Superhero films have become the dominant force in cinema within the 21st century, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. While there are certain some negative effects to the prominence of cinematic universes and relentless worldbuilding, there have been more than a few examples of the genre truly elevating itself; even for those that have never read a comic book, contemporary classics like The Dark Knight, Logan, and Spider-Man 2 have stood out as great works of cinema.
Not every superhero film reaches the success of a blockbuster, as many end up underperforming and not being box office successes. While no one complains when a bad film like Madame Web or The New Mutants flops, it can be unfortunate if a potential franchise isn’t given the chance to kick off. Here are ten of the best superhero films that didn’t get a sequel.
10
‘The Rocketeer’ (1991)
The Rocketeer is ‘90s Disney filmmaking at its finest, as Joe Johnston’s throwback to World War II adventure stories and classic film serials is just about as delightful as a summer movie should be. While The Rocketeer’s ability to weave superhero mythology into a historical context was something that Johnston would use again when he made Captain America: The First Avenger for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it’s still fun to see a comic book origin story that is so free from cynicism.
The Rocketeer seemed primed to launch a new franchise, especially given the popularity of co-stars like Jennifer Connolly and Alan Arkin. Unfortunately, the film was perhaps a few too many years ahead of its time, as it wasn’t until later in the decade that the popularity of Blade and The Crow launched a newfound appreciation for superhero movies.
9
‘The Shadow’ (1994)
The Shadow is an interesting project that had been in the works for years, as the original radio show had inspired a ton of fans, including Sam Raimi, who had at one point campaigned to direct it. While it was Russell Mulcahy, who also directed Highlander, who got the chance to helm the highly anticipated adaptation, The Shadow managed to combine neo-noir mystery tropes with the type of supernatural fantasy that was popular within ‘90s superhero movies.
The Shadow was unafraid to be pulpy, but the film is held together by Alec Baldwin in what is easily one of the most underrated performances of his entire career. Although it may seem strange today to consider that a personality like Baldwin would have been a conceivable superhero, it’s pretty disappointing that The Shadow did not give him a recurring franchise to fall back on.
8
‘Chronicle’ (2012)
Chronicle is one of the most underappreciated superhero films of the 21st century because of how many careers it ended up spawning; it was before they became super well-known that Dane DeHaan and Michael B. Jordan gave their breakout performances in Chronicle, a completely original film that wasn’t based on any pre-existing source material.
Chronicle had the most innovative usage of the “found footage” approach since the original Cloverfield, and used the characters’ powers to influence the way the cameras were used. What’s unfortunate is that Chronicle seemed to suggest that director Josh Trank had a lot of promise, which he unfortunately squandered after directing the unwatchable 20th Century Fox origin film Fantastic Four, which ultimately lead him to being fired as the director of a Star Wars spinoff. Trank is a director with talent, and making Chronicle 2 would have benefitted his career.
7
‘Super’ (2010)
Super was the first superhero movie directed by James Gunn, but it’s far darker and more wacky than Guardians of the Galaxy and Superman. Gunn’s original film starred Rainn Wilson as a self-loathing chef who decides to become a superhero after he misreads signs that he believes come from God; his adventures eventually lead him to square off with a sinister drug dealer, played in a delightfully evil performance by Kevin Bacon.
Super showed how nasty, pulpy, and crass Gunn could be when working from his own material, especially since the film was satirical of both comic books and religion. Unfortunately, Super may have not performed well enough to generate interest in a sequel because it was released shortly after Kick-Ass, another R-Rated superhero film with a similar premise that also took a blackly comedic look at the genre’s cliches.
6
‘Mystery Men’ (1999)
Mystery Men is a film that missed its moment by just a few years, as it’s easy to imagine that a satirical superhero team up film would have been better appreciated if it had been released after Bryan Singer’s original X-Men in 2000. Nonetheless, Mystery Men wrangled together an amazing group of actors to play ridiculously over-the-top superheroes with powers that don’t make any sense; in addition to being one of Ben Stiller’s funniest roles, Mystery Men had great work from Geoffrey Rush and Hank Azaria.
