Gerard Butler has appeared in plenty of action movies throughout his career, and while some have certainly been more successful than others, his filmography includes several great projects that warranted sequels years later. The actor is best known for his work on films such as 300 and Law Abiding Citizen, but it’s these sequel movies that feature some of his most engaging and well-developed characters to date. Incidentally, Gerard Butler also has many sequels that could easily prove to be among his best in the future.

Butler is among the few contemporary action stars who’s never really tried to break free of the genre, proving just how comfortable and at-home he feels in these kinds of movies - and that always comes across on-screen. Even in the projects that didn’t receive much critical acclaim, Butler is always a force to be reckoned with - and these sequels prove that audiences continually keep coming back for more. With 2025 shaping up to be a great year for Gerard Butler, it’s the perfect time to revisit some of these classics.

5 London Has Fallen (2016)

Directed By Babak Najafi

While very few of Gerard Butler’s sequels manage to live up to the expectations placed upon them by the original movies, London Has Fallen falters more severely than most. The film is a sequel to Olympus Has Fallen, which is generally considered one of Gerard Butler’s best action movies, but it takes the franchise in a whole new direction that didn’t stick the landing with most audiences.

The story centers around a terrorist attack at the funeral of the British Prime Minister, which thrusts Butler’s protagonist into a high-octane but ultimately uninteresting battle of survival. What succeeded so clearly in Olympus Has Fallen was the film’s ability to weave a complex narrative web that had audiences on the edge of their seats, but the story in this sequel is so linear and predictable that it ultimately falls flat.

4 Angel Has Fallen (2019)

Directed By Ric Roman Waugh

Angel Has Fallen marked a slight improvement upon its predecessor, but it still misses the mark in comparison to the first movie in this unnecessary franchise. This story follows Butler’s protagonist Mike as he’s assigned to protect the US President but finds himself falsely accused of carrying out an attack on the politician. Angel Has Fallen lands somewhere between the intricate world-building of the first movie and the action spectacle of London Has Fallen, never committing to either style and sadly floundering as a result.

3 How To Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World (2019)

Directed By Dean DeBlois

How To Train Your Dragon is one of the few franchises that Gerard Butler has been a part of, and while the third movie doesn’t come close to the innovative storytelling of the first two, it’s still a very fun adventure for the whole family. With some brilliant voice performances and dynamic animation, the film is a fitting conclusion to this trilogy that makes the most of the vast world-building of the preceding movies. Incidentally, Gerard Butler will also appear in the live-action remake of How To Train Your Dragon.

2 Den Of Thieves 2: Pantera (2025)

Directed By Christian Gudegast

Den of Thieves wasn’t a movie that immediately called for a sequel, but it ended up being an excellent idea regardless. The film brings the action to Europe, following Butler’s main character as he finds himself tangled up in a web of complex conspiracies that relies upon his law-abiding expertise to get the job done. The film shines thanks to its gripping action sequences and down-to-earth lead performance, which is one of Butler’s best.

1 How To Train Your Dragon 2 (2014)

Directed By Dean DeBlois

While the first movie was an undeniable success, few audiences were expecting How To Train Your Dragon 2 to be such an engaging, captivating adventure that arguably outshines its predecessor. Gerard Butler reprises his role as Stoick the Vast, the father of Jay Baruchel’s protagonist, Hiccup - and this sequel is where his character really shines. He’s given a much more interesting and complex role in the story, which is more reminiscent of his arc from the children’s books. It’s the most inventive narrative of the franchise, and it will be fascinating to see how Butler reprises his role in live-action.