Best Superhero Movies Since Avengers Endgame, Ranked

The release of Avengers: Endgame represented a pivotal moment in the history of blockbuster films, especially within the superhero genre. As the grand finale of the MCU's Infinity Saga (with Spider-Man: Far From Home arriving two months later to serve as a sort of epilogue), the film's staggering $2.79 billion box office earnings signaled the genre's pinnacle. When the COVID-19 pandemic led to theater closures for almost a year, disrupting the entire film industry, it felt as though Avengers: Endgame had marked the end of an era for superhero films.

A widespread opinion, especially on the internet, is that superhero fatigue has set in, signaling a decline for the once highly lucrative genre. This feeling is often associated with the idea that the MCU hasn't been the same since Avengers: Endgame, with films like Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania and Thor: Love and Thunder falling short of expectations. However, this sentiment isn't limited to just the MCU.

Following major box office and critical letdowns like The Flash, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, Madame Web, Morbius, The Crow, and what seems to be another unsuccessful Hellboy reboot, it might seem like the golden age of superhero films is over. However, since Avengers: Endgame, several standout superhero movies have proven that there are still many captivating stories left to explore. 

Here are the 12 best superhero films released post-Endgame.

12. Deadpool and Wolverine 

Deadpool & Wolverine is the latest addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and many view it as a resurgence for the MCU, having earned over $1 billion at the global box office.

The film takes viewers on a multiverse adventure where Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds) teams up with a variant of Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) as they journey through the void, trying to return to Deadpool's reality before it's erased by the TVA. The movie serves as a meta-commentary on the abrupt end of the 20th Century Fox era of Marvel films after Disney's acquisition, while also bridging these characters into the MCU.

11. Blue Beetle

Blue Beetle was initially planned for a Max streaming release, but unlike Batgirl, which was scrapped as a tax write-off, Blue Beetle was upgraded to a theatrical release. This shift from streaming to theaters is reflected in the movie's more intimate story, which works to its advantage at a time when most superhero films are grand in scale, making Blue Beetle feel like a refreshing change.

The story follows Jaime Reyes (Xolo Maridueña), who accidentally merges with an alien scarab, transforming him into the superhero Blue Beetle. With support from his family and Victoria Kord, daughter of the previous Blue Beetle, Ted Kord, Jaime must learn to work with the scarab to stop a villainous industrialist from harnessing its power and unleashing a dangerous weapon.

10. The Batman

The Batman sees director Matt Reeves craft a '70s-inspired crime drama set in the gritty world of Gotham City. While a more grounded take on Batman might seem familiar after Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy, The Batman carves out its own identity with a slower-paced mystery, drawing clear inspiration from David Fincher films like Se7en and Zodiac.

Robert Pattinson portrays the darkest, most brooding live-action version of Batman yet, leaning heavily into the character's vigilante side over his Bruce Wayne persona. Meanwhile, Zoe Kravitz, Colin Farrell, and Paul Dano bring new life to classic Batman villains, delivering fresh takes on Catwoman, The Penguin, and The Riddler.

9. Birds of Prey 

Birds of Prey is a film that unfortunately flew under the radar, having been released just a month before the COVID-19 pandemic closed theaters. Despite this, it remains one of the standout entries in the DCEU. A spin-off of Suicide Squad, Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) centers on Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie) as she navigates life after her breakup with The Joker, determined to establish her own identity.

In the process, Harley teams up with cop Renee Montoya (Rosie Perez), vengeful vigilante Helena Bertinelli/Huntress (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), and superpowered lounge singer Dinah Lance/Black Canary (Jurnee Smollett) to protect a young girl, Cassandra Cain (Ella Jay Bosco), from the ruthless crime lord Roman Sionis/Black Mask (Ewan McGregor).

8. Ultraman Rising

Netflix's animated Ultraman Rising stands out as one of the best superhero films of the 2020s, a top-tier offering on the platform, and a strong entry in Netflix's growing focus on animation. The film serves as a fresh starting point for the Ultraman franchise, loosely referencing the established lore while charting its own unique course.

The story follows Kenji "Ken" Sato, the latest Ultraman, who inherits the title from his father. Ken, an arrogant baseball player who resents his superhero duties, finds his life turned upside down after a strange encounter that leaves him caring for a baby Kaiju. This responsibility forces Ken to confront his complicated relationship with his father and rethink his purpose in the ongoing battle against Kaijus.

7. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles : Mutant Mayhem

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem offers a fresh spin on the beloved TMNT franchise, placing a strong focus on the "teenage" and "mutant" aspects of the characters. The film follows the turtles as they meet teenage reporter April O'Neal (Ayo Edeberi) and join forces with her to track down the criminal Superfly (Ice Cube), hoping this will help them gain acceptance in the human world.

However, when Superfly is revealed to be a mutant leading his own group of mutants, the Turtles must confront this new threat while also trying to convince their father, Splinter (Jackie Chan), to let go of his deep-seated distrust of the surface world.