Comedy sequels may have a mixed track record, but Mystery Men established a fun universe that could have easily benefitted from an expanded cast. Although it sadly wasn’t a big enough commercial success to spawn any subsequent installments, Mystery Men has become one of the many underrated films from 1999 to earn cult appreciation.
5
‘Midnight Special’ (2016)
Midnight Special is one of the six collaborations between writer/director Jeff Nichols and Michael Shannon, who have succeeded in tackling different quintessential dramas and approaching them from the perspective of America’s heartland. Although Shannon is often associated with playing eccentric and villainous characters, Midnight Special allowed him to give one of his most vulnerable performances ever as a father who is trying to protect his son (Jaeden Martell), who is being hunted by a government agent (Adam Driver) because he has superpowers.
Midnight Special is a spiritual odyssey, a great road trip adventure, and a moving story of fathers and sons, and it is among Nichols’ greatest visual achievements. While the film ends on a satisfying note, Nichols should be given the chance to make a sequel if he has a compelling idea that both he and Shannon are interested in doing.
4
‘Big Hero 6’ (2014)
Big Hero 6 is one of the most baffling superhero films to not receive a sequel because it was a massive success financially and even earned the Academy Award for Best Animated Sequel. While there is a misconception that animated films are squarely intended for kids, Big Hero 6 is simply a great adventure film with all the heart and humor of Marvel Comics.
Big Hero 6 seemed primed for a sequel based on the possibilities of the comic books and the enticing voice cast, but Disney has only thus released a spinoff series on its streaming service that didn’t make much noise. However, the recent overperformance of animated sequels like Inside Out 2 and Zootopia 2 might finally convince Bob Iger’s regime to put into production the Big Hero 6 sequel that audiences have been expecting for over a decade now.
3
‘The Phantom’ (1996)
The Phantom is one of the most fun camp classics of the ‘90s, as the film ended up being an inadvertently hilarious disasterpiece; while screenwriter Joe Dante had intended the film to be a satire of classic serial adventures and costumed characters, he was horrified to find out that the production crew had decided to take it seriously. Nonetheless, Billy Zane seems to be in on the joke, as he gives a cheeky, sly performance that is somewhat reminiscent of Adam West in the original Batman.
The Phantom existed in a fun era in the ‘90s when superhero films weren’t really taken seriously, and didn’t have to be weighed down by massive expectations. Considering that The Phantom has become a cult classic, it’s a bit disappointing that Zane wasn’t given another opportunity to put on his purple tights and suit up.
2
‘The Incredible Hulk’ (2008)
The Incredible Hulk is one of the most unfairly maligned films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and has been unjustly criticized by fans; it’s pretty ridiculous to suggest that The Incredible Hulk is one of the worst MCU films when disasters like The Marvels, Eternals, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, and Black Widow have been released since.
The Incredible Hulk made the smart decision to ditch the origin story and begin with Bruce Banner (Edward Norton) on the run, trying to repress his rage. While many of the story beats and characters ended up appearing in Captain America: Brave New World, it seems like a massive missed opportunity that Marvel Studios haven’t worked out a contract with Universal that would allow Mark Ruffalo to star in a solo The Incredible Hulk sequel, as he is by far the best actor to ever portray the character.
1
‘The LEGO Batman Movie’ (2017)
The LEGO Batman Movie was a smart, creative celebration of its character mythology and different eras that walked so Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse could run; while Will Arnett did a great job voicing Batman in The LEGO Movie and its sequel, The LEGO Batman Movie was more than just a parody, as it actually developed a deep understanding of the loneliness and ego that made the Dark Knight such a compelling character.
The LEGO Batman Movie has the best depiction of Batman’s relationship with Robin on screen, as Michael Cera absolutely crushed the part of Dick Grayson, which served as an Arrested Development reunion with Arnett. Unfortunately, the prospects of a sequel fizzled out when LEGO was sold as a film franchise to Universal Pictures, meaning that it would no longer be possible for the series to include characters that belong to Warner Bros.
- Release Date
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February 10, 2017
- Runtime
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104 minutes
- Writers
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John Whittington, Jared Stem, Erik Sommers, Seth Grahame-Smith, Chris McKenna
- Franchise(s)
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LEGO Batman, LEGO
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