8 Upcoming Action Shows, Ranked by Anticipation

1 week ago 25

Published Aug 18, 2026, 2:52 PM EDT

Michael Block is a 14 time GLAM Award nominated writer, producer, and host of the podcast Block Talk. Throughout his time in the entertainment industry, he has worked on and off Broadway as a stage manager, written several produced plays, critiqued hundreds of theatrical performances, drag and cabaret shows, and has produced events randing from drag competitoons to variety concerts!
On Block Talk, he interviews nightlife personalities, covers the wide world of entertainment through features, ranking episodes, and recaps ALL of Drag Race, as well as Dragula and Survivor. He has interviewed hundreds of RuGirls that span the globe at DragCon NYC, DragCon LA, and DragCon UK.
In his free time, he makes one-of-a-kind jewelry and gift baskets with his mom. He is a proud member of the LGBTQ+ community.

The 2026 calendar has already delivered some sensational television and streaming options. Especially in the world of action. From the final season of The Boys to new thrilling adventures on Reacher. If you’ve already worn out your action-packed series, the remainder of the year and beyond has some highly anticipated titles coming your way.

From new seasons of returning favorites to brand-new journeys of beloved source material, the upcoming action titles are destined to get the adrenaline pumping. Though not every show has a release date on the books, it doesn’t stop the hype from reaching all-time highs. Over time, new information may shift these rankings, as new announcements can raise anticipation; for now, these 8 titles are getting our hearts racing!

8 'Tracker'— Season 4

Justin Hartley, Jensen Ackles in Tracker

We often forget that network television still has some excellent action-packed shows. Look no further than Tracker. Since 2024, Tracker has remained a steadfast presence on CBS. Developed by Ben H. Winters and based on the 2019 novel The Never Game by Jeffery Deaver, the action drama follows Colter Shaw (Justin Hartley), a lone-wolf survivalist who travels the United States in his RV. He works as a "rewardist," using his expert tracking and outdoor skills to help police and private citizens find missing persons and solve high-stakes mysteries for reward money. During the finale of Season 3, Colter and his brother Russell (Jensen Ackles) team up to rescue government test subjects, Danny and Lola (Reid Miller and Laurel Marsden), tied to their father's, Aston Shaw (Lee Tergesen), covert government project, "Chrono Stasis". While the immediate rescue mission succeeds, Russell skips town, leaving behind an ominous secret about what their father may have done to Colter during his childhood. And thus, a brand new mystery is set up for Season 4!

Setting a historic milestone by moving production from Vancouver to Los Angeles, the action might look a bit different. With the mystery surrounding his father's death wrapped up, the show opens up to fresh story arcs and furthering character backstories. Long-time fans expect deeper dives into new operational challenges and potential team expansions while maintaining the core missing-person procedural DNA. Alongside Hartley, the new season will see the return of Fiona Rene as Reenie Greene and Chris Lee as Randy. Sarah Jane Morris will guest as a hiker in distress. With the nature of the show, other recurring and guest roles will be announced later. Tracker Season 4 returns on October 4, 2026

7 'Vought Rising'

Jensen Ackles as Soldier Boy in 'Vought Rising.'

If you are brokenhearted that Gen V is no more and The Boys ended on a whimper, then the hype for Vought Rising has waned. But the fact of the matter is, it’s the last live-action series based on the comic right now. So, in that sense, we’re excited for the series, though the bar is astronomically high. Developed by Paul Grellong, the 1950s-set story follows the early, bloody, twisted rise of Vought International. The action centers on the exploits of a prime Soldier Boy (Jensen Ackles) and the dark origins of Clara Vought (Aya Cash)—the future Stormfront—as they navigate a gritty, salacious murder mystery. As a group of outgunned, scrappy humans tries to track down and expose the powerful supes, they are caught in a wild conspiracy, navigating how early Nazi science and Compound V were weaponized into public propaganda.

