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Best Halle Berry Movies of All Time Ranked

Halle Berry attends the European Gala Screening for Amazons: ‘Crime 101’ at Odeon Luxe Leicester Square on January 28, 2026 in London, England. Photo: Kate Green/Getty Images for Amazon MGM Studios and Sony Pictures Entertainment.

Academy Award winner Halle Berry is one of the most accomplished and beloved actresses of her generation.

First appearing in supporting roles in now classic movies like ‘Jungle Fever‘, ‘The Last Boy Scout‘, and ‘Boomerang‘, Berry won an Oscar for Best Actress for her performance in 2001’s ‘Monster’s Ball‘, becoming the first and only Black woman to ever receive that honor from the Academy.
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But she has also appeared in some of the most popular franchises of all time including the original ‘X-Men‘ trilogy, ‘John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum‘, ‘Kingsman: The Golden Circle‘, and the James Bond movie, ‘Die Another Day‘.

Not to mention starring in critically acclaimed movies like ‘Losing Isaiah‘, ‘Bulworth‘, and ‘Could Atlas‘. Her latest, the new crime thriller ‘Crime 101‘, opens in theaters on February 13th.

In honor of the new film’s release, Moviefone is counting down the 20 best movies of Halle Berry’s long and impressive career, including her latest.

Let’s begin!

Related Article: Halle Berry, Percy Daggs IV and Anthony B. Jenkins Talk ‘Never Let Go’

20. ‘X-Men: The Last Stand‘ (2006)

(L to R) Halle Berry and Hugh Jackman in ‘X-Men: The Last Stand’. Photo: Marvel Studios.

When a cure is found to treat mutations, lines are drawn amongst the X-Men, led by Professor Charles Xavier (Patrick Stewart), and the Brotherhood, a band of powerful mutants organized under Xavier’s former ally, Magneto (Ian McKellen).
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19. ‘Never Let Go‘ (2024)

In this new psychological thriller/horror, as an Evil takes over the world beyond their front doorstep, the only protection for a mother (Berry), and her twin sons (Percy Baggs IV and Anthony B. Jenkins) is their house and their family’s protective bond. Needing to stay connected at all times – even tethering themselves with ropes – they cling to one another, urging each other to never let go. But when one of the boys questions if the evil is real, the ties that bind them together are severed, triggering a terrifying fight for survival.
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18. ‘Executive Decision‘ (1996)

Terrorists hijack a 747 inbound to Washington D.C., demanding the release of their imprisoned leader. Intelligence expert David Grant (Kurt Russell) suspects another reason and he is soon the reluctant member of a special assault team that is assigned to intercept the plane and hijackers.
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17. ‘The Program‘ (1993)

Several players from different backgrounds try to cope with the pressures of playing football at a major university. Each deals with the pressure differently, some turn to drinking, others to drugs, and some to studying.
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16. ‘The Call‘ (2013)

Jordan Turner (Berry) is an experienced 911 operator but when she makes an error in judgment and a call ends badly, Jordan is rattled and unsure if she can continue. But when teenager Casey Welson (Abigail Breslin) is abducted in the back of a man’s car and calls 911, Jordan is the one called upon to use all of her experience, insights and quick thinking to help Casey escape, and not just to save her, but to make sure the man is brought to justice.
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15. ‘Swordfish‘ (2001)

(L to R) Halle Berry, John Travolta, Don Cheadle and Hugh Jackman in ‘Swordfish’. Photo: Warner Bros.

Rogue agent Gabriel Shear (John Travolta) is determined to get his mitts on $9 billion stashed in a secret Drug Enforcement Administration account. He wants the cash to fight terrorism, but lacks the computer skills necessary to hack into the government mainframe. Enter Stanley Jobson (Hugh Jackman), a n’er-do-well encryption expert who can log into anything.
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14. ‘Losing Isaiah‘ (1995)

Khaila Richards (Berry), a crack-addicted single mother, accidentally leaves her baby in a dumpster while high and returns the next day in a panic to find he is missing. In reality, the baby has been adopted by a warm-hearted social worker, Margaret Lewin (Jessica Lange), and her husband, Charles (David Strathaim). Years later, Khaila has gone through rehab and holds a steady job. After learning that her child is still alive, she challenges Margaret for the custody.
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13. ‘Bulworth‘ (1998)

