Which superhero movies should I see?

The superhero genre has had a complicated few years. After the genre-defining highs of Avengers: Endgame in 2019, audience fatigue set in, box office returns became erratic, and critics began questioning whether the superhero movie had run its course. But 2025 and 2026 have told a very different story. A genuine creative renewal — driven by bolder choices, stronger storytelling, and the exciting launch of James Gunn’s rebooted DC Universe — has reminded audiences why they fell in love with costumed heroes in the first place. Whether you are a devoted Marvel fan trying to keep up with Phase 6, a DC enthusiast excited about the new universe taking shape, or simply someone who wants to know where to start, this is your complete guide to which superhero movies you should actually see right now.

The Essential Watch: Superman (2025)

If there is one superhero film that absolutely everyone should see — regardless of their existing relationship with comics, DC, or superhero movies in general — it is James Gunn’s Superman. Released in 2025 as the launch film of the new DC Universe, the film has been described by critics as an “instant classic” that does for Superman what Batman Begins did for Batman — establishing the foundation of an exciting new cinematic chapter with a clarity of tone and vision that has been absent from DC films for years.

David Corenswet delivers a genuinely star-making turn as Clark Kent/Superman, bringing a warmth, vulnerability, and infectious optimism to the character that has often eluded previous screen incarnations. Lex Luthor is played with cold menace by Nicholas Hoult. The film’s director, James Gunn — who previously transformed Guardians of the Galaxy from an obscure comic property into one of Marvel’s most beloved franchises — brings the same wit, heart, and Silver Age sensibility to Superman that made those films so distinctive. One of the film’s most celebrated moments involves a simple line — “He’s alone, and he’s scared” — that reportedly had audiences reaching for tissues in theatres worldwide. Superman ended 2025 as the highest-grossing superhero film of the year and the most critically acclaimed. It is, by every measure, the place to begin with the new DC Universe.

The Biggest Surprise: Thunderbolts* (2025)

Of all the superhero releases of 2025, none confounded expectations more completely — or more pleasantly — than Thunderbolts*. The film assembles an unlikely team of MCU anti-heroes: Yelena Belova, John Walker, Ghost, Taskmaster, Red Guardian, and The Sentry — none of them traditional headliners — and sends them on a mission that becomes something far more emotionally unexpected than anyone anticipated.

Directed by Jake Schreier with a visual language more akin to an A24 drama than a typical Marvel blockbuster, Thunderbolts* is, at its core, a film about depression, loneliness, and the redemptive power of connection. Its heroes win not by punching harder than their enemies but by genuinely caring for one another — a storytelling choice that lands with surprising emotional force. Florence Pugh is extraordinary as Yelena, and The Sentry’s exploration of his own fractured psychology is one of the most genuinely affecting character studies the MCU has produced. The film struggled at the box office but is now widely regarded as one of Marvel’s most creatively ambitious recent productions. Streaming on Disney+, it is essential viewing for anyone who thought the MCU had lost its ability to surprise.

The Acclaimed Fan Favourite: The Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025)

After years of failed attempts and false starts, The Fantastic Four: First Steps finally delivered the definitive big-screen version of Marvel’s first family in 2025. Set in a retro-futurist 1960s universe that captures the Silver Age optimism of the original Stan Lee and Jack Kirby comics, the film is visually unlike anything else in the MCU and tells a genuinely moving story about a family facing impossible choices in the face of an existential threat. The cast — Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards, Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm, Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm/The Thing — have been universally praised for their chemistry and their ability to make these beloved characters feel freshly vital. The Fantastic Four: First Steps represents Marvel at its most confident and creatively adventurous, and watching it is the essential preparation for what comes next in 2026.

The Must-Watch TV: Daredevil: Born Again (2025)

Straddling the line between television series and cinematic-quality drama, Daredevil: Born Again stands as one of the best superhero productions of 2025 in any format. Charlie Cox returns as Matt Murdock/Daredevil with a gritty, morally complex performance that honours the character’s legacy from the acclaimed Netflix series while integrating him fully into the MCU. Vincent D’Onofrio’s Kingpin — now Mayor of New York — provides one of Marvel’s most genuinely formidable antagonists, and the eagerly anticipated team-up between Daredevil and The Punisher delivers exactly the brutal, emotionally charged confrontation that fans have been waiting for.

Critics praised the series for its willingness to “get real,” exploring themes of trauma, grief, political corruption, and moral ambiguity in ways that feel more akin to prestige television than traditional superhero fare. Season 2 is already in production for 2026, so now is the perfect time to catch up on Disney+.

