The superhero genre’s domination of cinema with the MCU and DCU in their heyday can mean that some installments slip under the radar, ultimately being overlooked despite being masterpieces in their own right. This is often thanks to installments in their own franchises overshadowing their merits.

Short of being superhero movie cult classics, the genre’s most overlooked movies are often well-received upon release, only to fall by the wayside in wider conversations. Despite helping to define the superhero genre with their critically acclaimed narratives, the sheer wealth of superhero movies on offer helps to make them fall into obscurity.

10

Batman Begins Redefined The Superhero Movie Tone

Released On June 15, 2005

On the heels of Batman & Robin, Batman Begins began its theatrical run on the back foot. Nevertheless, the novel approach to a comic book movie by grounding it in a grittier and more believable universe landed well, making Batman Begins one of the best-rated DC adaptations in superhero movie history.

It earned a modest (by today’s standards) $360 million at the worldwide box office according to The Numbers, but launched Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy into the stratosphere, with both sequels breaking $1 billion. The sheer cultural impact of The Dark Knight, and to a lesser extent The Dark Knight Rises, means that Batman Begins is undeservedly overlooked by comparison.

9

The Wolverine Is One Of The Best In Fox’s X-Men Franchise

Released On July 26, 2013

As the de facto protagonist of Fox’s X-Men franchise, Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine is among the most prolific characters in superhero cinema. The sheer number of his movie appearances, both as the star of the show and a supporting character, means that some movies, like The Wolverine, will fail to make as much of an impact as Logan.

The fact that The Wolverine, which delivers a distinctly fresh take on the genre with real stakes, was released directly after the largely lambasted X-Men Origins: Wolverine in Wolverine’s cinematic trilogy means it faced an uphill battle. This helped to make it fade into obscurity at a time when X-Men: First Class was breathing new life into the franchise.

8

Blue Beetle Was Released At The Wrong Time

Released On August 18, 2023

Blue Beetle embodied a new ethos for the DCEU, which was pivoting from the dark and gritty tones of its earliest movies to a more colorful and lighthearted aesthetic. What it delivered was a family-focused, culturally rich take on an obscure superhero who exudes charisma, complete with compelling action sequences and plenty of well-balanced humor.

Blue Beetle is among the handful of characters that DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn has confirmed will persist in the new DCU continuity.

Unfortunately, Blue Beetle was released in the waning days of the DCEU. Upon release, it had been several months since the DCU reboot was announced, which ostensibly dissuaded audiences from keeping abreast of the DCEU productions that followed. Blue Beetle’s obscurity compared to the likes of the Flash and Aquaman also helped to obscure his live-action debut.

7

Hulk Has Improved With Age

Released On June 20, 2003

Hulk was released during a nascent period for superhero movies, with its contemporaries including Spider-Man and X2. Despite this, Hulk took a big risk by prioritizing style over spectacle, ensuring Bruce Banner’s traditionally tragic backstory was fully fleshed out in one of the more arthouse-style takes on the superhero genre.

Unfortunately, Hulk didn’t land as well with audiences and critics as it might have today, earning accusations of feeling dull in an era when superhero movies leaned into action sequences that showcased the stars’ outlandish superpowers. It would be five years before Edward Norton’s rendition did just that, though Hulk has since earned a retrospective level of overdue respect.

6

Eternals Is One Of The MCU’s Most Underrated Movies

Released On November 5, 2021

Eternals was one of the first movies to launch the MCU’s Multiverse Saga, debuting a brand-new cohort of characters. What Eternals delivered was a fresh new direction for the MCU, focusing on the implications of near-godhood and delivering gargantuan spectacles in one of the biggest ensemble movies in the MCU, apart from the Avengers movies.

There is no confirmation yet of an Eternals sequel.

Upon release, Eternals became the MCU’s worst-rated movie and earned a modest $401 million at the global box office. Criticisms were leveled at the pacing and lack of action, evoking the same ire suffered by Hulk. Nevertheless, Eternals now remains a H๏τ topic when addressing unresolved MCU narrative threads.

5

Spider-Man 3 Was Faced With An Impossible Task

Released On May 4, 2007

Spider-Man 3 was under exceptional pressure to live up to its predecessor, Spider-Man 2, which remains one of the best superhero movie sequels ever made. Despite earning criticisms at the time for such issues as an overstuffed roster of villains and the consequent mishandling of Venom, retrospective adoration of Spider-Man 3 is impossible to ignore.

The sheer quality of its predecessors may have played a large part in souring opinions on this sequel, as the movie had too high a bar to clear. In truth, when looking past the issues with its villains, Spider-Man 3 is exceptionally character-driven buoyed by the twin highlights of the symbiote suit and Sandman’s tragic characterization.

4

Watchmen Was Perfect For Zack Snyder

Released On March 4, 2009

2009’s Watchmen capitalized on the maturity of the source material in a big way, delivering an intense and unique spin on the superhero genre via the satirical тιтular team. Zack Snyder’s distinctive style, with slow-motion sequences and philosophical themes, are a perfect match for this particular superhero adaptation.

In fact, Snyder’s vision for the movie was so loyal to the source material that it arguably ostracized casual audiences. The movie underperformed upon release but has since become a superhero cult classic with fans lauding Zack Snyder’s penchant for leaning into the darker side of the superhero genre.

3

X-Men: First Class Revived A Franchise

Released On June 3, 2011

X-Men: First Class came at an integral time for Fox’s X-Men franchise, which was languishing after the critical failures of X-Men: The Last Stand and X-Men Origins: Wolverine. It reversed the franchise’s fortunes by delivering the most comic-accurate depiction of the тιтular team to date with a stellar cast and some particularly compelling mutants.

Unfortunately, X-Men: First Class performed worse than its lower-regarded predecessors. Although it breathed new life into Fox’s X-Men franchise, X-Men: First Class is fondly remembered but nonetheless overshadowed by its sequel, X-Men: Days of Future Past with even the less well-received X-Men: Apocalypse grossing more at the worldwide box office.

2

Captain America: The First Avenger Is Overshadowed By Its Sequels

Released On July 22, 2011

Captain America: The First Avenger debuted one of the most iconic characters in the entire MCU in a heartfelt period piece. Chris Evans, who was no stranger to comic book movies at the time, excelled in the role of Steve Rogers, delivering on one of the most wholesome yet heroic characters in the entire MCU.

Iron Man, by comparison, is considered to be emblematic of the franchise.

Not only was Captain America: The First Avenger the lowest-grossing origin movie of the MCU’s Big Three (and the third-lowest-grossing MCU movie to date), but the sheer quality and scale of Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Captain America: Civil War diminishes the impact of Cap’s MCU debut. Iron Man, by comparison, is considered to be emblematic of the franchise.

1

Thunderbolts* Deserved A Better Box Office Result

Released On May 2, 2025

Thunderbolts* is a breath of fresh air for the MCU, which is currently struggling in the latter half of the Multiverse Saga. The movie unabashedly embraces themes of mental health with a cast of lesser-known antiheroes and reformed villains who are thrown up against insurmountable odds in the form of the MCU’s most powerful character yet.

Despite Thunderbolts* earning rave reviews for its tone and depth, the MCU’s latest ensemble movie failed to hold a candle to similar predecessors, earning just $382 million globally and securing itself as the MCU’s fifth-lowest-grossing movie. These results threaten to dissuade Marvel from pursuing similarly unique narratives in future, which would be a shame for the cinematic franchise.

Source: The Numbers