With seeds already planted throughout the series, especially in the period noir Vought Rising, the series shifts away from modern satire into a paranoid, historical era of consumerism and early Cold War military-industrial complex crossover. It replaces the main show's sprawling anti-supe rebellion with a focused, mind-blowing investigative plot as it explores the primitive V1 version of Compound V, revealing how the system was corrupt from day one. It’s set to trace Soldier Boy’s younger days and the formative struggles that built his later persona, as well as Clara’s early diabolical maneuvering and her complex, dangerous relationship with Soldier Boy. Joining returning stars Ackles and Cash as the supes will be Mason Dye as Bombsight, Will Hochman as Torpedo, and Elizabeth Posey as Private Angel. Though some casual fans may have supe fatigue, die-hard fans are hungry for more action. Expect the series to drop in 2027.

6 'The Terminal List'— Season 2

Chris Pratt as James Reece in Season 2 of 'The Terminal List.'

Prime Video has become the mecca for action thrillers. In 2022, The Terminal List brought Jack Carr’s novel to life. Created by David DiGilio, the series follows Navy SEAL James Reece (Chris Pratt) as he uncovers a high-level government conspiracy after his entire platoon is ambushed and killed on a covert mission. After fans enjoyed the prequel series The Terminal List: Dark Wolf last year, the main series returns for a global adventure. In the Season 1 finale, Reece finishes his vengeance list by eliminating the final high-level conspirators. He then tracks down his former best friend and secret co-conspirator, Ben Edwards (Taylor Kitsch), in Peru, executes him off-screen, and sails away on a boat to start a rootless, fugitive existence. Now, Season 2 takes a new direction.

The new season sees Reece as he goes from hunting domestic conspirators to becoming a reluctant U.S. government asset dealing with a presidential pardon and global terror. He must help the U.S. government track down a catastrophic global terrorist plot tied to a former Iraqi commando and a vast conspiracy. The scope broadens past the first season's borders into Africa, the Middle East, Europe, and across the Indian Ocean. And joining the high-octane adventure are high-profile stars including Gabriel Luna and Luke Hemsworth. Returning favorites like Constance Wu and Tom Hopper are paired with an extensive international lineup including Olga Kurylenko and Yul Vazquez. Prime Video will drop all eight episodes at once on October 21, 2026.

Collider Exclusive · Action Hero Quiz Which Action Hero Would Be
Your Perfect Partner? Rambo · James Bond · Indiana Jones · John McClane · Ethan Hunt

Five legends. Five completely different ways of getting out alive — with style, with muscle, with charm, with luck, or with a plan so intricate it probably shouldn't work. Ten questions will reveal which action hero was built to have your back.

🎖️Rambo

🍸James Bond

🏺Indiana Jones

🔧John McClane

🎭Ethan Hunt

FIND YOUR PARTNER →

You're dropped into a dangerous situation with no warning. What do you need most from a partner? The first few seconds tell you everything about who belongs beside you.

ASomeone who already has three contingency plans running and is calmly working through all of them. BSomeone who reads the terrain instinctively and knows exactly how to use it against the enemy. CSomeone who keeps their nerve and their sense of humour when everything is falling apart. DSomeone who knows the history of wherever we are and what we're walking into. ESomeone with the right contact, the right cover identity, and the right exit already arranged.

NEXT QUESTION →

You have to get somewhere dangerous, fast. How do you travel? How you get there is half the mission.

AOn foot through terrain no one else would attempt — I move where vehicles can't follow. BOn a motorcycle, a cargo plane, or anything else that gets me there before I think too hard about it. CIn something that belongs to someone else — borrowed, stolen, or improvised under fire. DFirst class, with a cover identity and a gadget that does something I won't explain until it's needed. EBy whatever means are available — I've driven, flown, and once arrived by camel. The destination matters, not the method.

NEXT QUESTION →

You're pinned down and outnumbered. What does your ideal partner do? This is when you find out what someone is really made of.

