FAVORITE SUPERHERO & SUPERVILLAIN MOVIES

To mark the occasion of Disney releasing their behemoth THE AVENGERS this weekend; I've compiled yet another ranked by genre list. This time with a focus on exceptional or unique movies inspired by the world of superheroes & supervillains. Some based on actual published characters, others reflections on comic book mythos. Most of us grow up in love with these larger-than-life personas or the fantastical worlds they inhabit. Be they large, small, costumed, civilian plain, human or otherwise; their abilities, struggles & actions attract young minds everywhere. But how many of 'em make for movies that are actually worth a damn? ... For various reasons; the titles below are the ones I’ve gotten the most enjoyment out of over the years & would recommend to anyone. I believe them all to be well worth at least one viewing + chock-full of filmic pleasures to behold.

Quick note: this genre's obviously a hybrid of many, so I tried to stray away from movies based on comics/graphic novels that didn't quite fit into the classic "super"-individual "costumed vigilante" mould. 

Ex. DREDD & TIMECOP = sci-fi police procedural.

DICK TRACY = police procedural & gangster/detective.

SIN CITY = noir + crime thriller.

ADVENTURES OF TINTIN = mystery/adventure serial.

300 = Sword & Sandle. (You get the idea)

 ** last updated February 30th 2024 **

#100-64 = quite good

#63-22 = great

#21-10 = top shelf liquor

#9-1 = God tier

100.

  THE POWERPUFF GIRLS MOVIE

99.       ULTRAMAN: THE NEXT

98.

  DRAGON BALL SUPER: BROLY

97.       GUYVER: DARK HERO

96.                TMNT (2007)

     

     

     SAILOR MOON S: THE MOVIE

95.     HEARTS IN ICE

 

               EXECUTIONERS

94.[THE HEROIC TRIO 2]

 

               TRANSFORMERS:

93. DARK OF THE MOON

   

                   GUARDIANS 

92.     OF THE GALAXY VOL. 2

91.         THE PUNISHER (1989)

              THE TRANSFORMERS: 

90.     THE MOVIE (1986)

89.

SHEENA: QUEEN OF THE JUNGLE

88.     RISE OF THE GUARDIANS

87.               THE MASK

                     BATMAN:

86. THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS

85.   SPIDER-MAN 3  [Editor's cut]

84.      PUNISHER: WAR ZONE

83.   BATMAN: GOTHAM KNIGHT

82.    THE GREEN HORNET 3D

81.               CASSHERN

80.      WONDER WOMAN (2009)

79.                   X-MEN

              

78.       ALL STAR SUPERMAN

77.                THE ONE

                    ZEBRAMAN 2:

76.      ATTACK ON ZEBRA CITY

75.            PHANTOM BOY

74.

STEVEN UNIVERSE: THE MOVIE

73.                 IRON MAN

72.          THE BATMAN (2022)

          

           MECHANICAL 

   VIOLATOR HAKAIDER

71.[EXTENDED DIRECTOR'S CUT]

70.                 AQUAMAN

                  GHOST RIDER:

69.     SPIRIT OF VENGEANCE

68.             CONSTANTINE

                   THE WITCH: 

67.   PART 1. THE SUBVERSION

66.             BLACK MASK

65.                TANK GIRL

64.                     LUCY

63. SMOKING CAUSES COUGHING

62.                 GLASS

  RISE OF THE TEENAGE MUTANT

61.NINJA TURTLES: THE MOVIE

60.  THE MARK OF ZORRO (1940)

59.

  SUPERMAN AND THE MOLE MEN

58.         CUTIE HONEY (2004)

57.      CAPTAIN UNDERPANTS:

  THE FIRST EPIC MOVIE

56.                IMMORTALS

                   

55.       THE PEOPLE'S JOKER

                   SPIDER-MAN:

54. ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE

53.                PROMARE

52.                   LOGAN

51.       THE LONE RANGER (2013)

50.        WONDER WOMAN (2017)

49.             SHIN ULTRAMAN

48.       THE MASK OF ZORRO

47.           BIG MAN JAPAN

46.            FLASH GORDON

45.              CHRONICLE

                   SPIDER-MAN:

44.    INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE

43.         SUPER INFRA-MAN

42.           BATMAN BEGINS

41.            PSYCHOKINESIS

40.          THE HEROIC TRIO

39.            INCREDIBLES 2

38.              FAST COLOR

37.     JOHN CARTER OF MARS

36.    THE DARK KNIGHT RISES

35.                      X2

34.               SKY HIGH

                 SUPERMAN VS.

