Top 10 Greatest Superhero Sequels

Many movie sequels aren’t very good, but superhero films often stand out as exceptions. Some of the best sequels ever made actually come from the superhero genre, building on the strengths of the original movie and usually delivering even more exciting action.

The first movie in a superhero series often focuses on explaining the hero’s beginnings, which can be a bit less thrilling than what comes next. Later movies in the series usually ramp up the action, introduce more interesting characters, and really take the story to new heights – and that’s exactly what happened with these excellent sequels.

Superman II (1980)

The 1978 film Superman is widely considered a classic superhero movie. While the special effects haven’t aged perfectly, the film is incredibly heartfelt, with a Superman who truly embodies hope. Christopher Reeve gives a fantastic performance, convincingly playing both the mild-mannered Clark Kent and the iconic superhero.

Back then, superhero movies – and especially ones that led to sequels – were still pretty new to audiences, so we didn’t really know what to anticipate. Superman II really impressed us, bringing back most of the original actors and introducing a compelling new villain: the famous comic book character, General Zod.

While not quite as strong as the original, Superman II was a highly successful follow-up. It currently has an 89% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and was commended for its story, even winning the Saturn Award for Best Science Fiction Film. The sequels that came after weren’t as well-received, but Superman II stands out as a truly great continuation of the series.

The Suicide Squad (2021)

The trailer for the 2016 movie Suicide Squad generated a lot of buzz and got people looking forward to seeing this team of unusual villains on screen. However, the actual movie was a disappointment, receiving mostly negative reviews. The one bright spot was Margot Robbie’s performance as Harley Quinn.

After the first movie, a sequel seemed unlikely, but five years later, The Suicide Squad arrived, directed by James Gunn. It featured Margot Robbie reprising her role as Harley Quinn, along with some returning characters and a host of new faces. The film delivered a compelling story, similar to the style Gunn honed with Guardians of the Galaxy.

Unlike the first Suicide Squad movie, the new one was a blast. It featured exciting action, witty and funny conversations between the characters, and a surprisingly touching story. The cast was fantastic too, with standout performances from John Cena as Peacemaker and Sylvester Stallone as the voice of King Shark.

X-Men: Days Of Future Past (2014)

The X-Men film series has been notoriously inconsistent. While some installments, like X2 and X-Men: First Class, are truly excellent, others – such as X-Men: The Last Stand and Dark Phoenix – have been significant disappointments. X-Men: Days of Future Past stands out as a particularly strong entry in the franchise.

This was the most ambitious project the series had attempted so far. It successfully combined the younger characters, first seen in First Class, with their older, well-known counterparts in a time travel plot, all centered around Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine, who served as the key connecting element.

X-Men: Days of Future Past was a big success with both moviegoers and reviewers, and many thought it was the best X-Men film yet. A particular highlight was seeing James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, and Jennifer Lawrence act alongside Hugh Jackman. The movie also features a truly memorable scene with Quicksilver.

Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)

James Gunn has a knack for making audiences care about unlikely heroes, as he first demonstrated with the 2014 film Guardians of the Galaxy. He then surpassed that success three years later with a sequel that was even better.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 featured new characters like Mantis, who quickly became popular with fans. What makes the movie so good is how it makes you really care about the characters. We see some incredibly emotional moments with characters like Rocket, Yondu, Gamora, and Nebula.

Discovering his father isn’t the hero he imagined – and was actually responsible for his mother’s death – is a devastating blow for Peter Quill, and it deeply impacts the film’s emotional weight. However, the movie skillfully balances these heartbreaking moments with humor and levity.

Spider-Man 2 (2004)

Superhero films had enjoyed some success before, with movies like Blade, X-Men, and Superman. However, Spider-Man really broke new ground. It was a massive success and, importantly, it led to a sequel that was even better – something many other superhero movies hadn’t achieved.

