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Superhero film/movie is afilm genre categorized by the presence ofsuperhero characters, individuals with extraordinary abilities who are dedicated to fighting crime, saving the world, or helping the innocent. It is sometimes considered a sub-genre of theaction film genre and has evolved into one of the most financially successful film genres worldwide. These films focus onsuperhuman abilities, advanced technology, mystical phenomena, or exceptional physical and mental skills that enable theseheroes to fight for thecommon good or defeat asupervillain antagonist.
Superhero films typically include genre elements ofromance,comedy,fantasy, andscience fiction, with large instances of the superhero genre predominantly occupied and produced by American media franchisesDC andMarvel, originally adaptations of their existing works of superhero comic books.[1][2] Individual superhero films frequently contain a character's origin story.[3]
Superhero stories initially gained popularity throughcomic books and were later adapted intofilm serials. Early examples includeFlash Gordon (1936),Mandrake the Magician (1939),The Shadow (1940),Adventures of Captain Marvel (1941),Batman (1943),The Phantom (1943),Captain America (1944), andSuperman (1948).[4][5]
Between 1941 and 1942,Fleischer Studios produced a series of eightanimated cartoons and one additional short based on theSuperman comic book.[6]Famous Studios, the successor ofFleischer Studios, created eight more cartoons between 1942 and 1943.
In the following decades, the decline of Saturday matinée showings ofserials andturmoil in the comic book industry slowed superhero motion picture production greatly, although films were still being produced. These films includedSuperman and the Mole Men (1951), starringGeorge Reeves, andBatman (1966), a big-screen extension of theBatman television series starringAdam West.Superman and the Mole Men was apilot for the TV seriesAdventures of Superman. Compilations of the series were later released theatrically.[7][8][9]
In 1957,Shinto Ho produced the first film serial featuring theTokusatsu superhero characterSuper Giant, marking a shift inJapanese popular culture toward masked superheroes inTokusatsu. TheSuper Giant film series andAstro Boy heavily influenced later JapaneseTokusatsu superhero films.[10]Moonlight Mask also became popular around that time, with six films retelling the story of the TV series.[11] Another early Japanese superhero film wasŌgon Bat (1966), starringSonny Chiba, based on the 1931Kamishibai superhero Ōgon Bat.[12]
Althoughkaiju movies, or movies featuringkaiju monsters, do not typically fall under the superhero category, thekaiju monsterGodzilla, originally a villain, transitioned into a superhero role in subsequent films.[13] Godzilla has been described as "the original radioactive superhero" because his nuclear origin story predatesSpider-Man's 1962 debut.[13] However, Godzilla did not become a hero untilGhidorah, the Three-Headed Monster (1964).[14] By the 1970s, Godzilla was viewed as a superhero, with the magazineKing of the Monsters describing Godzilla in 1977 as the "Superhero of the '70s."Donald F. Glut wrote that Godzilla was "the most universally popular superhero of 1977."[15]
1966 saw the debut of theUltra Series with thekaiju TV showUltra Q. With the release of the originalUltraman, the franchise started focusing on superheroes and the series averaged an audience rating of 36.8% through its first 39 episodes.[16] In 1967,Ultraman started expanding to films. Early films, such asUltraman: Monster Movie Feature, were compilations or theatrical releases of TV show episodes. The first originalUltraman film wasThe 6 Ultra Brothers vs. the Monster Army, aco-production withThailand.[17]
The popularity of television superheroes in Japan led to theKamen Rider andSuper Sentai franchises bymanga artistShotaro Ishinomori in 1971 and 1975, respectively. As withUltraman, many earlyKamen Rider andSuper Sentai episodes were released as films. OriginalKamen Rider films released before 1978 includeKamen Rider vs. Shocker,Kamen Rider vs. Ambassador Hell,Kamen Rider V3 vs. Destron Mutants, andFive Riders vs. King Dark.[18]
