Animals were harmed in these films
In this action thriller, Emily Blunt plays an FBI agent who gets mixed up in a dangerous operation in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, while fighting the war on drugs.
Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman was perfect casting. Not only did the film break box-office records, it also redefined women in the superhero genre.
Who can forget Brie Larson's epic role as a former Air Force pilot turned superhero? 'Captain Marvel' is a fun film with a strong female lead all will admire.
Charlize Theron was the true star as Imperator Furiosa in this reboot. The stunt work and action sequences are amazing as she portrays the ferocious war captain.
'Annihilation' doesn't only give use one female lead, but five! Starring Natalie Portman, Gina Rodriguez, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Tuva Novotny, and Tessa Thompson, they all play a team of scientists and military personnel who investigate a rapidly-spreading alien presence.
Kate Beckinsale played a vampire trying to save her family's legacy in the Underworld franchise. It went on to last five movies. Not bad at all!
It's safe to say that Charlize Theron excels when it comes to action movies. This superhero film tells the story of four centuries-old immortals secretly working to protect humanity and suddenly discovering another immortal.
Sure, there have been many reboots, but this version from 2001 was truly iconic. Lucy Liu, Drew Barrymore, and Cameron Diaz made for box-office gold.
No stranger to action films, Angelina Jolie stars as a member of a secret assassin society who takes a young man under her wing as her mentee.
In this film, Geena Davis plays a schoolteacher with amnesia. When her memories come back, she discovers that she used to be an assassin, and now has to stop a terrorist plot.
Scarlett Johansson finally got her own movie as Natasha Romanoff. In this film, she teams up with her sister, played by Florence Pugh, to take down the man who first made her an assassin.
Maggie Q stars as Anna, the world's most skilled contract killer after being rescued by a legendary assassin as a child. After her mentor is brutally murdered, she goes after revenge.
This masterpiece became the highest-grossing foreign language film produced overseas in US box-office history. It follows a rebellious young warrior who's tasked with protecting a 400-year-old sword for her lover, which ends up getting stolen.
Angelina Jolie was truly amazing as Lara Croft. She did a great job taking the video game character to the big screen, which resulted in a franchise.
Another video game-based, woman-led franchise, in 'Resident Evil' Milla Jovovich plays a woman taking on mutants and big corporations. It's also the highest-grossing franchise to ever be based on a video game.
In 1979, Sigourney Weaver opened the door for women in action as Ripley, who managed to survive an encounter with the scariest monster of all time.
Both volume one and two are great. The film stars Uma Thurman as The Bride, a former assassin who is out for blood after waking up from a coma.
Natalie Portman is truly iconic in this film as Evey, a young woman who teams up with a masked man known only as V in order to take down the fascist government.
This film stars Saoirse Ronan as the titular Hanna, a teen assassin tasked with killing the senior intelligence agent who's after her father, an ex-CIA operative from Germany. Talk about a tough mission for a teenager!
This action-packed flick stars Gina Carano as a highly-trained black ops operative who's betrayed by her employers and targeted for assassination.
In this thriller, Angelina Jolie plays Evelyn Salt, a CIA operative who must go on the run in order to try and clear her name after she's accused of being a Russian spy.
Jennifer Lawrence played a strong female protagonist as Katniss Everdeen in the Hunger Games franchise. Not only did she save herself, she also saved everyone around her.
Stephanie Sigman stars as a young woman who gets caught in a cartel’s dealings in Mexico. She becomes a tough fighter who yearns to break free from the world of crime.
In this ninth-century period drama from Taiwan, the kidnapped daughter of a general is trained to become an assassin. As a final test, she is sent home and forced to choose between killing her betrothed or breaking with her organization.
Sources: (Marie Claire) (Cosmopolitan) (Screen Rant)
See also: The 30 best action movies of all time
This 2016 installment of the extended universe stars Felicity Jones as the extremely badass Jyn Erso, a criminal-turned-rebel fighting the good fight.
Set before the fall of the Berlin Wall, Charlize Theron plays a brilliant and vicious elite spy who's tasked with taking down an espionage ring in the German capital.
With Daisy Ridley as Rey and Carrie Fisher as General Leia, this film was led by women. And female fans of the franchise could not be happier!
In 'Proud Mary,' Taraji P. Henson stars as a ruthless assassin whose life is turned upside down when she encounters a 12-year-old kid she'll do anything to protect.
Sophie Turner plays the young Jean Gray in this X-Men origins film. Let's hope for more female-led origin films, because this franchise has many awesome female characters.
In 'Colombiana,' Zoe Saldana plays the ferocious Cataleya, a woman who seeks revenge against a Colombian drug lord for killing her family.
For years, action has been seen as a male-dominated film genre. But with movies like 'Wonder Women' (2017) breaking box-office records, and 'Kill Bill' (2003) remaining a cinema classic, there's no doubt that women also excel in action films. And they're showing no signs of slowing down!
Check out this gallery to read up on action movies featuring strong female leads.
The best action movies featuring strong women
These action-packed flicks brought us some unforgettable female leads
MOVIES Female leads
For years, action has been seen as a male-dominated film genre. But with movies like 'Wonder Women' (2017) breaking box-office records, and 'Kill Bill' (2003) remaining a cinema classic, there's no doubt that women also excel in action films. And they're showing no signs of slowing down!
Check out this gallery to read up on action movies featuring strong female leads.