It's time to rank the best superhero films of all time. Everything from the modern Avengers series to classic iterations of Batman and Superman is involved here, so if you have any strong opinions on how your favorite heroes and villains stack up, read on...
The Dark Knight
Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight is hands-down the most iconic telling of the Batman story. It stars Christian Bale and Heath Ledger in the hero and villain roles, and the film explores the gray areas between good and evil in a way that most hero films hadn't done at the time.
Black Panther
Black Panther is the movie that really put Chadwick Boseman on the map even though he'd led a prolific career before that. The film tells the story of T'Challa, prince of the technologically advanced African society Wakanda. The action scenes and the relationships between these characters are expertly developed and even emotional at times.
Avengers: Endgame
Avengers: Endgame is where the epic battle for the Infinity Gauntlet finally comes to an end, and arguably its most shocking moment is when one of the franchise's most important characters, Iron-Man, is killed. This film sets itself apart from others because it wasn't afraid to take risks with the loss of integral characters, and it wraps up the Avengers story in a realistic way.
The Avengers
The 2012 Avengers kicked off the entire series with the introduction of Iron-Man, Captain America, Black Widow, Hawkeye, and Hulk teaming up for the first time. This movie also set the stage for subsequent spin-off movies dedicated to individual characters. Building a whole universe around this team was a genius move by Marvel.
Superman
The 1978 version of Superman managed to encapsulate a perfect combination of action, romance, and science fiction that took over two decades to match in another film. The closest cinema got to topping it was in 2002 with Spider-Man, and then again in 2005 with Batman Begins. Superman is a recipe for a near-perfect hero film.
Spider-Man
2002's Spider-Man starring Toby Maguire goes down in history for just about one scene only, and it's the one pictured above. The iconic upside-down Spider-Man kiss between a disguised Peter Parker and Mary-Jane Watson. This film laid out a blueprint for subsequent Spider-Man films that critics believe haven't been matched due to the success of this one.
Spider-Man 2
James Franco stole the show in Spider-Man 2. He plays Harry Osbourne, out to vindicate the death of his father at the hands of Spider-Mna himself. The villain of this film is an evil "Doctor Octopus," and the fight scene on top of the subway is one of the coolest action sequences in any film.
Wonder Woman
2017's Wonder Woman features Gal Gadot and Chris Pine and is a turning point in the way we view superhero films. A woman-centered plot meets up to the standards of even the toughest critics. The most badass moment in that film is when Wonder Woman storms onto the battlefield during World War I. Chills.
Avengers: Infinity War
Infinity War wins the award for shock factor as far as superhero films go. The ending where Thanos wipes out half of the universe without a second thought and then the screen cuts out left viewers gasping. It perfectly executes a huge ensemble cast, intricate overlapping plotlines, and enough action to keep things moving without seeming too ambitious.
Iron Man
Tony Stark is head of the Avengers, and his backstory told in the 2008 Iron Man film is the perfect set up. Robert Downey Jr. plays the tech mogul-turned superhero decked out in the metal suit and he does so perfectly. Gwyneth Paltrow co-stars as Pepper Potts, his assistant and love interest.
Captain America: Civil War
Fans think Captain America: Civil War is one of the best Captain America and Iron Man movies ever. The plot pits these two against each other as they battle over the implentation of the Slovakia Accords, a superhero regulation committee. Captain America is against it, and Iron Man is for it. It's a pretty political film that managed to age well.
The Dark Knight Rises
Christopher Nolan concludes his Batman epic with The Dark Knight Rises in 2012. If features Christian Bale as the caped crusader, Joseph Gordon-Levitt as John Blake, Anne Hathaway as Catwoman, and Tom Hardy as Bane. It's incredibly suspenseful, laden with action sequences, and even gives viewers an Easter egg about Robin, which is John Blake's real name.
