The 15 worst superhero movies that still made hundreds of millions

Colby DroscherMon, March 16, 2026 at 6:43 PM UTC

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- Warner Bros. Pictures/Sunset Boulevard // Getty Images

A movie doesn’t have to be good to draw a crowd. In the superhero genre, that rule applies more reliably than almost anywhere else in Hollywood.

Superhero films are among the most pre-sold products in the entertainment industry. A beloved character, a familiar franchise, or the promise of two icons finally sharing the screen can fill theaters regardless of what critics write. Studios have learned—sometimes painfully—that even a film with a Metascore in the 30s can gross several hundred million dollars if the IP is strong enough.

Stacker compiled data on superhero and comic book films using IMDb user ratings, Metacritic scores (Metascore), and worldwide box office gross from Box Office Mojo. Each film was ranked using a combined score—an average of the IMDb rating (normalized to a 100-point scale) and the Metascore—to reflect both audience and critic consensus. Only films that earned at least $200 million worldwide are eligible. Ties were broken by Metascore, then by IMDb vote count. The film with the lowest combined score appears last.

Read on to find out which superhero movies earned hundreds of millions at the box office—and what critics and audiences made of them.

#15. Spider-Man 3 (2007)

Spiderman in Spiderman 3 - IMDb

– Director: Sam Raimi– IMDb user rating: 6.3– Metascore: 59– Combined score: 62.5 / 100– Worldwide lifetime gross: $890.9 million– Domestic lifetime gross: $336.5 million– Runtime: 139 min

After two beloved installments, director Sam Raimi returned for a third chapter that attempted to juggle three separate villains—Sandman, Venom, and the New Goblin—while also exploring an alien symbiote’s corrupting influence on Peter Parker. Critics found the film overstuffed and tonally uneven, with Roger Ebert noting that the movie “contains characters acting on the basis of information we don’t have.” What kept audiences coming was the same thing that always brings them to a Spider-Man sequel: loyalty to the characters. The $890 million worldwide gross made it the highest-earning film of 2007 at the time of its release, even as it remains the most divisive entry in the Raimi trilogy.

#14. Thor: The Dark World (2013)

Thor holding his hammer - IMDb

– Director: Alan Taylor– IMDb user rating: 6.7– Metascore: 54– Combined score: 62.0 / 100– Worldwide lifetime gross: $644.8 million– Domestic lifetime gross: $206.4 million– Runtime: 112 min

The second Thor solo film pits the God of Thunder against Malekith, leader of the Dark Elves, who seeks to use an ancient weapon called the Aether to plunge the universe into darkness. Critics largely agreed that while Chris Hemsworth and Tom Hiddleston’s chemistry remained a bright spot, the villain was underdeveloped and the plot mechanical. Director Alan Taylor later said that Marvel substantially altered the film from his original vision during post-production—a tension that showed in the finished product. The film grossed over $644 million worldwide, riding the goodwill of the MCU brand and the promise of more Loki.

#13. Thor: Love and Thunder (2022)

Natalie Portman and Chris Hemsworth in Thor Love and Thunder - IMDb

– Director: Taika Waititi– IMDb user rating: 6.1– Metascore: 57– Combined score: 59.0 / 100– Worldwide lifetime gross: $761.0 million– Domestic lifetime gross: $343.3 million– Runtime: 119 min

Taika Waititi’s follow-up to the acclaimed Thor: Ragnarok reunites Thor with Jane Foster, who has become the Mighty Thor, as the two face off against Gorr the God Butcher, played by Christian Bale. Critics who praised Ragnarok found this entry leaned too far into comedy at the expense of its more compelling dramatic elements, particularly underusing Bale’s genuinely threatening villain. Audiences responded more warmly than critics, though the film’s 6.1 IMDb rating makes it the lowest-rated MCU film on this list. It still grossed $761 million worldwide, a testament to the franchise’s reliable drawing power.

#12. The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014)

Spiderman clinging to a wall - IMDb

– Director: Marc Webb– IMDb user rating: 6.6– Metascore: 53– Combined score: 59.5 / 100– Worldwide lifetime gross: $709.0 million– Domestic lifetime gross: $202.9 million– Runtime: 142 min

Sony’s second entry in its Amazing Spider-Man series arrived burdened with the task of launching a broader cinematic universe, and the ambition showed. Three villains, multiple origin setups for planned spinoffs, and a romantic subplot all competed for space in a 142-minute runtime that critics widely found exhausting. The Hollywood Reporter described it as “a movie that too often feels like a commercial for its own sequels.” The one sequence that drew near-universal praise—the death of Gwen Stacy—was a reminder of what the series was capable of when it focused. Sony subsequently reached an agreement with Marvel Studios to share the Spider-Man character, and the Garfield era ended there.

