10 Greatest Superhero Movies Nobody Talks About, Ranked

Image via Buena Vista Pictures Published Sep 12, 2026, 10:28 AM EDT Eddie Possehl is a dynamic and driven writer/director with a passion for the written word and all things film, television, comics, and games. His passion for storytelling led him to establish his own production company in hopes of achieving his dreams. His dedication to his craft has attracted renowned talent like Yuri Lowenthal to collaborate with him on his projects. As he grows and improves, Eddie is a shining example of a self-starter. Sign in to your Collider account One would need to be living under a rock not to notice that the superhero genre has absolutely taken over Hollywood in the last few decades. This fact has led to a surplus of superhero films over the years, but not every single one of them can be a Spider-Man or Iron Man kind of movie when it comes to success. That doesn't mean that they're not as good, however, as there are plenty of seemingly forgotten superhero flicks that are actually excellent. With movies like Avengers: Endgame and Spider-Man: Far From Home making billions at the box office, it's only a given that other movies would fall to the wayside in comparison. Movies can't be talked about all over the planet without distracting from others. What are these movies, though? For one, they're certainly worth giving a watch, even many years later. Which are the best to check out, though? 10 'Hancock' (2008) Image via Sony Pictures Releasing Before his infamous Oscar win, Will Smith was super-slapping people all around the world in Hancock, where he plays a drunkard superhero who often causes more trouble than he solves. Long before projects like The Boys and Invincible, Hancock came on the scene, taking advantage of the "brutal superhero" trope. What's interesting about Hancock is that, while it has rough-around-the-edges reviews, there is a plethora of good in it. Somehow, the movie goes from awesome to bad in the span of a few minutes. The first half of the movie is genuinely really good, unique, and unlike anything being released in 2008. When the second half hits, though, the plot takes a hard right turn and ruins itself completely. It really should be talked about more, though, as the movie that comes through that first half is actually awesome, and it sucks that those great ideas and moments suffer because of the other half that follows. 9 'Sky High' (2005) Image via Buena Vista Pictures Coming completely out of left field, Sky High engrossed kids all over the planet when it was released in 2005. It's easily one of the best and most underrated Disney movies and doesn't nearly get the kind of recognition that it deserves. Following Will Stronghold (Michael Angarano), the son of two of the world's greatest superheroes, Sky High becomes a coming-of-age story as he tries to survive the trials of high school... without superpowers. Director Mike Mitchell, better known nowadays as the director of both Shrek Forever After and The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part, stepped onto set and clearly had a ton of fun making this film. It has a certain whimsy and charm to it that makes it a joy to watch. It still suffers from the typical high school movie tropes, but it's made so much better because of the cast (featuring the one and only Bruce Campbell) and the direction Mike Mitchell decided to bring the story. 8 'The Rocketeer' (1991) Image via Buena Vista Pictures Everyone loves to see a superhero fighting some Nazis, and while audiences are used to seeing this through the Captain America franchise, there's an iconic 1991 movie that isn't a Marvel or DC property that has fun doing the same thing. The Rocketeer is a great movie that flew under the radar for decades and deserves more praise sung for it. It's always been difficult to stand out among the "Big Two" (Marvel and DC), so the fact that The Rocketeer didn't take off into the skies like it should have isn't too out of left field. It also had to compete with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: Secret of the Ooze, which was already an established franchise. At the end of the day, though, The Rocketeer is still a good watch, even 34 years later. Does it get a bit campy at times? Yes, but it honestly adds more charm than it takes away from anything. With the world taken over by the Big Two at the moment, this may just be the film to be one's breath of fresh air on a weekend night. 7 'Darkman' (1990) Image via Universal Pictures Many may not know that Sam Raimi's iconic Spider-Man trilogy is not his first time directing a superhero. However, just a year before The Rocketeer, Sam Raimi ventured into the superhero film space for the first time with his dark, horror-inspired superhero movie, Darkman. This 1990 movie feels like a monster film meets superhero cinema, which helps it be incredibly unique for the genre. Starring Liam Neeson, Bruce Campbell (of course, it's a Sam Raimi movie), Frances McDormand, and many more, Darkman is a thrilling watch, even today. Sam Raimi's directing style is at full force here, and the practices he would come to use in the Spider-Man trilogy are found in Darkman, which makes it a fun watch outside the great story. Collider Exclusive · Marvel Personality Quiz Which MCU Hero Are You? Spider-Man · Daredevil · Iron Man · Punisher · Thor · Cap Six heroes. One destiny. Answer 10 questions to discover which Marvel Cinematic Universe hero shares your personality, values, and fighting spirit. Will you swing, fly, or thunder your way to glory? 