16 Worst Superhero Movies of All Time

Superhero movies are still all the rage. While they have been around for decades, it wasn’t until Iron Man captured the movie-going public’s attention in 2008 that superhero movies became a fixture of the big screen. We’ve seen all the major characters make their movie debuts, including the X-Men, the Avengers, Spider-Man, Batman, and Superman, while lesser-known heroes such as Ant-Man, Deadpool, and Doctor Strange have also got the big-screen treatment. 

There’s also been a slew of superhero movies that have nothing to do with comics that have latched on to the success of the genre and given as movies of varying quality, including Glass, Samaritan, and Hancock. While the majority of these movies are great and do the source material justice, not all of them live up to expectations, resulting in some of the worst superhero movies ever made.

These less-than-enjoyable superhero movies take a fantastic character or idea and ruin it, with many being critically savaged and commercial failures. These flops anger fans of the original comics and end up being ridiculed online, often resulting in hilarious reviews and funny memes. Surprisingly there are almost as many horrible superhero movies as fantastic ones, with lots of these types of movies released before Iron Man disappointing fans. That said, it’s not just the old movies, with a lot of recent superhero flicks that don’t cut the mustard flooding the market. 

As the Marvel Cinematic Universe enters Phase Four and the DC Extended Universe is getting rebooted by James Gunn, we are entering a new era of big-budget comic book adaptations sure to keep fans happy. So we thought there is no better time than now to look back on all the superhero movies that have been released, but instead of focusing on the great ones, here is a list of the worst movies you need to avoid. 

16 Worst Superhero Movies of All Time

1. Max Steel (2016)

Max Steel has a 0% rating on Rotton Tomatoes, making it hands down one of the worst superhero movies ever made. The flick follows teenage boy Max McGrath and his alien friend Steel who combine together to form the superhero Max Steel. For some reason, Maria Bello and Andy Garcia got conned into featuring in this absolute turd that makes Black Adam look like an Oscars contender. 

2. Jonah Hex (2010)

What a mess. Despite being made this century, Jonah Hex feels like you’re watching a bad 90s movie, complete with terrible CGI and a horrible script full of plot holes. Not even Josh Brolin, coming off the success of No Country for Old Men, or the ensemble cast that includes John Malkovich, Michael Fassbender, Megan Fox, Michael Shannon, and Will Arnett, can save this stinker. 

Based on the DC comic about a disfigured bounty hunter in the Old West, Jonah Hex only made $11 million at the box office (off a budget of $47 million) for Warner Bros. and has one of the lowest Rotton Tomatoes ratings with a critics score of just 12%. 

3. Daredevil (2003)

As the 2015 Daredevil TV series proved, the blind crimefighter can be a fantastic character when used correctly. Unfortunately, Mark Steven Johnson’s big-screen adaption of the lawyer-by-day superhero by night didn’t quite work. Ben Affleck is horribly cast as Daredevil (he’s not that much better as Batman, to be honest), while Colin Farrell is woefully miscast as Bullseye. 

There isn’t a great deal to like about this movie and it’s a slog to get through, despite coming in at just 100 minutes. You are better off sticking to the Frank Miller comic. The one thing Daredevil did get right was the after-credit scene, which has now become a staple of the superhero genre. 

4. Catwoman (2004)

Halle Berry went from winning an Oscar for Best Actress to slumming it in the superhero movie Catwoman. Considered one of the worst films of 2004, Catwoman has an incoherent script and terrible CGI that saw it nominated for seven Golden Raspberry Awards, going on to win in the categories Worst Picture, Worst Actress, Worst Director, and Worst Screenplay. 

Berry famously accepted her Worst Actress award in person while holding her Oscar in the other hand, showing she’s a good sport and better than the movie makes you believe. 

5. Son of the Mask (2005)

The Mask was a surprise hit starring Jim Carrey as the title character. It focused on Carrey coming into possession of an ancient green mask that turned him into a wise-cracking superhero able to animate his surroundings. 11 years later a long-delayed sequel, Son of the Mask, finally went into production and got released, much to the displeasure of moviegoers. 

Jamie Kennedy took over from Carrey, who was way too famous to appear in this movie, and while he does a decent job with what he’s given, it doesn’t make for great viewing. Some of the special effects and animation are great, but they can’t cover up the poor writing and direction, with the kiddie’s tone also disappointing. 

6. The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (2003)

This movie is so bad it made Sean Connery retire from acting. The Scottish great plays adventurer Alan Quartermain who assembles a team of famous Victorian characters (Captain Nemo, Dorian Gray, Tom Sawyer, Dr. Henry Jekyll/Mr. Edward Hyde) to stop the terrorist group Fantoms. 

Based on Alan Moore’s comic, which is incredible, The League of Extraordinary Gentleman plays out like a budget version of The Avengers. It lacks the captivating writing of the comic and features average special effects and an ensemble cast that fails to gel in another mess of a movie. 

7. Batman & Robin (1997)

A Batsuit with nipples, Arnold Schwarzenegger hamming it up, a campy vibe, and George Clooney well out of his depth are just some of the reasons Batman & Robin fails.

Putting the nail in the Batman coffin until Christopher Nolan reinvented the character with Batman Begins in 2005, this is another painful watch. There really isn’t much to like about this superhero film that remains the worst Batman movie of all time. Yes, even worse than Batman Forever. 