33.THE MECHANICAL MONSTERS

32.               MEGAMIND

                X-MEN:

31.     DAYS OF FUTURE PAST

                      BATMAN:

30.    MASK OF THE PHANTASM

29.              SUPERMAN II

28.               THE CROW

27.               SPIDER-MAN

26.             MAN OF STEEL

25.              MYSTERY MEN

24.        SUPERMAN RETURNS

23.       CAPTAIN AMERICA:

    THE FIRST AVENGER

22.         BLACK PANTHER

21.             BATMAN (1989)

20.                   SUPER

19.         SHIN KAMEN RIDER

18.

TEEN TITANS GO! TO THE MOVIES

 17.        DANGER: DIABOLIK

              ELECTRIC DRAGON

16.       80,000 VOLTS

15.                   BLADE II

14.                  HELLBOY

13.         THE DARK KNIGHT

12.             HULK

11.                DARKMAN

   

       

10.

 SCOTT PILGRIM VS. THE WORLD

9.            UNBREAKABLE

8.                    AKIRA

7.             THE ROCKETEER

6.                   BLADE

                   HELLBOY II:

5.  THE GOLDEN ARMY

4.          BATMAN RETURNS

3.          THE INCREDIBLES

2.              SPIDER-MAN 2

1.                SUPERMAN

*****

HONORABLE MENTION

BIRDS OF PREY (2020), G.I. JOE: RISE OF THE COBRA (2009), SANJAY'S SUPER TEAM, TMNT: MUTANT MAYHEM, DRAGON BALL Z: HISTORY OF TRUNKS, GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY (2014), SHAZAM! (2019), BATMAN: UNDER THE RED HOOD, THE PHANTOM (1996), THE BATMAN VS DRACULA, ZEBRAMAN (2004), TOXIC AVENGER III: LAST TEMPTATION OF TOXIE, THE SUICIDE SQUAD (2021), JUSTICE LEAGUE: FLASHPOINT PARADOX (2013), Disney HERCULES (1997), AQUAMAN & THE LOST KINGDOM (2023), DOCTOR STRANGE: MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS, ORGAZMO, IRON MAN 3, MERRY LITTLE BATMAN (2023), THE SPECIALS (2000), SAILOR MOON SUPER S: BLACK DREAM HOLE, MORTAL [TORDEN], NE ZHA 哪吒之魔童降世 (2019), ANT-MAN & THE WASP (2018), GUYVER OUT OF CONTROL (1986), POWER / RANGERS AdiShankar Bootleg Universe, THEY CALL ME JEEG, KAMEN RIDER J (1994), LEGEND OF THE FIST: RETURN OF CHEN ZHEN, JOURNEY TO THE WEST 2: DEMONS STRIKE BACK, JUSTICE LEAGUE NEW FRONTIER (2008), THE WITCH 2: THE OTHER ONE (2022), THOR: RAGNAROK, ANTBOY (2013), AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR (2018), MY HERO ACADEMIA: HEROES RISING, BATMAN BEYOND: RETURN OF JOKER, TRANSFORMERS ONE (2024), CAPTAIN AMERICA CIVIL WAR, CYBORG 009 LEGEND OF THE SUPER GALAXY, AVENGERS AGE OF ULTRON (2015), CAPTAIN AMERICA WINTER SOLDIER, SUPERMAN UNBOUND, SPIDER-MAN HOMECOMING, AVENGERS: ENDGAME (2019), BATMAN YEAR ONE (2011), DRAGON BALL Z: FUSION REBORN, TIGER & BUNNY THE RISING (2014), JUSTICE LEAGUE CRISIS ON 2 EARTHS (2010), MY HERO ACADEMIA: TWO HEROES, SON OF BATMAN (2014), JUSTICE LEAGUE DOOM (2012), SAILOR MOON R: PROMISE OF THE ROSE, SUPERMAN / DOOMSDAY (2007), DC LEAGUE OF SUPER-PETS, HELLBOY Animated: BLOOD & IRON + SWORD OF STORMS, DEATH OF SUPERMAN (2018), DRAGONBALL Z: THE WORLD'S STRONGEST (1990), GREEN LANTERN FIRST FLIGHT (2009), HK: FORBIDDEN SUPER HERO, THE FLASH (2023), DRAGON BALL SUPER: SUPER HERO (2022), MIGHTY MOUSE IN THE GREAT SPACE CHASE, LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES (2023), BATMAN VS TMNT 