A suicidally disillusioned liberal politician (Warren Beatty) puts a contract out on himself and takes the opportunity to be bluntly honest with his voters by affecting the rhythms and speech of hip-hop music and culture.
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12. ‘X-Men: Days of Future Past‘ (2014)

The ultimate X-Men ensemble fights a war for the survival of the species across two time periods as they join forces with their younger selves in an epic battle that must change the past – to save our future.
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11. ‘Die Another Day‘ (2002)

James Bond (Pierce Brosnan) is sent to investigate the connection between a North Korean terrorist and a diamond mogul, who is funding the development of an international space weapon.
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10. ‘Crime 101‘ (2026)

(L to R) Chris Hemsworth and Halle Berry star in ‘Crime 101’. Photo Credit: Merrick Morton.

Set against the sun-bleached grit of Los Angeles, ‘Crime 101’ weaves the tale of an elusive jewel thief (Chris Hemsworth) whose string of heists along the 101 freeway have mystified police. When he eyes the score of a lifetime, his path crosses that of a disillusioned insurance broker (Berry) who is facing her own crossroads. Convinced he has found a pattern, a relentless detective (Mark Ruffalo) is closing in, raising the stakes even higher. As the heist approaches, the line between hunter and hunted begins to blur, and all three are faced with life-defining choices–and the realization that there can be no turning back.
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9. ‘Boomerang‘ (1992)

Marcus (Eddie Murphy) is a successful advertising executive who woos and beds women almost at will. After a company merger he finds that his new boss, the ravishing Jacqueline (Robin Givens), is treating him in exactly the same way. Completely traumatized by this, his work goes badly downhill.
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8. ‘X-Men‘ (2000)

Two mutants, Rogue (Anna Paquin) and Wolverine (Hugh Jackman), come to a private academy for their kind whose resident superhero team, the X-Men, must oppose a terrorist organization with similar powers.
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7. ‘Kingsman: The Golden Circle‘ (2017)

When an attack on the Kingsman headquarters takes place and a new villain rises (Julianne Moore), Eggsy (Taron Egerton) and Merlin (Mark Strong) are forced to work together with the American agency known as the Statesman to save the world.
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6. ‘The Last Boy Scout‘ (1991)

When the girl (Berry) that detective Joe Hallenback (Bruce Willis) is protecting gets murdered, the boyfriend (Damon Wayans) of the murdered girl attempts to investigate and solve the case. What they discover is that there is deep seated corruption going on between a crooked politician and the owner of a pro football team.
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5. ‘John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum‘ (2019)

(L to R) Keanu Reeves and Halle Berry in ‘John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum’. Photo: Lionsgate.

Super-assassin John Wick (Keanu Reeves) returns with a $14 million price tag on his head and an army of bounty-hunting killers on his trail. After killing a member of the shadowy international assassin’s guild, the High Table, John Wick is excommunicado, but the world’s most ruthless hit men and women await his every turn.
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4. ‘Jungle Fever‘ (1991)

A successful and married black man (Wesley Snipes) contemplates having an affair with a white girl (Annabella Sciorra) from work. He’s quite rightly worried that the racial difference would make an already taboo relationship even worse.
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3. ‘X2‘ (2003)

Professor Charles Xavier (Patrick Stewart) and his team of genetically gifted superheroes face a rising tide of anti-mutant sentiment led by Col. William Stryker (Brian Cox). Storm (Berry), Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) and Jean Grey (Famke Janssen) must join their usual nemeses—Magneto (Ian McKellen) and Mystique (Rebecca Romijn)—to unhinge Stryker’s scheme to exterminate all mutants.
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2. ‘Monster’s Ball‘ (2001)

A prison guard (Billy Bob Thornton) begins a tentative romance with the unsuspecting widow (Berry) of a man whose execution he presided over.
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1. ‘Cloud Atlas‘ (2012)

(L to R) Tom Hanks and Halle Berry in ‘Cloud Atlas’. Photo: Warner Bros.

