Comic book movies have dominated the box office for years. In a post-Endgameand post-DCEU world, the films in this genre have been interesting. They either keep holding on to a tried-and-true formula or experiment and end up with unique bangers. However, not all the films that fall under comic book movies are necessarily superhero movies. There have been exciting non-superhero movies based on comic books or graphic novels as well.
Here, we take a look at some of the best comic book movies that have been released since 2020. Of course, Marvel still dominates this list, but DC has been releasing solid movies recently. The movies on this list vary in their achievements. They deliver spectacular action, reinvent characters, or expand their universe to bold new heights.
6
‘The Killer’ (2023)
The Killer looking out a window in The KillerImage via Netflix
The Killerfollows a professional assassin with a rigid worldview and routine, played by Michael Fassbender. After his carefully planned assignment in Paris goes wrong and his personal life is disrupted, he seeks to find his employer and exact his revenge. He goes on a globetrotting journey to find people that can lead him all the way to the top.
While this is widely known as a David Fincher film, The Killer is actually based on a long-running French graphic novel by Matz and Luc Jacamon. When you’ve traced its comic book origins, it becomes so easy to imagine the panels and speech bubbles in every sequence. There are some sequences, such as the Killer’s Paris escape or the fight sequences, that feel lifted directly from the pages. It is also a solid thriller film with great production and performances that also includes Tilda Swinton and Top Gun: Maverick‘s Charles Parnell. The film’s many hidden CGI effects are also fascinating to look out for. It is undoubtedly one of the best Netflix releases.
5
‘Zack Snyder’s Justice League’ (2021)
Superman with an ax on his shoulder to save Cyborg in Zack Snyder’s Justice LeagueImage via Warner Bros. Pictures
In Zack Snyder’s Justice League, Bruce Wayne (Ben Affleck) puts together a team to protect Earth from otherworldly threats after Superman (Henry Cavill) was killed. With help from Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot), he recruits Aquaman (Jason Momoa), The Flash (Ezra Miller), and Cyborg (Ray Fisher). The team must come together when Steppenwolf (Ciaran Hinds) arrives on Earth to retrieve Mother Boxes that can turn Earth into a wasteland.
The story behind the realization of this four-hour director’s cut is well-documented. The film’s greatest strength is that it treats the heroes seriously, almost like mythology. New characters such as The Flash and Cyborg are given extra screentime to understand where they are in this world. Cyborg in particular is given a heartbreaking story that is essential to the main plot itself. Visually, this film might be Zack Snyder at his best, as evidenced in the dramatic composition and large-scale action, complete with his usual sensibilities. Love it or hate it, it is a sprawling celebration of superheroes as modern legends, and one of the most distinctive comic-book adaptations in recent memory.
4
‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ (2022)
Black Panther in Black Panther Wakanda ForeverImage via Marvel Studios
In Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Wakanda is reeling from the death of T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman) and Shuri (Letitia Wright) steps in as the Black Panther replacing his brother. When the underwater civilization of Talokan is attacked by humans looking for vibranium, its ruler Namor (Tenoch Huerta) blames Wakanda and wages war against the nation for threatening their peaceful existence.
This Black Panther sequel is an underrated film because it is simply too difficult to match its predecessor’s achievement. However, it still stands as one of the best superhero movies of the decade. It expands the world introduced in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and also adopts a tone that’s usually unseen in superhero films. By paying respects to Boseman, the film is a moving meditation on grief and responsibility. It celebrates Boseman’s legacy as well as his character in the film. The introduction of Talokan is also a highlight. With Ludwig Göransson‘s score, Ruth E. Carter‘s gorgeous costumes, and a strong ensemble cast, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is a rare blockbuster film with genuine thematic weight.
Collider Exclusive · Marvel Personality Quiz Which MCU Hero Are You? Spider-Man · Daredevil · Iron Man · Punisher · Thor · Cap
Six heroes. One destiny. Answer 10 questions to discover which Marvel Cinematic Universe hero shares your personality, values, and fighting spirit. Will you swing, fly, or thunder your way to glory?
🕷️Spider-Man
😈Daredevil
🤖Iron Man
💀Punisher
⚡Thor
🛡️Cap
01
What drives you to do what’s right? Choose the answer that feels most like you.
02
It’s 2 AM. Where are you? Your answer says more about you than you’d think.
03
How do you handle a villain who keeps escaping justice? Every hero has a method. What’s yours?
04
How do you feel about keeping a secret identity? The mask — or the lack of one — says everything.
05
You’ve lost someone important because of your heroism. How do you carry that? Every hero pays a price. The question is how they pay it.
06
What’s your role when working with a team? Who you are under pressure is who you actually are.
07
Where do you draw the line between justice and revenge? The answer defines what kind of hero you really are.
08
When you’re not saving the world, what does life look like? The person behind the mask is always the more interesting story.
09
What keeps you up at night? Fear is useful data — if you’re honest about what you’re actually afraid of.
10
The battle is lost. You’re outnumbered, outgunned, and exhausted. What do you do? This is your tiebreaker — choose carefully.
Your Hero Has Been Identified Your MCU Hero Is…
Based on your answers, the Marvel hero who matches your spirit, values, and instincts has been revealed.
Queens, New York
🕷️ Spider-Man
You carry the weight of the world on shoulders that are younger than they should have to be — funny, loyal, and endlessly self-sacrificing.
You do the right thing not because it’s easy, but because no one else will.
You understand that responsibility isn’t a burden you choose — it’s one that finds you.
Whether it’s a neighbourhood mugging or a multiverse crisis, you show up.