ADisappears into the environment, flanks them silently, and ends it before I've reloaded. BCracks a one-liner, grabs a fire extinguisher or a chair, and improvises something that somehow works. CProduces a gadget specifically designed for this exact scenario and uses it with infuriating precision. DPulls out a whip, a pistol, and an archaeological insight that somehow gets us out alive. ENeutralises the threat with maximum efficiency and minimum words — they were already three moves ahead.

NEXT QUESTION →

The mission is paused. You have one evening to decompress. What does your partner suggest? Who someone is when the pressure drops is who they actually are.

AA bar with terrible lighting, cold beer, and absolutely no questions about feelings. BThe finest restaurant in the city, a bottle of something expensive, and a conversation that is equal parts brilliant and exhausting. CA local dig site, a museum after hours, or a long story about why that particular artefact matters to human civilisation. DPizza. Bad TV. Falling asleep halfway through a movie neither of you were watching anyway. EA debrief that turns into three hours of contingency planning that somehow becomes the most fun you've had all week.

NEXT QUESTION →

How do you prefer your partner to communicate mid-mission? Good communication is the difference between partners and a liability.

APrecise and minimal — tell me what I need to know and nothing else. Every word has a cost. BDeadpan and dry — keeping it light keeps me sharp, even when everything is on fire. CEnthusiastic and slightly chaotic — but always with useful information buried somewhere in the noise. DCalm and controlled through an earpiece, with a plan that covers every variable I haven't thought of yet. EBarely at all — silence is a language and they speak it fluently.

NEXT QUESTION →

Your enemy is powerful, well-resourced, and has the upper hand. How should your partner approach them? The approach to the enemy defines the partnership.

AInfiltrate their inner circle, learn everything, and dismantle them from inside out before they know we're there. BStudy the historical pattern — every villain of this type has a weakness written somewhere in the past. CGet them talking. The more they monologue, the more time I have to figure out how to beat them. DGo through them. Directly. With as much force as the terrain allows. EFind the one thing they haven't accounted for — there's always one thing — and make sure we're holding it.

NEXT QUESTION →

Things go badly wrong and you're captured. What do you trust your partner to do? Who someone is when you need them most is the only thing that matters.

ACome in alone, quietly, and get me out before anyone knows they were there. BHave already been working on the extraction since the moment I disappeared — the plan is already running. CCome in loud, come in fast, and worry about the collateral damage later — I'd do the same for them. DUse every resource, every contact, and bend every rule until I'm out — they don't leave people behind. ECharm their way in somehow, bluff through the hard part, and still manage to look good doing it.

NEXT QUESTION →

What does your ideal partner bring to the table that you couldn't replace? A great partner fills the gap you didn't know you had.

ATechnology that shouldn't exist yet and the training to use it under any conditions. BSurvival instinct so refined it borders on supernatural — and the scars to prove it's been tested. CKnowledge of history, language, and culture that makes them invaluable in places where force is useless. DThe ability to walk into any room in the world and immediately become the most trusted person in it. EStubbornness that refuses to accept a situation is hopeless — and the improvisational skill to back it up.

NEXT QUESTION →

Every partnership has a cost. Which of these can you live with? No one comes without baggage. The question is whether you can carry it together.

AA partner who never fully switches off — always watching exits, always calculating threats, even at dinner. BA partner who gets the job done brilliantly but has the emotional availability of a locked filing cabinet. CA partner who makes everything ten times more complicated than it needs to be — but who always comes through. DA partner who gets personally attached to every relic, ruin, and artefact we encounter, which slows everything down. EA partner who was not built for this and knows it — but shows up anyway, every time, without being asked.

NEXT QUESTION →

It's the final moment. Everything is on the line. What do you need from your partner right now? The last question is the most honest one.

