10 Greatest Superhero Movies Released Since 'The Dark Kni...

The 10 Greatest Superhero Movies Released Since 'The Dark Knight' Batman riding the Batpod in The Dark Knight

Image via Warner Bros. Pictures

By Robert Lee III Published 56 minutes ago Writing from the Chicagoland area in Illinois, Robert is an avid movie watcher and will take just about any excuse to find time to go to his local movie theaters. Robert graduated from Bradley University with degrees in Journalism and Game Design with a minor in Film Studies. Robert tries his best to keep up with all the latest movie releases, from those released in theaters to those released on streaming. While he doesn't always keep up with the latest TV shows, he makes it a goal to watch nearly every major new release possible. He has been honing his craft and following any and all movie news all his life, leading up to now, where he has a vast knowledge of film and film history. He also logs every movie that he watches on his Letterboxd page, and has hosted a weekly online movie night with his closest friends for over 6 years. Sign in to your Collider account Summary Generate a summary of this story follow Follow followed Followed Like Like Thread Log in Here is a fact-based summary of the story contents: Try something different: Show me the facts Explain it like I’m 5 Give me a lighthearted recap

It's been clear that, among all the different genres that have found success throughout the modern era of cinema, superhero movies have been some of the most prominent and wildly successful films at a blockbuster scale. While the genre has largely been prevalent over the years, it reached an impasse during the 21st century, where it consistently produced some of the biggest and most successful films of all time. One of the most prominent films in this tipping of the scales in interest towards superhero stories was Christopher Nolan's masterpiece Batman sequel, The Dark Knight.

The sheer craft and brilliance of this near-perfect superhero blockbuster (combined with the success of Iron Man a few months prior) entirely revitalized the interest and excitement in superhero stories. In the over 17 years since the release of The Dark Knight, there have been many exceptional superhero movies that have evolved and elevated the genre into the absolute juggernaut of popularity that it stands at now. Whether it's a film that's a part of an overarching cinematic universe or its own stand-alone film, these superhero films are some of the best of the best.

10 'Thor: Ragnarok' (2017)

Cate Blanchett as Hela walking in an open field in Thor: Ragnarok.Image via Marvel Studios

The Thor franchise's combination of fantasy and sci-fi elements has given it a distinct niche among other superhero films. Still, the initial two films in the series were often overlooked and overshadowed by other MCU offerings. However, the third film in the series, Thor: Ragnarok, entirely streamlines the appeal and impact of Thor as a character, imbuing it with the distinct charm of Taika Waititi and making for what is easily the best Thor film.

The film showcases the signature quirks of the MCU at their absolute best, with a balance of quippy characters, entertaining high-energy action, and an impactful central theme that help make it an instant smash hit. Even after the MCU and Taika's distinct style are significantly more out of favor than they were in the late 2010s, Thor: Ragnarok proves to still be a wildly fun time, considered by some to be one of the all-time greatest superhero movies.

9 'Chronicle' (2012)

Andrew Detmer (Dane DeHaan) uses his powers to crush a car in 'Chronicle.' Image via 20th Century Studios

While the vast majority of prominent superhero movies, even before The Dark Knight was released, are based on preexisting characters and material, Chronicle is the rare entirely original superhero film that takes the concept of superpowers in an original new direction. The found footage thriller follows a trio of high school seniors who form a bond with one another after gaining telekinetic powers, initially having all sorts of fun, but soon having a divide when one of them goes down a dark path of villainy.

Chronicle's exceptional storytelling makes use of the vast history of superhero conceptions and tropes to weave an effective deconstruction of superhero and supervillain origins. The clear draw and strength of the film comes from its found footage style, bringing an inventive flair to the overall story and adding an emotional hook of realism that makes it all the more impactful. While the film was well-received when it was first released, it has sadly been overlooked compared to the wide array of IP blockbuster superhero films.