Peter Parker’s lesson — that great power demands great responsibility — isn’t a slogan to you. It’s the code you live by, even when it costs you everything.
Hell’s Kitchen, New York
😈 Daredevil
You fight in the shadows between law and chaos, guided by a fierce moral compass that refuses to let the guilty walk free.
You use every tool available — your mind, your body, your faith — to protect those the system overlooks.
You’ve looked into the darkness and chosen not to become it, though the line has never been easy.
Matt Murdock’s duality — champion in the courtroom, devil in the alley — mirrors your own.
Relentless, conflicted, and unwilling to stop. That is exactly you.
Stark Industries, Malibu
🤖 Iron Man
Brilliant, driven, and occasionally insufferable — but always the person who solves the unsolvable problem.
You lead with your mind and back it up with resources, innovation, and a stubbornness that borders on heroic.
You started out looking out for yourself, but somewhere along the way the world became your responsibility.
Tony Stark’s arc — from ego to sacrifice — is your arc too.
You build, you plan, and when the moment comes, you’re willing to give everything. Because in the end, you’re Iron Man.
New York City
💀 The Punisher
You’ve been through fire that would break most people — and it did change you, completely. What’s left is unyielding, relentless, and operating by a code forged in grief.
You don’t ask for forgiveness, and you don’t expect gratitude.
You see a corrupt, broken world and you’ve decided to do something about it, consequences be damned.
Frank Castle’s war is born from love twisted by loss — and so is yours.
Uncompromising and unflinching — the world may not agree with your methods, but your conviction is absolute.
Asgard · Protector of the Nine Realms
⚡ Thor
Powerful, proud, and on a lifelong journey to become worthy of the legend you carry.
You lead with strength but have learned — sometimes painfully — that true greatness comes from humility and growth.
You’re larger than life, yet more vulnerable than you let on.
Thor’s story is one of transformation: from arrogant prince to worthy king, from isolated warrior to beloved protector.
You bring the storm when it’s needed — and the warmth when it matters just as much.
Brooklyn, New York · The Avengers
🛡️ Captain America
You believe in something bigger than yourself — and you fight for it even when the world has moved on and nobody else will.
You don’t bully the small guy, and you never stop when it gets hard.
Steve Rogers didn’t become a hero when he got the serum — he was always one. So were you.
Your strength isn’t in your fists; it’s in your refusal to compromise what’s right, no matter the cost.
In a world full of people taking the easy road, you’re the one who picks up the shield and stands up — every single time.
3
‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’ (2023)
Chris Pratt, Vin Diesel, Dave Bautista, Karen Gillan, and Pom Klementieff in Guardians of the Galaxy 3Image via Marvel Studios
In Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, the titular team once again sets out on a galactical adventure when Rocket (Bradley Cooper) is injured. Quill (Chris Pratt) and the team desperately try to find a way to save their friend. Their path pits them against the High Evolutionary (Chukwudi Iwuji), who has a pivotal role in Rocket’s past.
Often dubbed the best film in MCU’s Phase Five, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is a satisfying closing chapter to the colorful team’s adventures. As usual, James Gunn brings his trademark irreverent humor and lovable characters, but this time he blends it with a devastating story about trauma. Rocket’s backstory gives the film its emotional centerpiece, while also highlighting the issue of animal cruelty. The team faces a worthy villain in The High Evolutionary, played brilliantly and menacingly by Chukwudi Iwuji. The action is still as spectacular as the previous films. The film marks Gunn’s last MCU film before he moved to lead DC Studios.
2
‘The Batman’ (2022)
Robert Pattinson as Bruce Wayne in The BatmanImage via WarnerMedia
The Batman follows Bruce Wayne (Robert Pattinson) as he continues fighting crime in his second year as the Caped Crusader in Gotham. When the Riddler (Paul Dano) begins murdering prominent political figures and leaving cryptic messages, Batman teams up with Lieutenant James Gordon (Jeffrey Wright) and Selina Kyle (Zoe Kravitz) to investigate a conspiracy that reaches into Gotham’s elite.
Despite being the third iteration of Batman this millennium, Matt Reeves‘ film brings something new to the character. It treats Batman as both a superhero and a detective. The film builds a gripping neo-noir mystery with a carefully crafted story that takes it time to breathe. Pattinson delivers a modern and new interpretation of Bruce Wayne. This version is a socially isolated, emotionally wounded young man who has become so consumed by vengeance. The film’s noir approach is complemented by its cinematography, Michael Giacchino‘s piano-led score and grounded production and action. The highly anticipated sequel to this film is currently filming.
1
‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’ (2023)
Miguel and the Spider Society chase Miles in Spider-Man: Across the Spiderverse.Image via Sony Pictures Releasing
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse follows Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) as he gets involved in a new multiversal adventure. He discovers an organization of Spider-Men from different universes led by Spider-Man 2099 (Oscar Isaac). The society’s goal is to preserve canon events, including the painful, tragic ones, and Miles cannot just stand to see suffering when he has the ability to stop it.
Across the Spider-Verse is an extraordinary achievement because it pushes the style introduced in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verseeven further. The visuals in this film is more ambitious and inventive. Every dimension has its own artistic identity, from the expressive watercolor-inspired world of Gwen Stacy, the chaotic, punk-rock aesthetic surrounding Spider-Punk to a cute stopmotion sequence made by a talented young creator. Beneath all the spectacle, the film also has a strong, character-driven story that centers on Miles. It’s an achievement in itself to pack hundreds of Spider-Men but still keep it focused. The film is always in conversation among the best superhero movies ever made.
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