Guardians of the Galaxy
Guardians of the Galaxy is a fan favorite because of the way it shook up the classic superhero plot and aesthetic. The frequent comic relief, throwback soundtrack, and array of characters make this film a standout. And we can't forget about Baby Groot and Rocket Racoon, voiced by none other than Bradley Cooper!
Spider-Man: Homecoming
Most of the Spider-Man reboots were seen as pointless when compared to Toby Maguire's originals. However, Tom Holland steps up to the plate and does a really great job of holding his own as the lastest Peter Parker. He even acts alongside a poweful cast featuring Zendaya, Donald Glover, and Hannibal Buress.
Spider-Man: Far From Home
Tom Holland's Peter Parker has to take on Jake Gyllenhaal's Mysterio villain in the 2019 film. Because of the lack of success from previous sequels, this one had to do a lot of work. The romance between MJ and Peter along with the action scenes and comic relief made this one a pretty great teen hero movie.
Iron Man 3
Apparently, the MCU has a rule that the third movie in every series will always be better than the second. That holds up for 2013's Iron Man 3. This is the one where all the different Iron Mans fight each other, so what more could you ask for?
Deadpool
Forget about that time Ryan Reynolds played the Green Lantern. He absolutely shines as Deadpool in this 2016 movie. It's a standout for its dark humor, intricate backstory, and twist of tragic romance. This movie is one of the funniest hero films ever.
Batman
1989's Batman stars Michael Keaton in the lead role and Jack Nicholson as the iconic Joker. It's one of the more accurate comic-to-film retellings of the Caped Crusader. Tim Burton even directed this!
Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 2
The Guardians sequel dives in to Star-Lord's backstory, and we meet his dad, Ego, played by Kurt Russel. Turns out, Ego really sucks. However, the music, plot structure, and character relations are spot on once again. The only downside is that Groot is all grown up.
Thor: Ragnarok
Chris Hemsworth shines as Thor in the third installment of his series. This time around, we see Thor without his long blond hair and he's tasked with saving his home of Asgard from Valkyries. The Incredible Hulk even has a cameo!
Avengers: Age of Ultron
Critics don't really love this 2015 Avengers film. Age of Ultron is apparently too confusing to follow. There are too many characters and not enough substance to the plot to make it really worthwhile, but it made the studios tons of money.
Captain America: The Winter Soldier
2014's The Winter Soldier emphasizes Steve Rogers' importance as the first (and top) Avenger. In this one, he reasons with his best friend Bucky Barnes in order to take down the Hydra sector within S.H.I.E.L.D. Sebastian Stan gives a killer performance in this.
Captain Marvel
Bri Larson plays one of the most badass heros in Captain Marvel. She also stars alongside Ben Mendelsohn, Jude Law, and Samuel L. Jackson. She's seen as a top performing Avenger in a classically-male role, and she absolutely takes names.
Logan
2017's Logan is a film within the Wolverine storyline and features Hugh Jackman reclaiming his iconic role in the final installment of his series. It follows Logan until his death as he attempts to put a stop to the evil forces behind the X-Men mutants.
Deadpool 2
Ryan Reynolds once again aces his role as Deadpool in this dark comedy. This time, we see the rise and fall of X-Force, Josh Brolin as a supervillain, and a brief cameo from who we can only assume is Brad Pitt. This movie was so funny and so suspenseful that fans have been begging Reynolds for a third and final film.
Iron Man 2
Iron Man isn't exactly at his best in this movie. Remember, the rule of Marvel is that the third film is fantastic, and the second film is not. The plot is honestly pretty forgettable, but it did feature Mickey Rourke with a bad Russian accent.
X2: X-Men United
X2: X-Men United was our first look at Hugh Jackman's Wolverine, who we'd be seeing quite a lot of for the next two decades. It focuses on the rise of the X-Men and mutant story and goes into the good and bad about the iconic Dr. X.
Superman II
In 1981's Superman II, our hero has to defeat General Zod, Ursa, and Non after they escape from the Phantom Zone. This is also the film where Clark Kent finally admits to Lois Lane that he is in fact Superman. Because he loves her and wants to spend his life with her, he gives up his powers just before all hell breaks lose and the intergalactic villains descend.
