The superhero genre has taken over every aspect of pop culture in the past two decades, from movies, TV series, video games, and more: superheroes are everywhere. With so many superhero stories continuing to be created yearly, it becomes difficult to keep ideas fresh and provide a new spin on an already massive collection of content.

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Generally aimed at younger audiences, the superhero genre has managed to transcend age groups by offering darker and more mature stories geared toward adult audiences. Whether it's the over-the-top inappropriate humor of Deadpool to the more bloody and emotional journey of Logan, the superhero genre continues to excel in building its fanbase for all ages.

'Super' (2010) — 6.7

super

James Gunn is one of the best in the business when it comes to making enjoyable superhero movies. Though Gunn hit the mainstream with Guardians of the Galaxy, it wasn't his first crack at the superhero genre. Gunn's first "superhero" was Frank Darbo, aka Crimson Bolt (Rainn Wilson) from Super.

Super is Gunn's morally ambiguous black comedy superhero flick about a regular guy who loses his wife to drug dealers and decides to take justice into his own hands. Super is violent, humorous, and often disturbing, which both praises and pokes fun at the superhero genre. It's an odd movie but enjoyable, given its excellent cast, including Liv Tyler, Elliot Page, and Kevin Bacon.

'Blade' (1998) — 7.1

Wesley Snipes as Blade in Blade
Image via New Line Cinema

Marvel Studios wasn't the media giant it is today in the '90s. The studio even considered selling character rights to different companies because the business had gotten so bad. Things changed after Blade was released. The success of this R-rated, blood-spewing, vampire-slaying flick was the first film under Marvel Studios and helped pave the way for future Marvel movies.

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The "daywalking" vampire slayer, Blade (Wesley Snipes), is on a mission: eradicate all the vampires in the world. When Blade and his mentor, Whistler (Kris Kristofferson), take in a woman bitten by vampires, they face a group of bloodsuckers who plan to take over the world.

'The Suicide Squad' (2021) — 7.2

Pola-Dot Man, Peacemaker, Bloodsport, and Ratcatcher 2 in 'The Suicide Squad'

Like the first one, The Suicide Squad follows a team of supervillains who are forced to work together to clean up Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) and her task force's messes. Led by the chaotic Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie) and the grim killer Bloodsport (Idris Elba), the Suicide Squad infiltrates a small island to capture the Thinker.

If the first Suicide Squad was everything not to do in an R-rated villain team-up movie, then The Suicide Squad is everything you should do. It's funny, exciting, violent, over-the-top, and just plain fun. Put in the hands of the masterful James Gunn, The Suicide Squad sequel managed to redeem itself from its messy predecessor.

'Kick-Ass' (2010) — 7.6

kick-ass

Kick-Ass follows wimpy high schooler Dave (Aaron Taylor Johnson), who decides to dress up as a superhero and fight crime one day. What soon ensues is a hilariously chaotic ride of bloody violence, vengeful vigilantes, and ruthless mobsters.

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Kick-Ass brings a fresh view to the superhero genre begging the question of what would it be like for a normal person in real life to become a "superhero"? Well, in Kick-Ass's case, they'd get their ass kicked. A lot. But they'd also stand up for what's right even in the face of death and do what no one else had the guts to do. Be a hero.

'Watchmen' (2009) — 7.6

The Watchmen under the rain in a promo image for the 2008 movie Watchmen.
Image via Warner Bros. Pictures

Zach Synder's Watchmen took the superhero genre, stripped away the glitz and glamour of the caped crusaders, and exposed a darker, more human element to these troubled heroes. When the murder of a fellow superhero occurs, Rorschach (Jackie Earle Haley) launches his own investigation leading him to a terrible truth.

Watchmen is one of the first superhero movies to push the boundaries regarding mature content. Given its acclaim and handling of dark subject matter, Watchmen helped pave the way for more mature superhero storytelling.

'Deadpool 2' (2018) — 7.7

Deadpool and X Force about to jump from a plane in Deadpool 2.

The Merc with a Mouth is back and more raunchy than ever. Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds) assembles a team of rogue mutants to help protect a foul-mouthed young boy who's mysteriously connected to a doomed future. Hot on the kid's trail is time-traveling cyborg Cable (Josh Brolin), who will stop at nothing to catch this kid, even if it means getting annoyed the crap out of by Deadpool.

Deadpool 2 doubles down on the wackiness and murderous mayhem of the first one. Having a larger budget this time allows for some great cameos, better CGI, hilarious fourth-wall breaks, and larger fight sequences. Ryan Reynolds, as always, is excellent as Deadpool, but Josh Brolin's Cable shines the most in this action-packed sequel.

'Zach Synder's The Justice League' (2021) — 8.0

justice league

Fans have demanded it for years. After countless pleas and hashtags, Zach Snyder's four-hour-long cut of the Justice League was finally released on HBO in all its CGI-infused glory, and boy, did it not disappoint.

Restructuring the entire plot of the original Joss Whedon cut, the Snyder Cut improves on every aspect. From character designs to overall plot and character development. Being the length of two movies, it does linger with its pace at times, but Snyder creates such a fun atmosphere that you'll want to stay even longer.

'Deadpool' (2016) — 8.0

Deadpool standing on the freeway holding a gun.

Fans had been waiting for a Deadpool film since the iconic Merc with a Mouth blew up the comic world in the '90s. After a not-so-well-received debut in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Ryan Reynolds set out to make a film that stays true to the character and provides fans with what they want. And Deadpool did just that.

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After being the test subject for a shady experiment to cure his cancer, a wise-cracking mercenary gains the power of accelerated healing. The experiment leaves Wade a disfigured monster whose body is constantly dying and re-healing itself. Wade then dons the name Deadpool and sets out on a hilarious path of revenge and mayhem, looking for the man who betrayed him. FRANCIS!

'Logan' (2017) — 8.1

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Logan is a special movie. Not only did it provide an excellent farewell to a beloved character and the actor who played him (Hugh Jackman), but it also kept things fresh while staying true to the character's origins. With an R-rating, Logan doesn't hold back when it comes to the violence, but it also allows for a more human story about fatherhood as well.

Logan has been in hiding for years as mutants slowly die out. Along with his old mentor, Charles Xavier (Patrick Stewart), the two discover that Logan has a clone in the form of an angry, ten-year-old girl (Dafne Keen). The three must then travel across America to find refuge while being chased by an evil organization linked to Logan's past.

'Joker' (2019) — 8.4

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Joker has achieved many accomplishments since its release. Being the highest-grossing R-rated movie of all time (behind two other superhero films: Deadpool and Deadpool 2) and even landed Joaquin Phoenix an Oscar for Best Actor, something not heard of too often in the superhero world. Given its major success, it's even getting a sequel starring Lady Gaga as the troublesome Harley Quinn.

Joker plays like a Martin Scorsese film, and its works wonderfully. Phoenix demands your attention in every scene as he plays the sad, tortured Arthur Fleck. With its ambiguous storytelling, incredible cinematography, and outstanding acting, it's no shock to see Joker as one of the best "superhero" movies of all time.

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