The top 20 superhero movies of the year 2023

How did Black Adam, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, and The Batman rank in best superhero movies of 2022? ((Warner Bros./Disney)

What did Black Adam, Black Panther, Wakanda Forever and The Batman do in the top superhero movies of 2022 list? ((Warner Bros./Disney)

2022 was the year Top Gun: Maverick and Jurassic World Dominion (probably) overtook Marvel’s dominance at box office. But is this a sign that Marvel has become too popular or just a lack in good comic book movies?

Marvel and DC released a lot of movies in the past year. Sony and Warner Bros also released a lot of movies. Animation has mixed results across all camps.

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We look back at the 2023 superhero movies to see who was pulling their weight and who was like pulling teeth.

10: Morbius

Jared Leto stars in Morbius. (Sony Pictures)

Starring in Morbius is Jared Leto. (Sony Pictures)

With the likes of Safe House and Life on his CV, it’s clear that Daniel Espinosa is a good filmmaker. He is going to make even more movies. But Morbius — the latest film in Sony’s Spider-Man universe — is not one of them. Starring Jared Leto as the titular Doctor who infects himself with a form of vampirism when trying to find a cure for his rare blood disease, it’s a story that’s at best boringly generic and at worst, forgettable.

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Add that to the awful CGI, slim character work, and one of the worst, nonsensical post-credits scenes of all time, and it’s at the bottom of the barrel not just for superhero movies this year, but the entire genre as a whole.

9: Black Adam

DWAYNE JOHNSON as Black Adam in New Line Cinema’s action adventure “BLACK ADAM,” a Warner Bros. Pictures release.

Dwayne Johnson portrays Black Adam. (Warner Bros. Pictures)

It’s hard to believe that Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson being cast as Black Adam It was in existence before the advent of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Given that it’s taken 15 years for it to come to fruition, you would think the final product wouldn’t feel so dated. But let’s start with the positives: the action comes thick and fast, and at times it’s colourful and inventive. Lorne Balfe’s score is catchy and propulsive. Pierce Brosnan, who plays the role of Doctor Fate, is a consistently great highlight.

However, the Justice Society doesn’t get nearly enough setup or depth (the two new members they draft in for this fight barely register). Its ‘heroes don’t kill people’ dialogue feels like it’s written by people who have never seen a film set in this universe (where Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman have all murdered people). And there’s little to no variation in Johnson’s stoic line delivery. Finally, he’s an American actor playing an anti-hero from the Middle East – can we please take this into consideration when casting these roles, Hollywood?

8: Thor: Love and Thunder

Natalie Portman returns to the Marvel fold alongside Chris Hemsworth in Thor: Love and Thunder. (Marvel/Disney)

Natalie Portman and Chris Hemsworth return to Marvel in Thor: Love and Thunder. (Marvel/Disney)

After the franchise-rejuvenating Thor: Ragnarok, anticipation was high for Taika Waititi’s follow-up adventure with the God of Thunder. There are a few bright spots to be found – specifically, Christian Bale’s intense performance as the villainous Gorr, the black-and-white visuals of the Shadow Realm, and a rocking score by Michael Giacchino and Nami Melumad.

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The balance between jokes and weightiness is not well-balanced this time. Natalie Portman’s returning Jane Foster eventually brings some much-needed substance, and her Thor looks great in action (even if her worthiness is shortchanged by a poor screenwriting decision).

Watch the trailer for Thor, Love and Thunder

But there’s only so many times a viewer can watch yet another fake death before wondering whether anything matters, and Love and Thunder has several. Add that to an underused Tessa Thompson and an overused Korg, and Thor’s fourth solo movie is middling at best.

7: Doctor Strange in The Multiverse of Madness

Sam Raimi brings trippy, psychedelic visuals to Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. (Marvel)

Sam Raimi is bringing trippy, psychedelic visuals for Doctor Strange in The Multiverse of Madness. (Marvel)

It’s taken six years for Doctor Strange It coincides with Sam Raimi’s return to superhero blockbuster fare. His directorial stamp is pleasingly evident throughout the movie, but it’s counterbalanced by a screenplay which too often prioritises plot over character and thematic weight. Some suspect CGI aside, the magic on display is colourful and imaginative – one standout sequence sees Strange weaponise musical notes and use them as shuriken, all soundtracked to Danny Elfman’s creative score.

With that being said, Multiverse of Madness doesn’t feel like a film that maximises the promise of its title. Although Elizabeth Olsen does a great job as Wanda, who is a bad girl, her one-note story is much less than WandaVision. Not helped by her android boyfriend.

6: Werewolf By Night

Gael García Bernal as Jack Russell in Marvel Studios' WEREWOLF BY NIGHT, exclusively on Disney+. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. © 2022 MARVEL.

Gael Garcia Bernal portrays Jack Russell in Werewolf By Night. (Marvel Studios)

Michael Giacchino went from composer to director with decent results in Werewolf By Night, the first of Marvel’s not-quite-feature-length ‘Special Presentations’. Focusing on a group of monster hunters who gather to compete for a legendary bloodstone, the film earns points for freshness (it’s markedly different to anything the MCU has tried before), its beautiful black-and-white visuals, and its 1930’s filmmaking inspirations.

It almost goes without saying that the score is also excellent – a monster twist on the traditional fanfare is a fun tone-setter. Kevin Feige stated that this section of the MCU will be more important in the future phases. We are excited to find out what this means.

