There’s no denying that superhero films have become the thing in Hollywood these days. Thanks to their portrayals of fan-favorite characters with decades of mythology, chameleon-like ability to blend genres, and thrilling set pieces, they have been at the top of the totem pole for the better part of the 21st century – and are set to have a long, sustained run in the near future (due to the shared universe boom that’s currently happening). It truly is the Golden Age of the comic book movie.
The genre has been going so strong for so long that it has arguably reached the ranks of the Western, action, and sci-fi as an industry icon all its own. By now, there have been so many franchises and titles that have hit the screen, superhero movies are among the most impactful projects that modern audiences have a chance to see.
here are our picks for the 10 greatest superhero movies ever made.
NOTE: This list is not ranked, entries are listed in order of release.

SUPERMAN: THE MOVIE (1978)


Long before the superhero movie movement of the early 2000s, filmmaker Richard Donner set out to prove a man could fly by bringing the Last Son of Krypton to the big screen. Much of the film’s success is due to the pitch-perfect casting of Christopher Reeve, who was able to encapsulate the All-American charm of Clark Kent and the strong, determined values of Superman to create a protagonist who was instantly likable and easy to root for. Even with Henry Cavill set to be a Kal-El for the new generation , and passionate (albeit divisive) reaction to Man of Steel , Reeve’s depiction is still seen as the definitive cinematic version.


BLADE (1998)

Led by the calm and cool Wesley Snipes, Blade ushered in a new era for the industry and not just because of the well-received depiction of its honorable hero. The film also generated acclaim for Stephen Norrington’s filmmaking techniques, which created sleek and visually appealing action sequences that were equal parts stylistic and thrilling.

One of the reasons why the comic book genre has been at the top of the game for so long is its ability to blend genres and work within different tropes depending on which title is being adapted. Blade was one of the pioneers in this movement, as the subject matter made it not just a superhero film, but also a horror/thriller with Blade doing battle against hordes of vampires thirsty for human blood. The story showed that there was more to these type of films than watching super powered beings, and that they provided directors with numerous opportunities to get creative in adapting comic books to live-action.

THE INCREDIBLES (2004)

Brad Bird gave moviegoers something original when he and Pixar teamed up for The Incredibles , which showcased a superhero family looking to overcome their own personal turmoil amidst a greater conflict that involved saving the world. The themes and subplots of dealing with a midlife crisis and trying to find your rightful place in society were surprisingly fresh and mature for an animated film, which easily made it standout from the crowd and become something truly special that all audiences could appreciate.

As Bird works away on the highly anticipated sequel, he has maintained that it’s important to do the characters justice – something he did in spades for this film. From the concerned family man of Mr. Incredible to the cool (in more ways than one) Frozone, the entire cast felt like real people and provided several memorable moments that were heartfelt and/or hilarious. Even a bit player like Edna Mode was standout with her “no capes” policy and eccentric personality



SPIDER-MAN 2 (2004)

Th 2002 original showed that comic book films could be a hot commodity, but the sequel took things to the next level, detailing an emotional character story about the tough choices one has to make in life (that illustrated why Spider-Man is one of the most relatable superheroes) amidst thrilling action sequences (the train, for instance). It was so revolutionary at the time that the American Film Institute even recognized it as one of the best films of the year.

And while Raimi did an excellent job of continuing Parker’s tale as he lived a double-life in New York, his portrayal of Doctor Octopus was what really made

Spider-Man 2 stand out. Not your moustache-twirling villain, Alfred Molina injected Otto Octavius with an inspiring sense of scientific ambition and a human side that made him one of the more complex characters in the series. His ultimate decision to sacrifice himself by sinking the fusion reactor was not only a touching moment between mentor and mentee, but also a perfect example of the trilogy’s Spioverarching themes



THE DARK KNIGHT (2008)

Christopher Nolan’s famous Batman trilogy as a whole is one of the watershed film series of the new millennium, but its middle chapter is arguably the defining chapter. Building on the forward momentum from Batman Begins, this great sequel expands upon the themes and characters from the first film, treating audiences to a captivating crime drama that explored the darker side of justice and heroism. The filmmaking techniques and tone Nolan employed became so influential, that The Dark Knight spawned countless imitators – including some in other landmark franchises.

IRON MAN (2008)

The film that started the MCU, Iron Man is a movie that could have gone wrong in several different ways. At the time of its release, Robert Downey, Jr. was hardly the global superstar he is today, and director Jon Favreau was largely untested in the realm of action blockbusters. Not to mention, the film entered production without a finished script. However, the creative team overcame all the odds and churned out one of the landmark comic book films that impacted the industry in more ways than one.

As one of the few projects in the MCU free from all the “shared universe” connecting that Marvel movies are known for now, Iron Man was able to focus solely on its protagonist, played to perfection by RDJ. Injecting the character with his natural charm and sarcastic wit, the actor made Tony Stark one of the most memorable heroes we’ve seen. 

