Superheroes have been a part of cinema for decades. Hits like Superman: The Movie and Tim Burton's Batman would pop up every now and again, but for some time, Hollywood didn't treat comic book movies seriously. That all changed in the 2000s when X-Men and Spider-Man proved that the source material provided by the likes of Marvel and DC could lead to huge returns at the box office.

Update July 15, 2023: 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 after billion-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.

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20 Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)

Chris Pratt as Star-Lord and the rest of the cast of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

The second film in the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy 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 can 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.

19 Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)

Batman v Superman
Warner Bros.

The first appearance of a DC film in this list is courtesy of Batman 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.

18 Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)

Spider-Man inside a concrete tube in Spider-Man Homecoming
Sony Pictures Releasing

The first of 4 Spider-Man movies 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: Homecoming was 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.

17 Spider-Man 3 (2007)

Spider-Man 3 with Toby Maguire (2007)
Sony Pictures

Sam Raimi's Spider-Man 3 is a mixed bag. While the filmmaker's first two Spider-Man movies helped cement the superhero genre as the modern 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.

16 Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022)

Doctor-Strange-Multiverse-Of-Madness-Poster
Marvel Studios

Another hit for director Sam Raimi. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness showed the power of the MCU and rode off the character's popularity following apperances in Avengers: Infinity War and Spider-Man: No Way Home, the sequel to the first Doctor Strange saw a major boost in take sales. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness grossed $955 million worldwide, making it one of the most successful movies of 2022. In its opening weekend it grossed $187.4 million, topping Spider-Man 3 as 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.

15 The Dark Knight (2008)

Christian Bale in The Dark Knight
Warner Bros. Pictures

Few movies attain both the level of acclaim and financial success that The Dark Knight has. Christopher Nolan's landmark 2008 Batman movie, which followed in the footsteps of Batman 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 late Heath 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 way The Dark Knight has.

14 Joker (2019)

Joaquin Phoenix as Arthur Fleck in Joker (2019)
Warner Bros. Pictures

This is the only entry on this list that falls into a grey area. Joker is 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 directing The Hangover movies, Joker is 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.

13 The Dark Knight Rises (2012)

Tom Hardy as Bane and Christian Bale as Bruce Wayne / Batman in The Dark Knight Rises
Warner Bros. Pictures

The Dark Knight Rises arrived in theaters in the summer of 2012, providing fans with a sequel to The Dark Knight, as well as a conclusion to Christopher 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 of Batman Begins and The Dark Knight before 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.

12 Captain Marvel (2019)

The Marvels What to Expect
Marvel Studios

Captain Marvel was 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 help Avengers: Endgame further when it was released in 2019, as Larson also appeared in the massive team-up as Carol Danvers.

11 Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019)

spider-man-far-from-home
Sony / Marvel Studios

Not only is Spider-Man: Far From Home one of the highest-grossing superhero movies in history, it was, at the time of release, the highest-grossing film in Sony Pictures' history (and would later be dethroned by another entry from the wall-crawler). The spot was previously reserved for 007 himself, with Daniel Craig's third solo-outing as James Bond in Skyfall.

Benefiting largely by being the first MCU movie to arrive after Avengers: Endgame, the sequel earned $1.13 billion globally. $390.5 million of that came from domestic theaters, with $741.3 coming overseas. This film meant that all three of the MCU films in 2019 grossed $1 billion worldwide.

10 Aquaman (2018)

Jason Momoa as Arthur Curry in DC's Aquaman
Warner Bros. Pictures

For years, Aquaman was at the wrong end of many jokes. He was merely the goofy superhero who could talk to fish. DC Comics worked hard to change that image with the casting of Jason Momoa in the role for Justice League. In fact, it helped so much that when Momoa returned for his solo outing, directed by James Wan, it far exceeded expectations.

Aquaman was a massive hit, taking in $1.14 billion worldwide. It had a huge showing overseas, with just over 70 percent of its total coming internationally at $813.4 million. Aquaman stands alone as the highest-grossing DC movie ever, at least for now. Certainly puts great expectations for the film's upcoming sequel, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.

9 Captain America: Civil War (2016)

Chris Evans as Steve Rodgers and Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark / Iron Man in Captain America: Civil War
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

It is easy to take for granted now, given everything that has happened in the MCU since, but Captain America: Civil War was a massive deal at the time of its release in 2016. Not only was it tackling a classic Marvel Comics storyline, pitting The Avengers against one another, but it represented the most superheroes we had ever seen together in one movie. Not to mention that it served as the introduction of Chadwick Boseman as Black Panther and Tom Holland as our new Spider-Man.

Related: The Greatest Superhero Movie Posters of All Time

It was a winning formula. Directors Joe and Anthony Russo delivered a monster, crowd-pleasing blockbuster that, in total, earned $1.15 billion. That includes a staggering $179.1 million domestic opening weekend.