8 'Avengers: Infinity War' (2018)

Captain America and the Avengers standing in line looking ahead in Avengers Infinity War (2018)Image via Marvel Studios

The MCU is easily at its most successful when it brings together all the different characters, stories, and elements of the various films into a singular, cathartic release of build-up and excitement. While many people point to the record-breaking Avengers: Endgame as the height of this phenomenon within the MCU, it can be argued that Avengers: Infinity War does a better job of being a standalone cinematic experience. It manages to bring together all of these characters, raising the stakes and telling a gripping story of tension and stakes, without ever feeling overwhelming, or its stories too disconnected from one another.

In terms of pure action setpieces, Avengers: Infinity War features some of the most iconic and most thrilling battles of the entire MCU, between the showdown between Thanos and the Avengers on Titan or the battle of Wakanda at the end of the film. Many people can't separate Infinity War from Endgame in terms of overall impact, yet Endgame was only ever as brilliant and effective as it was thanks to the masterful setup and execution of Infinity War.

7 'Superman' (2025)

Superman after a battle, defeated, walks through a yelling crowd - David Corenswet

Image via Warner Bros. / Courtesy Everett Collection

In the modern era, where the MCU feels less impactful than ever and DC's previous cinematic universe completely petered out, there were a lot of expectations placed upon James Gunn's Superman to see if a new superhero universe could find success. While the success of the universe as a whole is still up in the air, Superman is about as impactful a first film in the franchise that anyone could ask for, revitalizing the Superman brand and reestablishing him as a symbol of hope and heroism to modern audiences.

It has a sort of reverence and respect towards the Superman character and what he stands for that many of his cinematic outings simply haven't truly tapped into or understood the importance of. Combined with some extremely timely messaging, the film felt like a breath of fresh air to many audiences that showed that superhero movies could still be brilliantly executed in the modern age.

6 'Black Panther' (2018)

Chadwick Boseman in a still from Black Panther

Image via Marvel Studios

One of the only superhero movies to ever be nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards, Black Panther is imbued with enough singular vision and passion from Ryan Coogler and the entire cast to make it one of the clear highlights of the entire MCU. While many other MCU films feel as though they are more focused on universe building and upholding the style of the cinematic universe, Black Panther fully embraces Coogler's signature style of filmmaking and writing, giving the film a powerful identity of its own.

Despite its proximity to some of the most crossover-apparent films in the entire universe, Black Panther works brilliantly as its own standalone story, telling a brilliant power struggle with messages that feel singular and dynamic to its own story. Chadwick Boseman is enigmatic and powerful in the leading role of T'Challa, with his journey of discovery and growth as a ruler, paralleling one of the best superhero villains of all time in Michael B. Jordan's Killmonger.

5 'The Batman' (2022)

Robert Pattinson as the titular character in The Batman (2022), standing outside at sunrise or sunset while broodingImage via Warner Bros.

Few individual superheroes can lay claim to as many bona fide classics over the years as Batman, ranging from the Tim Burton classics of the previous era to The Dark Knight being a central point of this entire list. This makes it all the more impressive that the most recent live-action adaptation of the character in Matt Reeves' The Batman does so much not only in paying tribute to the character's past, but evolving him to the scale and perspective of modern-day audiences.

The approach that the film takes to bringing Gotham to life, with exceptional lighting and a gritty, lived-in aesthetic, makes it one of the most impactful and effective portrayals of the city in any Batman film. Robert Pattinson also does a great job of adding his own distinct charm and talents to Batman, making his iteration of the character feel both familiar and refreshing in all the best ways. The film has been widely celebrated since its release, with some even considering it on the same level as The Dark Knight.

4 'X-Men: First Class' (2011)

Professor X watches as Magneto uses his powers in X-Men: First Class

James McAvoy as Professor X and Michael Fassbender as Magneto in X-Men: First ClassImage via 20th Century Studios

The X-Men franchise has had a multitude of monumental highs and disastrous lows over the years, with one of the most unexpectedly exceptional films in the series coming from prequel film X-Men: First Class. Coming off the heels of disastrous films like X-Men: The Last Stand and X-Men Origins: Wolverine, First Class was a breath of fresh air with so much charm and storytelling prowess that it completely overtook the franchise as a whole.

