Movies Like Writer's Block

If you liked Writer's Block (2023), a action movie directed by Karthikeya Yarlagadda, here are 20 movies with a similar feel, based on TMDB's recommendations. Each one links to its cast, trailer and where it's streaming.

1
Jawbone (2017)
★ 6.1/10Also action
A former youth boxing champion, Jimmy McCabe is a man in search of hope but looking in all the wrong places. When he hits rock bottom he turns to his childhood boxing club and the only family he has left: gym owner…
2
Fighting (2009)
★ 6/10Also action
Small-town boy Shawn MacArthur has come to New York City with nothing. Barely earning a living selling counterfeit goods on the streets, his luck changes when scam artist Harvey Boarden sees that he has a natural…
3
Beast (2026)
★ 7.5/10Also action
MMA legend Patton James, now a commercial fisherman, is pulled back into the cage when his brother is in danger. Reuniting with his old coach Sammy, he commits to one final fight in one championship against the brutal…
4
Life After Fighting (2024)
★ 7/10Also action
Retired martial arts world champion Alex Faulkner has settled into a simple life, when the disappearance of two of his students leads to an unthinkable discovery close to home. Just when all hope of finding the…
5
Fast Charlie (2023)
★ 6.3/10Also action
When his aging mob boss is whacked, Charlie Swift, a loyal friend and hired gun, will stop at nothing to destroy the upcoming crew that took him out.
6
Airborne (1993)
★ 6.1/10Also action
Good-natured teen surfer Mitchell Goosen finds himself staying with his aunt and uncle in Cincinnati, Ohio when his parents head to Australia for work. There he meets his cousin, Wiley, and together they try to…
7
Walking Tall (2004)
★ 6.3/10Also action
A former U.S. soldier returns to his hometown to find it overrun by crime and corruption, which prompts him to clean house.
8
No Retreat, No Surrender (1986)
★ 6.3/10Also action
The mob is trying to strongarm local martial arts schools, forcing young Jason Stillwell and his family to move after his father is injured defending their dojo. With his father now rejecting violence, Jason is forced…
9
The Paper Tigers (2020)
★ 6.7/10Also action
Three middle aged men polish their martial arts skills to avenge their fallen master.
10
Birth of the Dragon (2017)
★ 5.8/10Also action
Set against the backdrop of San Francisco’s Chinatown, this cross-cultural biopic chronicles Bruce Lee’s emergence as a martial-arts superstar after his legendary secret showdown with fellow martial artist Wong Jack Man.
11
Code 3 (2025)
★ 7.1/10Also action
A burned-out paramedic tries to survive his last 24 hours on the job while training a new recruit.
12
Lion Fist (2026)
★ 7.2/10Also action
Martial arts fighter Joe goes to prison for four years and takes his wife's blame for a drug bust. After his release, he learns that his son needs expensive surgery because of a life-threatening tumor. Joe's only…
13
Street (2015)
★ 6.5/10Also action
Remo Street is a young fighter who comes from a world where nothing is easy, so when he is faced with the opportunity to train with a world class coach, he has to choose between the long hard road to honor and glory…
14
Gladiator Underground (2025)
★ 7.7/10Also action
Two brothers compete in the world's deadliest underground fighting tournament, where they must decide whether to play by the rules or to cast their honor aside and team up to bring down the dark syndicate running the…
15
Never Back Down: No Surrender (2016)
★ 7/10Also action
Picking up after the events of Never Back Down 2, former MMA champion Case Walker is on the comeback trail to become champion once again.
16
Bloodsport (1988)
★ 7.1/10Also action
An American Army Major goes AWOL to Hong Kong for an outlawed martial arts contest called the Kumite.
17
The Smashing Machine (2025)
★ 6.4/10Also action
In the late 1990s, up-and-coming mixed martial artist Mark Kerr aspires to become the greatest fighter in the world. However, he must also battle his opioid dependence and a volatile relationship with his girlfriend…
18
Born a Champion (2021)
★ 6.9/10Also action
After a blood- soaked jujitsu match in Dubai, fighting legend Mickey Kelley falls to superstar Blaine. But years later, an online video proves that Blaine cheated, and the world demands a rematch. Can the aging…
19
Accident Man: Hitman's Holiday (2022)
★ 6.8/10Also action
The Accident Man is back, and this time he must best the top assassins in the world to protect the ungrateful son of a mafia boss, save the life of his only friend and rekindle his relationship with his maniacal father…
20
Bruised (2021)
★ 6.8/10Also action
Jackie Justice is a mixed martial arts fighter who leaves the sport in disgrace. Down on her luck and simmering with rage and regret years after the fight, she's coaxed into a brutal underground fight by her manager…