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The Greatest Superhero Movie From Each of the Last 5 Decades Miles Morales floating in Spider-Man Into the Spider-Verse while the world is upside down.

Miles Morales floating in Spider-Man Into the Spider-Verse while the world is upside down.

Miles Morales foating in Spider-Man Into the Spider-Verse while the world is upside down.Image via Sony Pictures Entertainment

By Eddie Possehl Published 11 minutes ago Eddie Possehl is a dynamic and driven writer/director with a passion for the written word and all things film, television, comics, and games. His passion for storytelling led him to establish his own production company in hopes of achieving his dreams. His dedication to his craft has attracted renowned talent like Yuri Lowenthal to collaborate with him on his projects. As he grows and improves, Eddie is a shining example of a self-starter. Sign in to your Collider account Add Us On Summary Generate a summary of this story follow Follow followed Followed Like Like Thread Log in Here is a fact-based summary of the story contents: Try something different: Show me the facts Explain it like I’m 5 Give me a lighthearted recap

Superhero movies have been around for quite some time now. Within the decades that they've been produced and released, there have been some wonderful stories told, cinematography shot, and performances given. Regardless of what makes a superhero movie good, each decade has a phenomenal one that stands out above the rest. These movies go down in history as some of the best superheroes ever made, and act as great representatives not only for the decades they're produced in but also of the characters that are starring in them, which there's not a lot of variety of.

It's pretty clear from the start that the big trinity of superheroes — Superman, Batman, and Spider-Man — absolutely take over the best superhero films of each decade. They each have had some phenomenal movies that are absolutely unforgettable, and act as great representations of superhero cinema in the decade that they were released in. Most of these movies are pretty much the cornerstones of superhero cinema and more than deserve their places in the stars with the best of the best. Most are formative for the genre, or have completely redefined it. So, not only are these movies great, but they're extremely important for the most part. But who is really surprised that movies this good would also be important for the genre?

5 'Superman: The Movie' (1978)

Christopher Reeve as Superman standing proud in Superman.Image via Warner Bros.

While there really isn't much competition for superhero films in the 70s, even if there was, its almost certain that Superman: The Movie would still come out on top. It set the standard for and defined the superhero movie space for every decade to come after. Others may have come in and switched things up or improved them a bit, but Superman: The Movie is where it all really began. Directed by the one and only Richard Donner (also known for The Goonies and Lethal Weapon), this project truly did change the world and, in its own words, made them "believe a man can fly." It truly changed the world for the better, and, honestly, filled people with a lot of hope.

Christopher Reeve also stepped into the Superman boots and gave a wonderful performance all around. He really encapsulated the feeling of true heroism that the Big Blue Boy Scout should bring to any story told about him. His lovable smile, charm, and wit all make him truly feel like the Man of Steel himself. The score by the legendary composer, John Williams (who also composed Jurassic Park, Indiana Jones, Jaws, and so many more), is unforgettable and is still being used in media surrounding the character to this very day, with the newest film adaptation of the character — James Gunn's Superman — using its melody and taking inspiration from it. There is such a plethora of factors that make Superman: The Movie as amazing as it is, and each one of them carries a validity that makes it hard to deny.

4 'Batman' (1989)

Batman 1989, Michael Keaton as Batman emerging from shadows on a rooftop

Tim Burton is a pretty legendary director, and when asked, most people would probably agree with that. He has such a unique style with substance, spunk, and is very gothic. Anyone who would say that such a style would fit DC Comics' own Batman perfectly would be very happy to see the likes of 1989's Batman, starring the ever-talented Michael Keaton. His performance really set the norm of doing a gruff and tough Batman, coming after the likes of the goofy and silly Adam West adaptation. The iconic "I'm Batman" quote even spawned from this flick, improvised by Keaton himself. One could bet that he didn't know he was about to invent one of the most popular film quotes of all time.

Batman completely redefined DC Comics' Dark Knight for every variation to come after. A large proportion of the character's current most recognizable traits either came from or were popularized by this movie. Fabled Batman movies like The Dark Knight and The Batman would not have been possible without this original movie. Many could even argue that the directional change in his film media helped push him from potentially from becoming stale or seen as "too silly" as the character began to evolve with time. It's safe to say that Batman is the character he is today largely thanks to Batman. It's safe to say that as long as the character is around and prominent, this 1989 classic will be remembered just as fondly as it has been since its release.

