There have been many superhero movies outside of the MCU and the DCU that have pᴀssed into relative obscurity to become all but forgotten. Ever since the movies of the MCU helped establish the superhero genre as the biggest and most successful in modern cinema, they have remained at the forefront of pop culture. As a result, superhero movies are often among the best publicized and best-known тιтles in the world.
However, this hasn’t always been the case. Before the beginning of the movie timelines of the DCEU or the MCU, superhero films were often overlooked – as well as on some more recent occasions. In many cases, despite big budgets and well-known actors, superhero movies can pᴀss into relative obscurity, and before long are almost entirely forgotten. With that in mind, here are 10 obscure superhero movies that hardly anyone remembers.
10
The Green Hornet (2011)
Directed by Michel Gondry
The majority of successful superhero movies are able to capitalize on existing characters in order to best appeal to a wide audience. This was seemingly the case for 2011’s The Green Hornet, which was a modern reboot of the popular 1960s TV show of the same name. With a cast featuring Seth Rogen, Jay Chou, Cameron Diaz, Christoph Waltz, Tom Wilkinson, and Edward James Olmos, The Green Hornet seemingly had all the makings of a memorable superhero film.
Ultimately, this wasn’t the case. In fact, the most memorable aspect of The Green Hornet was its disappointing quality, which is the only thing that has prevented it from being forgotten altogether. The Green Hornet’s story of an old-school vigilante wasn’t enough to inspire audiences, and it faded swiftly into obscurity, remembered unfavorably by only a select few – and remembered favorably by even fewer.
9
The Losers (2010)
Directed by Sylvain White
Shortly before the movies of the DCEU began bringing a shared DC universe to life on the big screen, there were many disconnected adaptations of the comics. This included some that drew inspiration from lesser-known DC properties, such as 2010’s The Losers. With a cast consisting of Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Chris Evans, Zoe Saldana, and Idris Elba, The Losers boasted an impressive roster of acting talent.
Despite mixed reviews, The Losers proved to be moderately successful, and remains an enjoyable comic book action movie. However, one of the main points of criticism leveled at the movie was its lack of originality, which did nothing to help it become a memorable entry into the genre. Despite being an entertaining action comedy, The Losers simply hasn’t been widely remembered, and has become relatively obscure in spite of its great cast.
8
The Rocketeer (1991)
Directed by Joe Johnston
Two decades before he was introducing Captain America to the MCU’s movie timeline, Joe Johnston was directing The Rocketeer. The 1991 movie was based on the comics featuring the character of the same name, and imagines a superhero based in Los Angeles in the 1930s. The Rocketeer’s cast features the likes of Billy Campbell, Alan Arkin, Jennifer Connelly, Paul Sorvino, and Timothy Dalton, and its unique visual style and premise make it seem especially noteworthy.
Unfortunately, The Rocketeer has mostly been forgotten in the years since its release. Despite receiving positive reviews, its underperformance at the box office led to the planned franchise being scrapped, and the movie pᴀssed into obscurity. Though it still has some cult followers, The Rocketeer is sadly a superhero movie that many people simply do not remember, despite playing an important role in the development of the genre.
7
Darkman (1990)
Directed by Sam Raimi
Long before Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy was establishing a winning formula for the modern superhero genre, the director made his first foray into superhero storytelling with 1990’s Darkman. The movie stars Liam Neeson, with Frances McDormand and Bruce Campbell appearing in supporting roles. It follows a scientist who is severely burned, and then sets about getting his revenge using experimental abilities, putting a horror spin on the more traditional comic book stories of the genre.
Darkman was a groundbreaking film in many respects, and earned both positive reviews and box office success. However, its apparent lack of appeal to the mainstream led to it being largely forgotten, though it does continue to enjoy something of a cult status among its fans. The lack of well-known source material combined with the era of its release ultimately led to Darkman becoming an obscure movie, meaning that few actually remember it exists.
6
Man-Thing (2005)
Directed by Brett Leonard
There were many Marvel Comics movie adaptations in the years preceding the MCU, with many of them being dismissed as poor or disappointing in one way or another. However, for the most part, they’re all relatively memorable – except, that is, for Man-Thing. 2005 saw the Marvel character adapted to the big screen in a movie that has since been forgotten by almost everyone, with few remembering its existence.
