Every David Leitch Movie, Ranked Worst To Best (Including The Fall Guy)

Summary

• Leitch’s action-packed filmography is highlighted by standout films like John Wick and Deadpool 2, showcasing his skill in the genre.
• Hobbs & Shaw features Dwayne Johnson and Jason Statham teaming up in a spinoff with a flimsy script but fun banter between the leads.
• Bullet Train, Leitch’s latest, boasts a star-studded cast in a frenetic, comedic action film with a disjointed identity crisis vibe.

The Fall Guy director David Leitch has built a strong filmography in the action genre, making ranking his films from worst to best a challenge. Leitch got his start in Hollywood as a stunt and fight coordinator, playing Brad Pitt’s stunt double in several films, including Fight Club. He got his first taste for directing when he co-directed 2014’s John Wick alongside fellow stunt-performer-turned-director, Chad Stahelski, who has since directed the John Wick sequels. The duo formed the action design company 87Eleven, which has since contributed to a number of big Hollywood productions, including Marvel’s Captain America: Civil War.

Leitch’s first solo directing gig was Atomic Blonde starring Charlize Theron, which led to his first superhero film, Deadpool 2 with Ryan Reynolds. Grossing $785 million worldwide, Deadpool 2 opened Leitch up to even more big-budget properties, which started with the first spinoff for the Fast and Furious franchise, Hobbs and Shaw, starring Dwayne Johnson and Jason Statham. His 2022 film Bullet Train boasts a cast that includes Brad Pitt, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Brian Tyree Henry, Sandra Bullock, Hiroyuki Sanada, Joey King, and Michael Shannon. 2024’s The Fall Guy is Leitch’s latest addition to his action-packed filmography.

Hobbs & Shaw (2019)

The first spinoff for the Fast & Furious franchise, Hobbs & Shaw teams up Dwayne Johnson’s Luke Hobbs with Jason Statham’s Deckard Shaw as they work to take down a super-powered criminal mastermind Idris Elba. The globe-trotting action pic capitalizes on the banter between the two actors that was previously established in the Fast & Furious films, hinging most of what goes down on their ad-libbed antics.

While Leitch has no trouble staging big action pieces for the film, the flimsy script feels like a placeholder for Johnson and Statham to bully one another until they inevitably put their differences aside to take down their common enemy. While the two actors have a decent dynamic, it’s not strong enough to match the speed at which Leitch is working, making a Hobbs & Shaw a disjointed, disposable action romp with beefed-up talent that speak to one another like kids insulting each other on a playground more than grown-ups in an international spy adventure.

Bullet Train (2022)

Leitch’s latest effort is led by Brad Pitt with an ensemble cast that includes Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Brian Tyree Henry, Sandra Bullock, Michael Shannon, Hiroyuki Sanada, Joey King, Andrew Koji, Zazie Beetz, and Bad Bunny. The overstuffed film has the feel of a Jackie Chan movie directed by Guy Ritchie, which accounts for the playful, comedic antics stuffed in with intense, bloody violence.

All the actors seem to be having a blast with their respective parts and Leitch does his best to guide them from laughter to battle, but the shifting tone is far too jarring to make Bullet Train a true standout. Leitch’s style here is frenetic, making for an identity crisis-style movie that’s part comedy, part action movie, and part Bugs Bunny cartoon, which can certainly be fun at times, but leaves a dizzying feeling, like just stepping off a carnival ride that was more spin than excitement.

Atomic Blonde (2017)

Based on the graphic novel The Coldest City by Antony Johnston, Atomic Blonde stars Charlize Theron as Lorraine Broughton, an MI6 superspy on a mission to Berlin to uncover a murder of a fellow agent, while attempting to rescue an asset. Leitch brings his John Wick-style gunplay and fight choreography to the forefront in Atomic Blonde, utilizing the single-take action sequences to great effect throughout, making for an even more impressive show with Theron doing many of her own stunts.

The 80s-vibe and Cold War locations make for an atmospheric action spectacle that feels more personal and gritty than big and bombastic. Leitch puts his cast to work, and they bring their A-game for Atomic Blonde, be it for a thoroughly choreographed fight sequence or a sexy neon-soaked love scene.

The Fall Guy (2024)

The Fall Guy stars Ryan Gosling in his highly-anticipated follow-up to 2023’s highest-grossing film, Barbie. It’s also a massive love letter and tribute to the history of stuntmen and stuntwomen in Hollywood, featuring several wild stunts while offering glimpses of behind-the-scenes movie magic. The Fall Guy is part romantic comedy, part action comedy, and 100% crowd-pleasing fun. Gosling shines alongside Emily Blunt, and a stellar supporting cast of Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Hannah Waddingham, Winston Duke, and a late cameo from Jason Mamoa make this easily one of Leitch’s best and most passionate films.

Deadpool 2 (2018)

The sequel to Ryan Reynolds’ mega-hit Deadpool, Leitch proved to be the perfect successor to continue the franchise. Coupled with the introduction of Josh Brolin as fan-favorite character Cable and Zazie Beetz as Domino (as well as CGI Juggernaut), Deadpool 2 benefited from a strong script by Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick that allowed Leitch to play to his strengths with ease. Reynolds helps tremendously as he embodies the role perfectly, but Leitch managed to make a Deadpool sequel that was as good, if not better, than the original, which is no small feat for any filmmaker, pulling in $785 million worldwide and standing as the director’s biggest hit to date.

John Wick (2014)

The 2014 original that started it all, John Wick features Keanu Reeves as a retired assassin who seeks revenge after his home is broken into, his dog is killed, and his car is stolen. The script by Derek Kolstad creates an entire assassin underground universe with colorful characters and a richly-layered background, while Leitch, along with co-director Chad Stahelski, employ their action design prowess to the proceedings, creating a whole new sub-genre that continues to be replicated today.

What was initially thought of as something that would be a low-budget straight-to-video action flick has become a worldwide phenomenon, the standard being set in stone by Leitch and Stahelski, with Reeves embodying the role completely, showing a true commitment to his part of the John Wick persona. Leitch’s vibrant, visual punch is on full display here, which he would carry with him for many films to come after The Fall Guy, even if John Wick still stands as his best entry thus far.