Years' Favourite Superhero films
by eta95 | created - 09 Feb 2016 | updated - 8 months ago | PublicThe best superhero films (I've seen) of each year. With mentions of all the other films of that genre, I've watched in ranked order.
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1. Batman: The Movie (1966)
PG | 105 min | Action, Adventure, Comedy
The Dynamic Duo faces four supervillains who plan to hold the world for ransom with the help of a secret invention that instantly dehydrates people.
Director: Leslie H. Martinson | Stars: Adam West, Burt Ward, Lee Meriwether, Cesar Romero
Votes: 35,799
2. Superman (1978)
PG | 143 min | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
An alien orphan is sent from his dying planet to Earth, where he grows up to become his adoptive home's first and greatest superhero.
Director: Richard Donner | Stars: Christopher Reeve, Margot Kidder, Gene Hackman, Marlon Brando
Votes: 187,555 | Gross: $134.22M
3. Superman II (1980)
PG | 127 min | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Superman agrees to sacrifice his powers to start a relationship with Lois Lane, unaware that three Kryptonian criminals he inadvertently released are conquering Earth.
Director: Richard Lester | Stars: Gene Hackman, Christopher Reeve, Margot Kidder, Ned Beatty
Votes: 114,649 | Gross: $108.19M
4. Batman (1989)
PG-13 | 126 min | Action, Adventure
The Dark Knight of Gotham City begins his war on crime with his first major enemy being Jack Napier, a criminal who becomes the clownishly homicidal Joker.
Director: Tim Burton | Stars: Michael Keaton, Jack Nicholson, Kim Basinger, Robert Wuhl
Votes: 404,310 | Gross: $251.19M
5. Batman Returns (1992)
PG-13 | 126 min | Action, Crime, Fantasy
While Batman deals with a deformed man calling himself the Penguin wreaking havoc across Gotham with the help of a cruel businessman, a female employee of the latter becomes the Catwoman with her own vendetta.
Director: Tim Burton | Stars: Michael Keaton, Danny DeVito, Michelle Pfeiffer, Christopher Walken
Votes: 327,532 | Gross: $162.83M
6. Batman: Mask of the Phantasm (1993)
PG | 76 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
Batman is wrongly implicated in a series of murders of mob bosses actually committed by a new vigilante assassin.
Directors: Kevin Altieri, Boyd Kirkland, Frank Paur, Dan Riba, Eric Radomski, Bruce Timm | Stars: Kevin Conroy, Dana Delany, Hart Bochner, Stacy Keach
Votes: 56,858 | Gross: $5.62M
7. Batman Forever (1995)
PG-13 | 121 min | Action, Adventure
Batman must battle former district attorney Harvey Dent, who is now Two-Face and Edward Nygma, The Riddler with help from an amorous psychologist and a young circus acrobat who becomes his sidekick, Robin.
Director: Joel Schumacher | Stars: Val Kilmer, Tommy Lee Jones, Jim Carrey, Nicole Kidman
Votes: 266,611 | Gross: $184.03M
8. Blade (1998)
R | 120 min | Action, Horror, Sci-Fi
A half-vampire, half-mortal man becomes a protector of the mortal race, while slaying evil vampires.
Director: Stephen Norrington | Stars: Wesley Snipes, Stephen Dorff, Kris Kristofferson, N'Bushe Wright
Votes: 299,017 | Gross: $70.09M
Batman & Mr. Freeze: SubZero
9. Unbreakable (2000)
PG-13 | 106 min | Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi
A man learns something extraordinary about himself after a devastating accident.
Director: M. Night Shyamalan | Stars: Bruce Willis, Samuel L. Jackson, Robin Wright, Spencer Treat Clark
Votes: 441,881 | Gross: $95.01M
X-Men
10. Spider-Man (2002)
PG-13 | 121 min | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
After being bitten by a genetically-modified spider, a shy teenager gains spider-like abilities that he uses to fight injustice as a masked superhero and face a vengeful enemy.
Director: Sam Raimi | Stars: Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst, Willem Dafoe, James Franco
Votes: 879,916 | Gross: $403.71M
Blade II
11. X2 (2003)
PG-13 | 134 min | Action, Sci-Fi, Thriller
When anti-mutant Colonel William Stryker kidnaps Professor X and attacks his school, the X-Men must ally with their archenemy Magneto to stop him.
Director: Bryan Singer | Stars: Patrick Stewart, Hugh Jackman, Halle Berry, Ian McKellen
Votes: 576,220 | Gross: $214.95M
Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen Hulk Daredevil
12. Hellboy (2004)
PG-13 | 122 min | Action, Adventure, Fantasy
A demon raised from infancy after being conjured by and rescued from the Nazis, grows up to become a defender against the forces of darkness.
