10 Action Movie Megastars Who Tried Their Hand At Sci-Fi & Horror

While many of the biggest action movie stars working today consistently appear in straight-up carnage-filled blockbusters, lots of these performers have also tried their hands at other genres. Some of the most exciting heroes and heroines in Hollywood have also taken to sci-fi and horror, as these types of movies allow them to explore deeper themes with strong characterization and narrative intrigue. This variety in their filmography makes these stars infinitely more interesting as viewers get to see them deliver performances that go deeper than a hero who simply saves the day.

Many of the biggest action stars of the 1980s had incredibly diverse resumes, as films during that period and beyond often blended action with sci-fi and horror. While some action stars are intrinsically linked to other genres, as actors like Arnold Schwarzenegger became inseparable from movies like The Terminator, even these performers have branched out and surprised viewers with their later parts. It’s always exciting to see actors expand out into other genres, and to see an action movie megastar trying their hand at sci-fi or horror is always interesting.

10 Dwayne Johnson

Doom (2005)

Back when Dwayne Johnson was still primarily known under his wrestling ring name, The Rock, this WWE star tried his hand at horror with his villainous role in Doom. Although this film was a box office bomb at the time, audiences have since come to recognize Doom as an effective video game adaptation that truly delivered. Johnson excelled in his role as Sarge Mahonin, the squad team leader infected with C24 serum and granted superhuman powers.

The most interesting thing about Johnson’s role in Doom was the way he transformed from a hero to an antagonist throughout the film and was given a rare chance to showcase his darker side. While Johnson has starred in plenty of big-budget action movies in the years since, Doom was an anomaly in his career as the only time he fully embraced horror in a real way.

9 Keanu Reeves

The Matrix (1999)

Neo (Keanu Reeves) stops bullets in The Matrix Reloaded

While action movie lovers know Keanu Reeves today as the ruthless assassin John Wick in the neo-noir series that bore his name, this actor has been connected with sci-fi his entire career. From the hilarious time travel slacker energy of Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure to his iconic role of Neo in The Matrix franchise, Reeves has consistently embraced sci-fi themes of time, space, and existentialist philosophy. It’s Reeves’ natural on-screen charisma that helps make these deeply complex topics feel accessible to mainstream audiences.

While Reeves is not as well known for his work on horror movies, he’s also had several notable roles in scary movies. Reeves gained cult appeal for his leading role in the supernatural comic book horror adaptation Constantine, and movies like Knock Knock hint at his hidden horror talents. As an actor consistently willing to take risks with different genres, Reeves never hesitated to try his hand at both sci-fi and horror.

8 Harrison Ford

Blade Runner (1982)

Harrison Ford as Rick Deckard with a gun in Blade Runner. — Harrison Ford as Rick Deckard with a gun in Blade Runner

Harrison Ford famously worked as a carpenter before his acting talents were discovered, and he became one of the biggest action movie stars of all time. From his iconic role of Indiana Jones to action classics like Air Force One, Ford found success later in life, and much of his notoriety can be attributed to the sci-fi genre. While Ford has been notably dismissive in interviews about the legacy of Han Solo, the truth is that his part in Star Wars turned him into a star himself and was the true beginning of his Hollywood career.

It was not just Star Wars where Ford’s sci-fi credentials ended because his leading role as Rick Deckard in Blade Runner ensured he would forever be tied to the genre. While everyone will be well aware of these parts, Ford has also had some far less spoken-about horror movie roles, such as the 1977 made-for-TV movie The Possessed. Ford returned to horror in 2000 with What Lies Beneath, a thrilling supernatural story about a professor who suspects his wife is either losing her mind or their house is haunted by a ghost.

7 Kurt Russell

The Thing (1982)

Kurt Russell as MacReady holding dynamite in The Thing.

As an actor, Kurt Russell has truly done it all. Having gotten his start at just 12 years old in It Happened at the World's Fair, Russell had already shared the screen with Elvis Presley by the time he’d made his very first movie. Russell’s action movie credentials include 1980s cult classics like Tango & Cash, acclaimed Westerns such as Tombstone, and, of course, his impressive litany of movies with the auteur filmmaker John Carpenter.

Much of Russell’s association with the sci-fi and horror genres comes from his work with Carpenter. As the antihero Snake Plissken, Russell exuded a cool sense of dystopian charisma in Carpenter films like Escape from New York and Escape from L.A. However, the way The Thing powerfully blended sci-fi and horror in a deeply paranoid and claustrophobic story where anyone could be a deadly shapeshifting alien in disguise was the pair’s crowning achievement.

6 Jean-Claude Van Damme

Timecop (1994)

Jean-Claude Van Damme in Timecop — jean-claude-van-damme-timecop-legacy-sequel

The Belgian martial artist Jean-Claude Van Damme has been intrinsically linked to sci-fi movies his entire career. While Van Damme’s time as the titular alien in the original Predatordidn’t work out, following his breakout performance in the fighting film Bloodsport, he had many notable sci-fi roles. This began with the release of the martial arts cyberpunk film Cyborg and continued into series like Universal Soldier.