A set of six nested stories spanning time between the 19th century and a distant post-apocalyptic future. ‘Cloud Atlas’ explores how the actions and consequences of individual lives impact one another throughout the past, the present and the future. Action, mystery and romance weave through the story as one soul is shaped from a killer into a hero and a single act of kindness ripples across centuries to inspire a revolution in the distant future.
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February 19, 2026
Best Buddy Cop Movies Of All Time Ranked

(L to R) Jason Momoa and Dave Bautista star in ‘The Wrecking Crew’. Credit: Courtesy of Prime. Copyright: © Amazon Content Services LLC.

Premiering on Prime Video beginning January 28th is the new buddy cop movie ‘The Wrecking Crew,’ starring Jason Momoa (‘Aquaman’) and Dave Bautista (‘Guardians of the Galaxy‘).
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In honor of the new film, Moviefone is counting down the top 20 best buddy cop movies of all time.

Editorial Note: The criteria to be included on this list is that at least one of the two main characters in the film is either a current cop, a former cop, or a private detective.

Let’s begin!

Related Article: Jonathan Tropper Talks ‘The Wrecking Crew’ and ‘Star Wars: Starfighter’

20. ‘Ride Along‘ (2014)

(L to R) Kevin Hart and Ice Cube in ‘Ride Along’. Photo: Universal Pictures.

For the past two years, high-school security guard Ben (Kevin Hart) has been trying to show decorated APD detective James (Ice Cube) that he’s more than just a video-game junkie who’s unworthy of James’ sister, Angela (Tika Sumpter). When Ben finally gets accepted into the academy, he thinks he’s earned the seasoned policeman’s respect and asks for his blessing to marry Angela. Knowing that a ride along will demonstrate if Ben has what it takes to take care of his sister, James invites him on a shift designed to scare the hell out of the trainee. But when the wild night leads them to the most notorious criminal in the city, James will find that his new partner’s rapid-fire mouth is just as dangerous as the bullets speeding at it.
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19. ‘Money Train‘ (1995)

When a vengeful New York transit cop (Woody Harrelson) decides to steal a trainload of subway fares, his foster brother (Wesley Snipes), a fellow cop—tries to protect him.
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18. ‘21 Jump Street‘ (2012)

When cops Schmidt (Jonah Hill) and Jenko (Channing Tatum) join the secret Jump Street unit, they use their youthful appearances to go undercover as high school students. They trade in their guns and badges for backpacks, and set out to shut down a dangerous drug ring. But, as time goes on, Schmidt and Jenko discover that high school is nothing like it was just a few years earlier — and, what’s more, they must again confront the teenage terror and anxiety they thought they had left behind.
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17. ‘Stakeout‘ (1987)

Two detectives (Richard Dreyfuss and Emilio Estevez) observe an escaped convict’s ex-girlfriend (Madeleine Stowe), but complications set in when one of them falls for her.
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16. ‘The Presidio‘ (1988)

Jay Austin (Mark Harmon) is now a civilian police detective. Colonel Caldwell (Sean Connery) was his commanding officer years before when he left the military police over a disagreement over the handling of a drunk driver. Now a series of murders that cross jurisdictions force them to work together again. That Austin is now dating Caldwell’s daughter (Meg Ryan) is not helping their relationship.
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15. ‘The Wrecking Crew‘ (2026)

(L to R) Jason Momoa and Dave Bautista star in ‘The Wrecking Crew’. Credit: Courtesy of Prime. Copyright: © Amazon Content Services LLC.

Estranged half-brothers Jonny (Jason Momoa) and James (Dave Bautista) reunite after their father’s mysterious death. As they search for the truth, buried secrets reveal a conspiracy threatening to tear their family apart.
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14. ‘Turner & Hooch‘ (1989)

Detective Scott Turner (Tom Hanks) has three days left in the local police department before he moves to a bigger city to get some ‘real’ cases—not just misdemeanors. When Amos Reed (John McIntire) is murdered, Scott sets himself on the case, but the closest thing to a witness to the murder is Reed’s dog, Hooch, which Scott has to take care of—to avoid Hooch being ‘put to sleep’.
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13. ‘Rush Hour‘ (1998)

When Hong Kong Inspector Lee (Jackie Chan) is summoned to Los Angeles to investigate a kidnapping, the FBI doesn’t want any outside help and assigns cocky LAPD Detective James Carter (Chris Tucker) to distract Lee from the case. Not content to watch the action from the sidelines, Lee and Carter form an unlikely partnership and investigate the case themselves.
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12. ‘The Other Guys‘ (2010)

