The 2020s have shown superhero cinema to be less of a consistent hit with fans than it was in the 2010s. In the 2010s, the Marvel Cinematic Universe was a nonstop hit machine. Even its lesser grossing films, like Thor and Captain America: The First Avenger, made a profit. As for the DCEU, it was seldom loved by fans or critics, but of its seven 2010s movies, only Justice League genuinely failed at the box office. That victory parade is far less consistent these days. Even when a big one comes along, like The Fantastic Four: First Steps, reports of its box office hauls tend to use the word “underperform.”
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However, that’s not to say 2020s superhero movies are similarly suffering in the quality department. In fact, some of the best in the subgenre’s history came out within the past six years, from 2020 to 2025.
10) Deadpool & Wolverine
The reason Deadpool & Wolverine isn’t ranked higher is because its plot feels wholly secondary to the squabbling between the title characters. Yet the reason it’s on here at all is because of just how hilarious and fun that squabbling is.
However, while Emma Corrin isn’t given much chance to shine as Cassandra Nova, the movie does do a terrific job of bringing Hugh Jackman back as Logan while not really making him play the exact same role he always has. This Logan is still gruff but comes across as a different kind of depressed from the one we lost in Logan. And, as he got in that send-off film, he once more received an excellent character arc here. Furthermore, while the fan service does serve as a distraction, it also never becomes overwhelmingly so, and it was great to have Dafne Keen’s X-23 back, here’s hoping the MCU keeps her around.
Stream Deadpool & Wolverine on Disney+.
9) The Fantastic Four: First Steps
As mentioned, The Fantastic Four: First Steps was the biggest MCU movie of 2025, yet its financial haul was considered a disappointment. It primarily came down to both MCU fatigue and the fact that, when it comes to this particular property, the audience had already been burned with two entirely mediocre films and one outright broken one.
But this was the one that got the team right. Each member of the quartet is perfectly cast, their ’60s vibe world is lovingly crafted, and all four of their personalities stand apart and feel distinctly human. And, while all of them are terrific in their roles, this immediately established Vanessa Kirby as the best MCU newcomer of 2025.
Stream The Fantastic Four: First Steps on Disney+.
8) Thunderbolts*
Like The Fantastic Four: First Steps, Thunderbolts* is a three and a half star out of five-star movie. So why does it get the edge? Because it tackles more emotionally rich territory and mostly succeeds in doing so.
And, while it’s a mystery why those behind it chose to treat Taskmaster so poorly, Thunderbolts* is still a movie that coasts on the strength of its ensemble. But as is typical of just about any Florence Pugh movie, she’s the highlight, and cements that she should undoubtedly be one of the main stage players in the MCU for a while.
Stream Thunderbolts* on Disney+.
7) The Batman
The Batman doesn’t always fully earn its massive runtime, but that epic feel is part of its charm. The same goes for it being the film that finally relies on Bruce Wayne’s skills as a detective, even if the clues he finds and the mysteries he unravels could be solved by an eighth grader.
In other words, The Batman is a mixed bag. But it is one visually stunning, well-acted mixed bag with a tremendous score. Make no mistake, The Penguin is way better, but this film still did a commendable job of once more rebooting Batman and making it seem like an oft-repeated endeavor worth its while.
Stream The Batman on HBO Max.
6) Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
For a while there it looked like James Gunn wouldn’t be able to complete his Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy. But it’s better that things worked out the way they did, because if he hadn’t been fired by Marvel, he wouldn’t have directed The Suicide Squad which then wouldn’t have confirmed to DC that he was the right choice to help usher in the new DCU.
Is Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 as all around solid as the first two? Many say no, but what’s so great about all three of these movies is that there’s no clear winner and no clear loser. All three have soul, devotion to the characters, and arcs that hit close to home. In this case, its Rocket Raccoon’s time to shine, and his flashback sequences are some of the best scenes of the entire trilogy.
Stream Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 on Disney+.
5) Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
As he once again showed via Wonder Man, Destin Daniel Cretton knows what it takes to make an MCU adventure stand out. And it can be summarized in two words: heartfelt characterization.
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings has some marvelous, trailer-worthy martial arts sequences, but those merely widen eyes, they don’t glue the viewer to the movie. What does that is the central dynamic between the title character, his sister, and their heartbroken, confused, and vengeful father. That’s how you solve MCU’s villain problem just as it’s how you best introduce a new, somewhat niche character to the mainstream.
Stream Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings on Disney+.
4) Superman
After the dour DCEU, James Gunn brought light via the soft universe reboot Superman, and it couldn’t have done a better job of lightly jabbing the reset button. We are immediately yanked into the action via its brilliant in medias res structure, signifying that Gunn understands that the vast majority of viewers are already familiar with the character’s origin, so it would be better to just kick off this new overarching IP in a way that makes the viewer feel as though they’re already knee deep in it.
Gunn’s writing is top-notch throughout, and David Corenswet proves in mere moments that he was the right chance for the title character, bringing a vulnerability that makes us feel close to him and faithful that he’ll never forget just what makes him human where it counts. Once more Gunn proved he understands character, and how to put the development of them at the forefront.
Stream Superman on HBO Max.
3) Spider-Man: No Way Home
Like Deadpool & Wolverine, Spider-Man: No Way Home is fueled in part by fan service, but here it feels less like fan service for fan service’s sake. Here, we see Tom Holland’s Peter Parker lose the woman who raised him and we fully believe that, without the intervention of the other two Parkers, he might not get where he needs to be to take on all these multiversal villains.
In other words, the moments that had fans jaws drop in theaters are actually moments that further the story. Was it great to get Raimi era familiar faces back? Of course, but what really got everybody hooked on No Way Home was just how emotionally resonant it all was.
Stream Spider-Man: No Way Home on Starz.
2) Birds of Prey
We were inevitably going to come to a controversial placement, and here we are, but Cathy Yan’s Birds of Prey really is phenomenal. It’s such a shame that the movie came and went from theaters because it is precisely the movie Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn deserved.
Robbie is one of the most popular stars in the industry, so it’s decreasingly likely that we’ll ever get her stepping into the Quinn costume (or rather costumes) again in the DCU. But at least we got one narrative that was as erratic and energetic as her character, with a rapid pace and a sense of fun that really makes you feel as though you’re right there beside her. Not to mention, Ewan McGregor is having an absolute field day as Black Mask. His performance is the perfect walk between terrifying and hedonistic.
Stream Birds of Prey on HBO Max.
1) The Suicide Squad
As it turns out, the top two entries aren’t really superhero films. They’re supervillain oriented. But that makes sense, because we’ve been getting superhero movies at a steady stream since 2000, supervillain films come across as a breath of fresh air.
This is particularly true when they actually work. And, unlike David Ayer’s Suicide Squad, James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad knows exactly what it wants to be and never backs down from that R-rated weirdness. Even with a jumpy form of storytelling, you never find yourself getting lost in Gunn’s ambition, and in time there will be plenty who argue that this was his ultimate contribution to superhero cinema outside spearheading an entire cinematic universe. In terms of individual movies, though, it’s hard to imagine him beating this one.
Stream The Suicide Squad on HBO Max.
What is your favorite superhero (or supervillain) movie from the 2020s? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!
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