Before you write off the genre to fatigue, these 10 superhero films prove that studios are not out of tricks yet and there’s still room for fresh ideas.

It’s safe to say even before the beginning of 2024, the superhero genre had hit a rough patch. Fatigue, oversaturation, some lackluster releases – throw in some industry strikes – and suddenly, superhero films didn’t feel as invincible as they once did. Despite all that, studios looked to recover and add some freshness to the genre this year.

Every earth in every universe is heading for oblivion | Warner Bros.

While some films flew under the radar, and others were overshadowed by bigger names or negative PR, they all had their merits (however nitpicky it may be), even if audiences didn’t always show up. So, let’s dive into 10 superhero movies from 2024 that deserved more love—and why you might want to give them a second chance.

10. The Crow

The Crow, directed by Rupert Sanders, is a reboot nobody asked for, yet here it is, stumbling through murky visuals, lifeless performances, and a script trying way too hard to be edgy. The film reimagines Eric Draven (Bill Skarsgård) as a brooding anti-hero avenging the death of his girlfriend Shelly in a story drowning in emo clichés and 2000s Hot Topic aesthetics.

While the film aimed to honor James O’Barr’s graphic novel, it faltered with a weak script and cookie-cutter villains

Bill Skarsgård in The Crow | Lionsgate

Despite its flaws, The Crow did have some redeeming qualities. Amid the gloom, one action sequence stands out: an opera house scene where Eric unleashes his fury. It’s dynamic, stylish, and creatively choreographed, offering a fleeting glimpse of what this movie could have been.

For fans of the franchise, this reboot might be worth a watch for curiosity’s sake. It’s a flawed but occasionally intriguing entry that highlights the challenges of reimagining a beloved classic. While it doesn’t reach the iconic status of its predecessor, far from it, The Crow deserves a nod for attempting to bring this tragic antihero back to life.

9. Kraven the Hunter

Kraven the Hunter is, well, fine. Directed by J.C. Chandor, the film stands as a step up from Morbius but fails to escape the mediocrity of Sony’s Spider-Man-less universe. Aaron Taylor-Johnson stars as Sergei Kravenoff, a reimagined version of the classic villain, trading big-game hunting for vigilantism against bad guys.

The plot, involving Kraven’s family drama with his crime lord father (Russell Crowe), a revenge mission against rival Aleksei Sytsevich, and eventual teases of Chameleon and The Jackal, is overly convoluted but serviceable.

Aaron Taylor-Johnson in Kraven the Hunter | Sony Pictures Releasing

The film’s standout moments come from its bloody, R-rated action sequences, which let Taylor-Johnson show off his physicality. The opening Siberian prison break and later skirmishes highlight this pretty well. The cast, especially Crowe and Nivola, give surprisingly committed performances considering the thin script, while Ariana DeBose does her best to elevate the underwritten Calypso.

Despite its flaws, Kraven the Hunter offers glimpses of potential. For die-hard fans of Marvel’s rogue gallery, the film gives some answers to Kraven’s complex relationship with nature and family. It also hints at broader connections within the SSU, teasing storylines involving Spider-Man and other characters. It’s a watchable action romp, but without Spider-Man to anchor its antiheroes, the film feels hollow, like it’s flailing for purpose.

8. Hellboy: The Crooked Man

Following up on Guillermo Del Toro’s vibrant and utterly imaginative Hellboy films was never going to be an easy task, but Hellboy: The Crooked Man, directed by Brian Taylor, opts for a smaller-scale approach. Adapting one of Mike Mignola’s most atmospheric arcs, set in 1950s rural Appalachia, the backdrop’s special flavor helps distinguish the movie from its predecessors.

Hellboy: The Crooked Man promises is a darker take on the character | Millennium Media

The film stars Jack Kesy as Hellboy, who teams up with Bobbie Jo Song on a mission through rural Appalachia. The story begins with a promising if modest, train-set action sequence featuring a spider-like monster. It’s a lighter, more contained take on the character compared to Del Toro’s, aiming for a horror vibe amidst twisted tree branches and shadowy woods. On paper, the shift in tone and scale is a smart way to differentiate this reboot.