THE AVENGERS 2012

When Samuel L. Jackson made his famous first appearance as Nick Fury during the button scene of Iron Man to announce Marvel Studios’ Avengers Initiative, many thought the plan was overly ambitious at best. With their A-list characters at other studios and outside of Marvel’s rights, they were going to rely on “secondary” heroes like Iron Man, Thor, and Captain America to carry a mega franchise. Obviously, their plan worked, and The Avengers became one of the most successful films ever made.

Breaking box office records and earning critical acclaim, Joss Whedon made every comic book fans’ dreams come true by bringing together Earth’s Mightiest. Not only was the novelty of seeing so many superheroes fighting alongside each other thrilling to watch, Whedon’s writing and the chemistry between the actors gave the film sharp humor and memorable dialogue sequences to complement the action. And the fan-favorite Loki was there every step of the way, with Tom Hiddleston charmingly chewing the scenery as he tried to plot and scheme his way to becoming the planet’s ruler. For you DC fans looking forward to the Justice League film universe, you have Marvel to thank, as they showed that this shared world building could be done




GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY (2014)

In 2014, Marvel took a break from the core Avengers members and journeyed up to the cosmos, where they met Peter Quill, Rocket Raccoon, and the rest of the Guardians of the Galaxy. Even Marvel maestro Stan Lee didn’t really know who these guys were once upon a time (making this film a massive risk). But like most things Marvel, it’s one that paid off with unprecedented box office totals and strong reviews. Audiences everywhere were hooked on a feeling.

CAPTAIN AMERICA :THE WINTER SOLDIER (2014)

The first Captain America film certainly had its fair share of fans, but the sequel is the project that showed how awesome the Star Spangled Man could be. Helmed by Anthony and Joe Russo, The Winter Soldier sports some of the most sophisticated and thrilling action sequences in the MCU to date. The titular villain also made a strong impression with viewers. Also of interest was the dynamic between Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes, after the latter had been brainwashed to fight against his former friend.



X MEN DAYS OF THE FUTURE PAST (2014)

In addition to Blade, Bryan Singer’s first X-Men film (released in 2000) is considered one of the Founding Fathers of the modern superhero movie age. As the series progressed, however, its critical standing (and box office returns) decreased, setting the stage for a soft reboot in 2011 with X-Men: First Class . For the follow-up, Days of Future Past , Singer returned to the director’s chair to bring one of the more beloved comic arcs to life. His ambition to not just tell a time-traveling narrative, but also look to correct the wrongs of prior films in the franchise is something that many admired and helped the movie earn a place among the genre’s elite.

Singer did the material and characters justice in a multitude of ways. First, he crafted several standout action set pieces (like the Quicksilver scene) that raised the bar for future entries. Secondly, the director gave us a great character story, as all of the main players (Wolverine, Xavier, Magneto, and Mystique) had several layers to them that made them interesting to watch (due in large part to the magnificent actors portraying them). Though the film didn’t right all of the continuity errors that have plagued the franchise in recent years,

Days of Future Past is arguably the finest installment of the series and brought the X-Men back to the forefront of superhero movies. Bring on Apocalypse .


Culled from:screenrant

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Guykhena:

Wouldn't it be more logical if you acknowledged the source(screenrant)?

guykhena my geeky friend how far long time

killzone:
guykhena my geeky friend how far long time

Ya,has it been that long?

Guykhena:


Ya,has it been that long?

yup dont see u most of the time

i cant understand how GOTG, blade or superman made it to this list.

i want to believe this list is in no particular order huh??

JUHABACH:
i cant understand how GOTG, blade or superman made it to this list.

Forgetting SFX for a moment I think Superman (I actually preferred Superman II) is worth it. Christopher Reeves WAS and will be to many people the Superman. He was picture perfect for the role.

Blade was the first black superhero on big screen so it was a big deal. It also helped that the film did well in the box office.

GOTG is the one I agree with you on.

LordReed:


Forgetting SFX for a moment I think Superman (I actually preferred Superman II) is worth it. Christopher Reeves WAS and will be to many people the Superman. He was picture perfect for the role.

Blade was the first black superhero on big screen so it was a big deal. It also helped that the film did well in the box office.

GOTG is the one I agree with you on.

hmmmm..... you have a point.
i never particularly liked the first superman movie though.
i can now see how blade might have made the list.
stll think GOTG was grossly overrated.

Fantastic Four should replace and thor didn't make the list?