8. Dick Tracey (1990)

Visually appealing thanks to the bright colors and wonderfully designed sets, Dick Tracey is still a disappointing movie starring Warren Beatty as the yellow-dressed hero.

Shot like a comic book come to life, the thin plot fails to hold things together while many of the movie’s stars, such as Al Pacino (who is at his shouty worst), Dustin Hoffman, and James Cann, are hidden behind mountings of makeup playing larger-than-life villains. Madonna also pops up and is actually bearable, although not even she can save Dick Tracey.

9. Fantastic Four (2015)

Not one of the three Fantastic Four movies that have been released is any good, but the latest version, released in 2015, is easily the worst. As Inverse states; “It doesn’t get worse than this.” Put simply, this is not a great movie. Even with a cast of up-and-comers who are now established movie stars, including Miles Teller as Reed Richards, Kate Mara as Susan Storm, Michael B. Jordan as Johnny Storm, and Jamie Bell as Ben Grimm, this movie falls apart at the seams. 

Much of the blame has been attributed to director Josh Trank. After wowing with his science fiction debut Chronicle, he was handed the keys to the Fantastic Four series and drove the franchise right into the wall. There really aren’t any bright spots in this movie, with Fantastic Four losing $80 million at the box office and putting Trank’s career on ice. 

10. Morbius (2022)

When it takes a finished film three years to be released, you know not to expect great things. While the COVID-19 pandemic did interrupt the release of Morbius, it was more down to the multitude of reshoots that took place due to poor test screenings. Even with the extra time and money to fix these issues, Morbius falters as both a superhero movie and a vampire flick. 

Jared Leto goes full method as the title character who suffers from a rare blood disease. He finds a cure but there’s a downside; it turns him into a vampire. There’s not much point going into any more detail about this waste of time, especially as pretty much nobody saw it. All you need to know is that if anyone suggests watching Morbius, give it a hard pass. 

11. Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance (2011)

Both Ghost Rider movies are bad, but it’s the sequel that gets the nod ahead of the original when it comes to the worst superhero movies ever released. Nicolas Cage reprises his role as the flaming-skulled hero who rides a motorbike and breaths fire. In Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance, old mate Ghosty gets a shot at redemption by protecting Luficer’s son against his old man. 

Despite doubling its budget at the box office, the movie was widely condemned by critics, with James Berardinelli of ReelViews stating;  “This is a boring movie. The over-the-top outlandishness can’t disguise that the whole 95 minutes represent one big snooze-fest.” Not even the great man Nic Cage can save this one. 

12. The Punisher (2004)

Thomas Jane makes a great Punisher. It’s just a shame the rest of the movie is pure wank. The directorial debut of Jonathan Hensleigh, it’s easy to see why his career hasn’t exactly gone from strength to strength. An origin story about Frank Castle’s family being murdered and how that turns him into a violent killer bent on revenge, The Punisher is all action and no story. 

John Travolta as villain Howard Saint is an interesting choice that just doesn’t work, while the eclectic support cast and use of early 00s alternative rock and metal really dates this one. 

13. The Crow: City of Angels (1996)

The first Crow movie is a cult classic remembered for claiming the life of Brandon Lee in a tragic accident on set. The second is almost completely forgotten, and for good reason. Trying to replicate the moody vibe of the original, Vincent Pérez takes over as the Crow who is given a second chance at life to take revenge on those who murdered his family. 

The biggest problem with Tim Pope’s take on the Crow lore came from the studio, with Harvey Weinstein believed to have wanted wholesale changes to the film, resulting in weeks of reshoots that changed Pope’s entire vision. The result is an 84-minute hack job that disappointed fans and mysteriously features The Deftones and Iggy Pop in supporting roles. 

14. Elektra (2005) 

If you think Daredevil is bad, try giving this spin-off a watch. Elektra finds Jennifer Garner reprising the character she played in Daredevil in a movie lacking a pulse. It’s not funny, there’s no drama, and the action sequences are rudimental. Garner tries her best but she’s above this type of rubbish. The soundtrack, full of alternative rock, is probably the high point. 

15. Supergirl (1984)

Supergirl is a great example of what you get when a movie about a woman is written and directed by a man. Set after Superman III, Helen Slater stars as the titular character who must save the Earth from bad guys. Underperforming at the box office, not even the ensemble cast of Faye Dunaway, Peter O’Toole, and Mia Farrow could help Supergirl from receiving negative reviews. 

“Why even go to the trouble of making a movie that feels like it’s laughing at itself?” declared critic Roger Ebert, while Alan Jones writing for Starburst went with; “Supergirl is a turkey of such epic proportions.” Stick to the recent TV series if you want to get your Supergirl fix. 

16. Steel (1997)

Shaquille O’Neal is more than just a basketballer. He’s also a TV host, DJ, rapper, and actor. He proved his (lack) of acting credentials in 1997 when cast as the superhero Steel. Loosely based on the DC comic book, O’Neal is like a plank of wood in this cheesy take on one of Superman’s supporting characters. 

Steel didn’t even make $2 million at the box office and was widely slammed by critics and fans alike. O’Neal is a much better ball player than actor and should have never been given the opportunity to appear in such a film. The hip-hop soundtrack isn’t bad though.