There has been no finer decade for superhero movies than the 2010s, thanks to the rise of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, some strong DC releases, original ideas, and adaptations of less iconic comics. We had more releases in the genre than ever, and the quality improved significantly over past eras.
Each year of the 2010s was filled with some memorable superhero films. They include team-up projects that were huge blockbusters, the first appearance on the big screen for iconic comic book characters, or new iterations of characters previously seen on film. That makes finding the best superhero movie from each year a tall task.
2010: Kick-Ass
The MCU hadn’t fully taken off by the time the decade started, so 2010 isn’t as filled with superhero movies as other years. That means there isn’t much competition for the year’s best. James Gunn’s Super, Iron Man 2, and The Losers were all in contention but don’t quite come out as the winner.
That honor actually goes to Kick-Ass, an adaptation of Mark Millar and John Romita Jr.’s comic of the same name. This film was directed by Matthew Vaughn and let the world know that he was a filmmaker who could deliver stylish action, which he’d do in several later projects.
Kick-Ass follows the titular vigilante, who fights crime after an accident gives him an incredibly high pain tolerance. The movie boasts a strong cast of Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Nicolas Cage, and a scene-stealing Chloë Grace Moretz, to name a few. The comedy and action work equally well, creating one of the best superhero movies ever made.
2011: X-Men: First Class
2011 was a bigger year for superhero movies as the MCU put out both Captain America: The First Avenger and Thor, while DC’s Batman: Year One animated film is a hidden gem. Unfortunately, other releases like Green Lantern, The Green Hornet, and Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance missed the mark.
The best superhero film of 2011 is X-Men: First Class, the second straight winner directed by Matthew Vaughn. After the initial X-Men trilogy ended on a down note and the Wolverine spin-off was hated, the franchise looked dead. X-Men: First Class changed that by going down a totally different route.
X-Men: First Class takes place back in the ’60s, telling the origins of Professor X, Magneto, Mystique, and others who went on to be part of the X-Men franchise. The film was met with widespread acclaim for the talented cast, fresh take on the characters, action sequences, and the ’60s setting.
2012: The Avengers
At the time, there was never a bigger year for superhero movies than 2012. For starters, The Amazing Spider-Man gave us a new look at a wildly popular superhero while The Dark Knight Rises concluded Christopher Nolan’s blockbuster Batman trilogy. Animation also had strong films like Superman vs. The Elite and The Dark Knight Returns Part 1.
Of course, it’s next to impossible to beat The Avengers. The highly anticipated movie was the culmination of everything the MCU had done to that point, bringing more heroes to share the screen than ever before as Iron Man, Cap, Thor, Hulk, Black Widow, and Hawkeye, came together to stop Loki and an alien invasion.
The Avengers was a massive hit that was well-received by critics while grossing more than $1 billion at the box office. It was the biggest superhero movie ever made to that point and while some of the sequels managed to best it, 2012 remains the year of The Avengers.
2013: Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Part 2
The toughest year to pick out the best superhero movie is 2013. The DCEU began with Henry Cavill’s Superman debut in Man of Steel, while Iron Man 3 is quietly the peak of that MCU trilogy. The Wolverine was an improved sequel as well, while Thor: The Dark World and Kick-Ass are decent enough.
However, we must look to the DC Animated Universe for the highlight in Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Part 2. Following how strong the first installment is, the second ups the ante and wraps up the story in satisfying fashion.
An adaptation of the comic story of the same name, The Dark Knight Returns Part 2 takes place in the ’80s and sees the Joker come back for one more showdown with Batman, while the government tasks Superman with stopping Batman’s vigilante work. It all comes together for a fantastic adventure movie with an impressive visual style.
2014: Captain America: The Winter Soldier
2014 was a big year for superhero movies. The Amazing Spider-Man 2 and X-Men: Days of Future Past were major sequels that continued Marvel’s box office success, while Big Hero 6 was Walt Disney Animation Studios’ first superhero film and is one of their best movies ever.
It comes down to the MCU’s Guardians of the Galaxy debut and Captain America: The Winter Soldier, a tremendous sequel. The latter wins out as there are many people who still consider Captain America: The Winter Soldier to be the best MCU movie ever made.
Captain America: The Winter Soldier works as a high-octane superhero flick and a throwback to political thrillers of the ’70s. Chris Evans is at his best, Falcon and Winter Soldier are brought into the larger picture, and this is an endlessly rewatchable film.
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2015: Ant-Man
2015 was a surprisingly down year for superhero movies. Fantastic Four was a massive failure and DC’s animated releases were solid, yet unspectacular. Avengers: Age of Ultron was the year’s biggest superhero film, yet it’s still somewhat disappointing compared to what came before and after.
That means Ant-Man, the year’s