Unlike their heroic counterparts on the force, desk-bound NYPD detectives Gamble (Will Ferrell) and Hoitz (Mark Wahlberg) garner no headlines as they work day to day. When a seemingly minor case turns out to be a big deal, the two cops get the opportunity to finally prove to their comrades that they have the right stuff.
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11. ‘The Nice Guys‘ (2016)

A private eye (Ryan Gosling) and an enforcer (Russell Crowe) investigate the apparent suicide of a fading porn star in 1970s Los Angeles and uncovers a conspiracy.
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10. ‘Running Scared‘ (1986)

(L to R) Gregory Hines and Billy Crystal in ‘Running Scared’. Photo: MGM Entertainment Co.

Two street-wise Chicago cops (Billy Crystal and Gregory Hines) have to shake off some rust after returning from a Key West vacation to pursue a drug dealer (Jimmy Smits) that nearly killed them in the past.
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9. ‘Die Hard: With a Vengeance‘ (1995)

New York detective John McClane (Bruce Willis) is back and kicking bad-guy butt in the third installment of this action-packed series, which finds him teaming with civilian Zeus Carver (Samuel L. Jackson) to prevent the loss of innocent lives. McClane thought he’d seen it all, until a genius named Simon (Jeremy Irons) engages McClane, his new “partner” — and his beloved city — in a deadly game that demands their concentration.
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8. ‘Bad Boys‘ (1995)

Marcus Burnett (Martin Lawrence) is a henpecked family man. Mike Lowrey (Will Smith) is a footloose and fancy free ladies’ man. Both Miami policemen, they have 72 hours to reclaim a consignment of drugs stolen from under their station’s nose. To complicate matters, in order to get the assistance of the sole witness (Téa Leoni) to a murder, they have to pretend to be each other.
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7. ‘Tango & Cash‘ (1989)

Ray Tango (Sylvester Stallone) and Gabriel Cash (Kurt Russell) are two successful narcotics detectives who can’t stand each other. Crime lord Yves Perret (Jack Palance), furious at the loss of income they have caused him, plots an elaborate revenge against them.
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6. ‘Miami Vice‘ (2006)

A case involving drug lords and murder in South Florida takes a personal turn for undercover detectives Sonny Crockett (Colin Farrell) and Ricardo Tubbs (Jamie Foxx). Unorthodox Crockett gets involved romantically with the Chinese-Cuban wife (Gong Li) of a trafficker of arms and drugs, while Tubbs deals with an assault on those he loves.
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5. ‘Kiss Kiss Bang Bang‘ (2005)

(L to R) Val Kilmer and Robert Downey Jr. in ‘Kiss Kiss Bang Bang.’ Photo: Warner Bros.

A petty thief (Robert Downey Jr.) posing as an actor is brought to Los Angeles for an unlikely audition and finds himself in the middle of a murder investigation along with his high school dream girl (Michelle Monaghan) and a detective (Val Kilmer) who’s been training him for his upcoming role.
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4. ‘Lethal Weapon 2‘ (1989)

Riggs (Mel Gibson) and Murtaugh (Danny Glover) are on the trail of South African diplomats using their immunity to engage in criminal activities.
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3. ‘The Last Boy Scout‘ (1991)

Somewhere in Los Angeles, the city of broken dreams, a stripper (Halle Berry) is murdered. Now, the private detective (Bruce Willis) she had hired and her ex-footballer boyfriend (Damon Wayans) are going to find her murderer, if they don’t kill each other first. But the more they dig, the deeper they become enmeshed in a web of extortion, blackmail and corrupt politics hidden beneath the surface of professional football.
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2. ‘Midnight Run‘ (1988)

A bounty hunter and former-cop (Robert De Niro) pursues a former Mafia accountant (Charles Grodin) who is also being chased by a rival bounty hunter (John Ashton), the F.B.I. (Yaphet Kotto), and his old mob boss (Dennis Farina) after jumping bail.
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1. ‘48 Hrs.‘ (1982)

(L to R) Nick Nolte and Eddie Murphy in ’48 hrs.’ Photo: Paramount Pictures.

A hard-nosed cop (Nick Nolte) reluctantly teams up with a wise-cracking criminal (Eddie Murphy) temporarily paroled to him, in order to track down a killer (James Remar).
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January 27, 2026
Every Shane Black Written Or Directed Movie Ranked

Director Shane Black at the premiere of ‘Play Dirty’. Photo: Prime Video.

