Superhero movies can be hit or miss, but there are a handful of superhero movie scenes that are absolutely perfect. As far as the box office is concerned, superhero movies have firmly taken a position at the top of the leaderboard for cinema across the board.

However, not all superhero movies are created equally, and many, despite earning hundreds of millions at the box office, are kind of mediocre. But there are a handful of iconic superhero movie scenes that are unforgettable, and absolutely worth the hype.

The Scarlet Witch Goes On A Killing Spree

Starting off in a potentially unexpected film, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness was the recipient of middling reviews due to being a sequel to a TV series, and entering the MCU during the Multiverse Saga which has famously struggled compared to the earlier Infinity Saga, but there is one standout scene that everyone needs to see.

Wanda Maximoff has essentially become a villain in this movie, and while traveling the multiverse, she attacks a group of superheros known as the Illuminati. This group consists of Mister Fantastic (John Krasinski), Professor X (Patrick Stewart), and Captain Carter (Hayley Atwell) to name just a few.

In a wild horror-inspired twist, Wanda tears these heroes apart with chilling efficiency, and the stunning direction and imagination of Sam Raimi behind the camera. It’s a powerful scene, and one that was largely a stunning and captivating surprise.

The Dark Knight’s Opening Scene

Next up, The Dark Knight, the highlight of Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy, stands out for its impeccable opening scene. While the first five minutes of the movie don’t feature Batman, they do give an incredible introduction to the villain of the piece, the Joker, as played by Heath Ledger.

This is perhaps one of the best opening scenes in a superhero movie of all time, as it perfectly introduces the villain, and sets the tone for the rest of the movie. As a crew of thugs rob a bank, before being picked off one by one, until finally, the Joker reveals himself to be a part of that same crew.

New York Stands With Spider-Man

Another hit from Sam Raimi which stands out during his Spider-Man trilogy comes in Spider-Man 2, when our hero is left worn out and bruised thanks to his fight with Doc Ock, and after having heroically stopped a train full of pᴀssengers from crashing.

In the heat of the fight, Spidey has lost his mask, and he faints due to being utterly exhausted, thus revealing his face to everyone present on the train. But instead of taking pictures or sharing his idenтιтy for their own gain, they stand with the hero, giving him back his mask, and then stand between Spidey and Doc Ock.

This beautiful moment shows how much Spider-Man means to the people he has been saving for years at this point, and it’s profoundly touching.

The Big Three Take On Thanos

In Avengers: Endgame, directed by the Russo brothers, Joe and Anthony, there are several iconic scenes. However, one of the absolute best has to be when the three biggest heroes of the MCU, Iron Man, Captain America, and Thor, all stand together to face down the Mad тιтan, Thanos.

This scene gives chills as soon as it appears, but it gets better from there. With Cap wielding Mjölnir, the heroes fighting in sync, leaning into the intensity of this battle. It all comes together to create something truly spectacular.

“He’s A Friend From Work”

Sticking with Thor, but returning to the movie that changed it all for this character, Thor: Ragnarok stands out as the best entry in this hero’s series. With direction from Taika Waiтιтi, and the addition of Hulk to the storyline, it’s a fun and action-packed adventure.

And the moment all of that becomes crystal clear, is when Thor is sent into a gladiator-style Colosseum to battle a champion fighter on Sakaar. Only to discover it’s the Hulk. Recognizing his ally, Thor exclaims the above line, before the two become locked in a tense and thrilling battle.

Wonder Woman Crosses No Man’s Land

Back to DC, with one of the strongest entries to come out of the DCEU, Wonder Woman. This origin story for the elite Amazonian is a wonderful exploration of Diana Prince as she discovers a world that exists outside the bounds of her paradisical Themyscira.

The scene that best captures this is when Diana is on the front lines of World War II, learning about the horrors and tragedies of war, and she decides to act. While others have given up and resigned themselves to their horrible fates, Diana rushes into the No Man’s Land, clearing a path to save the innocent victims of war.

The Joker Breaks Free From Society On The Murray Franklin Show

Todd Phillips’ psychological thriller is a unique take on the superhero genre, but Joker is firmly set inside the world of DC with the тιтular character being an adaptation of the popular Batman villain. However, Arthur Fleck goes on a journey before becoming the Clown Prince of Crime.

Throughout the film, his mental state deteriorates, as Arthur experiences the cruelties and callousness of those around him. Eventually, he breaks free of this cycle in shocking style as he shoots Murray Franklin, a former idol of his, on live TV, thus accepting and embracing his new idenтιтy as the Joker, and leading the city into anarchy.

“What Are You?”

Before the MCU, the DCU, or any of those other mega franchises, Tim Burton was given the reins to Batman’s story back in the 1980s and the resulting film, Batman, was a thrilling break from the norm. With Michael Keaton delivering a stand-out performance as the Caped Crusader.

The scene that best defines this movie, and establishes the tone for the subsequent stories, is when Batman confronts a pair of thugs debating whether a vigilante dressed as a bat exists. This scene is wonderful, perfectly in-fitting with the story, and introduces the hero as the above question is asked, and Keaton answers with those iconic words, “I’m Batman.”

Three Spider-Man Save Earth-616 Side By Side

Spider-Man: No Way Home by director Jon Watts is the most ambitious Spider-Man movie ever made, incorporating characters from across the multiverse in this live-action extravaganza. Not only do iconic villains from the Raimi trilogy and the Amazing Spider-Man duology return, but so do the тιтular heroes of those films.

Seeing Tom Holland’s Spider-Man stand side-by-side with Andrew Garfield and Tobey Maguire is an absolutely unforgettable moment, and one that helps to define the MCU’s Multiverse Saga as a whole. And when these heroes clash with six sinister villains, it’s a truly iconic moment.

“I Am Iron Man”

Now, this final line appears twice in iconic moments during the MCU, with Robert Downey Jr.’s Tony Stark stating these words in both Jon Favreau’s Iron Man, and Avengers: Endgame. These moments open and close the hero’s story in the MCU, but the first instance deserves the top spot, due to the way this moment defines Stark’s arc.

This line wasn’t even supposed to be in the movie, as it was just one of the lines Robert Downey Jr. improvised on the day, but it defined the course of the MCU. It shaped Tony’s personality, and his actions in other films, until it all crescendoed in Avengers: Endgame as Tony sacrificed himself repeating these iconic words.

All of the above scenes stand out for various reasons, but they all elevate the superhero genre, showcasing exactly what these movies are capable of, and the incredible stories they have to tell.