Superhero movies have become an established genre that has been defining the movie-going experience in the early parts of the 21st century. With comic book juggernauts DC and Marvel as the key players, the genre has evolved to have set tropes and rules which have defined how these stories are told. Staples include relatable lead characters grappling with the extent of their powers and responsibilities, rapid-paced storytelling, huge action set pieces in metropolitan areas, and, typically, the good guys saving the day.

But what about when these rules are broken? While working in the superhero genre, these movies often circumvent the rules associated with them. The best of these rule-breaking movies not only defy the genre but expand it to discover new understandings of what superhero films can be.

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I’m Vengeance — 'The Batman' (2022)

Robert Pattinson in The Batman

Embracing its slow uncovering of political corruption, The Batman abandons the rapid pace and bubbly tone which have become conventions of the genre. In fact, Matt Reeves’ haunting image of Gotham City feels more suited to the shadowy backstreets of neo-noir rather than superhero action.

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This stark difference has seen the film become a huge critical and commercial success earning praise for its storytelling and grittier, real-world feel–it's one of the best DC movies to date. Paul Dano’s Riddler is a hauntingly modern take on the classic villain while Robert Pattinson offers fans a dark portrayal of Batman, one which does not struggle with morals or responsibility. Fans can stream Matt Reeves' The Batman on HBO Max.

Shut Up, Crime — 'Super' (2010)

Rainn Wilson as The Crimson Bolt in Super

Jarringly violent, confronting on every level, and disturbingly comical, Super is an uncompromising onslaught upon the genre it exists within. Not content with breaking the rules, director James Gunn obliterates them as Frank Darbo (Rainn Wilson) becomes the Crimson Bolt after his wife (Liv Tyler) leaves him for a drug dealer (Kevin Bacon).

Starting out with good intentions, Frank soon responds to any immoral activity (even cutting in line) with extreme violence and his trusty pipe wrench. His sidekick Boltie (Elliot Page) is even more twisted, as both pose a fascinating, blood-splattered challenge to the moral line of vigilantism within the superhero genre.

Power. Grace. Wisdom. Wonder. — 'Wonder Woman' (2017)

Gal Gadot gets ready to fight in Wonder Woman

Escaping modern-day metropolitan environments, Wonder Woman dazzled as a World War One-set action film that showed a delicate tenderness for the events it was depicting. Strong in her convictions, it was refreshing to see a superhero whose moral code wasn’t explored through hesitancy or self-doubt, but through determination and action.

A thrilling departure from the DCEU’s stringent adherence to superhero norms, Patty Jenkins used her license to experiment with tone, pace, character, and moments of gravitas to set the film apart from others in the genre. In the eyes of many, Wonder Woman is still the franchise’s best picture and stands apart due to its uniqueness.

He’s a Friend From Work — 'Thor: Ragnarok' (2017)

Hulk, Thor, Valkyrie, and Loki on the rainbow bridge

A superhero film doesn’t need to be dark and moody to subvert the genre’s norms, something Taika Waititi proved to the delight of audiences around the world. While Marvel movies had always featured quippy one-liners and moments of humor, they had never actively set up and delivered jokes as Waititi does with aplomb.

A dramatic tonal shift for the MCU, it emphasizes the director’s trademark quirkiness and substitutes tension for laughs. The refreshing take on the franchise rejuvenated the MCU for many casual moviegoers and stands as a beloved favorite for Marvel diehards.

With No Power Comes No Responsibility — 'Kick-Ass' (2010)

Kick Ass Masks Up

As well as escapism, superhero films enable audiences the opportunity to fantasize, a point brilliantly flipped on its head in Matthew Vaughn's Kick-Ass. Based on the comic book by Mark Millar, it focuses on an unexceptional teenager (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) who decides to become a superhero despite having no powers, talents, or obvious motivation.