Filmmaker Shane Black is one of the most successful screenwriters turned directors of all time!

Black began his career writing screenplays for such beloved movies as ‘Lethal Weapon‘, ‘The Monster Squad‘, ‘The Last Boy Scout‘ and ‘The Long Kiss Goodnight‘, as well as playing the role of Hawkins in 1987’s ‘Predator‘ starring Arnold Schwarzenegger.

He made his directorial debut in 2005 with ‘Kiss Kiss Bang Bang‘ starring Robert Downey Jr. and would go on to direct Downey in Marvel Studios‘ ‘Iron Man 3‘, as well as the action comedy ‘The Nice Guys‘ and ‘The Predator‘, which was the forth film in that franchise.
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Black’s latest movie, ‘Play Dirty‘, which is based on the ‘Parker’ books by author Donald E, Westlake and stars Mark Wahlberg, is currently available to watch on Prime Video.

In honor of the new release, Moviefone is counting down every film Shane Black has either written or directed.

NOTE: For this list we are only including films where Black has a writing or directing credit, and not films where he only has a Story By credit or an acting credit.

Let’s begin!

Related Article: Movie Review: ‘Play Dirty’

10. ‘The Predator‘ (2018)

2018’s ‘The Predator.’ Photo: 20th Century Fox.

When a young boy (Jacob Tremblay) accidentally triggers the universe’s most lethal hunters’ return to Earth, only a ragtag crew of ex-soldiers and a disgruntled scientist (Olivia Munn) can prevent the end of the human race.
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9. ‘Last Action Hero‘ (1993)

Arnold Schwarzenegger in ‘Last Action Hero’. Photo: Sony Pictures Entertainment.

After his father’s death, a young boy (Austin O’Brien) finds solace in action movies featuring an indestructible cop (Arnold Schwarzenegger). Given a magic ticket by a theater manager, he is transported into the film and teams up with the cop to stop a villain who escapes into the real world.
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8. ‘The Monster Squad‘ (1987)

1987’s ‘The Monster Squad.’ Photo: Tri-Star Pictures.

Count Dracula (Duncan Regehr) adjourns to Earth, accompanied by Frankenstein’s Monster (Tom Noonan), the Wolfman (Carl Thibault), the Mummy (Michael Reid MacKay), and the Gillman (Tom Woodruff Jr.). The uglies are in search of a powerful amulet that will grant them power to rule the world. Our heroes – the Monster Squad are the only ones daring to stand in their way.
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7. ‘Play Dirty‘ (2025)

(L to R) Mark Wahlberg and LaKeith Stanfield in ‘Play Dirty’. Photo: Prime Video.

Expert thief Parker (Mark Wahlberg) gets a shot at a major heist, but to pull it off he and his team must outsmart a South American dictator, the New York mob, and the world’s richest man.
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6. ‘The Long Kiss Goodnight‘ (1996)

(L to R) Geena Davis and Samuel L. Jackson in ‘The Long Kiss Goodnight’. Photo: New Line Cinema.

Samantha Caine (Geena Davis) is a small-town schoolteacher and mom with no memory of her life before washing up on a beach eight years ago. After a car accident and a violent home invasion trigger flashes of her past, she discovers she used to be a deadly CIA assassin. Teaming up with a wisecracking private investigator (Samuel L. Jackson), Samantha must return to her old ways to take down the people who tried to erase her.
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5. ‘Iron Man 3‘ (2013)

Robert Downey Jr. in ‘Iron Man 3’. Photo: Marvel Studios.

When Tony Stark’s (Robert Downey Jr.) world is torn apart by a formidable terrorist called the Mandarin, he starts an odyssey of rebuilding and retribution.
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4. ‘The Nice Guys‘ (2016)

(L to R) Ryan Gosling and Russell Crowe in ‘The Nice Guys’. Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures.

A private eye (Ryan Gosling) and an enforcer (Russell Crowe) investigate the apparent suicide of a fading porn star (Margaret Qualley) in 1970s Los Angeles and uncovers a conspiracy.
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3. ‘Lethal Weapon‘ (1987)

(L to R) Danny Glover and Mel Gibson in ‘Lethal Weapon’. Photo: Warner Bros.