In practice, however, the execution falters. The film feels cheap, its compact scope blurring into uninspired visuals and lifeless direction. Despite these shortcomings, The Crooked Man received praise for its commitment to the comics’ darker tone. Fans of horror and supernatural storytelling may find much to enjoy here, particularly the creepy atmosphere and practical effects.

7. Joker: Folie à Deux

When many first saw Joker at the Venice Film Festival, its climax—a live TV murder eerily mirroring real life—left fans appalled. Here we are again, having gotten a lukewarm sequel in 2024 in the form of Joker: Folie à Deux. The story unfolds as a rather bizarre jukebox musical, peppering classics like “Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered” with ‘60s pop. And surprisingly, it is this audacious decision that earns the film some merit.

Lady Gaga and Joaquin Phoenix in Joker: Folie à Deux | Warner Bros. Pictures

While narratively incoherent, the musical framing provides an inventive excuse for its dreamlike, surreal structure. Lady Gaga’s Lee Quinzel offers a grounded counterpoint to Joaquin Phoenix’s increasingly self-indulgent performance. Though Folie à Deux remains a messy stew of genre experiments, it also deserves credit for its defiance of audience pandering. Phoenix and Gaga’s committed performances carry moments of brilliance, even as the film staggers under its own weight. Flawed as it is, it’s still quite something.

While Folie à Deux didn’t replicate the box-office or critical success of the original Joker, it deserves recognition for its ambition and creativity. It’s a movie that challenges the conventions of the superhero genre, at least. If you’re open to something experimental and deeply unsettling, Joker: Folie à Deux is worth your time.

6. Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths (Parts 1, 2, and 3)

DC’s animated Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths trilogy delivered one of the year’s most ambitious superhero projects. Spanning three films, the adaptations explored a multiversal war that reshaped the DC Universe. Part One set the stage with an introduction to the conflict, while Part Two struggled slightly as a transitional chapter. The trilogy’s finale, however, brought everything together in a digestible, if not entirely satisfying, conclusion.

While non-linear storytelling is a choice, it’s often confusing, juggling too many complex ideas without enough clarity. Nevertheless, for fans of DC’s animated universe, this trilogy was a bittersweet farewell to the Tomorrowverse, which began with Superman: Man of Tomorrow.

End of the Tomorrowverse with Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths | Warner Bros.

Whether you’re a longtime DC fan or new to the animated movies, Crisis on Infinite Earths would be an interesting pick, as it indulgently lets fan service take over, reducing the story to a sci-fi dome filled with alternate Justice League members.

5. Venom: The Last Dance

Venom: The Last Dance is easily the best of the Venom trilogy, giving us the most entertaining version of Eddie Brock and Venom yet. Tom Hardy continued to be the heart of these films, fully embracing the ridiculousness of his dual role. The banter between Eddie and Venom is sharper, funnier, and somehow more heartfelt.

A still from Venom: The Last Dance | Sony Pictures Releasing

The first half of the movie hooks you in with its fast pace and solid setup. Knull, the ominous creator of the Symbiote race, looms large, while the Xenophages bring a surprising level of menace. Unfortunately, the side characters and subplots drag things down, with a military storyline that feels more like filler than a real threat.

Still, The Last Dance gets enough right to stick the landing. It’s messy and ridiculous, but in the best way—just like Venom himself. Fans will find plenty to love in this wild final chapter.

4. Ultraman: Rising

For many who were new to the Ultraman franchise, Ultraman: Rising proved to be an enjoyable and accessible entry point. Released globally on Netflix in June 2024, and earning an 86% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, this reboot has heart, humor, and action, making it a standout family-friendly film.

Ultraman and baby kaiju | Netflix

The story follows Ken Sato, a baseball star returning to Japan to inherit the mantle of Ultraman from his injured father. Between superhero duties, joining a new baseball team, and raising an adorable baby kaiju, Ken explores themes of responsibility, compassion, and the bonds between heroes and their charges. The parenting struggles—complete with kaiju-sized messes—are genuinely funny.

