Superhero movies have been going through a tough time as of late. While they made hundreds of millions of dollars, Thunderbolts* and Captain America: Brave New World were indicative of a dwindling interest in the subgenre. Perhaps it’s understandable, because by this point in time there have been a ton of superhero movies. And, for the most part, those superhero movies have been based on Marvel Comics or DC Comics properties. But not all of them. Throughout almost 50 years of studio superhero cinema, every now and then we get one that is either based on a smaller company’s IPs (e.g. Dark Horse) or are wholly original.
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Here are 10 top-tier superhero movies that have no affiliation with Marvel or DC source material. From products of inventive filmmakers imaginations to successful adaptations of smaller-scale source material.
1) Darkman
One of the better ’90s sci-fi movies, Sam Raimi’s Darkman is bolstered by an inventive premise and three excellent performances. Liam Neeson is terrific as the now-horrifically-burned Peyton Westlake, Frances McDormand is enduring as Julie Hastings, and Larry Drake is show-stoppingly good as the vicious mobster Robert Durant.
As brilliant as Drake is, the real key to Darkman‘s appeal is the central hook of having one man systematically dismantle a criminal organization by turning its members on one another. It’s a great concept, and it plays very well thanks to the tonal balance between action, sci-fi, and even a bit of horror (which one might expect from a director who had directed two Evil Dead movies by this point and would go on to direct the Spider-Man trilogy).
2) Unbreakable
Unbreakable has had some of its impact diminished by the vastly inferior quality of Glass, but it’s still a solid early effort from M. Night Shyamalan before his lengthy career lull. A lull which the film’s first sequel (or pseudo sequel), Split, showed wouldn’t last forever.
At the end of the day, Unbreakable just works better as a one-off. It moves a bit too quickly for its own good (it feels like it could have used another 20 minutes), but Bruce Willis and Samuel L. Jackson have undeniable chemistry. Jackson is particularly good, and we don’t see the twist involving his character coming.
Stream Unbreakable on Hulu.
3) Mystery Men
Technically, Mystery Men was based on Bob Burden’s Flaming Carrot Comics, though the Flaming Carrot himself was not a part of it. It was more an adaptation of those comics’ (which were under the Dark Horse banner when Mystery Men was made) zany spirit than anything else. That and the fact its hero has a bizarre, mostly useless power.
Mystery Men was box office bomb when it came out in the late ’90s, but it did receive a fair amount of play on cable and has since grown a substantial cult following. It’s easy to see why, as it still feels incredibly unique no matter how expansive the superhero film subgenre grows. It also has one of the more interesting casts for a ’90s studio comedy, with Ben Stiller serving as easily the biggest ticket-selling presence at the time but ably supported by talented niche players like Kel Mitchell, Paul Reubens, Janeane Garofalo, and Eddie Izzard.
4) The Incredibles
One of the absolute best superhero movies to not be based on any pre-existing source material, The Incredibles is a fantastic entry from Pixar’s glory days. And, much to its credit, Incredibles 2 is just as good.
On top of gorgeous animation and a strong script, The Incredibles works because we fall in love with the quintet of family member supes. Craig T. Nelson sells Mr. Incredible’s boredom with middle age and love for his family, Holly Hunter is strong and maternal as Elasigirl, Sarah Vowell is charmingly gloomy as Violet, Spencer Fox makes you believe Dash has no control over his energy, and Jack-Jack is adorable. But the apex is Edna, who may actually be the funniest character in any superhero movie.
Stream The Incredibles on Disney+.
5) Super
Super was James Gunn dipping his toes in superhero moviemaking for the first time (though he did have an acting role in a Toxic Avenger sequel). And, while it’s far harder to watch than the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy or Superman, it’s just as good.
The film is hard to watch because we just feel so much pity for Rainn Wilson’s Frank Darbo AKA The Crimson Bolt. The love of his life is choosing drugs and a new man over him, his job isn’t particularly fulfilling, and he’s overall a man filled with regret and sadness. Then there’s the death of Elliot Page’s Libby AKA Boltie, which may actually be the most shocking exit of a character in superhero movie history. Super sticks with you.
Stream Super on Philo.
6) Hellboy
They have tried to reboot Hellboy a few times without Guillermo del Toro and Ron Perlman, most recently with Hellboy: The Crooked Man. And the simple truth is they were the best team for the gig, and while they nailed it twice this was never going to be a property that pulled in MCU numbers. Mike Mignola’s source material simply doesn’t have the tone of something that attracts massive audiences.
Hellboy and Hellboy II: The Golden Army both even lighten the tone of the comics a bit but still didn’t sell the tickets to guarantee a trilogy. It’s a shame because they have an appeal even to those unfamiliar with Mignola’s work. The same definitely cannot be said of the misguided and dour 2019 film starring David Harbour, in spite of the Violent Night star’s best efforts.
Stream Hellboy on HBO Max.
7) The Crow
In this nostalgia-fueled reboot-focused time we’re currently living in, just about everything is being dug up and given a fresh coat of paint. Sometimes though things are best left as products of their time. For instance, The Crow, and in spite of the cast and crew’s best efforts, the ’90s film’s director, Alex Proyas’ accusation that the remake was a “Cynical cash-grab” was stone cold correct.
Proyas’ adaptation of the Caliber Press comics is a visually stunning, emotionally moving gothic masterwork. It’s also perfectly-cast, with the late Brandon Lee breaking hearts in the lead role of undead rocker Eric Draven, Michael Wincott conveying ice for blood as Top Dollar, and Tony Todd proving to be a formidable presence as Tod Dollar’s right-hand man, Grange. Not to mention, if ever there were an example of a film where the central theme of loss is amplified by a real-world behind-the-scenes tragedy, it’s this one.
8) Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem
Plenty of people have a soft spot for the 1990 live-action version, but Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem is the best adaptation of Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird’s creation. Not because it’s accurate to the tone, but rather because it’s just so fun (and beautifully animated).
Mutant Mayhem is energetic, action-packed, and loaded with comedic beats that work for kids and adults. 2007’s TMNT was a valid attempt to bring the Turtles to animated life on the big screen, but it pales in comparison to this star-studded 2023 film.
Stream Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem on Prime Video.
9) Chronicle
An underrated superhero movie that should have started a franchise, Chronicle was an impressive directorial debut for Josh Trank. Unfortunately, his sophomore film, The Fantastic Four, pretty much ensured he’ll never touch the subgenre again.
What works about Chronicle is its attention to character over any desire to show off big set-pieces. When the action really does start going down towards the end, we understand why the villain is acting the way he is and, to a degree, we fell for him. He crosses too many boundaries to be fully deserving of our empathy, but we see how he got there.
Stream Chronicle on HBO Max.
10) The Old Guard
While it’s debatable whether The Old Guard should have started a trilogy, given the quality of its first sequel, the first one is still a fairly well-written and energetic Netflix original. Not to mention, it was great to finally see Charlize Theron in a bonafide comic book movie after the more comedic original film Hancock and the spy graphic novel adaptation Atomic Blonde (she made her MCU debut two years later in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness).
One thing that really helps The Old Guard is its being written by one of the comics’ creators, Greg Rucka. He understands the characters better than anyone and, by the end of the runtime, we get a terrific sense of who all these immortal soldiers are.
Stream The Old Guard on Netflix.
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