6. Black Panther : Wakanda Forever

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever faced a series of challenging circumstances. It needed to succeed the 2018 blockbuster Black Panther, one of the highest-grossing films of all time that also earned Marvel Studios its first Academy Award nomination for Best Picture. Additionally, it had to navigate the real-life loss of star Chadwick Boseman, who passed away in 2020.

Despite these hurdles, the film's success is nothing short of remarkable. The only reason some might label the $859 million worldwide gross as a "disappointment" is due to the lofty expectations set by its predecessor’s $1.3 billion earnings. Even without a release in China, the fact that Wakanda Forever approached $1 billion, while dealing with such a poignant narrative, underscores its significant achievement.

5. Shang-Chi and The Legends of the Ten Rings

The second film in Phase 4 of the MCU, following Black Widow, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings channels the spirit of early MCU films like Thor and Captain America: The First Avenger in the best possible way. It introduces audiences to a fresh corner of the franchise with an exciting new hero and a rich mythology that promises to expand in the years to come.

The film centers on Shang-Chi (Simu Liu), who, after years on the run, must reunite with his sister Xialing (Meng'er Zhang) to confront their father, Wenwu (Tony Leung). Wenwu plans to use his powerful ancient weapons, the Ten Rings, to unleash a great evil upon the world. Shang-Chi emerges as one of the standout recent additions to the MCU, holding its own alongside many films from the Infinity Saga.

4. Spider-Man: No Way Home

Spider-Man: No Way Home was a major cinematic event following the pandemic’s impact on theaters. The third installment in the MCU Spider-Man series also served as a long-awaited continuation that bridged the gap with the earlier Spider-Man films starring Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield.

After Peter Parker's (Tom Holland) identity as Spider-Man is revealed in Spider-Man: Far From Home, he seeks Doctor Strange’s (Benedict Cumberbatch) help to cast a spell that will make everyone forget his secret identity. When the spell goes awry, it inadvertently brings characters from previous Spider-Man films into the multiverse, including Green Goblin (Willem Dafoe), Doc Ock (Alfred Molina), Electro (Jamie Foxx), Sandman (Thomas Hayden Church), and Lizard (Rhys Ifans), as well as the Spider-Men played by Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield.

3. The Suicide Squad

Few franchises have experienced such a dramatic turnaround as DC’s Suicide Squad. The 2016 film was widely criticized as one of the worst superhero movies of the 2010s, attempting to emulate the success of Guardians of the Galaxy with its heavy use of popular music, but ultimately feeling like a poorly executed imitation.

To reinvigorate the franchise, DC brought in James Gunn, the director of Guardians of the Galaxy, for The Suicide Squad. The result was a standout DC film that embraced the 1980s action movie style that influenced the original comic books. The movie features a team including Bloodsport (Idris Elba), Peacemaker (John Cena), Ratcatcher II (Daniela Melchior), Polka-Dot Man (David Dastmalchian), King Shark (Sylvester Stallone), Rick Flag (Joel Kinnaman), and Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie) on a mission to the fictional island nation of Corto Maltese. Their goal is to eradicate all traces of the giant alien starfish, Starro the Conqueror, while uncovering a dark conspiracy involving the creature and the U.S. government.

2. Guardians of The Galaxy Vol III

James Gunn has crafted two of the standout superhero films since Avengers: Endgame, signaling a promising future for the DC Universe. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 faced significant delays, as Disney dismissed Gunn in 2018 due to a controversy stirred by an alt-right group, although he was reinstated in 2019.

The third installment of the Guardians of the Galaxy series delves deeply into Rocket's (voiced by Bradley Cooper) tragic backstory, as the Guardians confront his creator, The High Evolutionary (Chukwudi Iwuji). This confrontation unknowingly sets the stage for what will be their final adventure as the beloved team we've grown to know.

1. Spider-Man : Across the Spider-Verse

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse set a high bar as one of the best superhero films, and its 2023 sequel, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, lived up to those expectations. The film ends with a massive cliffhanger that, despite the frustration of delays, is an excellent tease reminiscent of endings like The Empire Strikes Back, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, and Avengers: Infinity War, leaving audiences eagerly anticipating the next chapter.

In Across the Spider-Verse, Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) learns about a whole team of Spider heroes who safeguard the multiverse, including his friends Gwen Stacy (Hailee Steinfeld) and Peter B. Parker (Jake Johnson). The sequel follows Miles as he travels through various dimensions to confront the villainous Spot (Jason Schwartzman). Along the way, he teams up with Spider variants such as Hobie Brown/Spider-Punk (Daniel Kaluuya), Pavitr "Pav" Prabhakar/Spider-Man India (Karan Soni), Jessica Drew/Spider-Woman (Issa Rae), and Miguel O'Hara/Spider-Man 2099 (Oscar Isaac), all while uncovering a dark secret about his past.