Action sequences excel, with creative choreography and dynamic use of cityscapes as the backdrop for Ultraman’s battles. The kaiju designs are fantastic and well-thought-out instead of painting them as mere villains. This thoughtful approach to the creatures, treating them as animals with their own stories, is a surprising level of nuance for such subject matter.

3. Watchmen: Chapter 1

​​Watchmen: Chapter 1 marks the third major adaptation of Alan Moore’s graphic novel, this time as a cel-shaded animated feature directed by Brandon Vietti. Splitting the source material into two parts, writer J. Michael Straczynski takes a more faithful approach to the story, closely following Rorschach as he investigates the murder of The Comedian and uncovers a conspiracy against former masked vigilantes.

While this loyalty to the novel allows for deeper exploration of some storylines, it also makes the film predictable for longtime fans.

Watchmen brings another iteration of Alan Moore’s seminal graphic novel to life | Warner Bros.

The animation style, a departure from traditional hand-drawn 2D, blends cel-shading with 3D, naturally drawing comparisons to Batman Ninja. While visually striking in sequences like Dr. Manhattan’s Mars exile and The Comedian’s violent montage, the style occasionally feels stiff and cartoonish, especially in action scenes and emotional beats. Despite these flaws, the art direction does a commendable job of staying true to Dave Gibbons’ designs.

At just 83 minutes, Watchmen: Chapter 1 makes for an intriguing but uneven start. With its faithfulness and mature themes, this adaptation promises even greater things to come in its second chapter.

2. Deadpool & Wolverine

Deadpool & Wolverine is a mixed bag—occasionally clever, sometimes exhausting, and often stuck between tones. The setup is promising. Paradox is cleaning up loose MCU timelines, tossing discarded characters into The Void, a bleak realm ruled by Emma Corrin’s Cassandra Nova, a gleefully sinister telepath. Deadpool, disillusioned and ready for normalcy, gets roped back in, recruiting Hugh Jackman’s sad-sack Wolverine from a timeline where he’s drowning his sorrows in whiskey.

While the concept teases a Midnight Run-style adventure, Deadpool’s constant barrage of off-color jokes rarely gels with Wolverine’s brooding intensity, and the film struggles to balance irreverence with emotional weight. Some of the meta-jokes, like digs at the Fox/Disney merger, land well, but many feel like trying too hard to be edgy.

Still, there are glimmers of sincerity, especially in how it handles forgotten heroes and timelines. It’s not enough to save the film from feeling like yet another Deadpool sequel—loud, crass, and just barely holding itself together. Stick around for the credits, though; there’s a rare moment of earnestness that almost makes the ride worth it. If you’ve been hesitant to dive back into the MCU, this is the movie to reignite your excitement.

1. My Hero Academia: You’re Next

You don’t need an encyclopedic knowledge of the anime to enjoy My Hero Academia: You’re Next. This visually stunning and action-packed film is a ‘more than solid‘ entry in the franchise that balances spectacle with just enough heart to keep you hooked.

The story picks up after All Might’s retirement, with a new villain, Dark Might, stepping in. As an anti-All Might, he’s a fascinating concept, though his backstory feels underdeveloped. The real standout is Giulio Gandini—a cyborg butler who steals the show with wit and an organic chemistry with Deku.

The film shines brightest during its action sequences. The creativity behind the Quirks and fight choreography keeps things fresh, even as the extended final act starts to drag. While the resolution feels rushed, You’re Next still manages to be a massively entertaining,well-crafted, no-holds-barred superhero adventure, earning a stellar 94% on Rotten Tomatoes.

If 2024 proved anything, it’s that the superhero genre is definitely evolving and it needs to get its act together quickly. Whether you’re a lifelong fan or just dipping your toes into the genre, give these picks a chance and you might just find something resembling a unicorn – a superhero story that might not seem stale.