Original superhero characters emerged in other, morecomedy-oriented films, such as theFrenchpolitical satire filmMr. Freedom (1969), the PolishparodyHydrozagadka (1970), and the AmericanB moviesRat Pfink a Boo Boo (1966) andThe Wild World of Batwoman (1966).[19][20]
Following the success ofStar Wars,Richard Donner'sSuperman (1978), the first big-budget DC feature film, was a critical and commercial success.[21] The same year,Toei Company'sSpider-Man reimagining and the firstSuper Sentai crossover film,JAKQ Dengekitai vs.Gorenger, were released. Other entries emerged throughout the 1980s, includingEight Riders vs. Galaxy King (1980),Kamen Rider Super-1: The Movie (1981),Richard Lester'sSuperman II (1981),Spider-Man: The Dragon's Challenge (1981), andPaul Verhoeven'sRoboCop (1987). These were followed byKamen Rider Black: Hurry to Onigashima andKamen Rider Black: Terrifying! The Phantom House of Devil Pass, released in 1988. The success ofTim Burton'sBatman (1989) and its direct follow-up,Batman Returns (1992), spawned theDC Animated Universe.[22]
One of the first superhero films of the 1990s wasMarvel'sCaptain America (1991), which did not have a theatrical release.Roger Corman'sThe Fantastic Four (1994) wasproduced solely to maintain the film rights to the property[23] and was not released theatrically or onhome video.[24]
Alex Proyas'The Crow (1994) became the firstindependent comic superhero franchise film.[24] The film introduced a new level of violence to a younger audience, bridging the gap between superhero and modernaction films.[25] The success ofThe Crow may have influenced the release of a film version ofSpawn (1997),Image Comics's leading character. After Marvel boughtMalibu Comics (which ownedThe Men in Black comic series), Marvel andColumbia Pictures releasedMen in Black in 1997.[26] This film was the first Marvel property to win anAcademy Award and, at the time, was the highest-grossing comic book adaptation.[27] While commercially successful,Joel Schumacher'sBatman & Robin (1997) was critically panned for itscampiness[28] and deviation from the darker style of the series' first two films directed byTim Burton.[29] Some have cited it as a factor in the temporary decline of the superhero filmsub-genre.[30]
In Japan in the 1990s, originalUltraman films became more common. In 1996,Tsuburaya releasedUltraman Zearth, which parodied the original TV series and later installments.[31] The following year, the sequel titledUltraman Zearth 2: Superhuman Big Battle - Light and Shadow premiered.[32][33]
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In 1998, Marvel releasedBlade, a darker superhero film blended with traditional action elements. Thetitle character possesses the powers of avampire and an arsenal of weaponry.[25] The success ofBlade is considered the beginning of Marvel's film success and a catalyst for further comic book film adaptations.[34][35]Blade II was released in 2002.
Adam Sternberg ofVulture stated thatThe Matrix (1999) was influenced by comic books,cyberpunk fiction, Japaneseanime, andHong Kong action films. He also credits the film and its incorporation ofComputer-Generated Imagery (CGI) with reinventing the superhero film by setting the template for modern superhero blockbusters. According to Sternberg, this inspired the superhero renaissance in the early 21st century.[36]John Kenneth Muir, inThe Encyclopedia of Superheroes on Film and Television, describesThe Matrix as a re-imagination of movie visuals, paving the way for the visuals of later superhero films. He credits it with helping to "make comic-book superheroes hip." He notes that thebullet-time effect successfully demonstrates the concept of "faster than a speeding bullet" onscreen.[37]
In Japan, following the success of theKamen Rider Kuuga television series, a new era of theKamen Rider franchise began, leading to the production of annualKamen Rider movies, starting withKamen Rider Agito: Project G4 in 2001.[38]
The popularity of theUltraman Tiga TV series led to several films based on it and later installments, includingUltraman Tiga & Ultraman Dyna: Warriors of the Star of Light (1998),Ultraman Gaia: The Battle in Hyperspace (1999), andUltraman Tiga: The Final Odyssey (2000).
