The inclusion of Dame Judi Dench as "M" in the James Bond film series seemed, at first, simply like inspired stuntcasting. Now, however, she's starring in The Chronicles of Riddick, another explosive summer blockbuster -- and one, Fametracker has learned, that signals a significant shift in the Dame's career.

Stealing a page from other distinguished Oscar winners who've cashed in with a series of action films -- Angelina Jolie, Nic Cage, Denzel Washington -- Dench now has a series of rock-'em-sock-'em movies in the pipeline. Here, we offer an exclusive sneak peak at her upcoming projects -- proof that this is one Dame who kicks some serious class*

*Release dates approximate; titles subject to change

Triple the Fast, Triple the Furious; Release Date: Spring 2005

Sonia Manning (Dame Judi Dench) pleaded with her son Frankie (Danny Masterson) to give up street racing -- but her warnings came one race too late. A mysterious Mexican street racer known only as La Mano (Rodrigo Santoro) runs Frankie right off the street and into a head-on collision -- with death. Sonia inherits a world of grief -- and a bitchin', fully tricked-out, nitrous-equipped 2006 special edition Subaru Impreza. Sonia -- a former driver for a London-based bank robbery crew -- thought she'd left her criminal past and totally sick driving skills behind. But when she learns from Frankie's best friend, street racing legend Wiz Wand (Sisqo), that La Mano's crew is running drugs in their souped-up rides, as well as killing people, Sonia jumps behind the wheel with only one mission in mind: Justice at 6000 rpm.

Maximum Extremities; Release Date: Summer 2005

The year is 2056. Clarissa Maxim (Dame Judi Dench), a popular U.S. senator, is poised to become the first female President of the United States. But only her closest associates know she's been suffering from crippling headaches while on the campaign trail -- and terrible nightmares. One day, while cleaning out the attic of her charming New England home, she discovers a holo-chip hidden inside an old music box -- and the chip reveals a terrible secret. Maxim is actually a highly trained CIA assassin whose memories have been wiped out! Her mission? To assassinate herself! As the misogynist head of the CIA (Brian Cox) races to reactivate his assassin and prevent her presidency, Maxim must rediscover her lethal skills and root out the bad guys -- including the one that lives inside her own head! Loosely based on a story by Philip K. Dick.

Dead Endz; Release Date: Summer 2006

Sgt. Theresa Sandborn (Dame Judi Dench) has seen a lot of crazy things in her time as leader of L.A.'s elite anti-gang unit. And she's not afraid of bending regulations if it means breaking the crooks -- an attitude that enrages her volatile supervisor (Joe Pesci). But she never thought she'd be partnered with L'il Loco (Ludacris) -- the ex-leader of the Boo-Yaaz, L.A.'s most brutal gang! After L'il Loco's young sister is gunned down in turf war, Loco vows to get his revenge -- on the right side of the law. But can Sandborn -- whose own husband was once kidnapped by Loco's lieutenants, brutally tortured, set on fire, and then dropped from a helicopter into her back-yard swimming pool during a LAPD barbecue -- let bygones be bygones? One thing's for sure: She might forget. But she'll never forgive.

Dame Straight; Release Date: Christmas Day 2006

Notorious terrorist Fayed Al-Rahman (John Turturro) has the perfect plan to bring the Western world to its knees: seize Buckingham Palace and execute the Queen on live television. There's only one thing he didn't count on: Dame Olivia Harding-Knox (Dame Judi Dench). While in the palace to receive her appointment to an order of knighthood, in recognition of her distinguished service in the SAS, Britain's elite special forces, Harding-Knox slips away to the powder room -- just as Al-Rahman's men slaughter the crowd with toxic nerve gas. Now the only inhabitants of the palace are an insane terrorist, a posse of henchmen, a nosy reporter (Jennifer Love Hewitt), a very frightened royal family -- and one royally pissed off Dame.