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
This insanely creative retelling of Spider-Man makes him more human and more relatable than he's ever been before. Our star, Miles Morales, discovers that he is the next Spider-Man, and he enlists the help of past Spider-Mans to help him with his mission. And yep, that's Jake Johnson as the Sweatpants Spidey.
X-Men: Days of Future Past
This is another example of a superhero film that relies too heavily on a huge ensemble cast and loses the plot. Wolverine, Quicksilver, and Yung Charles have to break Yung Erik out from the pentagon, and they leave a huge war in their wake. Seems like classic Marvel-type madness.
Batman Begins
The start of Christopher Nolan's extremely successful Batman franchise gives us a super creepy villain with the Scarecrow, an even more tragic look at Bruce Wayne's past, and a level of seriousness that other films hadn't captured. It made Christian Bale a star over and over.
Batman Returns
Batman Returns is one of the corniest iterations of Batman ever done. It's been described as "campy," "kinky," "wild," and "fun" all while have zero grounds to be taken seriously. The best role in this film is definitely Michelle Pfieffer's Catwoman.
Doctor Strange
2016 gave us the first Doctor Strange film and introduced us to this hero's time-bending and Benedict Cumberbatch's American accent. He's an integral role in the subsequent Avengers films, and his back story is really trippy to watch.
Spider-Man 3
Critics famously hate Spider-Man 3. Though the writers tried to make lovable yet dorky Peter Parker into an edgy villain, the attempt fell so flat. And that scene where Toby Maguire dances for like two minutes straight is so uncomfortable to watch.
Aquaman
Aquaman saves us the trouble of having to understand a complex hero's backstory and just gets right to the chase. The story is wild and hard to believe, the characters are kind of dumb, and trying to make an interesting arc with a hero from the ocean is just not it.
Ant-Man and the Wasp
Who doesn't love a hero played by Paul Rudd? Though this film had to follow the release of Infinity War, it did a pretty good job of standing on its own thanks to the humor and chemistry between Rudd and Evangeline Lilly.
X-Men
X-Men set the stage for nearly all superhero movies that followed after 2000. It laid the foundation for an ensemble cast with a continuing story and gave Avengers the groundwork it needed. It also gave us 20 years of Professor X and his evil ways.
X-Men: First Class
A new league of mutants take the stage in X-Men: First Class. We see Michael Fassbender, James MacAvoy, Jennifer Lawrence, and Nicholas Holt in their new roles, and they do a great job. Notably, we're missing Wolverine.
Superman Returns
The 2006 one-off, Superman Returns was deemed unnecessary by nearly all critics. The plot doesn't add anything new to the lexicon, the actors are subpar, and the promised sequel, which would have cleared things up, never happened. The director ruined the original script's vision for no reason.
Captain America: The First Avenger
Despite being the star of the show, Chris Evans is trying to break out of the typecast hero mold that Marvel created for him. even though these films were hugely successful with their accurate historical references and spot-on character relationships, Evans still tried out other projects in response. However, he can't top his role as Steve Rogers.
The Amazing Spider-Man
The Amazing Spider-Man was a Sony reboot, and compared to Toby Maguire and Tom Holland's renditions of the hero, Andrew Garfield is unfortunately pretty forgettable. The plots are a little lackluster, and even Garfield himself wasn't too stoked on the role.
Ant-Man
Paul Rudd wins hearts in the first Ant-Man movie in 2015. A lot of critics were skeptical that he'd be able to pull off the role, but he killed it. The breakout star though is Michael Peña, who has a small but endearing role as Luis. We'll see more of Ant-Man later in subsequent Avengers films.
X-Men: The Last Stand
There are so many X-Men films. This one is arguably the worst in the original trilogy, and it follows Jean Grey's existential threat to the whole world unless the team of mutants can stop her. A recycled plot with a sub-par effort.