A veteran cop (Danny Glover) and an unstable detective (Mel Gibson) become partners who must put their differences aside in order to bring down a heroin-smuggling ring run by ex-Special Forces.
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2. ‘The Last Boy Scout‘ (1991)

(L to R) Bruce Willis and Damon Wayans in ‘The Last Boy Scout’. Photo: Warner Bros.

When the girl (Halle Berry) that detective Joe Hallenback (Bruce Willis) is protecting gets murdered, the boyfriend (Damon Wayans) of the murdered girl attempts to investigate and solve the case. What they discover is that there is deep seated corruption going on between a crooked politician and the owner of a pro football team.
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1. ‘Kiss Kiss Bang Bang‘ (2005)

(L to R) Val Kilmer and Robert Downey Jr. in ‘Kiss Kiss Bang Bang.’ Photo: Warner Bros.

A petty thief posing as an actor (Robert Downey Jr.) is brought to Los Angeles for an unlikely audition and finds himself in the middle of a murder investigation along with his high school dream girl (Michelle Monaghan) and a detective (Val Kilmer) who’s been training him for his upcoming role.
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October 18, 2025
‘Sons of Anarchy’s Kim Coates Discusses ‘Neon Lights’

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Premiering on digital and On Demand beginning July 12th is the new horror thriller ‘Neon Lights,’ which was written and directed by Rouzbeh Heydari.

The new movie was written by and stars Dana Abraham as Clay Amani, a tech tycoon that brings his estranged to a remote location for a reunion. However, unbeknown to his guests, Clay is haunted by a mysterious figure named Denver (Kim Coates), which leads to a deadly killing spree.

In addition to Abraham and Coates, the movie also features Brit MacRae, Stephen Tracey, Rene Escobar Jr., Erika Swayze, Lauren Howe, and Brenna Coates.

Actor Kim Coates’ career has spanned over 35 years! He has appeared in countless successful movies such as ‘The Last Boy Scout,’ ‘The Client,’ ‘Bad Boys,’ ‘Black Hawk Down,’ ‘Open Range,’ and ‘Resident Evil: Afterlife,’ as well as popular TV shows like ‘Prison Break,’ ‘Entourage,’ ‘CSI: Miami,’ ‘Bad Blood,’ and ‘Van Helsing.’

But he is probably best remembered for his role as Alexander “Tig” Trager on FX’s ‘Sons of Anarchy,’ and recently reprised his part on the spinoff ‘Mayans M.C.’

Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Kim Coates about his new movie ‘Neon Lights,’ acting with his daughter, working with Bruce Willis on ‘The Last Boy Scout,’ the legacy of ‘Sons of Anarchy’ and reprising his role on ‘Mayans M.C.’

Kim Coates in ‘Neon Lights,’ which premieres on digital and On Demand beginning July 12th.

You can read our full interview with Kim Coates below or watch the interview by clicking on the video player above.

Moviefone: To begin with, as a producer and an actor, why did you want to be a part of this project, and what was your first reaction to the screenplay?

Kim Coates: Well, it was pretty simple, really. I mean, the pandemic just started. It was 2020 and everything was shut down. Everyone left L.A. and I went back to Canada. Around June or July of 2020, in Canada, before America, before we had all the vaccines, things started to pick up a little.

This script was thrown at me in September of 2020 and when my Canadian manager-agent brought it to me, she said, “You know what? They obviously want you bad because they need a name in this little beautiful, independent film, but there’s a part for Brenna as well.” So, I read it and Brenna, my daughter, plays Laila, the psychiatrist. So, when I read it, I had that in mind.

But I really have to tell you that this guy, Denver Kane, who I play, I can’t really say much about this guy. You need to discover this character when you’re watching the movie, because he’s freaky, he’s cocky, and this is a weird psychological thriller with a bit of horror in there. It really encompasses everything.

When I read this story, I threw everything else out. I threw me out, and Brenna out. I thought about the mental health aspect of the movie, and we’re in the middle of a pandemic or the beginning of a pandemic. What Dana Abraham did in writing this thing and starring in this thing was mind-blowing to me. So, that’s why I said yes.

Kim Coates and Erika Swayze in ‘Neon Lights,’ which premieres on digital and On Demand beginning July 12th.