Director: Guillermo del Toro | Stars: Ron Perlman, Doug Jones, Selma Blair, John Hurt
Votes: 350,089 | Gross: $59.62M
The Incredibles Spider-Man 2 The Punisher Blade: Trinity
13. V for Vendetta (2005)
R | 132 min | Action, Drama, Sci-Fi
In a future British dystopian society, a shadowy freedom fighter, known only by the alias of "V", plots to overthrow the tyrannical government - with the help of a young woman.
Director: James McTeigue | Stars: Hugo Weaving, Natalie Portman, Rupert Graves, Stephen Rea
Votes: 1,179,438 | Gross: $70.51M
Batman Begins Fantastic Four The Batman vs. Dracula
14. X-Men: The Last Stand (2006)
PG-13 | 104 min | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
The human government develops a cure for mutations, and Jean Grey becomes a darker uncontrollable persona called the Phoenix who allies with Magneto, causing escalation into an all-out battle for the X-Men.
Director: Brett Ratner | Stars: Patrick Stewart, Hugh Jackman, Halle Berry, Famke Janssen
Votes: 540,806 | Gross: $234.36M
Superman Returns Superman: Braniac Attacks Hellboy Animated: Sword of Storms
15. Spider-Man 3 (2007)
PG-13 | 139 min | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
A strange black entity from another world bonds with Peter Parker and causes inner turmoil as he contends with new villains, temptations, and revenge.
Director: Sam Raimi | Stars: Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst, Topher Grace, Thomas Haden Church
Votes: 637,704 | Gross: $336.53M
Superman: Doomsday Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer
16. The Dark Knight (2008)
PG-13 | 152 min | Action, Crime, Drama
When the menace known as the Joker wreaks havoc and chaos on the people of Gotham, Batman must accept one of the greatest psychological and physical tests of his ability to fight injustice.
Director: Christopher Nolan | Stars: Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Aaron Eckhart, Michael Caine
Votes: 2,871,232 | Gross: $534.86M
Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog Iron Man Hellboy II: The Golden Army Justice League: The New Frontier Hancock Batman: Gotham Knight Superhero Movie The Incredible Hulk
17. Watchmen (2009)
R | 162 min | Action, Drama, Mystery
In a version of 1985 where superheroes exist, the murder of a colleague sends active vigilante Rorschach on the trail of a conspiracy that will change the course of history.
Director: Zack Snyder | Stars: Jackie Earle Haley, Patrick Wilson, Carla Gugino, Malin Akerman
Votes: 582,598 | Gross: $107.51M
Green Lantern: First Flight Defendor X-Men Origins: Wolverine Wonder Woman Superman/Batman: Public Enemies
18. Kick-Ass (2010)
R | 117 min | Action, Comedy, Crime
Dave Lizewski is an unnoticed high school student and comic book fan who one day decides to become a superhero, even though he has no powers, training or meaningful reason to do so.
Director: Matthew Vaughn | Stars: Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Nicolas Cage, Chloë Grace Moretz, Garrett M. Brown
Votes: 593,414 | Gross: $48.07M
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World Iron Man 2 Super Despicable Me Jonah Hex Batman: Under the Red Hood Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths Superman/Batman: Apocalypse Planet Hulk
19. X: First Class (2011)
PG-13 | 131 min | Action, Sci-Fi
In the 1960s, superpowered humans Charles Xavier and Erik Lensherr work together to find others like them, but Erik's vengeful pursuit of an ambitious mutant who ruined his life causes a schism to divide them.
Director: Matthew Vaughn | Stars: James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, Kevin Bacon
Votes: 723,778 | Gross: $146.41M
The Green Hornet Batman: Year One Captain America: The First Avenger Thor Green Lantern
20. The Avengers (2012)
PG-13 | 143 min | Action, Sci-Fi
Earth's mightiest heroes must come together and learn to fight as a team if they are going to stop the mischievous Loki and his alien army from enslaving humanity.
Director: Joss Whedon | Stars: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner
Votes: 1,459,528 | Gross: $623.28M
The Dark Knight Rises Batman: The Dark Knight Returns: Part 1 The Amazing Spider-Man Justice League: Doom
21. The Wolverine (2013)
PG-13 | 126 min | Action, Sci-Fi
Wolverine comes to Japan to meet an old friend whose life he saved years ago, and gets embroiled in a conspiracy involving yakuza and mutants.
Director: James Mangold | Stars: Hugh Jackman, Will Yun Lee, Tao Okamoto, Rila Fukushima
Votes: 492,177 | Gross: $132.56M
Batman: The Dark Knight Returns: Part 2 Despicable Me 2 Thor: The Dark World Man of Steel Lego Batman: The Movie: DC Super Heroes Unite Iron Man 3 Kick-Ass 2
22. Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
PG-13 | 121 min | Action, Adventure, Comedy
A group of intergalactic criminals must pull together to stop a fanatical warrior with plans to purge the universe.
