Despite constant talk of "superhero fatigue" setting in, comic book-based films are arguably more popular than ever and continue to rake in obscene amounts of cash at the box office. This past decade, in particular, has seen several major studio blockbusters join the illustrious billion dollar club.
Of course, BO success is not always an indication of quality, and plenty of smaller projects flew under the radar. For that reason, we're not just focusing on the big Marvel and DC movies for this list, but every film based on a comic book or graphic novel - superhero or otherwise - released from 2010 to 2019.
With so many excellent CBMs hitting the big screen over the past ten years this was not an easy list to narrow down, and quite a few just missed that #10 spot.
Have a read through by clicking the view or next page button below, and be sure to share your own top 10 lists with us in the comments.
Simply click on the VIEW LIST (ONE PAGE) button below!
X-Men: Days of Future Past
First Class was a damn good time, but for me,
DOFP just clinched the #10 spot.
With
Days Of Future Past, Bryan Singer returned to the genre he helped define (he's a controversial figure these days, but facts are facts), and arguably delivered the strongest entry in the X-franchise to date. Matthew Vaughn did do a fine job with
First Class, and while
DOFP works as a direct continuation, it also manages to bridge the gap between the earlier films in a way that pleased most fans of the franchise.
If you were never high on Fox's X-movies then this probably didn't do much to sway you, but if you were already invested I think you'll agree that this (loose) adaptation of the classic comic book storyline was something special.
Powerful, funny, exciting, and signifying a new beginning for the younger cast (okay, that didn't work out so well, but still) while serving as a fitting swansong for some of the originals,
Days of Future Past would wind up being the last great
X-Men entry under the Fox banner.
Blue is The Warmest Color
You'll probably be surprised to see this here, but Abdel Kechiche
Blue is the Warmest Color is indeed based on a graphic novel by Julie Maroh. It's also one of the most profound, poignant meditations on love and loss you're ever likely to see.
With a pair of fearlessly raw performances from Léa Seydoux and Adèle Exarchopoulos at its core,
BITWC charts the relationship of two women from their early high-school years to adulthood, as they grow together and ultimately fall apart.
It's a truly astonishing piece of cinema on many levels, and if you're willing to give a very different sort of comic book adaptation a go (and you have three hours to spare!), please seek it out.
Black Panther
The only superhero movie in history to be nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards, and with good reason.
Right from the get-go,
Black Panther sets out to establish itself as something a little different from the movies we're used to seeing in the MCU. In some ways it is very much a Marvel Studios film (in the case of the overly CGI-infused climax, to its detriment), but for the most part, BP is not interested in sticking to the formula, and is not shy about admitting that it has something to say. Yes, the movie does get political - but because the message is so integral to the plot and the characters' motivations, it feels organic and never comes across like it's being overly preachy.
Overrated? Not in my book. Slight pacing issues early on and some video game-y FX aside, Ryan Coogler's exciting, powerful and thought-provoking film remains one of Marvel Studios' strongest entries.
Man of Steel
Highly divisive upon its release and panned by many critics,
Man of Steel is now considered to be a seriously underrated movie by many fans.
Zack Snyder's take on the iconic DC hero was widely criticized for being too "grimdark," but look beyond the visual aesthetics and more somber tone (when compared to the Richard Donner movies, at least) and the brighter themes most closely associated with the character do shine through. The movie also features some incredible action sequences, a career-best performance from Henry Cavill in the lead, and a stunning score from Hans Zimmer.
There are some problems, but, for the most part, Snyder succeeded in rebooting Superman for the modern era, and laid the groundwork for Warner Bros.' shared DC movie universe. Granted, things didn't quite work out moving forward - but
Man of Steel was a fine start.
Joker
All of the hullabaloo surrounding
Joker in the buildup to its release proved to be totally unfounded, but the movie still remains a controversial and highly divisive film. While I certainly understand some of the criticism that has been leveled at it, I believe Todd Philips'
Joker is a stunning achievement overall.
It is not an easy watch, there's no doubt about that. If you're looking for some comic book movie escapism this is not the movie for you. It's violent, disturbing, and pretty much unrelentingly bleak. But it's also a stunningly shot, haunting character piece with a mesmerizing score from Hildur Gudnadottir and a truly outstanding central performance.
It definitely won't be for everyone and one could argue that Phillips does revel in nihilism to some extent, but at the end of the day this is an R-rated origin story for one of the most deranged, murderous villains in fiction, and the film reflects that. It may not make you feel good, but it will make you feel something, and sometimes that's enough.