While the film’s progression isn’t a huge departure from superhero movie tropes, the brand of action and the supporting characters are. The fighting is bloody and violent with a cartoonish aesthetic while the 10-year-old sidekick, Hit-Girl (Chloë Grace Moretz), is a shock, to say the least. Part loving ode to superhero tales, part parody of them, Kick-Ass breaks plenty of rules to be an energetic, perverse subversion of the genre.

Wakanda Forever — 'Black Panther' (2018)

T'Challa holding his arms out

When it comes to the traditional superhero film, no one is as reliable to deliver on the tropes as Marvel. The 18th film in the MCU, Black Panther strayed away from the series’ primarily American conflicts and shifted its focus to the fictional African nation Wakanda, a technologically advanced country hidden from the gaze of the outside world.

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With the geographic move, the thematic overtones changed significantly as well, with a timely focus on the experiences of Black people in America, in Africa, and around the world. Chadwick Boseman commanded the screen as the new king of his land, but it was Michael B. Jordan as the villain who truly raised the bar for Marvel. A sympathetic, understandable antagonist, Killmonger blurred the lines between right and wrong in a way superhero movies rarely get the opportunity to do.

Tonight, A Comedian Died in New York — 'Watchmen' (2009)

Rorschach in action in Watchmen (2009)

Based on Alan Moore’s comic book, Watchmen is a dark deconstruction of the traditional superhero tale. Set in an alternative 1980s where superhero squads have been outlawed and the world is on the brink of nuclear war, the film follows a rogue superhero’s quest for answers surrounding the murder of a former colleague.

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Gritty, violent, and visually astounding, Zack Snyder’s superhero debut strives to match its source material as a deep contemplation on right and wrong and the moral responsibilities of people with power. The winding epic may not encapsulate everything from Moore’s book perfectly, but it delivers a pulpy alternative to what a superhero blockbuster can be.

Logan, You Still Have A Name — 'Logan' (2017)

Hugh Jackman and Dafne Keen in Logan

There is breaking the rules of a genre, then there’s belonging to another genre entirely. The final installment from Hugh Jackman as Wolverine was heavily inspired by classics of the American Westerns from the 60s and dared to be a ground-breaking change to the X-Men series.

The film features a wounded hero reluctant to help the world around him, a villain targeting children, the consequences of Charles Xavier’s (Sir Patrick Stewart) dwindling mental health, and a road trip across a near-future America. It’s not exactly a routine superhero movie, but it was one of the most impactful — and memorable — films of the genre.

Time to Make the Chimi-F--king-Changas — 'Deadpool' (2016)

Ryan Reynolds in Deadpool

Some superhero movies subvert the genre’s tropes with blood, violence, and profanity. Others, with laugh-out-loud comedy and light mockery of themselves. Deadpool excelled by doing both, completely re-imagining what a superhero action flick could look like.

Ryan Reynolds’ perfect portrayal of the titular character immersed audiences in a ridiculous world of madness which struck a beautiful balance between action and comedy. With fourth wall breaks, foul language, a colorful array of immoral side characters, and a resounding main plot of love and vengeance, Deadpool manages to twist fans’ understanding of superhero movies in every way possible.

Why So Serious? — 'The Dark Knight' (2008)

The Dark Knight

Still viewed by many as the greatest superhero film ever made, The Dark Knight runs more as a crime thriller that glues audiences to their seats with unrelenting momentum and tension. Heath Ledger’s iconic performance as the Joker injected the superhero genre with a raw unpredictability which shattered moviegoers’ ability to gauge where the story was heading.

With shocking character deaths, Harvey Dent’s (Aaron Eckhart) spiral from hero to villain, and citizens of Gotham being turned against each other, the Joker’s anarchistic terrorist plot was a heart-pounding departure from genre conventions. Even the ending, with Batman (Christian Bale) sacrificing his reputation for the sake of Gotham City, abandons a huge climactic battle and the hero’s triumph for a perfectly compromised conclusion.

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