The release ofIron Man in 2008 began theMarvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). A few months later,The Dark Knight was released to widespread critical acclaim and became the first superhero movie to make over $1 billion at the worldwide box office.[39] 2009 saw the release ofWatchmen andX-Men Origins: Wolverine. The 2010s saw continued success for superhero films both culturally and economically,[40] taking the sub-genre's success and ubiquity to new heights.[41]Matthew Vaughn's adaptation ofKick-Ass was released in 2010, followed byIron Man 2 a month later. 2011 releases includedThe Green Hornet,[42]Green Lantern, andX-Men: First Class. After referencing the "Avengers Initiative" in theIron Man films andThe Incredible Hulk, Marvel releasedThor in May 2011,[43] followed byCaptain America: The First Avenger in July 2011.[44]
WhileGhost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance (2012) had little audience interest,[45] three superhero films made it to the top ten in the box office chart for the year, both in the US[46] and internationally.[47] These wereThe Avengers (May 2012),The Dark Knight Rises (July 2012), andThe Amazing Spider-Man (July 2012).
ASuperman Returns sequel was planned for 2009 but was delayed and later scrapped in favor ofMan of Steel (2013), a reboot of the Superman franchise.
At the 2012San Diego Comic-Con, Marvel confirmed anAnt-Man movie was in development, as well as afilm based on the 2008 comic book seriesGuardians of the Galaxy, which was released in August 2014.Iron Man 3 was released in May 2013,Thor: The Dark World in November 2013, andCaptain America: The Winter Soldier in April 2014.The Amazing Spider-Man 2, the sequel to the 2012 reboot, was released in May 2014. A sequel to the 2009 filmX-Men Origins: Wolverine, titledThe Wolverine was released in 2013. In 2014,X-Men: Days of Future Past was released.
In 2014, Italian filmmakerGabriele Salvatores directed a superhero-fantasy film titledIl Ragazzo Invisible (The Invisible Boy), which won theYoung Audience Award at the2015European Film Awards.[48]
AnAvengers sequel, titledAvengers: Age of Ultron, was released in May 2015. Following the success of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, rivalDC also planned to make and produce their own shared film universe called theDC Extended Universe (DCEU), which tied back to the release ofMan of Steel in 2013. A sequel titledBatman v Superman: Dawn of Justice was scheduled for release in May 2016 but was postponed to March 2016.The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water, a 2015Nickelodeon film, features the main characters transforming into superheroes.20th Century Fox rebooted theFantastic Four series and releasedFantastic Four in August 2015.[49]
On March 9, 2015, publishing houseValiant Comics made a nine-figure deal with Chinese companyDMG Entertainment to produce their series of superhero movies set in their cinematic universe.[50] The series was co-produced bySony Pictures and started with a movie adaptation ofBloodshot for a2020 release, followed byHarbinger, both movies receiving a sequel and ending in a crossover movie based on theHarbinger Wars arc from the comic books.[51]
In 2015, Italian filmmakerGabriele Mainetti directed the superhero filmThey Call Me Jeeg starringClaudio Santamaria.[52] Its original title isLo Chiamavano Jeeg Robot, from the Italian name of the anime and manga seriesSteel Jeeg. It was released in Italy on February 25, 2016.[53]
The eighth installment in theX-Men series,Deadpool, was released in February 2016. It became the highest-grossingR-rated film of all time (when adjusted for inflation) and the highest-grossing film of the series. The ninth instalment,X-Men: Apocalypse, was released in May.Warner Bros. releasedBatman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, the first film to feature both Batman and Superman, in March 2016.Suicide Squad, released in August, featured a team of antihero/supervillains.Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice andSuicide Squad are in the DCEU.
In May 2016, Marvel Studios releasedCaptain America: Civil War, where the Avengers split into opposing factions. In October,Max Steel, based onMattel's eponymous toy line, was released.[54] In November of the same year, Marvel Studios releasedDoctor Strange, which recounts the superhero origin ofStephen Strange.
