Ever since truly breaking out and reaching new ground in the 2000s, superhero movies have become all the rage in Hollywood, and the genre keeps getting better and evolving with each new installment. At this point, it is safe to say that Marvel is comfortably in the lead, and DC has some things to fix before they can contend on a regular basis. However, the company has some amazing storylines that could help their films close that gap into contention.
We have seen superhero movies make gigantic wads of cash in recent years, but this was not always the case. There were some rough patches, and even now, some films stumble out of the gate. Though the films on this list all hit blockbuster status, there are still some older ones that deserve a watch by younger fans.
Today, we are going to focus on the biggest superhero movie blockbusters of all time! All box officer numbers on this list are derived from Box Office Mojo.
15 Spider-Man 3 Was The Final Installment In The Original Trilogy - $894 Million
While it may be considered the weakest film in the original trilogy, Spider-Man 3 was still a success at the box office. The film did have some great visuals, and the hype from the first two films alone was more than enough to get people on board to see the conclusion of the trilogy.
14 The Dark Knight Is Considered By Many To Be One Of The Best Movies Of The 2000s - $1.0 Billion
The Dark Knight was a masterpiece of a film, and it was such a smash hit that most people tend to forget that Iron Man came out the same year. This movie had it all, including a performance from Heath Ledger that wound up netting him a posthumous Academy Award.
13 Joker Saw Joaquin Phoenix Take Home An Oscar For His Performance - $1.07 Billion
The hype for the film Joker was at a fever pitch just before the film hit theaters, and fans were ready to see DC unleash something dark and memorable. Fans were treated to a sinister film that showcased the Clown Prince of Crime at his best. Joaquin Phoenix took home an Oscar for his performance.
12 The Dark Knight Rises Was Batman's Last Stand To Save Gotham City - $1.08 Billion
Something tells us that Batman tends to make big money whenever he is at the box office. The Dark Knight Rises had the distinct pleasure of following up a massive box office blockbuster, and it capitalized in a hurry. It was not as good as The Dark Knight, but it still made a fortune.
11 Captain Marvel Showed The Female Heroes Can Reach The Billion-Dollar Mark - $1.12 Billion
The MCU has no shortage of huge films, but seeing a solo film hit the billion-dollar mark was well above even the wildest expectations. Captain Marvel was riding the MCU wave when it debuted in theaters, and it cashed in on its strong lead and tie-in to the impending end of the Infinity Saga.
10 Spider-Man: Far From Home Was A Return To Form For Spidey - $1.13 Billion
Spider-Man tends to sell tickets at the box office, and despite there being a few iterations over the years, Spidey always gets it done. Spider-Man: Far From Home came out on the heels of Avengers: Endgame breaking records, and it was able to haul in fans and cross the billion-dollar mark.
9 Aquaman Helped Launch The DCEU Into The Stratosphere - $1.14 Billion
The DCEU has had a weird go of things in the mainstream, but Aquaman was determined to take things to another level. Jason Momoa turned out to be the perfect casting choice here, and the film’s gargantuan haul at the box office gave DC fans hope that better days were around the corner.
8 Captain America: Civil War Pit Our Favorite Heroes Against One Another - $1.15 Billion
After tension built for several films, the MCU's two biggest heroes were pitted against one another in Captain America: Civil War. The MCU used the source material to its advantage and gave way to one of the most spectacular MCU films to date. The airport fight scene alone makes this worth the watch.
7 Iron Man 3 Was Tony's Final Solo Film In The MCU - $1.21 Billion
Iron Man was the hero that started it all in the MCU, and his trilogy was capped off with this billion-dollar blockbuster. Iron Man 3 may have completely misused the Mandarin character, but the pure spectacle of the film’s finale made this a satisfying conclusion to Tony Stark’s personal trilogy.
6 Incredibles 2 Was Pixar's Way Of Taking Over The Superhero Genre And Raising The Bar - $1.24 Billion
After The Incredibles become a monster hit for Disney and Pixar, it seemed like a sequel would be right around the corner. 14 years later, fans finally got to see the next chapter in the overall story. This anticipation helped The Incredibles 2 become a blockbuster hit that was every bit as good as the first installment.
5 Black Panther Was A Cultural Event That Took The World By Storm - $1.3 Billion
Black Panther made his debut in the film Captain America: Civil War, meaning that he was exposed to a massive audience from the jump. Once his debut film was rolled out across the globe, fans gladly showed up to support the ruler and protector of Wakanda. It was much more than just another superhero film.
4 Avengers: Age Of Ultron Brought New Avengers Into The Fold And Conquered The Box Office - $1.4 Billion
Avengers: Age of Ultron was looking to up the ante from its predecessor, and the events from this film would play a huge role in the MCU moving forward. Not only did we finally see Ultron come to life, but Vision, Scarlet Witch, Falcon, and War Machine all became Avengers.
3 The Avengers Was The First Superhero Film To Have Our Favorite Heroes Fight Together - $1.5 Billion
After cranking out several films and starting a cinematic universe, all the stars aligned for The Avengers to make its theatrical debut. This film was loved by all and it made a fortune in a hurry. It helped raise the bar for superhero films and it helped the MCU reach a new plateau.
2 Avengers: Infinity War Set The Stage For The Ultimate Big Screen Climax - $2.0 Billion
The MCU has taken some knocks for being relatively light, but these knocks were soon quieted when Avengers: Infinity War was released into theaters. This was the film that saw the Avengers and the Guardians of the Galaxy both lose, and for the first time, our heroes fell to the ultimate evil.
1 Avengers: Endgame Is The Highest-Grossing Film Of All Time And A True Game Changer - $2.7 Billion
After a massive cliffhanger and a year’s worth of hype, Avengers: Endgame burst into theaters and shattered records in a hurry, according to Forbes. This was the culmination of a decade’s worth of a work and over 20 films, and once the dust had finally settled, Marvel was responsible for the biggest film of all time.