AOne line. Absolutely dry. Delivered like the world isn't ending. Then we move. BNothing said at all — just a look that means we both already know what has to happen. CA plan I don't fully understand that somehow accounts for everything, delivered in thirty seconds flat. DA piece of historical context that reframes the entire situation and tells us exactly what to do next. ESomeone who steps forward instead of back — because that's who they've always been.

REVEAL MY PARTNER →

Your Partner Has Been Assigned Your Perfect Partner Is…

Your answers have pointed to one action hero above all others. This is the person built to have your back — for better or considerably, spectacularly worse.

Rambo

Your partner doesn't talk much, doesn't need to, and will have assessed every threat in your immediate environment before you've finished your first sentence. John Rambo is not a man of plans or politics — he is a force of nature shaped by survival, loyalty, and a capacity for endurance that goes beyond anything training can produce. He will not leave you behind. He has never left anyone behind who deserved to come home. What you get with Rambo is the most capable, most quietly ferocious partner imaginable — one who has been through things that would have broken anyone else, and who chose to keep going anyway. You'll never need to ask if he has your back. You'll just know.

James Bond

Your partner will arrive perfectly dressed, perfectly briefed, and with a cover story so convincing it'll take you a moment to remember what's actually true. James Bond is the most professionally dangerous person in any room he enters — and the most disarmingly charming, which is the point. He operates in a world of layers, where nothing is what it appears and every advantage is used without apology. You'll never be bored. You'll occasionally be furious. But when it matters — when the mission is genuinely on the line and the margin for error has collapsed to nothing — Bond is exactly the partner you want. He has survived things that have no business being survivable. He does it with style. That is not nothing.

Indiana Jones

Your partner will know the history, the language, the cultural context, and exactly why the thing everyone else is ignoring is actually the most important thing in the room. Indiana Jones is brilliant, reckless, and occasionally impossible — but he is also one of the most resourceful, most genuinely knowledgeable partners you could find yourself beside. He approaches every situation with a scholar's eye and a brawler's instinct, which is an unusual combination and a remarkably effective one. He hates snakes and gets personally attached to objects of historical significance, both of which will slow you down at least once. It doesn't matter. What Indy brings is irreplaceable — and the adventures you'll have together will be the kind people write books about. Assuming you survive them.

John McClane

Your partner was not supposed to be here. He does not have the right equipment, the right information, or anything approaching the right odds. He has a sarcastic remark and an absolute refusal to accept that the situation is as bad as it looks. John McClane is the greatest accidental hero in the history of action cinema — a man whose superpower is stubbornness, whose contingency plan is improvisation, and whose capacity to absorb punishment and keep moving would be alarming if it weren't so useful. He will complain the entire time. He will make it significantly more chaotic than it needed to be. And he will absolutely, unconditionally, without question come through when it counts. Yippee-ki-yay.

Ethan Hunt

Your partner has already run seventeen scenarios by the time you've finished reading the briefing, and the plan he's settled on involves at least two things that should be physically impossible. Ethan Hunt operates at the absolute edge of human capability — technically, physically, and intellectually — and he brings the same relentless precision to protecting his partners that he brings to dismantling organisations that shouldn't exist. He is not easy to know and he will never fully tell you everything. But he will carry the weight of the mission so completely, so absolutely, that your job is simply to trust him — and the remarkable thing is that trusting him always turns out to be the right call. The mission will be impossible. He will complete it anyway.

↻ RETAKE THE QUIZ

5 'The Gentlemen' —Season 2

Theo James as Eddie in a car in Season 2 of 'The Gentlemen.'

We have seen quite a few movies turned into television series, but their runs tend to extend only for a single season. But when you build such a fruitful universe with more to explore, a Season 2 is most certainly in order. Such is the case for the streamer adaptation of The Gentlemen. Based on Guy Ritchie’s film of the same name, the series follows a British military officer named Eddie Horniman (Theo James) who unexpectedly inherits his family’s massive 15,000-acre country estate, only to discover it conceals a multi-million-dollar cannabis empire belonging to imprisoned kingpin Bobby Glass (Ray Winstone). After a shocking finale in which Eddie and Susie Glass (Kaya Scodelario) eliminate all rival bidders for Glass's empire through a bloody scheme, it’s revealed it was simply a test to pull Eddie deeper into crime. With Eddie embracing his dark, criminal side, Season 2 shows where that will go next.