The first Finnish superhero film,Rendel: Dark Vengeance, was released in September 2017, and it won the Best Action Movie award at the Erratum Film Festival in Mexico.[55]Power Rangers, a movie reboot of the TV series, was released in March, withLionsgate planning a seven-film franchise. The filmLogan, which wasHugh Jackman's andPatrick Stewart's last appearances as their characters in theX-Men film series before Disney acquired 20th Century Fox, was the first ever canon X-Men movie to be rated R and the first superhero movie to receive anAcademy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. In the summer movie season,Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2,Wonder Woman, andSpider-Man: Homecoming confirmed the superhero film domination in the mainstream movie market.[56] That trend continued into the fall with the success ofThor: Ragnarök. Due to this,Warner Bros. attempted to have ashared universe media franchise, theDCEU, withJustice League, though this was poorly received anda box office disappointment.[57][58]
In February 2018, Marvel Studios releasedBlack Panther, featuring the solo film adaptation of the first mainstream African American superhero, theBlack Panther, a commercial and critical success in the MCU franchise. It became the first superhero film nominated for theAcademy Award for Best Picture.[59]
This MCU project was soon followed up byAvengers: Infinity War, released in April 2018, which earned both critical acclaim[60] and worldwide financial success, earning more than $2 billion.[61] Soon after, 20th Century Fox releasedDeadpool 2 in May 2018.[62] In addition,Incredibles 2's wide release in June 2018 was met with considerable critical acclaim[63] and earned $182.68 million during its premiere weekend.[64] The next superhero film in the MCU,Ant-Man and the Wasp, was released on July 6th.
The antihero filmVenom, based on the comic book character of the same name, was released in October 2018 to poor reviews butbox-office success. In December 2018,Warner Bros. releasedAquaman, a film about the DC Comics superhero of thesame name, marking a box office success for the DCEU, grossing $1.152 billion worldwide.[65]
Marvel'sCaptain Marvel was released in March 2019 and faced online hostility, originating from starBrie Larson's comments about the lack of diversity in the film andfilm criticism industries.[66] Despite the controversy, it earned over$1 billion worldwide[67] and received largely positive reviews.[68] Later in April, the DCEU'sShazam!, featuring the lead character who was previously known asCaptain Marvel, had decent box office success for a relatively low budget,[69] which has been seen as further evidence of the revitalization of theWarner Bros. media franchise. That same month,Avengers: Endgame ended theInfinity Saga to widespread acclaim, broke numerous box office records, and became the fastest film to exceed $1 billion worldwide, doing so in just five days.Avengers: Endgame became thehighest-grossing film of all time, surpassingJames Cameron'sAvatar before the latter reclaimed its place in 2021.[70][71]
By contrast, the X-Men filmDark Phoenix performed poorly — critically and financially — upon release in June.[72] This would be the last film in 20th Century Fox's X-Men series. Afterwards, X-Men and the Fantastic Four entered the MCU with Disney's acquisition of 20th Century Fox. However, neither franchise would receive a standalone film in the MCU until 2024'sDeadpool & Wolverine, and 2025'sThe Fantastic Four: First Steps.[73] In July 2019, Phase 3 of the MCU was concluded with the Marvel and Sony co-produced filmSpider-Man: Far From Home, which was released to critical and commercial success.[74][75]
In August 2019,Joko Anwar'sGundala was released in Indonesia.[76] It screened at theToronto International Film Festival in September. It also took the first entry in theBum Langit Cinematic Universe (BCU) film series based on characters from comic books published byBum Langit.[77] The second and third films in the series,Sri Asih andPatriot Taruna: Virgo and the Sparkling's, were announced for a 2020 release but were pushed back to 2021 as theCOVID-19 pandemic significantly delayed production.[78] The production company's strategy of announcing films in volumes with a team-up film as the climax has led to the media dubbing it the "Indonesian equivalent to the MCU and DCEU".[79]
The Suicide Squad was released in August but wasa box office disappointment despite receiving positive reviews. The poor performance was attributed to the disruption of cinema during theCOVID-19 pandemic (particularly theDelta variant) and confusion from the general audience on whether the film was a sequel,reboot, orremake.[80][81] Meanwhile, Marvel'sShang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings broke Labor Day records,[82] while similar successes were seen inSony's Spider-Man Universe (SSU) filmVenom: Let There Be Carnage.[83] Despite mediocre reviews and the first rotten rating[84] for an MCU film onRotten Tomatoes,Eternals opened to moderate success at the box office.[85]
Spider-Man: No Way Home was released in December 2021, and became thehighest-grossing film of 2021,[86] thehighest-grossing film of all time,[87] thethird-highest-grossing film in the United States and Canada,[88] the highest-grossingSpider-Man film, and the highest-grossing film produced by Sony.[89] It also became the first film to gross over $1 billion sinceStar Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, mainly due to theCOVID-19 pandemic,[90] as well as the highest-grossing film not to be released in China (one of the world's biggest box office markets).[91]