Director: James Gunn | Stars: Chris Pratt, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper, Zoe Saldana
Votes: 1,273,516 | Gross: $333.18M
Batman: Assault on Arkham The Amazing Spider-Man 2 Captain America: The Winter Soldier Big Hero 6 X-Men: Days of Future Past Justice League: War Son of Batman
23. Ant-Man (2015)
PG-13 | 117 min | Action, Comedy, Sci-Fi
Armed with a super-suit with the astonishing ability to shrink in scale but increase in strength, cat burglar Scott Lang must embrace his inner hero and help his mentor, Dr. Hank Pym, pull off a plan that will save the world.
Director: Peyton Reed | Stars: Paul Rudd, Michael Douglas, Corey Stoll, Evangeline Lilly
Votes: 722,217 | Gross: $180.20M
Avengers: Age of Ultron Batman vs. Robin
24. Doctor Strange (2016)
PG-13 | 115 min | Action, Adventure, Fantasy
While on a journey of physical and spiritual healing, a brilliant neurosurgeon is drawn into the world of the mystic arts.
Director: Scott Derrickson | Stars: Benedict Cumberbatch, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Rachel McAdams, Benedict Wong
Votes: 805,117 | Gross: $232.64M
Captain America: Civil War Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (Ultimate Edition) X-Men: Apocalypse Suicide Squad Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice Deadpool Batman: Bad Blood Batman: The Killing Joke
25. Logan (2017)
R | 137 min | Action, Drama, Sci-Fi
In a future where mutants are nearly extinct, an elderly and weary Logan leads a quiet life. But when Laura, a mutant child pursued by scientists, comes to him for help, he must get her to safety.
Director: James Mangold | Stars: Hugh Jackman, Patrick Stewart, Dafne Keen, Boyd Holbrook
Votes: 831,566 | Gross: $226.28M
Spider-Man: Homecoming Wonder Woman Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 Justice League Thor: Ragnarok The Lego Batman Movie Justice League Dark
26. Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
PG-13 | 149 min | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
The Avengers and their allies must be willing to sacrifice all in an attempt to defeat the powerful Thanos before his blitz of devastation and ruin puts an end to the universe.
Directors: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo | Stars: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Evans
Votes: 1,203,534 | Gross: $678.82M
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse Aquaman Incredibles 2 Black Panther Ant-Man and the Wasp
27. Spider-Man: Far from Home (2019)
PG-13 | 129 min | Action, Adventure, Comedy
Following the events of Avengers: Endgame (2019), Spider-Man must step up to take on new threats in a world that has changed forever.
Director: Jon Watts | Stars: Tom Holland, Samuel L. Jackson, Jake Gyllenhaal, Marisa Tomei
Votes: 556,869 | Gross: $390.53M
Avengers: Endgame Batman: Hush Captain Marvel Dark Phoenix
28. Birds of Prey (2020)
R | 109 min | Action, Comedy, Crime
After splitting with the Joker, Harley Quinn joins superheroines Black Canary, Huntress, and Renee Montoya to save a young girl from an evil crime lord.
Director: Cathy Yan | Stars: Margot Robbie, Rosie Perez, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Jurnee Smollett
Votes: 264,738 | Gross: $84.16M
29. The Suicide Squad (2021)
R | 132 min | Action, Adventure, Comedy
Supervillains Harley Quinn, Bloodsport, Peacemaker, and a collection of nutty cons at Belle Reve prison join the super-secret, super-shady Task Force X as they are dropped off at the remote, enemy-infused island of Corto Maltese.
Director: James Gunn | Stars: Margot Robbie, Idris Elba, John Cena, Joel Kinnaman
Votes: 409,726 | Gross: $55.82M
Spider-Man: No Way Home Zack Snyder's Justice League
30. Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero (2022)
PG-13 | 100 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
The Red Ribbon Army from Goku's past has returned with two new androids to challenge him and his friends.
Director: Tetsuro Kodama | Stars: Masako Nozawa, Aya Hisakawa, Ryô Horikawa, Takeshi Kusao
Votes: 14,875 | Gross: $38.11M
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever The Batman Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness Thor: Love and Thunder Werewolf by Night
31. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023)
PG-13 | 150 min | Action, Adventure, Comedy
Still reeling from the loss of Gamora, Peter Quill rallies his team to defend the universe and one of their own - a mission that could mean the end of the Guardians if not successful.
Director: James Gunn | Stars: Chris Pratt, Chukwudi Iwuji, Bradley Cooper, Pom Klementieff
Votes: 380,639 | Gross: $359.00M
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