One role that perfectly encapsulated Van Damme’s ability to blend his action movie persona into sci-fi concepts was Timecop. As Max Walker, Van Damme played a time-traveling police officer traversing different periods as he uncovers the crimes of a crooked politician. While Timecop was panned by critics at the time of its release, it’s since gained a reputation among viewers as one of Van Damme’s greatest movies.

5 Charlize Theron

Prometheus (2012)

Charlize Theron looking at a screen in Prometheus

Since the 1990s, Charlize Theron has built up a reputation as one of the most sought-after actresses working today. As a star who is equally comfortable in compelling dramas as she is leading major action movies, Theron's talents saw her excel in everything from The Italian Job to the Fast & Furious franchise. With the ability to seamlessly fit in with every genre she tries her hand at, it’s no surprise that Theron has had plenty of amazing sci-fi roles.

One of Theron’s greatest sci-fi roles came in Ridley Scott’s Alien prequel Prometheus. Charlize Theron played Meredith Vickers, a Weyland Corporation employee sent to monitor the expedition to LV-223. As a cunning and layered character, Theron brought the same energy that made her a great action movie star to this role, although her character was killed off and was unable to appear in the sequel, Alien: Covenant.

4 Arnold Schwarzenegger

End of Days (1999)

Arnold Schwarzenegger as Detective Jericho Cane in End of Days promo image

After an astounding bodybuilding career that saw him named Mr. Universe at the age of 20, the Austrian icon Arnold Schwarzenegger became one of the biggest action movie stars the world has ever seen. While audiences will recognize Schwarzenegger from his signature roles as Conan the Barbarian and the Terminator, he also branched out even further into horror movies with his turn in End of Days. With Schwarzenegger as the alcoholic former New York police detective Jericho Cane, things took a sinister turn as he was embroiled in a Satanic conspiracy involving a plan to conceive the Antichrist.

End of Days was a uniquely dark turn from Schwarzenegger, who, although he maintained his action-hero bravado, delved into sinister, interesting territory. However, End of Days was slated by critics who bemoaned its narrative as idiotic and incoherent. While this foray into horror may not have worked out, Schwarzenegger received widespread acclaim when he returned to the genre in 2015 for the zombie film Maggie, a surprisingly poignant story about a father trying to protect his infected daughter.

3 Bruce Willis

The Sixth Sense (1999)

It’s truly hard to understand just how much Bruce Willis’ portrayal of John McClane in Die Hard changed the game when it came to action movies. While before this time, action stars were usually gigantic muscle-clad men like Sylvester Stallone or Arnold Schwarzenegger, Willis paved the way for a more everyday kind of hero who used stealth skills and cunning ingenuity to save the day. While Willis could have easily continued making Die Hard-type films for the rest of his career, he branched out in 1999 with a career-defining turn in the psychological horror The Sixth Sense.

Willis’ role in M. Night Shyamalan signaled the dawning of a new era in his career as the film’s surprise ending shocked viewers and led to a nomination for Best Picture at the Oscars. The Sixth Sense was unlike anything Willis had previously done, and this unique ghost story was one of his biggest successes. While Willis would continue making action movies right up until his retirement in 2022, The Sixth Sense proved a hidden depth to his dramatic talent that was previously untapped.

2 Sylvester Stallone

Demolition Man (1993)

Sylvester Stallone points a gun in Demolition Man

Sylvester Stallone's career has been filled with many incredible roles across a vast array of genres. While most will associate Stallone with the underdog triumphs of Rocky Balboa or the guns-blazing action hero bravado of John Rambo, he’s never been afraid to try something new and test his talents in different kinds of movies. This was clear from Stallone’s directorial debut, Paradise Alley, which, although a commercial failure, hinted at an artistry far beyond his action star credentials.

Stallone brought this willingness to broaden his horizons to sci-fi with his leading role in Demolition Man, a satirical story about a cop and his archenemy waking from a cryogenically frozen state in a utopian, crime-free society. Demolition Man cleverly predicted many things about the future world, as it featured self-driving cars, virtual meetings, and non-contact social greetings. This would not be Stallone’s only foray into sci-fi, as he also appeared in the likes of Judge Dredd, Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over, and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2.

1 Tom Cruise

Interview with the Vampire (1994)

Tom Cruise staring straight ahead as Lestat in Interview with the Vampire

While Tom Cruise has exclusively made action and franchise films in recent years, the early part of his career was characterized by variety. From breakout roles like the coming-of-age film Risky Business to collaboration with auteurs such as Martin Scorsese and Paul Thomas Anderson, Cruise wasn’t always such a one-trick pony. One prime example of Cruise’s willingness to take chances was his performance as Lestat de Lioncourt in Interview with the Vampire.

Interview with the Vampire showcased just how different Cruise could be from the action hero stylings of Ethan Hunt in Mission: Impossible. As a gothic horror story with an eerie atmosphere and a deep sense of sadness, the emotional core of this film highlighted the depth of Cruise’s acting capabilities. While Cruise looks set to continue his trend of only making action movies in the upcoming years, audiences shouldn’t lose hope that he’ll one day return to the horror genre he once did so well.

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