3 'Batman: Mask of the Phantasm' (1993)

Silhouette of Bruce Wayne holding his Batman mask, from Batman: Mask of the Phantasm. Image via Warner Bros. Pictures

Some may find it surprising that the best superhero movie of the 90s is 2D animated film based on a television series, but they would completely come to understand why after watching Batman: Mask of the Phantasm. Set in the world of Batman: The Animated Series, this 1993 movie is the perfect character study of Bruce Wayne and captures the heart, soul, and importance of the character in just 1 hour and 16 minutes. Wonderfully directed by Bruce Timm and Eric Radomski, and excellently written by Alan Burnett, Paul Dini, Martin Pasko, and Michael Reaves, Batman: Mask of the Phantasm brings the beloved superhero to life in a way no other movie has ever really managed to do, even to this very day.

It can't be for nothing that this movie is still held to such high esteem a whole 30+ years later. It's continued proof that 2D animation does, and continues to, have a place in modern Hollywood, having the same potential for greatness as the rest, maybe even more. Batman: Mask of the Phantasm's also got an astounding voice cast consisting of the legendary Kevin Conroy, Mark Hamill, Stacy Keach, and more, making each character pop out on the screen in a way that they could not have if they had been portrayed by anyone else. Conroy and Hamill specifically are considered the best of the best when it comes to the voice portrayals of Batman and Joker, and some of their best work can be found here.

2 'Spider-Man 2' (2004)

Spider-Man on top of a speeding train in Spider-Man 2 (2004)Image via Sony Pictures Releasing

Spider-Man 2 is often considered one of the greatest superhero movies ever made — one of the best sequels of all time, too — for many very good reasons. When stepping into the directing chair for this big Spider-Man sequel, Sam Raimi decided to really dive into the character of Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire) and his mindset regarding his role in New York City as the famed Spider-Man. The suit and powers of the Web-Slinger, despite people at home wishing they had some of their own, has always been more of a curse to Pete than a gift. If there's a Spider-Man movie that emphasizes the toll that the mask and tights has on the young man, it's 2004's Spider-Man 2. Everyone may want to be Spider-Man when they're growing up, but no one really thinks about how much it could potentially ruin them and their life.

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Not only is this Tobey Maguire's best performance in the Spider-Man trilogy, but said performance enhances the movie's screenplay tenfold, especially when matched alongside Alfred Molina's. Alvin Sargent's screenplay, supported by a screen story by Alfred Gough, Miles Millar, and Michael Chabon, makes this one of the most moving Spider-Man movies ever made. The young hero truly suffers, and it connects audiences to him almost immediately, as his own personal struggles manifest physically when his powers go on the fritz. This provides great conflict, especially with the phenomenal action that takes place within the movie, especially that iconic train sequence — one of the best fight scenes in superhero cinema.

1 'Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse' (2018)

Miles Morales foating in Spider-Man Into the Spider-Verse while the world is upside down.Image via Sony Pictures Entertainment

It doesn't take a lot of asking around for one to hear how absolutely beloved the Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse franchise is — especially that first film that changed the entire animated Hollywood film landscape in 2018. The story of Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) is an incredible coming-of-age tale that so many people were able to connect to. Not to mention, the animation is some of the best in modern cinema, being a huge part of what shook things up so much when it came out. The risks Sony Pictures Animation took when being so unique with their style paid off tenfold, thanks to how dedicated the animation team was, giving so much attention to detail in every single frame of the movie.

This trilogy is so popular only because of how excellent this first movie ended up being. The level of expertise and prowess this project was crafted with makes it feel so special and beloved, and put the young Miles Morales on the main stage in a way that he never would have been without it — which is good because it's what the character deserved. All of this, matched with great vocal performances and an unbelievable music score by Daniel Pemberton make Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse more than worth rewatch after rewatch, time and time again. Safe to say, when this franchise ends with Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse, it will be beyond missed by fans and general audiences around the world.

Like Follow Followed Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse PG Superhero Action Adventure Animation Family Sci-Fi Release Date December 6, 2018 Runtime 117 minutes Director Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey, Rodney Rothman Writers Phil Lord, Rodney Rothman