward pal from high school through Facebook, a mild-mannered accountant is lured into the world of international espionage.
Director: Rawson Marshall Thurber | Stars: Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Danielle Nicolet, Amy Ryan
Votes: 212,807 | Gross: $127.44M
14. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)
PG-13 | 151 min | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Batman is manipulated by Lex Luthor to fear Superman. Superman´s existence is meanwhile dividing the world and he is framed for murder during an international crisis. The heroes clash and force the neutral Wonder Woman to reemerge.
Director: Zack Snyder | Stars: Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Jesse Eisenberg
Votes: 751,896 | Gross: $330.36M
15. Deepwater Horizon (2016)
PG-13 | 107 min | Action, Drama, History
A dramatization of the disaster in April 2010, when the offshore drilling rig called the Deepwater Horizon exploded, resulting in the worst oil spill in American history.
Director: Peter Berg | Stars: Mark Wahlberg, Kurt Russell, Douglas M. Griffin, James DuMont
Votes: 181,984 | Gross: $61.43M
16. The Legend of Tarzan (2016)
PG-13 | 110 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
Tarzan, having acclimated to life in London, is called back to his former home in the jungle to investigate the activities at a mining encampment.
Director: David Yates | Stars: Alexander Skarsgård, Rory J Saper, Christian Stevens, Christoph Waltz
Votes: 188,552 | Gross: $126.64M
17. The Magnificent Seven (2016)
PG-13 | 132 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
Seven gunmen from a variety of backgrounds are brought together by a vengeful young widow to protect her town from the private army of a destructive industrialist.
Director: Antoine Fuqua | Stars: Denzel Washington, Chris Pratt, Ethan Hawke, Vincent D'Onofrio
Votes: 227,981 | Gross: $93.43M
18. Ghostbusters: Answer the Call (2016)
PG-13 | 117 min | Action, Comedy, Fantasy
Following a ghost invasion of Manhattan, paranormal enthusiasts Erin Gilbert and Abby Yates, nuclear engineer Jillian Holtzmann, and subway worker Patty Tolan band together to stop the otherworldly threat.
Director: Paul Feig | Stars: Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon, Leslie Jones
Votes: 245,991 | Gross: $128.34M
19. Now You See Me 2 (2016)
PG-13 | 129 min | Action, Adventure, Comedy
The Four Horsemen resurface, and are forcibly recruited by a tech genius to pull off their most impossible heist yet.
Director: Jon M. Chu | Stars: Jesse Eisenberg, Mark Ruffalo, Woody Harrelson, Dave Franco
Votes: 320,730 | Gross: $65.08M
20. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows (2016)
PG-13 | 112 min | Action, Adventure, Comedy
The Turtles get into another battle with their enemy the Shredder, who has acquired new allies: the mutant thugs Bebop and Rocksteady and the alien being Krang.
Director: Dave Green | Stars: Megan Fox, Will Arnett, Tyler Perry, Laura Linney
Votes: 99,716 | Gross: $82.05M
21. The Purge: Election Year (2016)
R | 108 min | Action, Horror, Sci-Fi
Former Police Sergeant Barnes becomes head of security for Senator Charlie Roan, a Presidential candidate targeted for death on Purge night due to her vow to eliminate the Purge.
Director: James DeMonaco | Stars: Frank Grillo, Elizabeth Mitchell, Mykelti Williamson, J.J. Soria
Votes: 109,932 | Gross: $79.21M
22. London Has Fallen (2016)
R | 99 min | Action, Thriller
In London for the Prime Minister's funeral, Mike Banning is caught up in a plot to assassinate all the attending world leaders.
Director: Babak Najafi | Stars: Gerard Butler, Aaron Eckhart, Morgan Freeman, Angela Bassett
Votes: 169,438 | Gross: $62.68M
23. Jack Reacher: Never Go Back (2016)
PG-13 | 118 min | Action, Crime, Drama
Jack Reacher must uncover the truth behind a major government conspiracy in order to clear his name while on the run as a fugitive from the law.
