Gerard Butler might not be the type of Hollywood figure who gets to give plenty of victory speeches at award shows, but he will go down in history as one of the most industrious and prolific actors of all time. The actor has starred in over 60 movies ever since he debuted in the 1997 British drama, Mrs. Brown. And there’s a lot more in the pipeline. Greenland: Migration, All-Star Weekend, In the Hand of Dante, Just Watch Me, and Den of Thieves 3 are some of the Gerard Butler movies in development.
The 2020s have been even better for Butler. Unlike in previous decades, when most of his movies were panned by critics, he has had more critically acclaimed productions. His fans will be hoping that he continues to be careful with the kinds of scripts he accepts and that he continues to put in great effort, even when he is having bad days on set.
Here’s how Butler’s movies of the 2020s rank against each other.
7
‘Last Seen Alive’ (2022)
Release Date
May 12, 2022
Runtime
95 minutes
Director
Brian Goodman
Writers
Marc Frydman
Will Spann (Gerard Butler), a wealthy real‑estate agent, is having it rough when Last Seen Alive begins. But trust fate to always dump more woes on people who are already on the verge of crashing out. He and his wife Lisa (Jaimie Alexander) are driving to her parents’ home to work on their marriage problems. When they stop at a remote gas station, she suddenly goes missing. Who took her?
‘Taken’ Ripoff?
Occasionally spooky and mostly suspenseful, this riveting action thriller is notable for its famous anti-Taken line: “I’m a simple guy. I don’t have any special skills… No Secret Service. No special forces. But when someone harms my wife… there will be hell to pay.” Quite bold of Butler and his team to make fun of Liam Neeson and the general action cliché involving protagonists who are former special forces operatives or lawmen. Here, the hero is an “Average Joe,” even though it’s hard to believe Butler as someone who has never fought in his life. The plot is too familiar, but the action is a saving grace, and if you truly adore Butler, you’ll have some fun (not much… just a little).
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6
‘Kandahar’ (2023)
Release Date
May 26, 2023
Writers
Mitchell LaFortune
Kandahar finds undercover CIA operative Tom Harris (Gerard Butler) on a mission to insert malware into an Iranian nuclear facility. Unfortunately, he gets exposed by a whistleblower and finds himself stranded deep in Afghanistan. Now he must find a way to get to an extraction point in Kandahar without getting captured.
A Forgettable War-Espionage Hybrid
One of Butler’s least intriguing efforts, Kandahar features the British star in his most desperate form yet. His character, Tom, looks so vulnerable that you’ll find yourself giving up on him at some point. But this is Butler, and he never fails. As he finds ways to stay alive, the film examines the themes of conflict, patriotism, and loyalty. Even better, it was written by former military intelligence officer Mitchell LaFortune, so it feels very realistic. Regrettably, Tom is the only properly developed character. You’ll struggle to remember any other name when the credits start rolling.
5
‘Den of Thieves 2: Pantera’ (2025)
3
/5
Release Date
January 10, 2025
Runtime
144 minutes
Director
Christian Gudegast
Writers
Christian Gudegast
Den of Thieves 2: Pantera finds former Deputy-Sheriff Nick “Big Nick” O’Brien (Gerard Butler) cash-strapped and pained by his recent divorce. Understandably, he gets excited when he learns that his old target, the thief Donnie “Jean‑Jacques” Wilson (O’Shea Jackson Jr.), is now part of a major heist crew in Europe. This time, Nick has no intentions of hunting him down. He plans to join him. This sets the stage for a clash between morality and ruthless career-related ambition.
From Cop to Thief
A superb cast, marvelous cinematography by Terry Stacey, and Christian Gudegast’s assured direction make this win-at-all-costs heist film anything but a bore. Butler is great and O’Shea shines even more after being granted greater responsibility than had been the case in the previous movie. Equally impressive are Evin Ahmad, Salvatore Esposito, Meadow Williams, and Swen Temmel. Unfortunately, Gudehast overdoes the foreplay, preventing this from being one of the greatest action sequels. Much of the dialogue is unnecessary.