🕷️Spider-Man 😈Daredevil 🤖Iron Man 💀Punisher ⚡Thor 🛡️Cap FIND YOUR HERO → 01 What drives you to do what's right? Choose the answer that feels most like you. AWith great power comes great responsibility — I protect those who can't protect themselves. BMy faith and my conscience — I believe justice must be served, even in the dark. CLegacy and ego, honestly — but I've learned that others depend on me now. DThe system failed. Someone has to make sure the guilty actually pay. EDuty to the innocent and honour to my name — I was born to protect realms. FThe values I was raised with — freedom, decency, and never backing down from a bully. NEXT QUESTION → 02 It's 2 AM. Where are you? Your answer says more about you than you'd think. ASwinging between skyscrapers, keeping an eye on the neighbourhood. BRunning rooftops in Hell's Kitchen, listening for trouble. CIn my lab, upgrading my suit with a cold cup of coffee nearby. DStaking out a target I've been tracking for three weeks. ESomewhere between the stars, or at a feast that got out of hand. FOn a morning run — I was up at 4, actually. Couldn't sleep. NEXT QUESTION → 03 How do you handle a villain who keeps escaping justice? Every hero has a method. What's yours? AWeb them up and leave them for the police — again. BBuild an airtight case and dismantle their entire operation from the inside. CDeploy a containment system I designed specifically for them. Tech wins. DMake sure they don't escape a third time. Permanently. EChallenge them to single combat. Honour demands a decisive end. FRally allies, adapt the plan, and bring them in — by the book, even if it's hard. NEXT QUESTION → 04 How do you feel about keeping a secret identity? The mask — or the lack of one — says everything. AEssential — my loved ones would be in danger if anyone found out who I am. BCritical — the mask protects my mission as much as my face. COverrated — I announced myself to the world and I'd do it again. DI'm a ghost. The less people know about me, the better. EMy name is known across the Nine Realms. There's no hiding it. FI don't hide — but I understand why some need to. Transparency builds trust. NEXT QUESTION → 05 You've lost someone important because of your heroism. How do you carry that? Every hero pays a price. The question is how they pay it. AWith guilt that never fully goes away — it pushes me to do better, every single day. BI channel it into purpose — their memory is the reason I keep fighting. CI buried myself in work for years. I'm only recently learning to face it. DIt transformed me completely. I'm not the same person I was before. EWith warrior's grief — I honour them by fighting with everything I have. FI keep moving forward. Stopping means letting the loss win. NEXT QUESTION → 06 What's your role when working with a team? Who you are under pressure is who you actually are. AThe enthusiastic wildcard who somehow makes it work — and keeps the mood up. BThe strategist who works best alone but shows up when it matters most. CThe one who funds it, equips it, and occasionally takes over the whole operation. DI don't do teams. I'm more effective operating solo, on my terms. EThe heavy hitter — I crash in, draw fire, and turn the tide of battle. FThe leader — I earn trust, build the plan, and make sure no one gets left behind. NEXT QUESTION → 07 Where do you draw the line between justice and revenge? The answer defines what kind of hero you really are. AClearly — I don't kill, and I wrestle with that line constantly. BI try to hold the line, but I've come terrifyingly close to crossing it. CPractically — I do what's necessary to protect people, including hard calls. DI crossed that line long ago. What I do is justice — the system just won't admit it. EIn battle, victory is justice. Mercy is earned — not automatic. FFirmly. The moment we abandon our principles, we become what we fight against. NEXT QUESTION → 08 When you're not saving the world, what does life look like? The person behind the mask is always the more interesting story. ATrying to juggle school, a part-time job, and not failing my friends. BWorking as a lawyer by day, fighting for justice in court and on the streets. CRunning a global company, attending galas, and pretending I'm sleeping enough. DQuiet. Isolated. Surviving with a clear mission and no distractions. ENavigating a bizarre and fascinating mortal world — coffee is extraordinary. FAdapting to a world decades ahead of everything I knew. Quietly, stubbornly. NEXT QUESTION → 09 What keeps you up at night? Fear is useful data — if you're honest about what you're actually afraid of. AThe people I couldn't save — and the ones