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Superhero movies have been at an all-time low for quite a while now. With the end of the Infinity Saga in 2019, and the end of the DCEU in 2023, the quality went down drastically. The oversaturation of the genre resulted in projects like Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, The Flash, and Thor: Love and Thunder setting the bar very low for this current era of superhero movies. The pandemic did force Marvel to switch around release dates, but having to watch shows on Disney+ to understand the entire storyline felt like a bit of a chore. While there have been some hidden gems in the past few years, the releases this year have taken the genre from hopeless to prosperous.
In 2025, we’ve seen Captain America: Brave New World, Thunderbolts*, Superman, and The Fantastic Four: First Steps hit the big screen. Brave New World was a bit of a disappointment, but getting to see Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) as Captain America on the big screen was still a big deal. Earning the shield in 2019, it was about time Sam Wilson got his time to shine. Every other release this year has been so entertaining; it's very refreshing. Most of the movies starred popular characters we know and love, but felt original in a way that didn’t feel possible. With this sudden shift in opinion, what makes all of them so enjoyable?
'Thunderbolts*'
Thunderbolts* was a surprising hit. When it was first announced, it came with a lot of pushback because the concept of Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) working with John Walker (Wyatt Russell) after the events of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier seemed a little worrying, but they proved everyone wrong. Thunderbolts* was one of the most refreshing and enjoyable Marvel movies in a long time. It’s unfortunate that Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania flopped so badly, making the box office numbers of Thunderbolts* look underwhelming, but it truly is an amazing Marvel film. Getting to see a glimpse into the life of a villain was so interesting. It gives context and backstory as to why some of them did the things they did. Something Marvel seems to skip over, but not this time.
The cast chemistry is so natural, it elevates the film so much. From the Thunderbolts' reluctance to work with each other to Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) and Mel’s (Geraldine Viswanathan) interactions, it never felt stale. Lewis Pullman’s debut as Bob was perfect. He plays Bob with such charm and goofiness, but really thrives during the more serious moments throughout the film. Pullman’s talent really shines through, and his future in the MCU looks bright.
It’s also surprisingly very funny. In an era where Marvel is mocked for their cheesy one-liners, the humor never felt forced or corny. I found myself laughing way more throughout the movie than I thought. Each character brought in their own sense of humor that meshed perfectly with the others. After being a skeptic about the film, it became my favorite movie on this list.
'Superman'
Superman came at such a perfect time. A movie whose entire message is that it’s cool to be kind is exactly something we needed this year. Iterations of Superman have come and passed, but returning to the good old-fashioned Midwest farm boy Clark Kent was the best way to bring him back. David Corenswet as Superman is probably the best superhero casting in the past decade. Everything about him screams Clark Kent, from the smile, hair, and boyish charm. Corenswet brought justice to the character in a way that makes my younger self so happy.
James Gunn, as a director, has a very specific vision for the films he makes, so it was easy to trust him with this one. As a huge fan of the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy, I felt nothing but excitement. The movie pacing was a bit off, but it feels like a lack of screentime was the culprit. If it had 30-40 more minutes, all of the plot points would have wrapped up better. Regardless, I left the theater with a huge grin on my face, knowing a role model like Superman is something that has been needed in media for so long. After a long dip in quality for DC, it seems to be coming back strong.
'Fantastic Four: First Steps'
From the original announcement of the cast, I was intrigued by Fantastic Four: First Steps. The hype that this film generated was hard to ignore. With the failure of the 2015 Fantastic Four film, everyone was hoping this one would make up for it. It did. The entire movie was entertaining, feeling exactly like an MCU film from phase one. I was so charmed by the way the entire cast portrayed themselves as a family; it was perfect chemistry for the Fantastic Four. The entire futuristic setting of the film was beautiful. It’s become a common theme in the film industry to undersaturate films for realism, but Fantastic Four did not do that. Everything felt so vibrant and colorful in a way that a retro, but futuristic setting should be. It was truly such a beautiful movie to watch. I’m interested to see how the Fantastic Four will be handled further into the MCU, and all of their interactions with the Avengers.
Are Superheros Cool Again?
With a year of all-around great superhero movies, it feels as though there could be a resurgence of superheroes. Spider-Man: Brand New Day, and Avengers: Doomsday are the next major Marvel projects lined up, and with all of the chatter surrounding Doomsday, there’s a strong chance it could be really good, or just fan service. The use of cameos in the past has ruined movies for audiences, and with a movie full of cameos from original heroes, it could oversaturate the film, and the audience could lose focus on the plot. MCU Spider-Man films have been hit or miss for me in the past, but seeing the set pictures released, it gives me hope. After a successful year of superhero movies, we could be gearing up for a resurgence of superheroes in media, and honestly, it’s exciting.
Sources: IMDb, IMDb, IMDb, IMDb, IMDb, IMDb, IMDb, IMDb, IMDb, IMDb, IMDb, IMDb, IMDb, IMDb, IMDb, IMDb, IMDb, IMDb, IMDb, IMDb, IMDb, IMDb
Contact Sam Jasionowski with comments at samantha.jasionowski@bsu.edu or on Instagram @s.jasionowski.
