Superheroeshave been a part of cinema for decades. Hits likeSuperman: The Movieand Tim Burton’sBatmanwould pop up every now and again, but for some time, Hollywood didn’t treat comic book movies seriously. That all changed in the 2000s whenX-MenandSpider-Manproved that the source material provided by the likes of Marvel and DC could lead to huge returns at the box office.
Update June 16, 2025: This article has been updated by Valerie Parker with more high-earning superhero films of all time.
In the years since, superhero movies have exploded, producing billion-dollar hit afterbillion-dollar hit. The Marvel Cinematic Universe is one of the biggest brands on the planet, and Warner Bros. is working hard to put DC on the same level. Over the last 20 years, superheroes, and even villains, have been the subjects of some of the biggest movies in history. While there has been talk about the genre maybe being at a point in fatigue, it is hard to argue that the genre succeeds with some of the highest highs in box office history. Here we take a look at the 20 highest-grossing superhero movies ever, breaking down each entry along the way.
20Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)
The second film in theGuardians of the Galaxytrilogy may not have been many people’s favorite of the three, but it was the highest-grossing. This deep dive into the parentage of Guardians leader Peter Quill (you may call him Star-Lord) managed to pull in over $863 million dollars worldwide, with an impressive $146 million of that coming in its first weekend. How many people bought tickets to see the misadventures of Baby Groot is hard to ascertain.
19Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)
The first appearance of a DC film in this list is courtesy ofBatman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, which features the first on-screen meeting of the two most popular DC comics characters. While the film did an impressive $873 million at the worldwide box office, it was a disappointment considering the monumental moment in the history of the characters and their on-screen presence the film marked by pitting powerhouses like Superman and Batman against each other. The film likely suffered by jumping the gun to this moment in their history without earning the conflict over a longer period of time and more film history.
18Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
The first of 4Spider-Manmovies on this list, and the first of 7 films that features the character at all, Spider-Man is a major box office draw. Long the highest-grossing superhero, sales of Spider-Man merchandise are higher than sales of Batman and Superman merchandise combined. So it’s unsurprising that the wall-crawler features so prominently in this list.Spider-Man: Homecomingwas the second appearance of the character in the MCU and his first solo outing. Though the film was criticized for being too reliant on the presence of Iron Man, the film still managed to gross over $880m at the worldwide box office.
17Spider-Man 3 (2007)
Sam Raimi’sSpider-Man 3is a mixed bag. While the filmmaker’s first twoSpider-Manmovies helped cement the superhero genre asthemodern blockbuster trend, the third entry ended up being the unplanned finale to a trilogy and was widely lamented by critics and fans alike. Still, that disappointment doesn’t seem to have hat damaged its earning potential. Tobey Maguire’s third go-around as Peter Parker earned $894.8 million globally, including a tremendous $151.1 million on its opening weekend domestically.
16Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022)
Another hit for director Sam Raimi.Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madnessshowed the power of the MCU and rode off the character’s popularity following apperances inAvengers: Infinity WarandSpider-Man: No Way Home, the sequel to the firstDoctor Strangesaw a major boost in take sales.Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madnessgrossed $955 million worldwide, making it one of the most successful movies of 2022. In its opening weekend it grossed $187.4 million, toppingSpider-Man 3as the biggest opening weekend in Sam Raimi’s career. It is hard to say Marvel has lost their touch when one of its most recent films made almost $1 billion worldwide.
15The Dark Knight (2008)
Few movies attain both the level of acclaim and financial success thatThe Dark Knighthas. Christopher Nolan’s landmark 2008 Batman movie, which followed in the footsteps ofBatman Begins, is still widely considered to be one of the greatest comic book movies ever made and perhaps one of the best movies of its decade.
Riding a wave of praise and buzz over the lateHeath Ledger’s portrayal of the Joker, the DC Comics adaptation has earned just over $1 billion at the global box office to date. Other movies on this list had higher box office earnings, but few endure in the wayThe Dark Knighthas.
14Joker (2019)
This is the only entry on this list that falls into a grey area.Jokeris not technically a superhero movie by some definitions. It is focused almost entirely on a villain, and Bruce Wayne only appears for mere moments as a child. Be that as it may, the Joker is the hero of this movie, and given its DC Comics source material, the film earned its place on this list. By some measures, this may actually be the most financially successful movie on the list.
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Directed by Todd Phillips, best known previously for directingThe Hangovermovies,Jokeris a dark, R-rated character study with Joaquin Phoenix playing the lead, a man named Arthur Fleck who becomes the famed criminal. Made for a reported budget of just $55 million, less than half of what the typical superhero film costs, it earned a staggering $1.07 billion globally. Phoenix also went on to win the Oscar for Best Actor Oscar for his role in the film.
13The Dark Knight Rises (2012)
The Dark Knight Risesarrived in theaters in the summer of 2012, providing fans with a sequel toThe Dark Knight, as well as a conclusion toChristopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy. Though the film couldn’t live up to its predecessor as far as critics were concerned, it did manage to top it at the box office, taking in $1.07 billion globally.
After the success and acclaim ofBatman BeginsandThe Dark Knightbefore it, the world was eager to see how the story of Bruce Wayne would end. Until relatively recently, the film was the highest-grossing DC movie at the box office, until a surprise candidate took his throne.
12Captain Marvel (2019)
Captain Marvelwas many things for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It was the first female-fronted solo title in the franchise. It marked Brie Larson’s debut as the iconic character. It was the first movie in the MCU to be co-directed by a woman, with Anna Boden at the helm alongside Ryan Fleck. It was also a tremendous success.
The 90s-set superhero adventure earned a better-than-expected $1.12 billion at the global box office. That total includes a stellar $462.8 million domestically. That only served to helpAvengers: Endgamefurther when it was released in 2019, as Larson also appeared in the massive team-up as Carol Danvers.