The main reason for this is that Man-Thing is a terrible adaptation. It barely features the character it’s named for, and its critical reviews outline the many ways that it’s one of the worst Marvel movies of all time. Stylistically, creatively, and generally, Man-Thing is a Marvel movie that probably deserves to be forgotten, which goes a long way toward explaining why so few people remember it.
5
Super (2010)
Directed by James Gunn
Before James Gunn was directing MCU trilogies or masterminding an entire shared DC Universe, he stepped into the superhero genre with an original creation. 2010’s Super stars Rainn Wilson as a vigilante called the Crimson Bolt, who is ᴀssisted by Elliot Page as his sidekick, Boltie, as he takes revenge on the criminals who he believes took his wife from him. Alongside Wilson and Page, Liv Tyler, Kevin Bacon, and Nathan Fillion all feature.
Super’s great cast alone seems memorable, but the movie’s brutal depictions of superhero violence and liberal use of dark comedy only adds to it. Even so, it received only a small theatrical release, and became a fairly obscure тιтle almost immediately. This, combined with mixed critical reactions, led to Super becoming widely forgotten despite employing the talents of some of Hollywood’s best and brightest.
4
Sky High (2005)
Directed by Mike Mitchell
For many years, there was a perception that the superhero genre should primarily be aimed at a younger audience, causing a schism between potential audiences. 2005’s Sky High took a family-friendly approach, which was relatively rare for a live-action movie at that time. The result was a Disney superhero movie that has not been remembered as well as it deserves, with many overlooking just how excellent Sky High is.
Sky High features many well-known actors in supporting roles, with Kurt Russell, Kelly Preston, Bruce Campbell, Dave Foley, Jim Rash, and Mary Elizabeth Winstead all appearing. Its imaginative and colorful original story is a fleshed-out superhero world of its own, but in spite of good reviews and respectable box office performance, Sky High didn’t get the attention it deserved. As a result, it’s become an obscure superhero movie that many have unfairly forgotten.
3
Mystery Men (1999)
Directed by Kinka Usher
1999 saw the release of Mystery Men, which is a superhero movie that should be far better known than it actually is. Starring Ben Stiller, Hank Azaria, Paul Reubens, Janeane Garofalo, Geoffrey Rush, and Greg Kinnear, among others, Mystery Men has a stacked cast of actors known for both their comedic and dramatic acting ability. A superhero satire loosely based on little-known comic book characters of the same name, Mystery Men has been unfairly forgotten.
As well as featuring some of the most unique superpowers in comic book movies, Mystery Men is a deeply funny and brilliantly entertaining movie. With exceptional comedic performances from its stars as well as a тιԍнтly-written script, Mystery Men should have achieved much greater success. Though it does boast a small cult following, it remains one of the most obscure superhero movies in the genre.
2
The Shadow (1994)
Directed by Russell Mulcahy
There have been several movies based on pulp fiction characters, some of which proved to be memorable. One that did not was 1994’s The Shadow, starring Alec Baldwin as the eponymous vigilante and also featuring the likes of Ian McKellen, Peter Boyle, Penelope Ann Miller, and Tim Curry. The Shadow’s cast, its early 20th century setting, and pulp premise could have made for a fascinating movie, but the result was an altogether forgettable affair.
The Shadow was not a successful film, either with critics or at the box office. However, it also wasn’t entirely awful, making it unremarkable in many ways. This actually turned out to be even worse than being truly terrible, as The Shadow was swiftly forgotten by the majority of superhero fans. As such, it has become an obscure тιтle in the genre’s history that many people just don’t remember.
1
Push (2009)
Directed by Paul McGuigan
2009’s Push is one of the rare superhero movies to have been released amid the late ’00s boom of superhero cinema that didn’t seem to leave any lasting mark on pop culture. Starring Chris Evans, Dakota Fanning, and Djimon Hounsou, Push’s story takes place in a society in which specific superpowers have begun to manifest among the population, creating communities of telekinetics, telepaths, precognitives, and more. Its relatively original premise and high-profile stars seemingly make Push a film worthy of note.
However, Push is not a well-known or well-remembered superhero movie. Generally poor reviews did nothing to help its reputation, and despite being a fun and alternative approach to the genre, Push quickly became obscure. Though there certainly are some fans who remember Push well, it has otherwise become lost among the many releases of the MCU, the DCU, and other superhero franchises, and has been all but forgotten.
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Iron Man
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