I apologize to anyone born before 1978, because my list has a decidedly Generation X/”child of the 80’s” feel to it. To be more specific, if it happened before 1980, it’s probably not going to be on the list. And it’s not because earlier superhero films (e.g. Batman (1966) “were not worthy,” to para-quote Thor. It’s because I wasn’t around to see them!
With that generational disclaimer out of the way, without further adieu, here is my list of the six most influential comic book movies of all-time.
- Superman (1978). I wanted to start with a round number year like 1980 to get things started, but the year of 1978 will do for purposes here. It was the year that the best Superman big screen adaptation ever dropped! It was, and still is, the best Man of Steel that has ever hit the silver screen. The success of this big budget comic book movie set everything that we see today in motion. Its format has been replicated for years: an A-list cast; a big marketing budget, state-of-the-art special effects, and a nice balance between respect for the comic book source material and classic Hollywood cinema. Superman Returns (2006) was well-made but largely forgettable and the Man of Steel (2013) was ambitious but missed the mark. For my money, the late Christopher Reeve’s depiction of Clark Kent is still the best alter ego depiction in superhero movie history. And who can forget the score of all scores, The Main Theme from Superman, by the legendary John Williams! Its Legacy: It set the standard for the comic book movie genre as well as the superhero origin film sub-genre.
- Batman (1989). It took 11 years, but 1989 marked the year that the superhero origin film once again took Hollywood by storm! This blockbuster included a superstar cast, highlighted by Jack Nicholson’s
unforgettable and zany Joker/Jack Napier as well as Michael Keaton’s still underrated depiction of the Dark Knight.
Like Superman nearly a decade ago, Batman had a HUGE marketing budget, and similar to the Star Wars merchandising machine of the 80’s, leveraged relationships with fast food restaurants and all sorts of business and media outlets, to promote the film. And it worked like gang busters. It is very rare that a film with so much hype and hoopla lives up to its hype. But this film did. It not only proved that DC had the most popular comic book movie characters, but that the formula of: A-list actors, great marketing and promotion, cutting-edge special effects, and well-researched and vetted storytelling, still held true a decade after Superman was released. Its Legacy: It validated that the genre was once again viable and that super-villains held a very important role too. - Blade (1998). It’s funny. It seems like every 10 years or so, the comic book movie genre is turned on its head. The genre had been somewhat barren since the release of Tim Burton’s Batman (listed above) but Blade changed all of that. As I have stated previously, Blade is arguably the most underrated superhero movie of all-time. Partially because some people didn’t realize that it was based on a comic book, and partially due to the fact it included a little-known character (to non-comic book fans) in a genre (vampires) that most moviegoers don’t
readily associate with superheroes. But it was truly superb. Wesley Snipes’ pet project (he co-produced), buoyed by comic geek David Goyer’s tight script, proved that “B-list superheroes” had a market (something the Marvel Cinematic Universe would later take advantage of). If you think Blade is forgotten, think again, and look at your pay cable listings. It shows up consistently in heavy rotation. Its Legacy: It marked that first time that a Black superhero headlined a major comic book movie adaptation, and showed that lesser-known characters could produce box office fireworks when handled with a deft touch. - Batman Begins (2005). Seven years after Blade dropped, DC was back at it again, rebooting Batman. Initially, it was met with some trepidation by some (like me), who still viewed Michael Keaton as their Batman and Nicholson as their Joker. In addition, the trailers (which featured less Batman than expected) leading up to the film, had many fans, even more hesitant. But boy, were we wrong! Backed by the Nolan Brothers’ brilliant storytelling
and direction, buoyed by David Goyer’s script, and filled with a star-studded cast, including Christian Bale in the titular role, Michael Caine as his loyal butler Alfred, Morgan Freeman as his high-tech helper Lucius Fox, and Liam Neeson as the diabolical Rah-A-Ghoul, this film was the best superhero origin film since 1978’s Superman. And it laid a great blueprint for the next film on my list. Its Legacy: It showed that it is never too soon to reboot a popular superhero movie franchise, as long as the source material is properly honored, the casting is on point, and the studio is 100% behind the effort. - Iron Man (2008) aka the “Damn of the Marvel Cinematic Universe” (2008). In many ways, Iron Man was a lot like it’s “grounded” DC counterpart, Batman Begins (1998). It was a well-casted, well-directed superhero origins film, which featured a believable alter ego (Tony Stark) who despite his massive wealth
(like Bruce Wayne), was initially a reluctant hero. But like Batman, he finds his way and his purpose, and uses his wealth and ingenuity to become a conquering hero, out to vanquish evil. But better yet, Iron Man is a superhero that that we believe could actually exist based on the contemporary setting of the film and somewhat realistic scientific explanations for his “gifts.” But most importantly, Iron Man was the film that spawned the game-changing Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), arguably the greatest interconnected series of films in Hollywood history. Its Legacy: Its the most grounded, believable superhero movie ever. It also led to the birth of Marvel Studios and its subsequent dominance of the genre. - Deadpool (2016). The perfect blend of raunchy comedy, as seen in films like the Forty-Year Old Virgin, and over-the-top violence, reminiscent of a Robert Rodriguez or Quentin Tarantino film. Many people point to its R-rating as a seminal moment in the genre, but those people are forgetting that Blade was
rated-R too. The big difference is that Deadpool shattered winter box office records, while Blade was a surprise hit. The film also marked the resurrection of Ryan Reynolds’ career as well as validation that comic book movies weren’t just for children, families and sci-fi/geek types. Its legacy. It proved that R-rated comic book movies could do just as well as PG/PG-13 ones. Its impact has already been felt with a slew of more mature movies slated in the years to come.
