Dear Superhero Fans,
Not all heroes wear capes. But in this case, it definitely helps.
As you’ll see, we wanted to include superheroes in our Greatest Movies A-Z series with WatchMojo. But pulling it off required some creativity. Did we save your favourite movie?
As you see, we played by the same set of rules as all the other videos:
- One film per letter
- Articles don’t count (the, an, a, etc.)
- Final list should encapsulate the genre
In this case, that last point meant not making this video an unofficial extension of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. So not every Avenger made the cut, especially when there was a solid alternative.
The bigger question here was what makes something a superhero movie? We didn’t create hard-and-fast rules like we did for sci-fi. But it’s safe to say these films all at least take place in a “superhero” world, even if the hero isn’t the protagonist.
Now here’s what we learned, and why we ultimately decided to make a couple jokes rather than actually cheat.
LESSONS FROM SUPERHERO A-Z
TOP DECADE: 2010s
Obviously. Half the movies in this video are from the last 10 years. The oldest movie on here is from 1989. You’re welcome, Internet.
HARDEST LETTER: B
Black Panther fans probably have a right to be mad. The movie was nominated for Best Picture and is the highest grossing solo superhero film. Not to mention what it means to have a black superhero. Which also made it hard for Blade 2 to compete. In the end, we went with another man in black, because you can’t deny what Tim Burton’s original movie did for the genre.
CHEATED OUT: The New Mutants
Thanks to COVID-19, we haven’t had a chance to see The New Mutants yet. So No Ordinary Hero wins on a technicality. A big technicality. No Ordinary Hero is technically about superheroes, but not a “real” superhero. It’s about a real superhero. Or at least a guy who plays a superhero on TV but then has to become one, of sorts. Anyway, take your victory lap No Ordinary Hero! We could have done a third freeze-frame with the wrong Nightcrawler, but if there was a movie that qualified, we had to use it.
BEST BATTLE: Spider-Man 2 vs Superman
I mean, we know who would win in a real fight, but when it comes to movies? Damn, it was close. Having a movie from the 70s sure would have felt good - especially something as beloved as the original Superman. But no Spidey?? We couldn’t do it. And Ebert agreed Spider-Man was the best superhero movie of all-time, so there.
SPECIAL CONSIDERATION: Joker
Don’t get up our asses and say that Joker isn’t really a superhero movie. It’s the story of a villain in a superhero world. And considering the competition - Justice League and Jonah Hex - any arguments against Joker are going to feel pretty petty. But go ahead, we’re ready for it.
Think your list would be better? More balanced? Less heart-breaking? Let us know.
Sincerely,
Dear Cast & Crew