MF: How do you approach playing a character that is purposefully mysterious in the screenplay?

KC: Well, that’s just a terrific question because, is he really there, is he not there? What’s happening? The beginning takes a little bit of time. It’s very freaky. You don’t know what’s going on. Then the movie really starts. Then Dana starts to sit down with his psychiatrist, played by Brenna, and we can’t say much to you after that. But then the story evolves in going to this estate with his former foster brothers and their wives, girlfriends, and a kid.

They go for this like reawakening with Dana’s character, trying to figure out who he is, and what’s happened in his life with all the trauma. He’s become this incredible tech tycoon, but his life is falling apart. My character kind of wheedles his way through the whole film with a little thread and needle and goes all the way through this film.

So, for you to bring that up and for me not to really be able to talk about it, but to let you know that I did research on trauma and early homes that possibly had a lot of trauma. So, I had to read a couple of books to try and get inside this Denver Kane’s head.

Kim Coates in ‘Neon Lights,’ which premieres on digital and On Demand beginning July 12th.

MF: As you mentioned, your daughter is also in the movie. As a father, how proud were you to work with her and see that she is following in your footsteps?

KC: How great is that, right? I mean, this kid’s been an actor her whole life. I stumbled into it in college. I took an acting class to meet some girls. I was going to be a history teacher. I didn’t know what a soliloquy even meant. Brenna’s been an actress since she’s been 4 years old. This kid did it the right way. Theatre, theatre, theatre, theatre!

She went to NYU. She auditioned for the Tisch Acting Academy. She got in, she got her degree. She did a bunch of plays there. Then she did this play called “The Wolves” on Broadway. She won a Drama Desk Award. The New York Times called it one of the greatest plays of the last 25 years.

So, Brenna needs no help from her dad. Brenna has her own movie star thing waiting to happen. She’s got two movies opening back to back, this one and another one called ‘Burden.’ She’s got another couple of offers in the fall. She loves theatre, she loves movies, she loves TV, she loves it all. But I’m very proud to see her work, man. I stayed out of her way. But she’s her own artistic, explosive girl. I’m just so proud of her, for sure.

(L to R) Bruce Willis and Kim Coates in Tony Scott’s ‘The Last Boy Scout.’

MF: Looking back at your career, you had an amazing scene with Bruce Willis in ‘The Last Boy Scout.’ In the scene, you punch him in the face and shout, “Boomba Baby!” Was that line improvised of scripted, and what are your memories of working with Bruce Willis?

KC: Yeah, that was mine. “Boomba Baby!” That was all me. Look, Bruce Willis was my first really big movie star. I’d worked with Dean Stockwell, and Kim Cattrall, but ‘The Last Boy Scout’ was my very first Hollywood movie in 1991. The late Tony Scott, I’m so sad that he’s gone, but he cast me right away.

I just got to tell you about that scene. Because I’ve been told they show that cigarette scene in all these acting classes. It’s always prefaced by “How to steal a scene from the movie star.” I got to know Bruce a little bit. Then I got to know him more on ‘Hostage.’ Then I got to know him more by hanging out with him. He’s got a lot going on right now, that poor guy, but I love him, and I always will love him. I’ve got nothing but good thing to say about Bruce Willis.

MF: Finally, can you talk about your ‘Sons of Anarchy’ experience? What was it like reprising your character on ‘Mayans M.C.’ and have you stayed close with the other cast members since the series ended?

KC: Yeah, we really have. I think it’s an anomaly. I think it’s a one-off. I think of those seven years on ‘Sons’ and how did we still love one another? It was a very volatile, weird, dark, and beautiful time. That show got more and more violent as it went along. But those seven years were amazing.

I’m going to see Charlie (Hunnam) coming up in a few days here. I see Theo (Rossi) all the time. Tommy Flanagan, Mark Boone Junior, Ryan Hurst, Ron Perlman, I’m best friend with them, I mean, we hang out all the time. So, you know what? I don’t know how that happened, but it did.

To do the ‘Mayans’ and to play Tig again after like eight years, it was great. I still have my bike outside. I had such a terrific time on that show. The best.

( L to R) Mark Boone Jr., Charlie Hunnam, Tommy Flanagan, and Kim Coates in FX’s ‘Sons of Anarchy.’
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July 12, 2022