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, fantasy, comedy, drama, horror, etc... This genre is closely linked with those of thriller and adventure films.

Notable directors DirectorAction filmsRef.J. J. AbramsMission Impossible III (2006), Star Trek (2009), Super 8 (2011), Star Trek Into Darkness (2013), Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015), Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019)Adil & BilallBlack (2015), and Gangsta (2018), Bad Boys for Life (2020) and Bad Boys: Ride or Die (2024)Jon AmielEntrapment (1999), The Core (2003)Siddharth AnandBang Bang! (2014), War (2019), Pathaan (2023), Fighter (2024)Paul W. S. AndersonShopping (1994), Mortal Kombat (1995), Soldier (1998), Resident Evil (2002), Alien vs. Predator (2004), Resident Evil: Extinction (2007), Death Race (2008), Resident Evil: Afterlife (2010), The Three Musketeers (2011), Resident Evil: Retribution (2012), Pompeii (2014), Resident Evil: The Final Chapter (2016), Monster Hunter (2020)Michael AptedThe Squeeze (1977), Extreme Measures (1996), The World Is Not Enough (1999), Enigma (2001 film), The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (2010), Unlocked (2017)Newt ArnoldBloodsport (1988) David AyerHarsh Times (2005), Street Kings (2008), End of Watch (2012), Sabotage (2014), Fury (2014), Suicide Squad (2016), Bright (2017), The Tax Collector (2020),The Beekeeper (2024)John BadhamBlue Thunder (1983), Stakeout (1987), Bird on a Wire (1990), The Hard Way (1991), Point of No Return (1993), Another Stakeout (1993), Drop Zone (1994), Nick of Time (1995)Jose BalagtasMagdaleno Orbos: Sa Kuko ng Mga Lawin (1992)Andrzej BartkowiakRomeo Must Die (2000), Exit Wounds (2001), Cradle 2 the Grave (2003), Doom (2005), Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li (2009), Maximum Impact (2017), Dead Reckoning (2020)Craig R. BaxleyAction Jackson (1988), I Come in Peace (1990), Stone Cold (1991)Michael BayBad Boys (1995), Armageddon (1998), Pearl Harbor (2001), Bad Boys II (2003), The Island (2005), Transformers (2007), Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009), Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011), Pain & Gain (2013), Transformers: Age of Extinction (2014), 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi (2016), Transformers: The Last Knight (2017), 6 Underground (2019), Ambulance (2022)Peter BergThe Rundown (2003), The Kingdom (2007), Hancock (2008), The Losers (2010), Battleship (2012), Lone Survivor (2013), Deepwater Horizon (2016), Patriots Day (2016), Mile 22 (2018), Spenser Confidential (2020)Luc BessonLa Femme Nikita (1990), Léon: The Professional (1994), The Fifth Element (1997), The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc (1999), The Extraordinary Adventures of Adèle Blanc-Sec (2010), The Family (2013), Lucy (2014),

Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets (2017), Anna (2019), Dogman (2023)Kathryn BigelowThe Loveless (1981), Near Dark (1987), Blue Steel (1990), Point Break (1991), Strange Days (1995), K-19: The Widowmaker (2002),The Hurt Locker (2008), Zero Dark Thirty (2012)Neill BlomkampDistrict 9 (2009), Elysium (2013), Chappie (2015)Bong Joon-hoMemories of Murder (2003), The Host (2006), Snowpiercer (2013), Okja (2017)Marco BrambillaDemolition Man (1993)Tim BurtonBatman (1989), Batman Returns (1992), Planet of the Apes (2001)James CameronThe Terminator (1984), Aliens (1986), Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991), True Lies (1994), Avatar franchise (2009)Martin CampbellNo Escape (1994), GoldenEye (1995), The Mask of Zorro (1998), Vertical Limit (2000), The Legend of Zorro (2005), Casino Royale (2006), Edge of Darkness (2010), Green Lantern (2011), The Foreigner (2017), The Protégé (2021), Memory (2022), Dirty Angels (2024), Cleaner (2025)Joe CarnahanBlood, Guts, Bullets and Octane (1998), Narc (2002), Smokin' Aces (2006), The A-Team (2010), The Grey (2011), Stretch (2014), Boss Level (2020), Copshop (2021)John CarpenterAssault on Precinct 13 (1976), Escape From New York (1981), Big Trouble in Little China (1986), They Live (1988) D. J. CarusoDisturbia (2007), Eagle Eye (2008), I Am Number Four (2011), XXX: Return of Xander Cage (2017)Steve CarverThe Arena (1974), Big Bad Mama (1974), Capone (1975), Drum (1976), An Eye for an Eye (1981), Lone Wolf McQuade (1983), Bulletproof (1988), River of Death (1989)Enzo G. CastellariAny Gun Can Play (1967), One Dollar Too Many (1968), Johnny Hamlet (1968), Eagles Over London (1969), Street Law (1974), Keoma (1976), The Big Racket (1976), The Heroin Busters (1977), The Inglorious Bastards (1977), Day of the Cobra (1980), The New Barbarians (1983), Escape from the Bronx (1983), Tuareg – The Desert Warrior (1984)Michael Caton-JonesMemphis Belle (1990), Rob Roy (1995), The Jackal (1997) City by the Sea (2002)Benny ChanA Moment of Romance (1990) Big Bullet (1996), Who Am I? (1998), Gen-X Cops (1999), New Police Story (2004), Divergence (2005), Rob-B-Hood (2006), Invisible Target (2007), Connected (2008), Shaolin (2011), The White Storm (2013), Call of Heroes (2016),