4
‘Greenland’ (2020)
Release Date
July 29, 2020
Runtime
120minutes
A planet-destroying comet is racing towards Earth in Greenland. While shopping, structural engineer John Garrity (Gerard Butler) receives an automated Department of Homeland Security (DHS) message informing him that he and his family are some of the few people selected for emergency sheltering in underground bunkers in Greenland. He, his estranged wife Allison (Morena Baccarin), and their diabetic son Nathan (Roger Dale Floyd) thus get going, but the journey will be anything but easy.
Humanity’s Future Is at Stake
Rather than dwell on the spectacle, Greenland dwells more on how humanity is suffering because of the crisis. It’s, therefore, an ideal movie for those who hate Butler as an action star. Beyond that, the story is neatly told, so much so that we feel like we are reading a roman à clef that’s mildly lampooning the opportunistic and cynical dynamics that often pop up during moments of disaster. Even more impressive is the fact that the apocalyptic survival disaster thriller didn’t become one of the many COVID-19 flops. It grossed $52.3 million, despite being released at the height of the pandemic.
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Every ‘How to Train Your Dragon’ Movie & TV Show, Ranked According to Rotten Tomatoes
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3
‘How to Train Your Dragon’ (2025)
Release Date
June 13, 2025
Runtime
125 minutes
Director
Dean DeBlois
Producers
Marc Platt, Adam Siegel
-
Mason Thames
Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III
-
Nico Parker
Astrid Hofferson
Chief Stoick (Gerard Butler) leads dragon-hating Viking villagers in How to Train Your Dragon. His son, Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III (Mason Thames), is considered weak, but he has to slay a dragon as part of the tradition. Instead of doing what’s required of him, he bonds with Night Fury, their friendship prompting other humans to reconsider how they relate to dragons.
Championing Inter-species Harmony
How to Train Your Dragon has already been dismissed by groups who like to sing the “It’s not as good as the animated film” song, but it is dense and entertaining. Director Dean DeBlois already knew the terrain of old-fashioned Norsemen and strange creatures, having directed the original movie more than two decades earlier. Thus, his direction and storytelling feel assured, and the fantastical scenario completely authentic.
2
‘Copshop’ (2021)
Release Date
September 17, 2021
Runtime
107 minutes
Con artist Teddy Murretto (Frank Grillo) understands that sometimes a cage is better than an open field. So, early in Copshop, he sucker-punches a police officer to get himself arrested. Nefarious people are after him, and he figures he’ll be safe on the inside. Unfortunately for him, the hitman Bob Viddick (Gerard Butler) deliberately gets arrested, too, to complete the job. How will the situation unfold, especially for rookie officer Valerie Young (Alexis Louder), who is on duty?
Nowhere To Hide
Claustrophobic and consistently involving, Joe Carnahan’s gritty action thriller will have you wanting to rewind the moment you get to the denouement. Good things were always bound to happen when two of the greatest action stars of our time (Butler and Grillo) were thrown into the same playground. Little-known Alexis Louder Williams is also compelling. The three are surrounded by a matchless supporting cast that includes Chad Coleman and Jose Pablo Cantillo.
1
‘Plane’ (2023)
Release Date
January 13, 2023
Runtime
107 minutes
Director
Jean-François Richet
Writers
J.P. Davis, Charles Cumming
Producers
Gerard Butler, Lorenzo di Bonaventura, Marc Butan, Mark Vahradian, Alan Siegel
In Plane, commercial pilot Brodie Torrance (Gerard Butler), a former RAF pilot from Scotland, saves the passengers of Trailblazer Airlines Flight 119 from a lightning strike by making a risky landing on an island he has just spotted. It turns out this is a war-torn territory, and rebels soon strike and take everyone hostage. The only person Torrance can rely on is the fugitive homicide suspect Louis Gaspare (Mike Colter), who was being extradited to Canada.
A** Kicking Pilot
Plane feels natural, like something taken out of the ‘60s, partly because director Jean-François Richet honors his promise to never over-rely on CGI trickery. Most of the effects that we see in this action flick are of the old-fashioned, the kind that rely far more on on-set inventiveness and sinew than modern technical wizardry. With his charm, resourcefulness, and bravery, Torrance also makes a case for himself as one of the most likable movie pilots. Sadly, Butler won’t be starring in the sequel titled Ship, Big mistake!
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