Things are going well for Mr. Aaron Taylor-Johnson! After roles in the Monster Verse and MCU, Taylor-Johnson's name has been the center of many rumors about who's taking over the role of James Bond after Daniel Craig's run in the series. And even if we don't end up seeing the actor in the suave tux or not, it won't be long before we are treated to him in another blockbuster role. Taylor-Johnson will step into another major role as the titular anti-hero in Sony’s latest superhero film Kraven the Hunter this August and appear in David Leitch's hotly anticipated new action film The Fall Guy come May. While these titles alone may indicate that Taylor-Johnson is inclined towards action parts, he has been building a diverse filmography from a young age. He's the rare actor who can even make critical failures, like The King's Man and A Million Little Pieces, an entertaining watch due to his magnetic screen presence.

He has been acclaimed for his childhood roles in films like Tom & Thomas and The Illusionist, and over the past decade, he’s worked with some of the best directors in the industry, including Oliver Stone, Christopher Nolan, Joe Wright, and J.C. Chandor. It’s exciting to see where he goes next; despite only being in his early 30s, Taylor-Johnson has already proven himself to be both a capable franchise lead and a more serious, dramatic actor. Oh, and he can also do a backflip! Here are 10 essential performances from Aaron Taylor-Johnson.

1 'The Savages' (2012)

Appeared as Ben

Despite generally appearing to be a fairly charismatic actor, Johnson succeeded in showing a much darker side to his personality in Oliver Stone's controversial crime thriller Savages. The anxiety-inducing window into the dangers of drug cartels follows the corrupt marijuana dealers Ben (Taylor-Johnson) and Chon (Taylor Kitsch) as they run afoul of the brutal drug enforcer known as "Lado" (Benicio del Toro). While del Toro's terrifying performance certainly makes him the scene-stealer, Taylor-Johnson does memorable work as a selfish slacker who inadvertently gets in over his head. Taylor-Johnson's erratic physical performance is perfect for the unique form of dark comedy that Savages epitomizes.

The Savages is available to rent on Amazon.

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2 'Tenet' (2020)

Appeared as Ives

Tenet has been a divisive film since its mid-pandemic release in the summer of 2020, but cult appreciation for Nolan's confusing science-fiction thriller is growing among filmmakers. While Tenet is most certainly a film that puts its emphasis on action and twists above everything else, Nolan still makes room for some memorable characters, including Taylor-Johnson's Ives, a military commando who comes to the assistance of the Protagonist (John David Washington) and Neil (Robert Pattinson) in the final act. Given that Ives is saddled with explaining how time inversion works, he's one of the most important characters in the film; Taylor-Johnson proves yet again that he can do a lot with limited screen time.

Tenet is available to rent on Amazon.

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3 'Godzilla' (2014)

Appeared as Lieutenant Ford Brody

The modern “Monsterverse” has not done a great job with its human characters; while the four films released thus far all feature excellent monster battles, audiences have had to look past the insufferable human melodrama. However, 2014’s Godzilla makes an actual attempt to establish an emotional hook. The scientist Dr. Joe Brody (Bryan Cranston) loses his wife after they awaken Godzilla, and Brody is later dismissed as insane when he continues to research the kaiju creatures. Brody’s son, Ford (Taylor-Johnson), a Navy SEAL, is forced to defend his father and the two bond over the course of the adventure. While none of the writing is stellar, the chemistry between Cranston and Taylor-Johnson elevates the material. It’s a shame that Taylor-Johnson hasn’t been given the chance to return to the character.

Watch on Netflix

4 'Avengers: Age of Ultron' (2015)

Appeared as Pietro Maximoff

While WandaVision replaced him with X-Men: Days of Future Past’s Quicksilver (Evan Peters), Taylor-Johnson doesn’t get enough credit for his performance in Avengers: Age of Ultron. He wasn’t meant to be the same type of scene-stealer that Peters was. Taylor-Johnson shows the genuine anger that Pietro Maximoff feels towards Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.), whose weapons were responsible for the death of his parents. While it's unlikely that Taylor-Johnson will return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe for anything beyond a cameo anytime soon, anything is possible within the multiverse. His death continues to be a burden that his sister, Wanda (Elizabeth Olsen), deals with.