The new season takes Eddie and Susie’s operation out from a buried cannabis farm underneath Halstead to the lakeside villas of Italy, where the power duo is establishing a foothold. With the action set in Italy, Eddie will now be in the orbit of Marco Moretti (Sergio Castellitto), a powerful Italian crime boss who is extremely ruthless and elegant, and the mercurial fixer Cico Maldini (Michele Morrone), a man not to be trusted. Even with a new locale, The Gentlemen will maintain the show’s signature. Returning for more high-octane action include Daniel Ings, Joely Richardson, Vinnie Jones, Jasmine Blackborow, Michael Vu, Harry Goodwins, Ruby Sear, Pearce Quigley, and Giancarlo Esposito. They’ll be joined by Hugh Bonneville, Benjamin Clementine, Benedetta Porcaroli, Amra Mallassi, Tyler Conti, Chris Eubank Jr., and Maya Jama. The Gentlemen returns on September 3rd, where all episodes will be available to watch.

4 'Neagley'

Four seasons deep, Reacher remains one of the biggest action series on the globe. Led by Alan Ritchson, the hit Prime Video series has entertained fans as the tall and strong titular former military police officer who travels across the United States as a drifter, getting pulled into dangerous criminal conspiracies and local corruption, using his sharp mind and fighting skills to bring justice. While there’s still more Reacher in the future, the series is expanding with its first spin-off, Neagley. Based on the character created by Lee Child, the new series centers on private investigator Frances Neagley (Maria Sten) as she investigates a friend's suspicious death and uncovers a dangerous cult called Echo Canyon Farm and a powerful, deep-seated conspiracy. Facing high-level threats who are not afraid to kill, Neagley relies on her military background from the Army's 110th Special Investigations Unit and ultimately pulls Jack Reacher (Ritchson) into the mix for back-alley support.

Created by Nick Santora and Nicholas Wootton, Neagley is set to be much darker than its predecessor. Nevertheless, having a fan-favorite character to build a world around, fans are already clamoring for more. In addition to Sten in the main role and an appearance from Ritchson, the cast of the first season will include Greyston Holt as Detective Hudson Riley, Adeline Rudolph as Renee Birdwhistle, Jasper Jones as Keno, Matthew Del Negro as Pierce Woodrow, and Damon Herriman as Lawrence Cole. Neagley is set to premiere on September 16, with all eight episodes dropping on the same day.

3 'The Last of Us'— Season 3

At this point in time, we can’t consider it a spoiler, but if you’re like me, you’re still grieving Joel (Pedro Pascal). But his death was important to propel the action forward. Even though Season 3 will feel quite different from the previous two, it’s safe to say we’re all still excited for what’s to come on The Last of Us. In the second season of post-apocalyptic drama created by Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann, Joel and Ellie (Bella Ramsey) are drawn into conflict with each other and a world even more dangerous and unpredictable than the one they left behind. Following a brutal cliffhanger at a Seattle theater, Abby (Kaitlyn Dever) tracks down Ellie, shoots and kills Jesse (Young Mazino), holds a wounded Tommy (Gabriel Luna) hostage, and fires a shot at Ellie as the screen abruptly cuts to black, followed by a flashback to Abby's Day 1 in Seattle.