I might not reach in time tomorrow. BWhether the monster I fight every night is starting to live inside me too. CThe threats I can see coming and whether my tech is actually good enough. DNothing. Silence is the only peace I get. I've made my choices. EWhether I'm truly worthy — of the hammer, of the throne, of the people I protect. FA world where no one stands up anymore. Where good people do nothing. NEXT QUESTION → 10 The battle is lost. You're outnumbered, outgunned, and exhausted. What do you do? This is your tiebreaker — choose carefully. ACrack a joke to buy a second, then find the one web shot that changes everything. BBlock out everything except the sound of the next threat — and keep going. CActivate the emergency protocol I built for exactly this scenario. Always have a plan. DI don't accept that it's lost. I keep fighting until I physically cannot anymore. ECall the lightning. All of it. The storm answers to me. FPick up the shield. Stand up. Because as long as I can stand, it's not over. REVEAL MY HERO → Your Hero Has Been Identified Your MCU Hero Is…Based on your answers, the Marvel hero who matches your spirit, values, and instincts has been revealed. 🕷️ Spider-ManYou carry the weight of the world on shoulders that are younger than they should have to be — funny, loyal, and endlessly self-sacrificing. You do the right thing not because it's easy, but because no one else will. You understand that responsibility isn't a burden you choose — it's one that finds you. Whether it's a neighbourhood mugging or a multiverse crisis, you show up. Peter Parker's lesson — that great power demands great responsibility — isn't a slogan to you. It's the code you live by, even when it costs you everything. 😈 DaredevilYou fight in the shadows between law and chaos, guided by a fierce moral compass that refuses to let the guilty walk free. You use every tool available — your mind, your body, your faith — to protect those the system overlooks. You've looked into the darkness and chosen not to become it, though the line has never been easy. Matt Murdock's duality — champion in the courtroom, devil in the alley — mirrors your own. Relentless, conflicted, and unwilling to stop. That is exactly you. 🤖 Iron ManBrilliant, driven, and occasionally insufferable — but always the person who solves the unsolvable problem. You lead with your mind and back it up with resources, innovation, and a stubbornness that borders on heroic. You started out looking out for yourself, but somewhere along the way the world became your responsibility. Tony Stark's arc — from ego to sacrifice — is your arc too. You build, you plan, and when the moment comes, you're willing to give everything. Because in the end, you're Iron Man. 💀 The PunisherYou've been through fire that would break most people — and it did change you, completely. What's left is unyielding, relentless, and operating by a code forged in grief. You don't ask for forgiveness, and you don't expect gratitude. You see a corrupt, broken world and you've decided to do something about it, consequences be damned. Frank Castle's war is born from love twisted by loss — and so is yours. Uncompromising and unflinching — the world may not agree with your methods, but your conviction is absolute. ⚡ ThorPowerful, proud, and on a lifelong journey to become worthy of the legend you carry. You lead with strength but have learned — sometimes painfully — that true greatness comes from humility and growth. You're larger than life, yet more vulnerable than you let on. Thor's story is one of transformation: from arrogant prince to worthy king, from isolated warrior to beloved protector. You bring the storm when it's needed — and the warmth when it matters just as much. 🛡️ Captain AmericaYou believe in something bigger than yourself — and you fight for it even when the world has moved on and nobody else will. You don't bully the small guy, and you never stop when it gets hard. Steve Rogers didn't become a hero when he got the serum — he was always one. So were you. Your strength isn't in your fists; it's in your refusal to compromise what's right, no matter the cost. In a world full of people taking the easy road, you're the one who picks up the shield and stands up — every single time. ↻ RETAKE THE QUIZ 6 'Hulk Vs.' (2009) Image via Marvel Animation A question that's asked all over the superhero space, all the time, is "who would win?" Well, Marvel Animation decided to answer that question twice in 2009 with the production of Hulk Vs., an animated movie that splits itself in half, with one half pitting the Hulk (Fred Tatasciore) against the God of Thunder, Thor (Matthew Wolf), and the other throwing him up against the iconic Wolverine (Steve Blum). Fun fact: Wolverine's first appearance was in a Hulk comic book—see: The Incredible Hulk #180 (October 1974). First off, the animation in Hulk Vs. is incredibly well done, which allows the fights to be portrayed in a beautiful manner. Hulk Vs. doesn't get spoken about or brought up a lot because Marvel Animation has always struggled against the likes of DC's animated films, which