Watch on Disney+

5 'The Wall' (2017)

Appeared as Sergeant Allen Isaac

Doug Liman’s military thriller The Wall is an anomaly within the genre, as it keeps the spectacle to a minimum. It seems impossible to make a Rear Window-style isolated thriller set within the vast desert of Iraq, but the clever screenplay by Dwain Worrell has an ingenious way of making its characters vulnerable. The film follows the soldiers, Sergeant Allen Isaac (Taylor-Johnson) and Staff Sergeant Shane Matthews (John Cena), who are pinned down by enemy fire in the middle of a combat zone. Both men are critically injured and unable to move. The enigmatic voice of the sniper (Laith Nakli) taunts them over the radio, revealing a shocking secret from Isaac’s past.

Watch on Amazon Prime

6 'Outlaw King' (2018)

Appeared as Lord James Douglas

Taylor-Johnson has given many great performances in action films, but he’s never been as physically committed to a part as he was in Outlaw King. David Mackenzie’s underrated historical epic picks up the story of the Scottish revolution where Braveheart left off; Robert the Bruce (Chris Pine) gathers a small band of allies, who retake their homeland from the British crown through castle-by-castle sieges. Lord James Douglas (Taylor-Johnson) is one of the first men to swear allegiance to the “Outlaw King.” While his loyalty to Bruce is unquestionable, Douglas also just enjoys the thrills of war. He revels in the bloodshed, adding an odd sense of humor that strengthens the film.

Watch on Netflix

7 'Kick-Ass' (2010)

Appeared as Dave Lizewski

In the subsequent decade, there were many attempts at a “subversive” superhero origin story, but Kick-Ass remains one of the strongest examples. While Matthew Vaughn’s filthy R-Rated action thriller certainly contains a lot of references that comic book fans will appreciate, it retains an actual sense of heroism. Taylor-Johnson is perfect as Dave Lizewski, an even geekier version of Peter Parker who has no reason to be a superhero. Lizewski learns how to fight crime for real through his partnership with Hit-Girl (Chloë Grace Moretz) and her father, Big Daddy (Nicolas Cage). While the dirty humor is often uproarious, Kick-Ass shows the consequences that Lizewski faces for thinking he’s exempt from responsibilities. The sequel Kick-Ass 2 wasn’t as strong, but Taylor-Johnson still delivered a respectable performance.

Rent on Amazon

8 'Bullet Train' (2022)

Appeared as Tangerine

In a packed ensemble cast that includes everyone from Brad Pitt to Bad Bunny, Taylor-Johnson manages to be the scene stealer with his charismatic performance as the British assassin Tangerine. While it’s hard to keep track of every assassin aboard the titular Bullet Train, Tangerine’s offbeat friendship with his partner-in-crime Lemon (Brian Tyree Henry) is so gleefully charming that it makes their scenes fly by in this fast-paced train adventure. While the two share their fair share of quips, their relationship takes a surprisingly heartfelt direction by the time the third act rolls around.

Watch on Netflix

9 2. 'Nocturnal Animals' (2016)

Appeared as Ray Marcus

Nocturnal Animals had one of the weirdest awards season cycles in recent memory; while Taylor-Johnson won the Golden Globe and received a BAFTA nomination for Best Supporting Actor, it was Michael Shannon who ended up getting the Academy Award recognition in the same category. It’s a shame that the Oscars overlooked Taylor-Johnson because Ray Marcus is one of the most terrifying screen villains of the past decade. Writer/director Tom Ford crafts a film that is unafraid of its pulpy roots, and Taylor-Johnson commits to the material with an immensely unhinged performance. It says a lot when Michael Shannon gives the more subtle of the two performances.

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10 'Nowhere Boy' (2010)

Appeared as John Lennon

Unsurprisingly, any film that approaches the life of The Beatles has been met with both fervent anticipation and immense skepticism. Sam Taylor-Johnson’s biographical film Nowhere Boy takes a unique look at John Lennon’s life; rather than focusing on his iconic music, the film shows Lennon’s high school years as a John Hughes-style coming-of-age story. A young Lennon grows inspired by Elvis Presley and forms his first band with Paul McCartney (Thomas Brodie-Sangster). Taylor-Johnson does a great job showing Lennon’s confusion, as he deals with both an unstable home life and his confused sexuality. It's no easy task to capture Lennon’s charisma on stage, but Taylor-Johnson makes the concert scenes feel ecstatic.

Rent on Amazon