Guardians of the Galaxy
Guardians of the Galaxy may not be Marvel Studios'
best movie, but it might well be the most purely entertaining. James Gunn took a relatively obscure Marvel Comics team and made them a household name with a hugely enjoyable, frequently hilarious space-set adventure.
One of the main selling points is the terrific ensemble cast, who manage to make their motley crew of A-holes endearing... even if they don't seem particularly likable at first.
It is a little overstuffed and not all of the gags land, but with a movie so funny, exciting, heartfelt, and just brilliantly odd, those complaints fall into the nitpick category.
Snowpiercer
Based on the French graphic novel
Le Transperceneige, Korean director Bong Joon-ho's first English-language film is nothing short of a masterpiece.
Bolstered by an excellent ensemble cast (Chris Evans, Octavia Spencer and Tilda Swinton are the standouts),
Snowpiercer is a hugely ambitious, visually stunning and, ultimately, very moving futuristic epic.
It's pretty much unrelentingly bleak and there's not much levity to be found on the ice-cold locomotive as it races towards its inevitable destruction, but if you allow yourself to be absorbed into this frozen world and its desperate, but steadfastly heroic characters, you'll be rewarded with a truly unforgettable experience.
Avengers: Endgame
What is left to say about
Avengers: Endgame? The Russo Brothers' epic superhero ensemble succeeds as a culmination of a sprawling 22-movie saga, a love letter to those previous installments, and as a tribute to the characters we've been invested in for the past 11 years.
Perhaps the most impressive thing about the film is how well balanced it is. Genuinely hilarious scenes are followed by much darker (this one gets surprisingly violent at times), sometimes heartbreaking moments, but nothing ever comes across as being jarring or out of place. The three-hour runtime seemed excessive to some, but I really find it hard to imagine the movie being any shorter. Most blockbusters that get close to the 2 and a half/3 hour mark could stand to trim a little fat, but I honestly couldn't choose a single scene to cut from this.
Some prefer
Infinity War (which almost made this list), but for me,
Endgame is the stronger film, and easily the best live-action superhero movie of the decade.
Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse
Yes,
Into The Spider-Verse just clinched the #2 spot.
Sony's animated Spider-Man movie didn't come with particularly lofty expectations. In fact, many fans rolled their eyes at the very notion of it back when it was first announced because they desperately wanted Marvel Studios to regain full control of the character. Well, even the most hardcore MCU supporters changed their tune once they saw it.
The animation style takes a while to get used to, but once you do you'll become fully immersed in a stunningly realized world which simply wouldn't have had the same impact in live-action. The same can be said for the incredible action sequences, which, while plentiful, never come at the expense of a brilliantly developed story - one which goes to some surprisingly dark places at times.
It could have used a stronger villain (Sorry, Wilson), and it would have been nice to spend a bit more time with the supporting characters (more Noir next time please), but they're tiny nitpicks for what is an otherwise superb movie.
Spectacular, amazing, astonishing - whatever Spidey-related adjective you choose, it'll fit.
Logan
I did say
Avengers: Endgame was my top live-action superhero movies of the decade, but
Logan is not really a superhero movie. While its characters remain firmly routed in the comic book world, James Mangold's powerful, stunning film owes more to the Western genre than anything else.
Logan really isn't like any "superhero" movie that's come before it, and not just because of that much-discussed R-rated violence, but because, first and foremost, it's focused on telling a story that serves its characters, and not some shared cinematic universe or ongoing film franchise. Yes, there are exciting action scenes and set pieces, but they spring organically from the narrative and never feel like they were shoved in just in case the audience might be getting a bit bored by all the "talking stuff". The movie is not afraid to take its time and really let us live with these broken-down icons for a while, getting under their skin in ways we have never experienced before.
Jackman has never been better as the jaded former X-Man of the title, and his performance is something that really should have earned him every award going. We've seen him play Wolverine as the reluctant hero before, but here he genuinely doesn't give a damn about anything and just wants to be left in peace to drive his limo and save up enough cash to get him and the ailing Charles Xavier out on the ocean to live out their remaining days. He drinks, he swears, he kills, and he has definitely given up all hope of any kind of redemption. Then, a silent little girl comes along and forces him to acknowledge the fact that there might just be a bit of the old Wolverine left in him after all.
Logan presents us with a dark, devastating final journey for one of cinema's most enduring
comic book characters. Though it is undoubtedly bleak, there are also moments of much-needed humor, and ultimately a sense of hope resonates. It may not be a perfect film, but it is the perfect send-off for Jackman's Wolverine, and more than earned its place at the top of this list.