The film does just about everything that a prequel is supposed to correctly, from adding depth and layers to beloved characters to allowing the new actors to add their own flair to these stories without completely overtaking their legacy. Director Matthew Vaughn adds a lot of charm and wit to the proceedings, making the characters incredibly likable and featuring some of the best action scenes in the entire X-Men franchise. The film is still widely celebrated as one of the best prequel movies of all time, superhero movie or otherwise.

3 'Logan' (2017)

Hugh Jackman as Logan looking ahead in 2017 X-Men film Logan

Image via 20th Century Studios.

Doing justice to one of the most beloved comic book stories of all time, as well as sending off one of the most famous and celebrated comic-book roles of all time, Logan has amassed an exceptional legacy and reputation for good reason. It builds upon over a decade's worth of films and performances by Hugh Jackman as Wolverine for the perfect sendoff to the character, while at the same time allowing the action to go all out with a gruesome, highly entertaining R-rating.

It acts as both a standalone story separated from the rest of the X-Men films and a culmination of them all, telling an emotional story of pain and unexpected family that has deeply touched audiences since its release. There is a beautiful balancing act that the film has between its futuristic worldbuilding, top-notch R-rated action, and emotionally devastating performances that made it feel more like an important work of art than any other X-Men film.

2 'Guardians of the Galaxy' (2014)

Star-Lord (Chris Pratt), Rocket (Bradley Cooper), Groot (Vin Diesel), Drax (dave Bautista) and Gamora (zoe Saldana) look serious while standing in a doorway in 'Guardians of the Galaxy'.Image via Marvel Studios

Before James Gunn was spearheading the latest DC films with his own cinematic universe, Guardians of the Galaxy surpassed all expectations for the then-completely unknown characters and turned them into icons of modern sci-fi. The film sees Gunn's signature style at its absolute best, utilizing the great comedic and emotional chemistry of its characters while utilizing the scale and gravitas of a superhero sci-fi film. Its distinct charm and mixture of comedy and action would prove to be so infectiously entertaining that it would influence the entire style of comedy for the MCU going forward.

It cannot be understated just how much of a breath of fresh air Guardians of the Galaxy felt in terms of superhero storytelling, showing the potential and brilliance of then-unknown characters as tools for impactful, highly entertaining blockbuster experiences. Especially for those who aren't as acquainted with superhero movies, the banger sci-fi film is an incredibly approachable and crowd-pleasing experience that will manage to entertain just about everyone.

1 'Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse' (2018)

Miles Morales floating in Spider-Man Into the Spider-Verse while the world is upside down.

Miles Morales foating in Spider-Man Into the Spider-Verse while the world is upside down.Image via Sony Pictures Entertainment

While the vast majority of blockbuster superhero movies have been in the realm of live-action in attempts to elevate the scope and story of their original characters, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse utilizes animation to be as authentic as possible to its comic book origins. Between the exceptional stylized animation that lets the film feel like it hopped off the pages of a comic book to the exceptional storytelling and themes of self-discovery, the film is close to a perfect love letter to Spider-Man as a whole.

Its overarching influence and impact not just on superhero films, but on the animation industry cannot be understated, with its refreshingly stylized animation now being the norm for many modern animated releases. The film also utilizes the multiverse concept in a refreshing and entertaining way before the concept became overdone and utilized by every other superhero franchise. While many people state that the sequel, Across the Spider-Verse, is better, the lasting legacy and impact of Into the Spider-Verse make it arguably the most important superhero film since The Dark Knight.

Like Follow Followed Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse PG Superhero Action Adventure Animation Family Sci-Fi Release Date December 6, 2018 Runtime 117 minutes Director Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey, Rodney Rothman Writers Phil Lord, Rodney Rothman

Cast

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Shameik Moore Peter B. Parker (voice)
Jake Johnson Miles Morales (voice)

Genres Superhero, Action, Adventure, Animation, Family, Sci-Fi Powered by

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The Dark Knight
Superhero

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