Jean-Claude Van Damme. Mixed martial artists. Actor. Director. Writer. What else is there to say? You have probably seen this guy and taking names in many of his fast paced action films. Originally a professional kick boxer and MMA specialist, Van Damme turned to movies. From his early roles in the mid-to-late 1980’s to his more current roles today, Van Damme is a prominent and notable figure in intense action flicks whose name is known worldwide for his incredible stunts. Having grossed more than 1.7 billion dollars in all the films he has appeared in worldwide, let’s take a look at his top five movies that have grossed the most.
5. Nowhere to Run – $52,189,039
Nowhere to Run is an action/drama film that came out in 1993 about Sam Gillen (Van Damme), a bank robber who was wrongly convicted for killing a bank security guard in a high stakes robbery. Gillen finds himself escaping from federal prison and hiding out on a local farm, trying his best to evade detection. The farm is owned by Clydie Anderson (Rosanna Arquette), a widow with her two children. Sam eventually saves the Anderson’s from a group of attacking thugs, and makes his presence known to Clydie and her family. He then learns that a ruthless property developer named Franklin Hale needs to buy Clydie’s farm or his business will go under. Hale attempts many times through force to get Clydie to sell and through this process Sam’s true identity is learned by the corrupt police force. Sam is forced to leave, only ultimately to return to save the day, but learns that saving Clydie will come at a cost.
4. Street Fighter -$99,423,521
This 1994 action film is based loosely on the popular fighting video games that were put out by Campcom in the late 1980’s and early 90’s. Van Damme stars as Colonel William F. Guile, the leader of Allied Nations which are a worldwide military force set out to preserve peace and justice. A drug lord in the fictional South East Asian country of Shandaloo has captured some aid workers and is demanding $20 billion dollars from the Allied Nations or they will kill the hostages. Van Damme and his crew then enter the country and guerrilla fighting ensues as they try and rescue the hostages. While this move was a huge success in terms of gross revenue, fans of the original video game and critics were not impressed.
3. Timecop – $103,646,581
This science fiction/action movie stars Van Damme and is regarded to be one of his best films and what really brought him into the limelight as an action superstar. Van Damme plays as a police officer in 1994 and as a Federal agent in 2004 in a universe where time travel is possible. Van Damme travels throughout time to fight all sorts of evil and to look into the suspicious political uprising of Senator Aaron McComb (Ron Silver). The time bending, disconnected storytelling of Timecop will keep you on the edge of your seat at all times in this Van Damme classic.
2. The Expendables 2 – $311,979,256
Ah, The Expendables. This series has become a staple for the action genre. While they may not be the best films (they aren’t), the super-group cast of all of them is sure to attract any action fans. In this particular installment of the series Van Damme plays the bad guy, Jean Vilain (puns intended?). This explosive movie filled with guns, tanks, airplanes, bombs, and car chases was super successful in the box offices and tripled its budget. With a cast this intense it’s no big surprise, but the last movie on our list will probably be the biggest surprise.
1. Kung Fu Panda 2 – $665,692,281
Yup, you’ve read that right. Kung Fu Panda 2 is number one on our list. In this animated sequel, Van Damme provides the voice over for Master Croc, a kung fu master crocodile whose tail is a mace. After spending some time with the Wool Stealing Crocodile Bandits, Master Croc changed his life and vowed to use kung fu for good, ultimately joining the elite Kung Fu Council in this DreamWorks picture. Fans and critics alike responded extremely positive to this film, making it Van Damme’s highest grossing movie of all time.
Photo Credit: Richard Bord, Getty
