Scottish actor and filmmaker Gerard James Butler first appeared on screen in the mid-1990s in supporting roles in films such as ‘Mrs Brown,’ ‘Tomorrow Never Dies‘ and ‘Tale of the Mummy.’ At the turn of the century, he began to bag leading roles, with his big break coming in 2007 playing King Leonidas of Sparta in Zack Snyder’s film, ‘300.’ He solidified his place in Hollywood as an action hero with the ‘Has Fallen’ series of thriller films, starting with ‘Olympus Has Fallen’ in 2013. His other films in the genre include the likes of ‘Geostorm,’ ‘Den of Thieves,’ ‘Greenland,’ and ‘Plane.’ Gerard has also dabbled in voice acting, lending his voice to the animated ‘How to Train Your Dragon‘ franchise for a role which he reprised in the live-action remake. If you are looking for films starring Gerard Butler to stream on Netflix, the following list will help you get started.
5. Angel Has Fallen (2019)
Directed by Ric Roman Waugh, ‘Angel Has Fallen’ is the third installment of the ‘Has Fallen’ film series featuring Gerard Butler as US Secret Service agent Mike Banning. With Allan Trumbull (Morgan Freeman) as the new President, Banning is recommended for the position of the Director of the Secret Service. However, things turn south when an assassination attempt on the POTUS takes place in Banning’s presence. The authorities hold the latter responsible for the incident, forcing Banning to go on the run to find the real perpetrators and clear his own name. In the process, he discovers the real sinister plan at play that threatens the nation, and aided by his estranged father/veteran Army Ranger, Clay (Nick Nolte), decides to foil it. With Butler doing full justice to the role for the third time, ‘Angel Has Fallen’ is a customary watch for action lovers and fans of the actor. You can stream the movie here.
4. Copshop (2021)
‘Copshop’ shows what happens when two men who hate each other share the same prison. Fixer Teddy Murretto and hitman Bob Viddick are locked up there by Officer Valerie Young. Viddick is after Murretto, who has sensitive information that can compromise the mob that set Viddick after him in the first place. As the story unfolds, corruption within the police station comes to light, and soon Murretto, Viddick, and Young are forced to work together to stay alive. Featuring Butler as Bob Viddick, Frank Grillo as Teddy Murretto, and Alexis Louder as Valerie Young, ‘Copshop’ is directed by Joe Carnahan. You can watch it here.
2. Den of Thieves (2018) & Den of Thieves 2: Pantera (2025)
Christian Gudegast’s ‘Den of Thieves’ introduces us to Butler’s gritty and heavyweight Nicholas “Big Nick” O’Brien, who is known for his unorthodox approach to executing justice and bringing down criminals. We also meet Donnie Wilson (O’Shea Jackson Jr.), who is introduced as a bartender and a getaway driver for a gang of robbers. The first movie shows how Big Nick’s team uses Wilson to bring down the gang and the twists they face along the way.
Helmed by Christian Gudegast, ‘Den of Thieves 2: Pantera’ is a direct sequel to the ‘Den of Thieves,’ with the plot being loosely based on the real-life 2003 Antwerp diamond heist. Gerard Butler reprises his role of Nicholas “Big Nick” O’Brien, a cop on the hunt for Donnie Wilson, who managed to give him the slip in the first movie. During the investigation, Nick learns of Donnie’s plan to pull off a diamond heist and decides to join the team himself. You can watch both movies here.
1. How to Train Your Dragon (2025)
‘How to Train Your Dragon’ is a live-action remake of the eponymous animated movie that focuses on humans and their relationship with dragons. Set in a Viking village, the story follows Hiccup, a young Viking whose father, Stoick, is the chieftain and leads the battles against dragons, their enemies for ages. Naturally, Hiccup is expected to follow in his father’s footsteps. However, the boy believes that dragons are misunderstood creatures and don’t intend to harm humans. His ultimate test arrives when he is told to kill a dragon named Night Fury. He instead manages to befriend Night Fury, naming him Toothless, and together they try to prove the long-standing misconception regarding the dragons wrong. The cast includes Mason Thames as Hiccup and Butler as Stoick, along with Nico Parker, Julian Dennison, Gabriel Howell, Bronwyn James, Ruth Codd, and Nick Frost. Directed by Dean DeBlois, who also directed the animated movies, ‘How to Train Your Dragon’ can be streamed here.
Read More: Best Bradley Cooper Movies on Netflix
