Summary
Since the late 2000s, the superhero genre has become more and more popular with each passing year. Despite some notorious bumps in the road, it managed to maintain its positive reputation all the way through the 2020s. Over the last five years, studios released a good number of high-quality superhero films that captivated the hearts of countless people and became modern classics.
Whether they’re from Marvel or DC, live-action or animated, the 2020s are already filled to the brim with excellent movies about superheroes. These films have resonated with audiences thanks to their solid writing, gripping storylines, loveable characters and thrilling action sequences. There are a lot to choose from, but only the following can be considered thebest superhero films of the decadeso far.
AfterAvengers: Endgame, Marvel Studios has been struggling to do something new and exciting.However,Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Ringsis a remarkable exception. It introduced a hero that most audiences were not familiar with, and yet, he instantly became a new fan favorite.
The story of Shang-Chi and his complicated relationship with his father, Xu Wenwu (AKA The Mandarin), is as emotional as it is intriguing, not to mention that both Simu Liu and Tony Leung gave two outstanding performances as this son-father duo. But the most memorable part ofShang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Ringsare its incredible action scenes, which have impeccable cinematography and choreography. This is basically a big-budget martial arts film disguised as a superhero movie, and fans have been begging for a sequel since 2021.
The cinematic history of theTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtleshas been complicated. Buttheir most recent feature film,Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, breathed new life into the IP. With a unique art style inspired by theSpider-Versefilms,Mutant Mayhemfeatures a fun and exciting story that’s full of well-made action sequences and well-written comedic scenes.
The highlight of this film is the flawless chemistry between the four turtles, Leonardo, Michelangelo, Donatello and Raphael, thanks to the improvisational dialogue that their four talented young voice actors came up with on the spot. This is one of the bestTMNTadaptations out there, and can be enjoyed even by people who are not familiar with the franchise.
After two solid films, the MCU’s incarnation of Spider-Man got to close off his own trilogy in 2021, with the release ofSpider-Man: No Way Home. Audiences get to see Peter Parker dealing with the fallout of Mysterio’s revelation inFar From Home, while also growing as both a hero and a regular person.
The entire movie takes a huge turn with the introduction of beloved villains from previousSpider-Mancinematic universes, like Alfred Molina’s Doctor Octopus, Willem Dafoe’s Green Goblin, and Jamie Foxx’s Electro. This turned an already fun movie into a huge, mind-blowing love letter to the entireSpider-Manfranchise. And it all concluded perfectly with an incredible final battle in which Tom Holland is joined by the two previous Spidey actors: Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield.Spider-Man: No Way Homeis not without its flaws, but it concludes MCU’s Peter Parker’s story in an emotional and satisfying way.
After a few underwhelming MCU releases, fans were not excited aboutThunderbolts*.But much to their surprise, they were proven wrong when the movie released in May 2025. Seeing a bunch of flawed and complex anti-heroes from previous projects trying to work together to overcome their personal problems and defeat a common enemy was surprisingly endearing. It’s also more of a self-contained story that doesn’t try too hard to connect to the larger scope of the MCU.
Thunderbolts*features the most interesting versions of all these characters, thanks to an excellent script and outstanding performances by talented actors. The film stars Florence Pugh as Yelena, Wyat Rusell as John Walker and, of course, Lewis Pullman as Bob/Sentry/The Void, who’s arguably the most likable character. When all the Thunderbolts are forcibly named The New Avengers at the very end, it feels like the film earned that moment.
2016’sSuicide Squadis considered one of the most disappointing superhero films ever made. Fortunately,James Gunn managed to right this wrong in 2021, with a fantastic sequel/reboot calledThe Suicide Squad. This proved how fun the DCEU can be in the hands of a filmmaker who knows what he’s doing.
Like he did with hisGuardians of the Galaxyfilms, Gunn took a bunch of C-List comic book characters and turned them into mainstream icons with the help of some high-quality writing and incredible performances.The Suicide Squadis brimming with its own unique style and a lot of exciting, violent action scenes. But at the end of the day, it’s a movie with a lot of heart that made people fall in love with these characters. This film was such a game-changer for DC and Warner Bros that James Gunn later became the chairman of the new DC Universe.
While Warner Bros was struggling to make the DCEU work, some of the other DC projects that had no connection were doing extremely well. These included2019’sJokerand, of course, 2022’sThe Batman. Christopher Nolan’sDark Knighttrilogy set the bar way too high for live-action adaptations of Batman, but director Matt Reeves succeeded in creating one of the best entries in the character’s cinematic history.
Getting to see a younger Bruce Wayne in his first years as Batman was refreshing and exciting. Robert Pattinson gave an impressive performance that cemented him as one of the best actors to ever take on the mantle of this legendary hero. Paul Dano is another major highlight of the movie, thanks to his modern reimagining of the Riddler. Despite its dark and grounded atmosphere,The Batmanstill has a surprising amount of optimism, and many comic book fans feel it’s the firstBatmanfilm that truly understands this character.
Back in 2018, Sony Pictures’Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Versebecame a modern classic. Fans had high expectations for its sequel, and when it came out in 2023, they were not disappointed.Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verseis everything a great sequel should strive to be: it’s bigger, better, more ambitious, and it expands on all the good ideas of the original film.
WhileInto the Spider-Versefocused on a bunch of multiversal Spider-people arriving in Miles Morales’ universe,Across the Spider-Versedoes the opposite and makes him travel to other Spider-Dimensions instead. This results in a beautifully animated adventure that changes art and animation styles depending on the universe the characters are currently in. And while this film is obviously hilarious and entertaining, it also does an excellent job at exploring what it means to be Spider-Man, making Miles’ character grow in unexpected ways. While it’s often criticized for its open ending, fans can’t wait to see how Miles’ tale will conclude in the upcomingBeyond the Spider-Verse.
After being fired and re-hired by Disney and Marvel Studios, plus having some of his characters get mishandled by other filmmakers,James Gunn returned to the MCU and finished off his trilogy withGuardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. At first, this movie seems surprisingly bleak. Starlord is unable to overcome Gamora’s death, and Rocket Raccoon almost dies at the hands of Adam Warlock. The story carries this depressing atmosphere through its entire run, especially when it tells Rocket’s emotional backstory.
Despite all this,Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3keeps the franchise’s signature lighthearted tone in a way that never feels obtrusive or annoying. Beautiful cinematography, hilarious comedy, exciting action sequences, and flawless character development: this movie has it all. By the end, every single Guardian gets a heartwarming and satisfying resolution to their personal stories. The undeniable quality ofGuardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3has cemented this trilogy as one of the best in the history of the superhero genre.