Shazam!
A DC film, Shazam! stars Zachary Levi as Shazam, a "wizard champion" and young orphan Billy's alter-ego. Apparenlty, Billy has the power to posess "the wisdom of Solomon, the strength of Hercules, the stamina of Atlas, the power of Zeus, the courage of Achilles, and the speed of Mercury" if he says "Shazam."
Thor
Despite having the perfect lead cast with Chris Hemsworth as Thor and Tom Hiddleston as Loki, the original Thor doesn't have much else to brag about. The plot isn't nearly as exciting as follow-up Thor films because the directors didn't lean in the same campy aesthetic as Guardians of the Galaxy until much later.
Man of Steel
This Superman reboot attempted to do what Christopher Nolan did with Batman, and failed miserably. Despite the stunning camera work and visuals, this movie didn't have much to offer as far as release specs go, and subsequent hero films didn't take any liberties from this movie, thankfully. It was a flop.
Thor: The Dark World
Right before Taylor Swift dated Tom Hiddelston, fans loved him. This Thor sequel honestly isn't too bad. It shows the heightened feud between Thor and Loki and we learn how villainous he really is. There's also a moment where Loki turns into Captain America for a second to taunt Thor that's a hilarious callback to the Avengers.
Hellboy II: The Golden Army
Guillermo del Toro directed the Hellboy franchise, and it's a weird series that doesn't exactly stand up to the genius that del Toro is capable of. It didn't even influence any follow-up superhero movies, and for good reason.
Batman Forever
The best part about this version of Batman is Jim Carey's Riddler character. However, when you compare him to various Joker charactes, he just doesn't stack up. This film is great if you want a campy retelling of a classic story.
The Crow
The Crow is a hard one to sit through. Brandon Lee's character haunts his girlfriend from beyond the grave so he can protect her from his killer. Sounds pretty similar to Ghost... Anyways. He was also famously killed while making the movie when he was shot with a loaded prop gun. Insane lore around this one.
Suicide Squad
Suicide Squad is like a villain's retelling of their own origin story. Harley Quinn and The Joker are main players that earned the most hype for their roles. Margot Robbie and Jared Leto brought so much pomp to their characters it was unreal.
Kick-Ass
Sort of in the same vein as Toby Maguire's Spider-Man, Kick-Ass is a story of a teen wannabe-superhero who actually fights crime pretty successfully with his ragtag group of cohorts.
Fantastic Four
Hey, is that Chris Evans? Most fans actually forget he was Human Torch in the Fantastic Four franchise, and for good reason. Those movies were awful! It's a sub-par attempt at a pre-Avengers film without any of the excitement.
Venom
Tom Hardy plays a reporter who has been bonded to a foreign alien idenity, and it turns him into a monsterous villain. However, the being later on takes a liking to Earth and decides to protect it from crime.
Glass
Glass is M. Night Shyamalan's attempt at bringing together the worlds of Split and Unbreakable. Though the concept was really cool and the first two films did well on their own, the crossover was a huge letdown. The world's didn't collide in a way that made sense.
Brightburn
Brightburn is a Superman origin story with a horror twist. However, instead of becoming the hero that Superman always was, the child that fell to Earth is actually incredibly evil.
Birds of Prey
Birds of Prey is a Suicide Squad spin-off that delves further into Harley Quinn's story. It's been deemed "DC's first good action movie," and has a promising cast to brag about. Fans of the first film loved Robbie's performance, so this was a no-brainer sequel.
Transformers
Michael Bay's Transformers franchise made stars out of Megan Fox and Shia LaBeouf, and the story of the intergalactic robots set on saving Earth resonated with huge fanbases.
Catwoman
2004's Catwoman was downright awful. Starring Halle Berry as our lead, the plot just constantly goes in circles. Catwoman's alter ego is painted as a shy, apologetic, unconfident woman who uses her knowledge of corporate conspiracy to change her life.