In 2022, Warner Bros. releasedThe Batman, a reboot of theBatman film series, unconnected to the DC Extended Universe. It was a critical and commercial hit, with praise for the film being a grounded detective story,[92] due toMatt Reeves' direction andRobert Pattinson's performance as the titular hero.[93] It became the second biggest pandemic debut, afterSpider-Man: No Way Home.[94]Morbius, starring Jared Leto and based on theSpider-Man villain of the same name, debuted that April as another chapter in Sony's Spider-Man Universe. The film was critically panned and a box-office bomb.[95]Variety reported that whilst the initial opening was hopeful forMorbius, "the character is not nearly as recognizable to general audiences as Spider-Man, Batman or Venom, nor is the film connected to a larger story likeEternals orShang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. Thus,Morbius wasn't expected to match the receipts for recent comic book tent-poles based on those characters."[96] Scott Mendelson further stated Sony seemed to rely on the film's connection to the Spider-Man universe, the success ofVenom, and a misguided assumption that audiences were interested in villain movies.[97]
In May 2022,Sam Raimi returned to the superhero genre withDoctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. The film was met with mixed-to-positive reviews and earned $187 million on its opening weekend. It became the eleventh-best domestic debut of all time, the best summer debut for a Disney release during the pandemic, and Raimi's best opening.[98] The film earned $61 million in its second weekend, becoming one of the MCU's most significant second-weekend box office drops. The 67% decline was attributed byDeadline Hollywood to the "bad word of mouth" on the film and itsCinemaScore grade. At the same time, Intelligence saw more than a 17% downsize of available seats for the film, resulting in fewer showtimes, which also led to the decline.[99] In its third weekend, the film earned $31.6 million, contributing to the 800-million-dollar mark at the box office to become Hollywood's second-highest-grossing film released during the pandemic behindNo Way Home.[100] The film earned $16.4 million in its fourth weekend, contributing to the total box office that helped it to become the highest-grossing film of 2022, previously held byThe Batman.[101] As of June 2022, the film stands as the 11th highest-grossing of the MCU worldwide.[102]
In 2023, a majority of the superhero films released, such asAnt-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania,Shazam! Fury of the Gods,The Flash,Blue Beetle,The Marvels, andAquaman and the Lost Kingdom, were moderate commercial failures. Only two superhero films released that year,Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 andSpider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, performed well at the box office, grossing $845 million and $690 million respectively, turning a profit alongside positive reviews from audiences and critics.[103]
In February 2024, Sony released its fourth film in the Spider-Man Universe,Madame Web. The film was panned by critics and underperformed at the box office.[104] In July, the MCU's first film of the year,Deadpool & Wolverine, was also its first R-rated film. It was Hugh Jackman's first X-Men film since 2017'sLogan andRyan Reynolds'Deadpool's MCU debut. The film was highly acclaimed and grossed over $1.33 billion worldwide, making it the20th highest-grossing film of all time, thehighest-grossing R-rated film of all time, and the second-highest-grossing film of 2024.[105][106] Warner Bros.'Joker: Folie a Deux, a sequel to the 2019 film,Joker, was released in October 2024.Joaquin Phoenix reprised his role asThe Joker andLady Gaga made her superhero film debut asHarley Quinn.Joker: Folie a Deux was followed by Sony Spider-Man Universe filmsVenom: The Last Dance in November 2024, andKraven the Hunter in December 2024.[107] In February 2025,Captain America: Brave New World was released to moderately poor reviews by critics, and to date has the fourth-lowest box office earnings of any MCU movie.[108][109]
Since the 2010s, superhero films have played a significant role in the film industry. According toThe Hollywood Reporter, "With rare exception, even A+ stars aren't making what they used to" - making superhero films "one of the last ways for an actor to earn a major payday." They write that if an actor wants to get paid, they "have to put on a cape" and that characters like Spider-Man and Batman are more important than the actors themselves.[110]
Since 2022, superhero films (especially from the MCU) have seen more inconsistent performances.The Marvels (2023) had the worst box-office outcome for an MCU film since 2008'sThe Incredible Hulk amid a broader trend of box-office disappointments for superhero films.[111] Fans, critics, and actors alike have pointed to cultural fatigue and the exhaustion of well-used storylines to explain this sudden dip in earnings and popularity.[112] On the other hand, directorJoe Russo has suggested a "generational divide" in media consumption driving declining box office performances.[113]
Animated superhero films have also achieved critical and financial success.[114][115] While animated superhero films are typicallydirect-to-video, a number have been released theatrically.
