Viola Davis Action Movie Roles and Career Overview
Viola Davis has built a career spanning drama and action, with roles in major franchises and studio action films. Her most prominent action credits include the Fast & Furious franchise, where she portrayed CIA operative Magdalene Shaw starting with Furious 7 in 2015 and continuing through later installments. She also starred as Amanda Waller in the DC Extended Universe, appearing in Suicide Squad (2016), Wonder Woman 1984 (2020), and The Suicide Squad (2021), all of which blend action with ensemble storytelling. Her work in these franchises has placed her among the most recognizable actors in modern action cinema. More details on her career trajectory can be found on her Forbes profile.
Davis has also taken on supporting and leading roles in action-adventure and thriller projects outside of major franchises. In Army of the Dead (2021), she played a mercenary leader in a high-stakes zombie heist film directed by Zack Snyder, released on Netflix. In Red (2010) and its sequel Red 2 (2013), she played a sharp-tongued intelligence operative opposite Bruce Willis and Helen Mirren. Her casting in these projects reflects a pattern of studios selecting her for roles that combine physicality, authority, and sharp dialogue within action-driven narratives.
Box Office Performance and Franchise Impact
The Fast & Furious franchise, in which Davis appears as Magdalene Shaw, has grossed more than $7 billion worldwide across its mainline films, making it one of the highest-grossing action franchises globally. Furious 7 alone earned over $1.5 billion worldwide, while The Fate of the Furious (2017) grossed more than $1.2 billion. Davis's introduction as a central antagonist and later antihero expanded the franchise's narrative scope and audience appeal. Her role has been credited with adding emotional stakes and a new generational dynamic to the series.
The DC Extended Universe films featuring Davis as Amanda Waller have also contributed significantly to the action genre's commercial landscape. Suicide Squad (2016) earned more than $746 million worldwide, while The Suicide Squad (2021) grossed around $168 million globally. Wonder Woman 1984 earned over $169 million worldwide in theatrical and streaming markets. These figures illustrate how Davis's presence in ensemble action films correlates with strong box office returns and broad audience reach.
Where to Stream Viola Davis Action Movies
Many of Viola Davis's action films are available on major streaming platforms. Army of the Dead is available on Netflix, while the Fast & Furious films rotate across platforms including Peacock, HBO Max, and Amazon Prime Video depending on regional licensing deals. The DC films featuring Davis, including Suicide Squad and Wonder Woman 1984, have been available on HBO Max and are subject to change as Warner Bros. adjusts its streaming strategy. Availability can shift quickly based on studio distribution agreements and windowing strategies.
Physical and digital purchase options remain widely available for most of her action titles through platforms like Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video, Vudu, and Google