#11. Venom (2018)

Venom in the movie Venom - IMDb

– Director: Ruben Fleischer– IMDb user rating: 6.6– Metascore: 35– Combined score: 51.0 / 100– Worldwide lifetime gross: $856.1 million– Domestic lifetime gross: $213.5 million– Runtime: 112 min

Sony’s standalone Venom film arrived with a 30% score on Rotten Tomatoes and an $856 million worldwide gross, one of the sharpest disconnects between critical and commercial reception in superhero movie history. Critics cited a weak script, a villain with little screen presence, and a tone that couldn’t commit to either horror or comedy. Audiences were more forgiving, drawn in by Tom Hardy’s committed performance as Eddie Brock and the darkly comedic dynamic between host and symbiote. The film was profitable enough to spawn two sequels, neither of which improved on the original’s reviews.

#10. X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009)

Hugh Jackman in Wolverine - IMDb

– Director: Gavin Hood– IMDb user rating: 6.5– Metascore: 40– Combined score: 52.5 / 100– Worldwide lifetime gross: $373.1 million– Domestic lifetime gross: $179.9 million– Runtime: 107 min

The first solo Wolverine film traces Logan’s origins from the 19th century through his transformation into the adamantium-clawed mutant audiences knew from the X-Men series. Hugh Jackman’s performance was generally praised, but critics found the script rushed and the treatment of supporting characters—particularly Deadpool, whose mouth is literally sewn shut in the film’s climax—baffling to fans of the source material. Ryan Reynolds, who played the character, spent years publicly lamenting the portrayal before reclaiming the role in his own Deadpool franchise. X-Men Origins: Wolverine grossed $373 million worldwide but is widely considered a low point for Fox’s mutant film series.

#9. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)

Batman and Superman face to face - Warner Bros. Pictures

– Director: Zack Snyder– IMDb user rating: 6.4– Metascore: 44– Combined score: 54.0 / 100– Worldwide lifetime gross: $874.4 million– Domestic lifetime gross: $330.4 million– Runtime: 151 min

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The first-ever theatrical meeting of Batman and Superman arrived with some of the highest anticipation in superhero movie history and a Metascore of 44. Critics found the 151-minute runtime ungainly, the tone relentlessly grim, and the central conflict—resolved when both heroes realize their mothers share the name Martha—a storytelling shortcut that became one of the most mocked moments in the genre. The film earned a C+ CinemaScore, an unusually poor grade for a major tentpole. Despite all of that, $874 million at the worldwide box office made clear that the promise of seeing two icons face off was enough to fill theaters regardless of what critics wrote.

#8. Justice League (2017)

The Justice League - IMDb

– Director: Zack Snyder / Joss Whedon– IMDb user rating: 6.0– Metascore: 45– Combined score: 52.5 / 100– Worldwide lifetime gross: $657.9 million– Domestic lifetime gross: $229.0 million– Runtime: 120 min

Production on Justice League was upended when director Zack Snyder stepped away following a family tragedy, and Joss Whedon was brought in to oversee extensive reshoots. The result was a film that critics described as tonally inconsistent, with a generic villain and a rushed storyline that failed to give its newly assembled team room to breathe. A $25 million CGI effort to remove star Henry Cavill’s production mustache became a widely reported symbol of the film’s troubled making. The movie grossed $658 million worldwide but fell well short of its estimated $750 million break-even point. A fan campaign eventually led Warner Bros. to release Snyder’s original cut in 2021 to a considerably warmer reception.

#7. Suicide Squad (2016)

Harley Quinn - IMDb

– Director: David Ayer– IMDb user rating: 5.9– Metascore: 40– Combined score: 49.5 / 100– Worldwide lifetime gross: $747.1 million– Domestic lifetime gross: $325.1 million– Runtime: 123 min

Suicide Squad assembles a team of incarcerated supervillains for a covert government mission, a premise that generated enormous pre-release excitement. Critics, however, found the theatrical cut—reportedly recut by the studio to more closely match the energy of its marketing materials—choppy and incoherent, with underdeveloped characters and a climax that failed to justify the setup. Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn was broadly singled out as the film’s most effective element. The film grossed $747 million worldwide and won an Academy Award for Best Makeup and Hairstyling. Director David Ayer has since said the released version differed significantly from his intended cut.

#6. Black Adam (2022)

The Rock in Black Adam - IMDb

– Director: Jaume Collet-Serra– IMDb user rating: 6.1– Metascore: 39– Combined score: 50.0 / 100– Worldwide lifetime gross: $393.0 million– Domestic lifetime gross: $168.0 million– Runtime: 125 min

Dwayne Johnson had championed the anti-hero Black Adam for over a decade, and the character’s solo film was positioned as a major turning point for the DC Extended Universe. Critics found the film formulaic, with a predictable story arc and action sequences that prioritized spectacle over consequence. The film grossed $393 million worldwide against an estimated $195 million budget—a return that fell short of what a star of Johnson’s profile typically delivers. When James Gunn and Peter Safran took over DC Studios shortly after the film’s release and announced a full franchise reset, Black Adam’s future in the new continuity was effectively closed.