When Season 3 arrives, the series shifts its narrative focus to Abby, diving deep into her perspective and expanding the faction wars in Seattle. By moving away from Ellie's path of vengeance to explore Abby's background, the narrative inevitably humanizes her motivations, as viewers’ perspectives are greatly challenged. The new season expands heavily on the brutal conflict between the Washington Liberation Front and the Seraphites, introducing crucial characters like Lev and Yara, played by Kyriana Kratter and Michelle Mao, respectively. The season will also mark the arrival of Peter Sarsgaard, who takes on a new character: Amon, one of the leaders of The Seraphites. For Season 3, Mazin will serve as the sole showrunner. We started off with sadness, and we end with the same: Season 3 could be the final season. We can confirm that the series will not return this calendar year. Be on the lookout for more news to come!

2 'Tomb Raider'

Sophie Turner as Lara Croft in Tomb Raider

One of the most iconic video games of all time is Tomb Raider. Why? Because Lara Croft is a badass heroine. A dominant franchise that dominated the video game world in the late ‘90s and early 2000s, the franchise made its first live-action appearance in 2001, with Angelina Jolie in the role. Nearly two decades later, a reboot arrived with Alicia Vikander as Lara Croft. Unfortunately, it seemed as if that was the end of the line for Lara Croft on screen. Then Prime Video said, "Not so fast!" Lara Croft is returning in series form. Developed by Phoebe Waller-Bridge, the latest iteration sees Game of Thrones star Sophie Turner as the legendary archaeologist Lara Croft. From there, the series is being kept largely under wraps! But that doesn’t mean our excitement is excruciatingly high.

With Waller-Bridge at the helm, the pop culture heroine is in beyond capable hands. After showcasing her skills on Fleabag, Waller-Bridge has proven her worth in the action world thanks to serving as a showrunner on Killing Eve and fighting alongside Indiana Jones himself in Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. The rollout of the series is pairing with the release of video game projects like Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis and Tomb Raider: Catalyst. The adaptation aims to balance nostalgic reverence for Lara Croft's nearly 30-year history with a fresh, modern narrative that fits within a unified franchise timeline. If you’re wondering who else is attached to the action-adventure series, Tomb Raider will feature Martin Bobb-Semple, Billy Paterson, Celie Imrie, Jason Isaacs, and the legend herself, Sigourney Weaver. At the time of publication, Tomb Raider doesn’t have an official release date, but expect it to drop in 2027.

1 'Blade Runner 2099'

Michelle Yeoh and Hunter Schafer in 'Blade Runner 2099'

We’re inching ever so close to the official release of the latest entry into the Blade Runner franchise, Blade Runner 2099. Serving as a sequel to the 1982 film and to Blade Runner 2049, the film is set in a world where a replicant uprising has shifted the balance, pushing humanity down while the replicant era takes root in a "sunshine noir" Los Angeles. The new series follows a human fugitive named Cora (Hunter Schafer) who assumes the identity of a Blade Runner. Forced to partner with Olwen (Michelle Yeoh), a Replicant nearing the end of her life, they hunt a runaway in a post-war Los Angeles and uncover a massive conspiracy. The series is expected to elevate the legendary sci-fi franchise. Set 50 years after the events of Blade Runner 2049, the show pushes the timeline further into the future than any previous screen project.

Instead of the standard human-versus-android dynamic of past films, the narrative explores a world disrupted by a major upheaval in which replicants have gained power. Blade Runner 2099 is highly anticipated thanks in part to the individuals attached to the project. Not only will it feature Schafer and Yeoh in action, but it also brings original director Ridley Scott back into the fray. The involvement of the original 1982 film's director as an executive producer gives fans confidence in the continuity of the cyberpunk world's aesthetic and atmosphere. Showrunner Silka Luisa designed the eight-episode run to function with a definitive beginning, middle, and end—mirroring a massive feature film. Does that mean it’s meant to be only a limited series? We’re afraid so. In addition to the main duo, the series is set to also feature Dimitri Abold and Lewis Gribben, as well as Katelyn Rose Downey, Daniel Rigby, Johnny Harris, Amy Lennox, Sheila Atim, Matthew Needham, Tom Burke, and Maurizio Lombardi. Blade Runner 2099 is scheduled to premiere on Prime Video on November 25, 2026.