Hollywood action star Gerard Butler began his career with supporting roles in B-movies. His breakthrough came with The Phantom of the Opera, and his fame was cemented by Zack Snyder’s action epic 300, where Butler’s raw strength took center stage. Since then, he’s become the classic action hero, occasionally venturing into comedies and romantic dramas. This collection showcases some of Butler’s most rugged and iconic roles.
Content
- 300
- Law Abiding Citizen
- RocknRolla
- Den of Thieves
- Machine Gun Preacher
- Hunter Killer
- Plane
- The Ugly Truth
- Greenland
- Angel Has Fallen
300
IMDb: 7.6/10
2006, Action, Drama
USA, Canada, Bulgaria, R
Director: Zack Snyder
Top cast: Gerard Butler, Lena Headey, David Wenham
300 reimagines the events of 480 BCE at the Battle of Thermopylae, where three hundred steadfast Spartans, led by their king Leonidas, stood against the vast Persian army of King Xerxes. Though outnumbered, the Spartans — known as the world's finest warriors — held their ground with unmatched courage and strength. But it's best not to look for historical accuracy here.
Law Abiding Citizen
IMDb: 7.4/10
2009, Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller
USA, R
Director: F. Gary Gray
Top cast: Gerard Butler, Jamie Foxx, Leslie Bibb
The plot of Law Abiding Citizen is haunting: a man, consumed by the need to avenge his wife and daughter’s deaths, is arrested by the police after their killers walk free due to legal loopholes. He gives the police an ultimatum: either they release him, or innocent people across the city will start dying. It’s a standoff, and the assistant district attorney soon realizes that he played a part in creating this relentless villain — and now only he can put an end to the terror.
RockNRolla
IMDb: 7.2/10
2008, Action, Crime, Thriller
UK, USA, France, R
Director: Guy Ritchie
Top cast: Gerard Butler, Tom Wilkinson, Idris Elba
RocknRolla takes you deep into the gritty world of London’s crime and corruption. Real estate has now replaced the black market for illegal substances, becoming the prime business for criminal organizations. In this new game, a powerful leader has risen — Lenny Cole. Anyone looking to succeed has to go through him; there’s no other way to make it.
Den of Thieves
IMDb: 7/10
2018, Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller
USA, R
Director: Christian Gudegast
Top cast: Gerard Butler, Pablo Schreiber, O’Shea Jackson Jr.
Veteran leader of one of LA's elite police units, 'Big' Nick Flanagan, faces a relentless challenge — every day, he and his team take to the streets to protect and enforce. Nick's team is made up of top professionals who've always managed to outsmart their targets. But even the best have rivals. A clever criminal has set his sights on an audacious heist of the Federal Reserve Bank. Nick declares war on him, determined to stop the plan. Tensions rise as not only the police but another powerful gang stand in the thief’s way. Still, the legendary criminal is set on seeing his plan through.
Machine Gun Preacher
IMDb: 6.7/10
2011, Action, Biography, Crime, Drama
USA, R
Director: Marc Forster
Top cast: Gerard Butler, Michelle Monaghan, Michael Shannon
Biker Sam Childers had a rough history with the law. After his latest stint in prison, he was determined to turn things around, even beginning to attend church. It was like he’d become a new man — he became a dedicated parishioner, launched a construction business, and even built a Protestant church for those on the fringes of society. But Sam’s quiet life took a turn after a mission trip to Uganda and Sudan. Deeply moved by the plight of African children, Sam decided to create a shelter to protect them from the Lord’s Resistance Army. Ready to defend his cause with force if necessary, Sam overlooked one thing — the fine line between a noble mission and an all-consuming obsession.
Hunter Killer
IMDb: 6.6/10
2018, Action, Thriller
UK, China, France, USA, R
Director: Donovan Marsh
Top cast: Gerard Butler, Gary Oldman, Common
Hunter Killer follows a submarine captain who teams up with U.S. Navy SEALs to rescue the Russian president, held hostage during a military coup. A rebellious Russian general is on a mission to ignite World War III, but the heroes are determined to stop him at any cost.
Plane
IMDb: 6.5/10
2023, Action, Adventure, Thriller
UK, USA, R
Director: Jean-François Richet
Top cast: Gerard Butler, Mike Colter, Tony Goldwyn
Dangerous landing has a successful ending — pilot Brodie Torrance manages to land a storm-damaged plane. However, there’s a twist: they’ve landed in hostile territory. The survivors soon find themselves threatened by local rebels who aim to take the passengers hostage. Brodie must protect them until rescue arrives.
The Ugly Truth
IMDb: 6.4/10
2009, Comedy, Romance
USA, R
Director: Robert Luketic
Top cast: Katherine Heigl, Gerard Butler, Bree Turner
The Ugly Truth follows Abby Richter, a morning show producer who’s great at solving any problem on set but struggles in her personal life, where even perfect dates go wrong. When ratings start to slip, the network brings in special correspondent Mike Chadway, who Abby now has to work with. His segment, The Ugly Truth, aims to reveal what attracts men, giving women a blunt look at dating dynamics. Abby might just find herself putting Mike’s advice to the test.
Greenland
IMDb: 6.4/10
2020, Action, Thriller
USA, UK, PG-13
Director: Ric Roman Waugh
Top cast: Gerard Butler, Morena Baccarin, Roger Dale Floyd
Greenland follows a couple and their young son as they struggle to survive the chaos unleashed by massive comet fragments striking Earth. The film follows their tense journey to reach a safe haven.
Angel Has Fallen
IMDb: 6.4/10
2019, Action, Thriller
USA, R
Director: Ric Roman Waugh
Top cast: Gerard Butler, Frederick Schmidt, Danny Huston
The third installment of the trilogy about the president's bodyguard, which began with Olympus Has Fallen in 2013, follows another assassination attempt on the U.S. president. This time, however, loyal bodyguard Mike Banning is the main suspect. Forced to go on the run from the FBI, Mike must uncover the villains who framed him and save the president from yet another deadly threat.
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