Spider-Man 2 is a classic story about Peter Parker’s struggle to juggle his personal life with his responsibilities as Spider-Man. He’s challenged like never before by the villain Doctor Octopus, and their conflict is a highlight of the film – a dynamic that was successfully revisited in Spider-Man: No Way Home.

Spider-Man 2 is a truly fantastic movie, remembered for its incredible train fight and amazing cast. Many fans consider it the greatest superhero film of all time, and it’s a movie you can watch again and again.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)

While Captain America: The First Avenger is a solid film, its 1940s setting didn’t resonate with everyone. Captain America: The Winter Soldier fixed that by updating the action to the present day, after the events of The Avengers.

Similar to Spider-Man 2, many fans believe this film represents the high point for superhero movies. For a lot of viewers, it’s the best movie Marvel has ever produced. Captain America: The Winter Soldier stands out because it doesn’t play like a typical superhero story – it feels more like a political thriller from the 1970s.

Chris Evans delivers a fantastic performance as Steve Rogers, portraying the character’s struggle as his world falls apart while still holding onto his faith in his friend Bucky. The movie features exciting action sequences, surprising twists, and strong performances from characters like Natasha and Sam.

Avengers: Infinity War (2018)

The 2012 film The Avengers was a huge hit, and its sequel, Avengers: Age of Ultron, was also well-received, though not quite as impactful. Avengers: Infinity War truly delivered on the promise of the series, offering exciting new team combinations that fans loved.

The movie featured a huge team-up, bringing together the original heroes with popular characters like Spider-Man, the Guardians of the Galaxy, and Doctor Strange. They all united to stop Thanos from destroying half of all life in the universe.

Josh Brolin’s performance as Thanos is excellent, making him a compelling character even though he’s the villain. The movie keeps a fast pace with constant action, and every scene builds suspense. It all leads to what many consider one of the greatest endings ever seen in a superhero film.

Logan (2017)

The X-Men movies have had their ups and downs, and the same can be said for the Wolverine spin-off trilogy. The first movie wasn’t very good, and while the second was decent, it didn’t really stand out. However, the third film, Logan, was a significant improvement and the best of the series.

Set far in the future, the movie Logan shows an aging Wolverine whose famous healing ability is starting to fail. Unlike earlier X-Men films, Logan earned an R-rating, letting it feature a much higher level of intense violence and making it the most action-packed installment in the series.

What truly made Logan successful was its emotional core. The film explored Logan’s struggle with aging and his own death, all while he developed a touching connection with a young girl named Laura, who turns out to be his daughter (Dafne Keen gives an incredibly impressive performance for someone so young). The film was also nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay at the Academy Awards.

Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse (2023)

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse was a truly innovative and impactful film, significantly influencing the style of many animated movies that followed. Given its status as one of the greatest superhero movies of all time, the sequel faced enormous expectations.

Fortunately, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse delivered on its promise. The film brilliantly broadened an already expansive world, showcasing diverse universes each with its own distinct animation style, and brought us unforgettable characters and Spider-Man variations we hadn’t imagined.

The movie still centers on Miles Morales, but Gwen Stacy gets a lot more to do and delivers some of the most heartfelt moments. Miguel O’Hara is a fantastic villain. Overall, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is a visually beautiful, emotionally powerful, and truly amazing film.

The Dark Knight (2008)

When Christopher Nolan became the director of Batman movies, the series was in trouble. The last few films were overly silly and hadn’t done well with audiences, so they were scrapped. Nolan restarted the franchise with Batman Begins, a dark and realistic look at how Bruce Wayne became a masked crime fighter.

Following the success of the first film, The Dark Knight was a huge step up. It delivered even more Batman excitement, introduced the compelling villains the Joker and Two-Face (Harvey Dent), and featured some of Christopher Nolan’s most visually stunning scenes.

The Dark Knight was a huge success for Hollywood, earning over $1 billion and receiving widespread critical acclaim. It received multiple Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, and Heath Ledger’s unforgettable performance as the Joker won him an Oscar and has become legendary.

2025-12-09 18:12