MIXED BAG - WORTH WATCHING

TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES (1990), BATMAN FOREVER, THE SHADOW (1994), PRIEST (2011), SUPERGIRL Director's cut (1984)*, GUARDIANS OF GALAXY VOL.3 (2023), THE AVENGERS (2012), BRIGHTBURN, BATMAN THE MOVIE (1966), SUPERMAN III, SHIN KAMEN RIDER: PROLOGUE (1992), MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE (1987), RETURN OF CAPTAIN INVINCIBLE, ÆON FLUX (2005), G.I. JOE THE MOVIE (1987), RESIDENT EVIL EXTINCTION, SNAKE EYES: G.I. JOE ORIGINS, THE TOXIC AVENGER (1984), WANTED, FANTASTIC 4: RISE OF THE SILVER SURFER, GANTZ + ANOTHER GANTZ + GANTZ 2 PERFECT ANSWER (2010-2011), DOCTOR MORDRID, INUYASHIKI (2018), RETURN OF SWAMP THING (1989), TIGER & BUNNY: THE BEGINNING (2012), HANCOCK, SLEIGHT (2016), BATMAN V SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE Ultimate Edition*, CODE 8 short + CODE 8 (2016-2018), HELLBOY reboot (2019), BUMBLEBEE, TURBO KID, UP UP & AWAY (2000), SILVER HAWK, BOY WONDER (2010), TRANSFORMERS (2007), CONDORMAN, ARGOMAN THE FANTASTIC SUPERMAN, JUSTICE LEAGUE 2021 "Justice is Gray" Snyder Cut, GATCHAMAN THE MOVIE (1978), WATCHMEN Ultimate Cut*, HELLBOY THE CROOKED MAN (2024), VENOM (2018), TRIAL OF THE INCREDIBLE HULK, ANT-MAN (2015), MAZINGER Z VS DEVILMAN (1973), DOCTOR STRANGE (2016), X-MEN APOCALYPSE, FANTASTIC FOUR (2015), WAKANDA FOREVER, SPIDER-MAN: FAR FROM HOME, IRON MAN 2, X-MEN FIRST CLASS, DEADPOOL 2, DARK PHOENIX, LEGO BATMAN MOVIE, SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME, DEFENDOR, WITCHBLADE (2000), THE INVISIBLE BOY (2014), THE OLD GUARD, FLORA & ULYSSES, ANTBOY: REVENGE OF RED FURY, THE SPIRIT (1987), MR & MRS INCREDIBLE 神奇俠侶, SANTO VS THE VAMPIRE WOMEN (1962), KARATE-ROBO ZABORGAR (2011), SUPER-ARGO & FACELESS GIANTS, 009 RE:CYBORG, DRAGON BALL Z: RESURRECTION F (2013), KAMEN RIDER ZO (1993), BIG HERO 6, DRAGON BALL Z: BARDOCK FATHER OF GOKU, THOR (2011), BLACK ADAM, BATMAN VS ROBIN (2015), CYBORG 009 (1966), BHAVESH JOSHI SUPERHERO, JUSTICE LEAGUE WAR (2014), REIGN OF THE SUPERMEN, SPECIAL (2006), SGT. KABUKIMAN NYPD, PRINCE OF SPACE 遊星王子, BATMAN: THE LONG HALLOWEEN (2021), SONIC THE HEDGEHOG 2 (2022), Marvel's ETERNALS, GUNDALA (2019), STORM RIDER CLASH OF THE EVILS (2008), SUPERMAN: MAN OF TOMORROW (2020), LAZER TEAM, TURTLES FOREVER, MIRACULOUS: LADYBUG & CAT NOIR THE MOVIE, GREEN LANTERN (2011), Stan Lee presents MOSAIC

what are some of your favorite superhero boobies??