#5. Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (2023)

Jason Momoa in Aquaman - IMDb

– Director: James Wan– IMDb user rating: 5.6– Metascore: 40– Combined score: 48.0 / 100– Worldwide lifetime gross: $435.1 million– Domestic lifetime gross: $129.4 million– Runtime: 124 min

The original Aquaman surprised many in 2018 by grossing over $1.1 billion worldwide, making it the highest-earning film in DCEU history at the time. The sequel arrived under very different circumstances: DC Studios had already announced a new creative direction under James Gunn, effectively marking the film as the final chapter of an era audiences knew was ending. Critics found the story unengaging and the humor forced, and the film grossed $435 million—less than half of what its predecessor earned. Jason Momoa’s charisma carried the series as far as it could go.

#4. Ghost Rider (2007)

Nicolas Cage in Ghost Rider - IMDb

– Director: Mark Steven Johnson– IMDb user rating: 5.3– Metascore: 35– Combined score: 43.0 / 100– Worldwide lifetime gross: $228.7 million– Domestic lifetime gross: $115.8 million– Runtime: 114 min

Ghost Rider follows motorcycle stuntman Johnny Blaze, who sold his soul to the devil as a teenager and is now compelled to transform into a flaming skeleton at night to hunt down evildoers. Nicolas Cage starred in and produced the film, which critics found slow and strangely humorless given its pulpy premise. The villain, Blackheart, was seen as a weak antagonist, and the PG-13 rating was widely noted as a constraint on a character whose source material skewed much darker. The film grossed $228 million worldwide—more than double its production budget—which was enough for Sony to greenlight a sequel in 2012. Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance earned worse reviews and grossed $132 million.

#3. Green Lantern (2011)

Ryan Reynolds in Green Lantern - IMDb

– Director: Martin Campbell– IMDb user rating: 5.5– Metascore: 39– Combined score: 47.0 / 100– Worldwide lifetime gross: $219.9 million– Domestic lifetime gross: $116.6 million– Runtime: 114 min

Warner Bros. invested $200 million in Green Lantern as the intended foundation of a DC cinematic universe, casting Ryan Reynolds as test pilot Hal Jordan, who is inducted into an intergalactic police force after receiving a powerful alien ring. Critics found the film unfocused, with a CGI-heavy aesthetic that felt unfinished and a villain—a fear-consuming cloud entity called Parallax—that failed to generate tension. The film grossed $220 million worldwide, a number that left the studio well short of recouping its investment after marketing costs. Warner Bros. shelved plans for a sequel. Reynolds later referenced the film repeatedly in his Deadpool films as a source of self-deprecating humor.

#2. Batman Forever (1995)

Batman Forever - IMDb

– Director: Joel Schumacher– IMDb user rating: 5.5– Metascore: 51– Combined score: 53.0 / 100– Worldwide lifetime gross: $336.5 million– Domestic lifetime gross: $184.1 million– Runtime: 121 min

When Tim Burton stepped away from the Batman franchise after Batman Returns, Warner Bros. brought in Joel Schumacher with a mandate to lighten the tone and broaden the audience. The result replaced Burton’s gothic atmosphere with neon-lit sets, brightly colored villains, and a campiness that divided fans of the darker earlier films. Val Kilmer took over the Batsuit, joined by Jim Carrey as the Riddler and Tommy Lee Jones as Two-Face. Critics were mixed but not hostile—the film’s Metascore of 51 reflects a more divided response than outright rejection. Audiences turned out in large numbers, delivering $336 million worldwide and setting the stage for a sequel that would test the franchise’s limits far more severely.

#1. Batman & Robin (1997)

Batman and Robin - IMDb

– Director: Joel Schumacher– IMDb user rating: 3.8– Metascore: 28– Combined score: 29.0 / 100– Worldwide lifetime gross: $238.3 million– Domestic lifetime gross: $107.3 million– Runtime: 125 min

Widely regarded as one of the worst superhero films ever made, Batman & Robin replaced Val Kilmer with George Clooney and doubled down on the campy aesthetic of its predecessor to a degree that critics found unwatchable. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Mr. Freeze delivered ice-themed puns at a rate that reviewers found numbing, Uma Thurman’s Poison Ivy was reduced to broad comedy, and the Bat-suits featured anatomical details that became the film’s most enduring cultural legacy. Clooney has since apologized for his performance in interviews on multiple occasions. The film opened to $42 million domestically but collapsed in its second weekend, dropping 63% as word of mouth spread. Warner Bros. shut down the Batman franchise entirely in response, and it did not return to theaters until Christopher Nolan’s Batman Begins in 2005. Batman & Robin grossed $238 million worldwide—enough to rank it among the biggest superhero box office disappointments of the decade.

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”