Director: Edward Zwick | Stars: Tom Cruise, Cobie Smulders, Aldis Hodge, Robert Knepper
Votes: 175,091 | Gross: $58.70M
24. Ride Along 2 (2016)
PG-13 | 102 min | Action, Comedy, Crime
As his wedding day approaches, Ben heads to Miami with his soon-to-be brother-in-law James to bring down a drug dealer who's supplying the dealers of Atlanta with product.
Director: Tim Story | Stars: Ice Cube, Kevin Hart, Tika Sumpter, Benjamin Bratt
Votes: 63,014 | Gross: $91.22M
25. Assassin's Creed (2016)
PG-13 | 115 min | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Callum Lynch explores the memories of his ancestor Aguilar de Nerha and gains the skills of a Master Assassin, before taking on the secret Templar society.
Director: Justin Kurzel | Stars: Michael Fassbender, Marion Cotillard, Jeremy Irons, Brendan Gleeson
Votes: 208,709 | Gross: $54.65M
26. The Huntsman: Winter's War (2016)
PG-13 | 114 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
Eric and fellow warrior Sara, raised as members of ice Queen Freya's army, try to conceal their forbidden love as they fight to survive the wicked intentions of both Freya and her sister Ravenna.
Director: Cedric Nicolas-Troyan | Stars: Chris Hemsworth, Jessica Chastain, Charlize Theron, Emily Blunt
Votes: 119,234 | Gross: $48.39M
27. Warcraft (2016)
PG-13 | 123 min | Action, Adventure, Fantasy
As an Orc horde invades the planet Azeroth using a magic portal, a few human heroes and dissenting Orcs must attempt to stop the true evil behind this war.
Director: Duncan Jones | Stars: Travis Fimmel, Paula Patton, Ben Foster, Dominic Cooper
Votes: 278,529 | Gross: $47.37M
28. Underworld: Blood Wars (2016)
R | 91 min | Action, Fantasy, Thriller
Vampire death dealer Selene (Kate Beckinsale) fights to end the eternal war between the Lycan clan and the Vampire faction that betrayed her.
Director: Anna Foerster | Stars: Kate Beckinsale, Theo James, Tobias Menzies, Lara Pulver
Votes: 80,926 | Gross: $30.35M
29. Independence Day: Resurgence (2016)
PG-13 | 120 min | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Two decades after the first Independence Day invasion, Earth is faced with a new extra-Solar threat. But will mankind's new space defenses be enough?
Director: Roland Emmerich | Stars: Liam Hemsworth, Jeff Goldblum, Bill Pullman, Maika Monroe
Votes: 188,581 | Gross: $103.14M
30. The Great Wall (I) (2016)
PG-13 | 103 min | Action, Adventure, Fantasy
In ancient China, a group of European mercenaries encounters a secret army that maintains and defends the Great Wall of China against a horde of monstrous creatures.
Director: Yimou Zhang | Stars: Matt Damon, Tian Jing, Willem Dafoe, Andy Lau
Votes: 145,954 | Gross: $45.54M
31. Allegiant (2016)
PG-13 | 120 min | Action, Adventure, Mystery
After the earth-shattering revelations of Insurgent, Tris must escape with Four beyond the wall that encircles Chicago, to finally discover the shocking truth of the world around them.
Director: Robert Schwentke | Stars: Shailene Woodley, Theo James, Jeff Daniels, Naomi Watts
Votes: 133,980 | Gross: $66.18M
32. The 5th Wave (2016)
PG-13 | 112 min | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Four waves of increasingly deadly alien attacks have left most of Earth in ruin. Cassie is on the run, desperately trying to save her younger brother.
Director: J Blakeson | Stars: Chloë Grace Moretz, Matthew Zuk, Gabriela Lopez, Bailey Anne Borders
Votes: 117,154 | Gross: $34.92M
33. Gods of Egypt (2016)
PG-13 | 127 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
Mortal hero Bek teams with the god Horus in an alliance against Set, the merciless god of darkness, who has usurped Egypt's throne, plunging the once peaceful and prosperous empire into chaos and conflict.
Director: Alex Proyas | Stars: Brenton Thwaites, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Gerard Butler, Chadwick Boseman
Votes: 125,684 | Gross: $31.15M
Tell Your Friends