The 1980s were an incredible era foraction moviesand were the inception point for some of the greatest franchises of all time. With major stars like Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone dominating the box office, the action franchises of this decade had a unique aesthetic and energy that meant, even after all these years, they were still beloved and rewatched by hordes of action movie lovers. What’s most impressive about the best action franchises of the 1980s was their longevity, as many have continued right up to this day through sequels, prequels, revivals, and reboots.
As a truly revolutionary decade for action movies, the 1980s boasted some of thebiggest action heroes of all time, as icons like John McClane became a one-man-army trying to put an end to a terrorist takeover. The action movie genre also played with many other styles, as series likeBeverly Hills Cophelped revive the buddy cop genre, andThe Terminatorleaned heavily into cyberpunk and sci-fi concepts. With so much variety and so many incredible movies,the 1980s was truly a treasure trove for action franchises.
8Police Story (1985 - 2013)
Seven movies: Three sequels, one spin-off, two reboots
While Hollywood productions often dominate the conversation when discussing 1980s franchises, the Hong Kong action seriesPolice Storyalso deserves a mention. As a definitive release in Jackie Chan’s career,Police Storypowerfully combined Chan’s incredible talent as a stuntman with his unique sense of slapstick humor. With many elaborate stunts and large-scale action sequences, the firstPolice Storysaw Chan embroiled in car chases, hanging off a speeding bus, and even taking part in an iconic shopping mall fight with shattering glass panes.
More so than any other franchise,Police Storysolidified Chan’s reputation as one of the greatest Kung Fu movie stars of all time. With such incredible charisma,Police Storyhelped build up Chan’s reputation in the West and was an important contributor to his later Hollywood movie roles. As the perfect combination of action and stunts,thePolice Storyfranchise’sinfluence can be felt in almost every modern action movie that tries to blend awe-inspiring stunts with laugh-out-loud humor.
7Predator (1987 - Present)
Seven movies: Three sequels, one prequel, and two spin-offs
A brand new action movie franchise was born with the release ofPredatorin 1987. However, rather than act as the catalyst for countless adventures starring its protagonist Arnold Schwarzenegger as Major Dutch Schaefer, thePredatorseries went in a different direction by focusing on its sinister villains, the race of extraterrestrial trophy-seeking hunters known as the Yautja. These alien creatures utilized advanced technology, camouflage, and a whole host of otherworldly weapons to take out their prey in a franchise that blends action, horror, and science fiction.
The firstPredatorstarring Schwarzenegger was one of the definitive action movies of the 1980s, as quotes like “get to the choppa” have become just as iconic asThe Terminator’s“I’ll be back.” While the series had just one lone entry in the 1980s, interest has not waned in the decades since, as the franchise has continued to this day. With the recent success ofDan Trachtenberg’sPredatorprequelPrey, an eighth movie titledPredator: Badlandsis currently in the works.
Predator
Predator is an action sci-fi franchise created by Jim and John Thomas, beginning with the original film released in 1987. The franchise follows a warrior alien race known as the Yautja who travel the far reaches of space looking for worthy prey to hunt, constantly bringing them to Earth due to the sheer amount of conflict harbored on it. The series has spun off into comic books and animated features and has even enjoyed several crossover events via film and video games with the Aliens franchise.
6RoboCop (1987 - 2014)
Four movies: Two sequels, one remake
WhileRoboCopmay initially sound like a typical mindless action movie, when looking underneath the surface, it’s actually one of the most thematically fascinating franchises of the 1980s. Focusing on ideas around the nature of humanity, personal identity, corporate greed, and corruption,RoboCopwas a direct reflection of the era’s Reaganomics policies. As the story of Alex Murphy, a Detroit cop fatally wounded in the line of duty who was then transformed into a powerful cyborg,RoboCophighlighted the commodification of humanity itself.
From director Paul Verhoeven, the firstRoboCopmovie explored the power of corruption but also asked pressing questions about what humanity is and how much of it was left in Alex after he was turned into a machine. By probing deeper into the ethical dilemmas posed by the existence of RoboCop, this became a series that’s rich for analysis while also delivering non-stop action. In an era where action movies often presented those in authority as unquestionably the good guys taking out the criminal baddies,RoboCopwas a more nuanced look at moral ambiguity.
Robocop
RoboCopis a science fiction action franchise centered around the character Alex Murphy, a Detroit police officer who is brutally murdered and subsequently resurrected as a cyborg law enforcement officer known as RoboCop. The franchise, which began with the 1987 film directed by Paul Verhoeven, is known for its satirical take on corporate greed, corruption, and the dystopian future of law enforcement. Over the years,RoboCophas expanded into sequels, a reboot, television series, animated shows, comic books, and video games, becoming a cultural icon in the genre of sci-fi action.
5Lethal Weapon (1987 - 1998)
Four movies
While the buddy cop formula was around long beforeLethal Weapon, the combination of LAPD detectives Martin Riggs and Roger Murtaugh felt like it perfected it. With Mel Gibson and Danny Glover in the leading roles, the two played off one another perfectly and imbued the franchise with a real sense of heart and humor. As a quintessential 1980s action movie,Lethal Weaponwas packed with quips, featured plenty of shootouts, and had enough explosions to keep viewers wanting more.
With three direct sequels,Lethal Weaponcontinued to find major success throughout the 1990s, and the characters were even recast for a 2016 television reboot.Discussion has been ongoing for decades about a potentialLethal Weapon 5, but despite everyone involved expressing interest, it has yet to get off the ground. While Murtaugh has long said he’s “getting too old for this sh*t” that never stopped audiences from wanting to see more fromLethal Weapon.