In 1968,VIP my Brother Superman, a parody of the superhero genre,[116] directed by Italian animatorBruno Bozzetto, was a financial success.[117]Batman: Mask of the Phantasm, which was released theatrically in 1993, was a critical success, though a box-office failure.[118] In 2004,Pixar releasedThe Incredibles, a film about a retired superhero couple and their children. It did well critically and financially, and went on to win anAcademy Award. In 2010,DreamWorks Animation releasedMegamind to middling success.[119] In 2014,Walt Disney Animation Studios released an adaptation of theMarvel superhero teamBig Hero 6. The same year,Warner Bros. releasedThe Lego Movie, withBatman and otherDC superheroes in leading and supporting roles. As a significant box-office success, it was followed in 2017 byThe Lego Batman Movie and DreamWorks Animation'sCaptain Underpants: The First Epic Movie.[citation needed]
In 2018, three theatrical animated superhero films were released to critical and commercial success: Pixar'sIncredibles 2, Warner Bros.'Teen Titans Go! To the Movies, andSony Pictures Animation'sSpider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.Into the Spider-Verse swept that year's major film awards for animated features, including theAcademy Award.[120] A sequel toSpider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse came out in 2023, titledSpider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. AnotherSpider-Verse sequel,Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse, is currently in production and scheduled to be released in 2027.[121]
As the number of superhero films being produced increased during the latter part of the 2010s, the genre's contribution to cinema was questioned. In a 2019 interview withEmpire magazine, American filmmakerMartin Scorsese commented, "The closest I can think of them, as well-made as they are, with actors doing the best they can under the circumstances, is theme parks. It isn't the cinema of human beings trying to convey emotional, psychological experiences to another human being." He stated theMarvel Cinematic Universe was not "cinema."[122] He later added that he was worried about studios' dependence on the format because in "many places around this country and the world, franchise films are now your primary choice if you want to see something on the big screen. It's a perilous time in film exhibition, and there are fewer independenttheaters than ever."[123] Although in later years, various actors and creators from the MCU, including The Russo Brothers andRobert Downey Jr., criticized the filmmaker's comments claiming Scorsese is "jealous".
Criticism ofMarvel Studios' films continued, withJennifer Aniston stating that Marvel movies are "diminishing".Denis Villeneuve dismissed "too many Marvel films" as being "a cut and paste of others,"[124] andRoland Emmerich stated large blockbuster films such as the MCU and Star Wars movies were "ruining our industry a little" since "nobody does anything original anymore".[125]
Some media commentators have attributed the increasingly popular superhero franchises in the new millennium to the social and political climate in Western society since theSeptember 11 attacks.[126] Others have argued advances in special effects technology have played a more significant role.[127]
Grant Morrison, writer and co-creator of theAll-Star Superman comic series, wonders whether the superhero genre can legitimately be classified as a film genre. He reflects that the idea of a superhuman is malleable and has been used in many other genres, like westerns and detective stories. He goes on to explain:
I’m not even sure if there is a superhero genre or if the idea of the superhero is a special chilli pepper-like ingredient designed to energize other genres. The costumed superhero has survived since 1938, constantly shifting in tone from decade to decade to reflect the fears and the needs of the audience. The current mainstream popularity of the superhero has, I think, a lot to do with the fact that the Terror-stricken, environmentally-handicapped, overpopulated, pedophile-haunted world that’s being peddled by our news media is crying out for utopian role models and for any hopeful images of humankind’s future potential![128]
WriterAlan Moore, a veteran of the comics industry known for his work onWatchmen,V for Vendetta,Batman:The Killing Joke, andFrom Hell, has expressed criticism of modern superhero movies in general, which he once called a "blight" to cinema and "also to culture to a degree." He said in an October 2022 interview withThe Guardian that the popularization of the genre on the part of adults is an "infantilization" that can act as "a precursor tofascism." Lamenting at how deeply such films became part of the culture, Moore commented:[129][130]