A solid uncontroversial list. Most of the movies listed are generally accepted as great. I'm just disappointed they left out some fantastic movies cos the Watchmen, Xmen 2, Punisher, V for Vendetta, Hellboy, The Crow, and Chronicle all deserve a shout.
I'm more interested in a Top 10 worst superheroes of all time list. That should be more fun. Of the top of my head, Catwoman, Elektra, Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance, Batman & Robin...they suck really bad

@moneyallowed Come on, Really the punisher ?? Only X2 deserves to be on the list

Indifferent:
Fantastic Four should replace and thor didn't make the list?

As much as I love Thor, it shouldn't even smell the list, although I'll give Asgard a special mention - it did look stunning. It had the things that could make it a great superhero film, but it merely is an enjoyable one (Loki should clap for himself & I also have a soft spot for Darcy Lewis and Thor's body). FF shouldn't really place either, it's been a while since I've seen this, but I know after the smoke (the fact that FF finally came to the big screen) cleared it just isn't a film that holds up with time, I still enjoyed it though.

SIRcumalot:
@moneyallowed
Come on, Really the punisher ??
Only X2 deserves to be on the list

Ok can we include it in a top 12? Top 15? I'm begging now cos i love Punisher

moneyallowed:
A solid uncontroversial list. Most of the movies listed are generally accepted as great. I'm just disappointed they left out some fantastic movies cos the Watchmen, Xmen 2, Punisher, V for Vendetta, Hellboy, The Crow, and Chronicle all deserve a shout.
I'm more interested in a Top 10 worst superheroes of all time list. That should be more fun. Of the top of my head, Catwoman, Elektra, Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance, Batman & Robin...they suck really bad

is v for vendetta considered a superhero movie?

LordReed:

is v for vendetta considered a superhero movie?

I wonder oh

V for Vendetta is a superhero movie it has all the elements of one

Their have been like three punisher movies non of them good.
I'll pick clooney's batman (luv this movie) before punisher

LordReed:


is v for vendetta considered a superhero movie?

Of course it is, even the weird ones like Hancock, Chronicle, Unbreakable and Kick Ass are superhero movies.

I choose the dark knight because the Joker made it so awesome. For marvel, I'll go with thor.

I agree that GOTG had no place on that list,but I think Batman begins rather than the dark Knight should be there. that dark Knight movie left me depressed after watching it. Blade is good too,and Ironman. both with box office and critic reviews they were awesome.

With the quality of superhero movies being released, this list might be outdated by this time next year. Practically all the movies, with the exception of Gambit maybe, have the potential to be really great.

moneyallowed:

Of course it is, even the weird ones like Hancock, Chronicle, Unbreakable and Kick Ass are superhero movies.

na wa . makes me wonder what a superhero movie is

Jaymaestro:
na wa . makes me wonder what a superhero movie is

Essentially it's any movie about beings with superpowers that usually have antagonists with their own powers, and a story that revolves around good vs evil, origin/coming of age story, saving the world bla bla bla.
Most superhero movies are based of comic books. Some though are not, like Hancock and so on. Likewise just because a movie is based off a comic book movies doesn't make it a superhero movie; Kingsman: The Secret Service, League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, 300, Wanted, Oldboy.....they're just adaptations of comic books/graphic novels.
So yes, the superhero movie definition is very broad even if i wish movies like TMNT or Kick Ass weren't classified along with V for Vendetta. Hope this explanation was helpful

moneyallowed:

Essentially it's any movie about beings with superpowers that usually have antagonists with their own powers, with a story that revolves around good vs evil, origin/coming of age story, saving the world bla bla bla.
Most superhero movies are based of comic books. Some though are not, like Hancock and so on. Likewise just because a movie is based off a comic book movies doesn't make it a superhero movies; Kingsman: The Secret Service, League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, 300, Wanted, Oldboy.....they're just adaptations of comic books/graphic novels.
So yes, the superhero movie definition is very broad even if i wish movies like TMNT or Kick Ass weren't classified along with V for Vendetta. Hope this explanation was helpful

Yea , thanks. Chronicles got me befuddled !

First thing first, remove "Days of the future past". Secondly, did Marvel pay you to write this?

Karleb:
First thing first, remove "Days of the future past". Secondly, did Marvel pay you to write this?

Marvel has released more Superhero movies than any other group so by law of averages their stuff will occupy more of any list involving supers you care to make.

moneyallowed:
With the quality of superhero movies being released, this list might be outdated by this time next year. Practically all the movies, with the exception of Gambit maybe, have the potential to be really great.

I loved Gambit in the Xmen cartoons. If they could pull off a similar characterization on the big screen it won't be so bad.

LordReed:


I loved Gambit in the Xmen cartoons. If they could pull off a similar characterization on the big screen it won't be so bad.

Granted but there is cause for worry. The movie doesn't even have a director, no script, no marketing, nothing

in as much as I loved blade, blade2 was better. Awesome movie
peeps will disagree with me, but I would put Man of steel,on that list. Really loved that movie.
After all is said and done, dark knight has to be d best ever made.