5: The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special

Chris Pratt as Peter Quill/Star-Lord in The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special. (Marvel Studios)

Chris Pratt portrays Peter Quill/Starlord in The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special. (Marvel Studios)

In 2023 James Gunn Will be back to make Volume 3 of Guardians of the Galaxy. But in the meantime, this holiday special — which sees team members Drax (Dave Bautista) and Mantis (Pom Klementieff) head to Earth to kidnap Kevin Bacon (Kevin Bacon) as a surprise Christmas present for Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) — is a fun, if slight time-passer.

The key to both the most laugh-out-loud scenes and the more poignant moments is Klementieff’s Mantis. The former comes when she’s pratting around with Drax — her comedic timing is impeccable, and her off-kilter chemistry with Bautista is fun to watch — and the latter comes with the reveal of an emotional revelation in the movie’s final minutes that tugs at the heartstrings. This is truly the galaxy’s weirdest family, and it’s still a joy to hang out with them.

4: DC’s League of Super-Pets

Dwayne Johnson as Krypto and John Krasinski as Superman in Warner Bros. Pictures’ animated action adventure DC League of Super Pets. (Warner Bros.)

Dwayne Johnson as Krypto and John Krasinski as Superman in Warner Bros. Pictures’ animated action adventure DC League of Super Pets. (Warner Bros.)

The ‘Legion Of Super-Pets’ is not a very well-known DC comic book, but its core concept makes for an entertaining animated family film in League of Super-Pets. Voicing Krypto the Super-Dog is Dwayne Johnson, who must join forces with a newly superpowered rag-tag shelter pack – including Ace the hound (Kevin Hart) and Chip the squirrel (Diego Luna) – to save the Justice League when they’re captured by Lulu the guinea pig (Kate McKinnon).

McKinnon’s performance is particularly impressive, as she leans into the megalomaniac nature of her villain with each line reading. The messages and themes of friendship and unconditional love are simple but they are still very charming. Good dog.

3: Black Panther: Wakanda forever

Letitia Wright as Shuri in Marvel Studios' Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. © 2022 MARVEL.

Letitia Wright plays Shuri in Marvel Studios’ Black Panther, Wakanda Forever. (Marvel Studios)

How do you make a sequel to Black Panther — a billion-dollar grossing cultural phenomenon that changed the world — without your lead character and star? It’s a daunting question that writer-director Ryan Coogler and his collaborators have answered in classy fashion with Wakanda Forever, a film that doesn’t forget to thrill and entertain while it pays tribute to the great Chadwick Boseman, who passed away from cancer in August 2020.

In Boseman’s absence, the rich ensemble cast that was so wonderfully established in the first movie comes to the fore. Shuri is especially prevalent this time round, as she reckons with her grief in the aftermath of her brother’s death. Letitia Wright’s performance is equal to the emotional depths it demands, and Angela Bassett’s Queen Mother Ramonda only adds further heartfelt weight in key moments.

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever Trailer

The arrival of antagonist Namor (Tenoch Huerta), the ruler of underwater kingdom Talokan (which is stunningly introduced), benefits from him not being entirely wrong about what’s motivating his actions. He and his warriors also make for formidable opponents in battle, and every fight sequence feels impactful in ways that other MCU projects don’t always manage.

Add all this to yet another brilliant score by returning composer Ludwig Göransson, and you have Marvel’s best movie of Phase 4.

The Batman (Warner Bros.)

The Batman (Warner Bros.

How do you make the third big screen Batman in the last decade feel different enough to what’s come before? Casting Robert Pattinson and Matt Reeves is a great place to start. In their hands, this rawer, grittier iteration of Gotham’s Caped Crusader is still figuring out if his vigilante is more effective as a boogeyman or an inspiration, an arc that has many layers that the film satisfyingly unpacks.

It’s aided by a smart antagonist in The Riddler (a chilling Paul Dano) — who constantly tests Batman’s mind and morals — as well as Zoë Kravitz’ cunning Selina Kyle and Jeffrey Wright’s steely not-yet-Commissioner Gordon. Add in stunning cinematography by Greig Fraser (the final few minutes are particularly beautiful) and several catchy Michael Giacchino themes, and you have a solid foundation to future Bat-sequels.

1 RRR

Jr NTR plays Gond tribe protector Komaram Bheem in RRR. (Netflix)

Jr NTR is the Gond tribe protector Komaram Bhheem in RRR. (Netflix)

Let’s get this out of the way: yes, RRR is a superhero movie. Two action scenes in the first 15 minutes show RRR’s characters fighting off hundreds and outrunning a Wolf. It only gets more impressive as it goes on.

Continue reading: How RRR became a global phenomenon

Because it’s a super-hero movie that centers on Bheem, N.T. Rama Rao Jr. (Ram Charan) are a fast friend who is in a collision course with Raju’s goals. Every element of this works together beautifully, from the ‘Naatu Naatu’ musical sequence — the synchronised dancing is a wonder to behold — to the ambitious, inventive action that repeatedly and satisfyingly ups the ante. This inventive filmmaking makes Hollywood’s superhero movies of 2022 seem creatively deprived.

The success of RRR — streaming on Netflix now — means that a sequel from its director S.S. Rajamouli is on the way, and that’s something we can all get pumped for.

View a trailer about RRR

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