Heroes such as Blade, Black Panther, Miles Morales, and Sam Wilson have greatly impacted comic book movies and pop culture in general.
Meanwhile, there are plenty of superheroes who have yet to get the blockbuster treatment they deserve. Though there is surely more to come, there are already a handful of notable films headlined by superheroes that deserve audiences’ attention. Here are our rankings for the 8 best superhero movies.
8. Venom: The Last Dance – 2024
Venom: The Last Dance has finally hit theaters, marking the final chapter in Sony’s Venom trilogy. Taking place immediately after Spider-Man: No Way Home, this film follows Eddie Brock (Tom Hardy) and his slimy buddy Venom as they try to flee from the authorities, as well as the clutches of Venom’s evil creator, the dark god Knull (Andy Serkis).
It’s been a hectic ride these past three films. Though Sony’s Spider-Man Universe failed to live up to its potential with Morbius and Madame Web, audiences can again count on Venom to deliver a wacky, wild adventure. This threequel made for an exciting and heartfelt conclusion to the trilogy that still sets up a dark, epic future for the Lethal Protector. Now that Venom: The Last Dance has premiered, here’s a breakdown of the story and what its ending means for the franchise’s future.
7. Batman Begins -2005
Between Tim Burton’s and Christopher Nolan’s Batman movies, there were a couple of, shall we say, mixed outings for the Caped Crusader.
The thought of another one in the vein of Batman & Robin was hard to stomach, which perhaps made Batman Begins such a dark surprise.
Nolan brought a certain seriousness to the tale of a billionaire with an alter-ego, the director approaching the comics without wanting to create another frivolous spectacle. This was the first time that a superhero movie was quite so downbeat, Bruce Wayne being a troubled, tormented protector, desperate to make a difference.
6. Captain America: Brave New World – 2025
Sam Wilson took flight in his first solo film as the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s new Captain America. Like The Winter Soldier and Civil War, Captain America: Brave New World delivers a globe-trotting and action-packed political thriller that has the hero clash with the government.
Nevertheless, this film struggles to stick the landing with its lackluster action, rushed plot, and unfinished VFX.
While Brave New World gets weighed down from trying to accomplish too much, the movie does have something interesting to say about Captain America as the hero struggles to live up to expectations and fight for justice in a world held back by corrupt politicians.
5. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever – 2022
This sequel was a bittersweet experience, as the viewers and the film’s characters mourned the death of Chadwick Boseman and King T’Challa.
Nevertheless, the Black Panther’s spirit lives on in this film as Shuri and her family continue to fight for Wakanda against greedy world powers and the Talokan King Namor. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever includes thrilling action, compelling characters, and gorgeous visuals.
However, what really sets it apart from other projects in the MCU’s fourth phase is its exploration of grief as Shuri struggles to cope with the loss of T’Challa, making for a heartfelt farewell to one of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes.
4. Wonder Woman – 2012
We know what you’re thinking: another origin story? Really? Yet, despite Wonder Woman being such a well-known character, Patty Jenkins’ movie makes for a wonderfully fresh take on the hero’s royal beginnings.
Growing up on the Amazonian island of Themyscira, Princess Diana’s monotonous life is interrupted by an American pilot, Steve Trevor, who crashes offshore. After learning about the horrors of the First World War, and believing Zeus’s son Ares responsible for the conflict, Diana takes it upon herself to resolve the fight. Wonder Woman delivers a hope-charged blast of purely enjoyable entertainment, with delicious chemistry bubbling between Gal Gadot’s Diana and Chris Pine’s Steve.
3. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse – 2023
This Spider-Verse sequel improved on the original movie with a larger, darker story in which Miles and his allies clash over how to contain the Spot as he brings chaos throughout the Multiverse.
The franchise continued to deliver more lively animation and meta-humor with Across the Spider-Verse.
However, by exploring how Spider-People are forced to follow “canon” events across the Multiverse, the film makes a meta-commentary about what it means to be a web-slinger as Miles refuses to submit to let others define him. It’s a heavy but insp
2. The Dark Knight – 2008
The Dark Knight isn’t just the best superhero movie of all time; it’s also one of the best Batman movies ever made. Splitting screen time between day and night, The Dark Knight focuses as much – if not more – on Batman’s alter ego, Bruce Wayne, who must grapple with the decidedly chewy morals of fighting crime and doing what’s acceptable when saving the day.
Gotham, meanwhile, is presented as a nightmare city with a festering underbelly of crime lords and a general public aching for a hero. Of course, any good superhero must have a super-villain to match them. Enter Heath Ledger’s Joker. A controversial casting at the time, Ledger makes for the perfect manic, unnerving murderer. With garish makeup and enigmatic platitudes, Joker steals the show. Few were surprised when he was awarded a posthumous Oscar for Best Supporting Actor.
There have been several attempts to recreate Batman’s story since The Dark Knight faithfully, but never has it been achieved with such brazen disregard for the rules.
2. Logan – 2017
Despite Fox marketing Logan as Marvel’s answer to Nolan’s Batman trilogy, comparing the X-Men spin-off to The Dark Knight does the movie a disservice. Sure, both are superhero stories thoroughly grounded in realism, yet Hugh Jackman and director James Mangold’s depiction of a world-weary, aging Wolverine and his dysfunctional family remains a unique character study.
Logan offers a deeper look at a character who’s always suppressed his actual feelings, having always defaulted to pure rage. There are few flashy action set pieces, with Mangold keeping to messy scraps between characters. Logan subsequently delivers an emotional, surprising wallop that will have every X-Men fan in tears.
1. Black Panther – 2018
This is Black Panther’s first solo film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and it continues to be one of the franchise’s most successful pictures.
As the newly-crowned King T’Challa fights to defend Wakanda, he is forced to stand up to the injustices he and his isolated nation failed to combat. Despite some unfinished CGI, Black Panther presented a beautiful, exciting, and stirring movie that wasn’t afraid to dish out some harsh social commentary.
It also brought greater Black representation to Hollywood as T’Challa and the people of Wakanda took center stage, making the movie a groundbreaking cultural phenomenon.