Coming Soon: Avengers: Doomsday (December 2026)

The most anticipated superhero event of 2026 — and arguably of the entire decade so far — is Avengers: Doomsday, directed by the Russo Brothers (the duo behind Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame) and arriving in cinemas in December 2026. The film brings Robert Downey Jr. back to the MCU in the most audacious casting decision in superhero movie history: not as the beloved Tony Stark, but as the legendary Marvel villain Doctor Doom — a choice that has generated equal measures of excitement and fascinated bewilderment among fans.

The assembled cast reads like a who’s who of the MCU at its most expansive: Pedro Pascal, Chris Hemsworth, Wyatt Russell, and virtually every major character introduced across the MCU’s recent phases are expected to converge for what is being positioned as the defining event of Marvel Phase 6. The film is being watched by the entire industry as a potential turning point — the moment the MCU either fully reclaims its position as the dominant force in global cinema or confirms that the Avengers formula has finally run its course. Based on the creative quality of what has preceded it in Phase 6, cautious optimism feels entirely warranted.

Coming Soon: Spider-Man: Brand New Day (July 2026)

Tom Holland returns for his fourth solo Spider-Man film in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, arriving in cinemas in July 2026. The film follows Peter Parker as he attempts to focus on college life and leave Spider-Man behind — a premise drawn from one of the most celebrated arcs in Spider-Man comic history. Directed by Destin Daniel Cretton — whose Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings was one of the MCU’s most warmly received Phase 4 entries — the film features an impressive cast that reportedly draws from the farthest corners of the Marvel Universe, including Colman Domingo as Norman Osborn. Fan anticipation is enormous. Holland’s Spider-Man remains one of the most beloved characters in the MCU, and the prospect of seeing him navigate college, adulthood, and a new chapter of threats is one of the summer’s most exciting storytelling propositions.

Coming Soon: Supergirl (June 2026)

DC’s most significant theatrical release of 2026 is Supergirl, directed by Craig Gillespie and starring Milly Alcock as Kara Zor-El. The film explores Supergirl’s darker origin story — the period before she arrived on Earth — in what is being positioned as a space-set science fiction adventure with a distinctly different tone from Superman’s grounded heroism. Jason Momoa appears as Lobo — a role that has generated significant fan excitement, with many observers noting that Momoa appears born to play the intergalactic bounty hunter. From the trailers, Supergirl looks visually spectacular, tonally bold, and unlike anything the DCU has produced so far — exactly the kind of creative risk-taking that James Gunn’s stewardship of DC has been promising since its inception.

The Wild Card: Clayface (2026)

For those who crave something genuinely different from their superhero cinema, the DCU’s Clayface — directed by horror maestro Mike Flanagan — may be 2026’s most intriguing dark horse. The film follows the titular villain, played by Tom Rhys Harries, as he undergoes a body horror transformation after taking an experimental drug that turns his body into a clay-like substance. Flanagan, whose credits include The Haunting of Hill House and Midnight Mass, brings a folk-body horror sensibility to the material that is utterly unlike anything in the superhero genre’s history. This is the film for anyone who has ever wished superheroes would do something genuinely surprising — and potentially disturbing.

For the Binge-Watchers: The Boys Season 5 (2026)

No guide to superhero content in 2026 would be complete without mentioning The Boys Season 5, the final season of Prime Video’s genre-defining deconstruction of superhero culture. With Homelander having seized power under martial law at the end of Season 4, the stakes have never been higher — and creator Eric Kripke has confirmed that the show went into production with significant flexibility to react to current events, ensuring the social satire remains as sharp and relevant as ever. If you have not yet started The Boys, the combination of its sharp political commentary, extraordinary performances, and willingness to go places that conventional superhero content never would makes it required viewing in 2026.

Where to Start If You’re New to All of This

If you are brand new to the superhero genre and feeling intimidated by decades of comics history and years of cinematic universe continuity, the good news is that 2025 and 2026 represent perhaps the most accessible entry point in a generation. Superman (2025) is a genuine standalone film designed to welcome new audiences — it requires no prior knowledge and delivers everything you need to understand the new DC Universe in a single, joyful viewing experience. For Marvel, Thunderbolts* and The Fantastic Four: First Steps both work reasonably well for newcomers who want quality superhero storytelling without having to have watched forty hours of prior content. Start there. You can always go back and fill in the gaps once you’re hooked — and you will be hooked.