Lethal Weapon
Lethal Weaponis an American action-comedy franchise that started with the 1987 filmLethal Weapon, directed by Richard Donner and written by Shane Black. The franchise follows the partnership between two LAPD detectives, Martin Riggs and Roger Murtaugh, who have contrasting personalities but develop a deep friendship as they take on criminals in Los Angeles. The series is notable for its mix of intense action, humor, and emotional depth, particularly in exploring the personal lives of its main characters. The franchise has expanded into four films, a TV series, and an upcoming fifth movie, marking its place as one of the most enduring buddy-cop franchises in cinema history.
4Beverly Hill Cop (1984 - Present)
The firstBeverly Hill Copmovie was the film that catapulted Eddie Murphy into international superstardom and quickly became one of the most successful action movies of the 1980s. Packed with humor, Murphy excelled as the fast-talking underdog cop making his way in a rich man’s world, Axel Foley. As the perfect mix of intense action, hilarious humor, and one ofthe greatest synth movie scoresof the decade,Beverly Hills Cophad a unique sense of identitythat helped it stand out within the buddy cop genre.
While it’s tough to beat the original movie, which saw Murphy’s street-smart Detroit cop traveling out of his jurisdiction to Beverly Hills to investigate the murder of his best friend, the first two sequels in 1987 and 1994 added to this concept as Axel returned to Los Angeles to once again take out criminals. The series gained a new lease of life in 2024 with the legacy sequelBeverly Hills Cop: Axel Fon Netflix, with Murphy himself revealing (viaVariety) a fifth film is already in development.
3Rambo (1982 - 2019)
Five movies
AlthoughSylvester Stallone achieved his breakout role withRockyin 1976, it was not until the 1980s that he transformed into a true bona fide action movie star. As the Vietnam War veteran John Rambo inFirst Blood, Stallone showcased his talent as an action movie star capable of leading major Hollywood blockbusters. A hugely influential film,First Bloodwas the first blockbuster released in China (viaCS Monitor), and with 76 million tickets sold, it became the most successful foreign Hollywood film in the country until 2018.
As a fast-paced and well-acted action movie,First Bloodhad extra resonance due to Rambo’s PTSD caused by his traumatic experiences as a Special Forces officer in the war. TheRambofranchise continued throughout the 1980s and beyond as the former Green Beret’s adventures became increasingly intense as he returned to Vietnam to free POWs inRambo: First Blood Part II. TheRamboseries had its potential final installment in 2019 with the release ofRambo: Last Blood.
Rambo
Beginning with the novel and the film First Blood in 1982, Rambo is an action-adventure franchise starring Sylvester Stallone as John Rambo, a Vietnam War veteran embroiled in violent conflicts that test his survival skills. The series has enjoyed critical success over several decades, branching into comic books, video games, and more.
2The Terminator (1984 - 2019)
Six movies: Three main timelines
The style and aesthetic of 1980s action movies can be summed up by the iconic imagery of Arnold Schwarzenegger as the T-800 cyborg inThe Terminator. As a sunglass-wearing, leather-clad killing machine,The Terminatorinspired a whole host of copycat films, as its insightful blend of action movie tropes, cyberpunk aesthetics, and technological anxieties earned it a special place within the cultural zeitgeist. As the story of a post-apocalyptic war between a synthetic intelligence known as Skynet, the time travel nature ofThe Terminatorfranchise meant its litany of sequels, soft reboots, and reimaginings made for a confusing chronology.
With the release of the original James Cameron movie in 1984,The Terminatorquickly established itself as one of the best action movies of the 1980s. In many ways, the sequelTerminator 2: Judgment Dayoutdid the original as it subverted Schwarzenegger’s character to become the story’s hero. While subsequent releases have varied in quality, the legacy of this franchise has not diminished, andThe Terminatorhas remained a touchstone of modern popular culture.
Terminator
The Terminator franchise, launched by James Cameron in 1984, explores a dystopian future where intelligent machines wage war against humanity. The relentless pursuit of key human figures by time-traveling cyborg assassins known as Terminators is central to the narrative. John Connor, the future leader of the human resistance, is the core target of the malicious machines.
1Die Hard (1988 - 2013)
Die Hardis about as close as a film can get to the perfect action movie, and following its release,Bruce Willis as John McClane became one of cinema’s definitive action heroes. Known for his hilarious one-liners and ability to keep his cool under intense pressure, McClane’s first outing revolutionized the action movie genre, as its story of a lone man taking on a litany of criminals in an enclosed location has been mimicked in everything fromUnder SeigetoJohn Wick.
The firstDie Hardwas released in the final years of the 1980s and signaled the way forward for the action genre into the 1990s and beyond. From Willis’s incredible characterization of McClane to Alan Rickman’s iconic portrayal of Hans Gruber,Die Hardfelt like something new and exciting, as its more grounded approach was in stark contrast to the invincible, muscle-bound men like Schwarzenegger and Stallone, who defined the decade. When later movies likeCliffhangercan be simply described as‘Die Hardon a mountain,’ it’s clear just how all-encompassing this movie’s influence was.
Die Hard
The Die Hard franchise, which began as a series of books in the 1960s, is an action-adventure series that chronicles the harrowing exploits of NYPD Detective John McClane. Renowned for its action-packed sequences and intricate plots, the series showcases McClane’s battles against various adversaries, especially the infamous Hans Gruber, during high-stakes crises.