8 Iron Man 3 (2013)

Iron Man 3
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

A mere five years after Robert Downey Jr. made his debut as Tony Stark in 2008's Iron Man, his trilogy came to a close in 2013's Iron Man 3. RDJ's days in the MCU were far from numbered, but this would represent the end of his character's solo outings. Riding high off of the success of The Avengers, which was released a year earlier, director Shane Black's entry into the franchise was a gigantic hit.

Divisive though it may be all these years later, it is undeniably a financial success, to the tune of $1.21 billion at the box office. Phase 2 of the MCU kicked off with a bang, signaling the string of successes that were to come in the years that followed.

7 Incredibles 2 (2018)

The Incredibles 2 Helen, Jack Jack, Violet, Bob, and Dash
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

Though not ripped from the pages of Marvel or DC, Pixar beautifully captured the spirit of superheroes with 2004's The Incredibles. After years of waiting, director Brad Bird returned with Incredibles 2 in 2018. The wait proved to be worth it for Disney and Pixar as it paid off handsomely. Riding a wave of critical praise, the sequel sailed to $1.24 billion at the box office. That makes it one of the highest-grossing animated movies in history and, right up there with some of Marvel's finest, one of the highest-grossing superhero movies ever.

6 Black Panther (2018)

Chadwick Boseman as T'Challa in Black Panther
Marvel Studios

It would have been difficult for anyone to predict just how big of a deal Black Panther was going to be. Chadwick Boseman made quite the entrance as T'Challa in Captain America: Civil War, but the success that was achieved by the character's first solo outing was, to say the very least, astounding. Black Panther earned $1.34 billion at the box office.

The film marked the first entry into the MCU led by a person of color, and it became a cultural phenomenon. It was also the first superhero movie to earn a Best Picture nomination at the Oscars. Sadly, Boseman passed away after a battle with cancer and was unable to continue the story of T'Challa, but the legacy he left behind will endure for years to come.

5 Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)

Avengers-Age-of-Ultron-2015 (1)

In 2015, Avengers: Age of Ultron had the unenviable task of following up 2012's The Avengers. To what degree it succeeded, from a story standpoint, can be debated from now until eternity. However, from a financial point of view, this was another huge win for Disney and Marvel Studios. The second massive superhero team-up started its run with a huge $191.2 million domestic opening weekend, on its way to a $459 million domestic total. Coupled with its huge $943.8 million overseas haul, the movie took in $1.4 billion.

4 The Avengers (2012)

Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson, Chris Hemsworth, Jeremy Renner, and Mark Buffalo in The Avengers
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

It is hard to overstate the importance of 2012's The Avengers. Nothing like this had ever been attempted before. Crossing over characters from multiple individual franchises into one mega-event movie. It was a huge risk, to say the least. Would it work? Could it even be done? It was done, and it did work. Hulk, Black Widow, Hawkeye, Captain America, Thor, and Iron Man all teamed up to the delight of audiences across the world.

In total, Marvel's grand experiment took home $1.51 billion globally and marked the true launch of the MCU as we now know it. Its $207.4 million opening weekend still ranks as one of the biggest in history, and it currently sits at number 10 on the all-time worldwide box office chart.

3 Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)

Tobey Maguire, Tom Holland and Andrew Garfield in Spider-Man: No Way Home
Sony Pictures Releasing

The third film in the MCU Spider-Man trilogy, No Way Home proved one important thing; Nostalgia sells. The film that saw the conclusion of the high school years of Tom Holland's Peter Parker delivered on key moments in the Spider-Man story (with May getting the "With great responsibility..." line this time), and also returned to heroes and villains from previous iterations of the character. The appearance of villains like Alfred Molina's Doc Ock and Willem Dafoe's Green Goblin from the Raimi films and Jamie Foxx's Electro from The Amazing Spider-Man film franchise were known about prior to the film's release.

However, the appearance of the two previous live-action Spider-Man actors, Tobey Macguire and Andrew Garfield, was only dreamed of. Most importantly, the film managed to deliver all of these crowd-pleasing appearances while also delivering a well-written and heartfelt story. It delivered big for both Sony and Marvel Studios, with the film earning over $1.92 billion dollars at the worldwide box office and a whopping $260 million dollars in its domestic opening weekend. This was made all the more impressive as it was released during the COVID-19 pandemic.

2 Avengers: Infinity War (2018)

Avengers Infinity War
Walt Disney Studios

If The Avengers proved what was possible in the realm of superhero movies, 2018's Avengers: Infinity War tested the limits. After debuting in a post-credits scene years earlier, Thanos finally arrived to wreak havoc on the MCU. Directors Joe and Anthony Russo, having previously helmed Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Captain America: Civil War, were tasked with weaving together multiple storylines, characters, and franchises while upping the stakes in a big way. It worked. The Russo brothers pulled it off, and Infinity War became a must-see event for audiences the world over who had followed the MCU, even casually.

It became, at the time, just the fourth movie ever to take in more than $2 billion at the box office, earning $2.05 billion in total. One might have thought it couldn't get any bigger. But the cliffhanger audiences were left with provided fuel for its sequel to soar beyond what anyone thought was possible.