"I will always love and adore the comics medium, but the comics industry and all of the stuff attached to it just became unbearable...Hundreds of thousands of adults [are] lining up to see characters and situations that had been created to entertain the 12-year-old boys — and itwas always boys — of 50 years ago. I didn't think that superheroes were adult fare. I think that this was a misunderstanding born of what happened in the 1980s — to which I must put my hand up to a considerable share of the blame, though it was not intentional — when things like Watchmen were first appearing. There were an awful lot of headlines saying, 'Comics Have Grown Up'. I tend to think that, no, comics hadn't grown up. There were a few titles that were more adult than people were used to. But the majority of comics titles were pretty much the same as they'd ever been. It wasn't comics growing up. I think it was more comics meeting the emotional age of the audience coming the other way."[129][130]
In a September 2023 interview withThe Telegraph, Moore reiterated this view, saying what had appealed to him most about output from comics publishers was "no more," saying, "now they're called 'graphic novels,' which sounds sophisticated, and you can charge a lot more for them. These innocent and inventive and imaginative superhero characters from the '40s, '50s, and '60s are being recycled to a modern audience as if they were adult fare." During that same interview, journalist Jake Kerridge asked Moore if he divided the money he had received from onscreen adaptations of his work among the writers and other staff members of those productions. Moore replied, "I no longer wish it to even be shared with them. I don't feel, with the recent films, that they have stood by what I assumed were their original principles. So, I asked for DC Comics to send all of the money from any future TV series or films toBlack Lives Matter."[131][130]
At the end of the 2010s and later on in the 2020s, Moore's opinions became more widespread, often pointing out a tendency for superheroes to maintain the status quo.[132][133][134] In "Infinity Wars: Post 9/11 Superhero Films and American Empire"[135] Peter J. Bruno argues that "[...] post-9/11 superhero films cannot imagine alternatives outside of empire and its capitalist hegemony." He goes forward, tying superhero movies to an "aesthetic of death" and the process of the dehumanization of the enemy or othering — both typical of fascism according toUmberto Eco'sUr-Fascism — and ties inAchille Mbembe’s concept ofnecropolitics. Similar fascistic tendencies were noted by other commentators, notably with the spread of the term "Copaganda."[136]
By the 2020s, "superhero fatigue" emerged to describe audience weariness with formulaic superhero films, reflected in declining box-office returns and mixed reviews. In particular, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has been criticized for over-saturating the market with its expansion to streaming beginning withPhase Four, prompting Marvel Studios to rethink its annual output.[137][138][139]
According toBox Office Mojo, the ten highest-grossing (as of January 2025) superhero films are:[citation needed]
| Film | Year | Worldwide gross |
|---|---|---|
| Avengers: Endgame | 2019 | $2,799,439,100[144] |
| Avengers: Infinity War | 2018 | $2,048,359,754[145] |
| Spider-Man: No Way Home | 2021 | $1,926,899,310[146] |
| The Avengers | 2012 | $1,518,812,988[147] |
| Avengers: Age of Ultron | 2015 | $1,402,809,540[148] |
| Black Panther | 2018 | $1,346,913,171[149] |
| Deadpool & Wolverine | 2024 | $1,338,073,645[150] |
| Incredibles 2 | 2018 | $1,242,805,359[151] |
| Iron Man 3 | 2013 | $1,215,577, 205[152] |
| Captain America: Civil War | 2016 | $1,153,304,495[153] |
TheMarvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) has earned over $31 billion and is one of the largestfilm franchises in history, surpassingStar Wars by over $7 billion.[154] Its highest-grossing film,Avengers: Endgame (2019), briefly held the record for thehighest-grossing film of all time[155] before being surpassed by a record-breaking re-release ofAvatar (2009) in 2021.[156]Deadpool & Wolverine is also thehighest grossing R-rated film, both in the US/Canada and worldwide.[157][158]