is a shame, because Hulk Vs. is a great, action-packed ride. 5 'Planet Hulk' (2010) Image via Marvel Animation The not-so-jolly green giant had a great run in Marvel Animation, with Planet Hulk coming just one year after Hulk Vs. Adapting the classic comic book story of the same name, Planet Hulk brought Hulk (Rick D. Wasserman) to space and put him through a scenario that many will find familiar, as Thor: Ragnarok took a ton of inspiration from it for the MCU Hulk's (Mark Ruffalo) story. Planet Hulk adapts the comic book in a very accurate manner, keeping everything that made the "Planet Hulk" comic book event so compelling when it debuted in 2007. It's considered one of the greatest Hulk stories of all time, making this, in return, one of the best Hulk stories in superhero cinema. So why aren't people talking about it more? One could blame it for being overshadowed by it being lightly adapted in Thor: Ragnarok, but most of it can be blamed on the lack of success for Marvel Animation in the 2000s–early 2010s. 4 'Fast Color' (2018) Image via Lionsgate Much like The Rocketeer 27 years earlier, Fast Color is a non-Big Two project that got overshadowed by them, leading to it becoming very underrated. Nine major motion picture superhero films were released that same year—some being a few of the largest and the best superhero movies of the MCU and/or the decade. Despite being buried underneath the likes of Avengers: Infinity War and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, Fast Color was a well-told story that many can find enjoyment in. While not as action-packed as a typical Marvel or DC film, Fast Color has heart and soul unlike many. The character and familial drama at play make this movie not just compelling, but keep viewers engaged throughout the entire runtime. Having less action than usual is a total non-issue for Fast Color, thanks to how well the drama is written. 3 'Blue Beetle' (2023) Boy, did Blue Beetle get the short end of the stick when it released in 2023. Not only did the DC Extended Universe already have a rocky reputation (especially after Black Adam) at the time, but one of the worst superhero films out there, The Flash, came out the same year. The odds were stacked against Blue Beetle from the very beginning, unfortunately. Blue Beetle is one of the best superhero origin films in the recent decade or so. It's packed to the very brim with heart and tells a grounded story about familial love and the strength one can find within it. Jaime Reyes (Xolo Maridueña) became the Spider-Man figure for the DC film verse and won the hearts of fans immensely. It didn't do amazing at the box office, so not many people (in comparison to usual, that is) got to really talk about it. Thankfully, however, Jaime will be making a comeback in the DCU, as confirmed by James Gunn. 2 'Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker' (2000) Image via Warner Bros. Animation There's always a lot of chatter online about Batman Beyond, yes. Fans continue to campaign for a live-action adaptation, and Warner Bros. and DC continue to disappoint them. Often, though, it's just the show that is talked about, which makes sense as it's the most popular Beyond project. The new, young bat, Terry McGinnis (Will Friedle), also starred in his own film in 2000, Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker. Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker is actually one of the highest-rated Batman films of all time, with a 100% critic rating on Rotten Tomatoes and an 86% audience score. Ratings like that don't lie, and this feature-length adventure has some of the best examples of why the DC Animated Universe was so beloved. Great writing, phenomenal acting, and some stellar animation. 1 'Batman: Under the Red Hood' (2010) Image via Warner Bros. Animation While Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker has some great critical ratings, one other Batman film surpasses it, and that is Batman: Under the Red Hood—a 100% critic rating and a wild 92% audience rating. The "Under the Red Hood" comic book storyline has always been one of the most famous Batman stories of all time. Taking the Caped Crusader's greatest tragedy in losing Jason Todd, and transforming it into a battle unlike anything he's fought before. Batman: Under the Red Hood pretty much perfectly adapts the story to the screen, with a profoundly talented cast featuring Bruce Greenwood as Batman, Jensen Ackles as Red Hood, John DiMaggio as Joker, and they even get Neil Patrick Harris as Nightwing. It's one of the most emotionally compelling Batman stories, yet somehow, only comic book fans have seen it. It never truly hit that general audience. Batman: Under the Red Hood Release Date July 27, 2010 Runtime 75minutes There's a mystery afoot in Gotham City, and Batman must go toe-to-toe with a mysterious vigilante, who goes by the name of Red Hood. Subsequently, old wounds reopen and old, once buried memories come into the light. Director Brandon Vietti Writers judd winick Budget $5million Studio(s) Warner Bros. Pictures Distributor(s) Warner Bros. Pictures