The 10 Highest-Grossing Superhero Movies Ever Are All Marvel — With One Exception

When it comes to superhero movies, Marvel reigns supreme. But there's one notable exception to the rule.

Who could’ve imagined that one 2008 movie with Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark, aka Iron Man, would have ended up like this? Many (well, mostly DC) have tried and failed to replicate the cinematic mammoth’s success — but the truth is, nobody does it like Marvel.

With that in mind, Marvel flicks populating the list of the top ten highest-grossing superhero movies of all time feels, as Thanos would say, inevitable. However, there’s one outlier that is truly going the distance, and if you ask me, the film in question is pretty… incredible.

What Are The Highest-Grossing Superhero Movies Of All Time?

Up until recently, the list of the highest-grossing superhero movies of all time has been pretty established. It should come as no surprise that Avengers: Endgame is at the top as the electrifying finale to the Infinity Saga, grossing a total of $2.7 billion.

Originally, the film’s predecessor, Avengers: Infinity War and Spider-Man: No Way Home rounded out the top three, with total grosses of  $2.04 billion and $1.9 million respectively. However, a new MCU movie has swung in and cinched the number two spot, and that’s Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Its global gross is $2.2 million. 

The rest of the list is mostly made up of favourites like Avengers: Age of Ultron, The Avengers and Deadpool & Wolverine — but the ninth entry on the list, with a respectable gross of $1.2 billion, is Incredibles 2. 

Here's the full list:

1. Avengers: Endgame

2. Spider-Man: Brand New Day

3. Avengers: Infinity War

4. Spider-Man: No Way Home

5. The Avengers

6. Avengers: Age of Ultron

7. Black Panther

8. Deadpool & Wolverine

9. Incredibles 2

10. Iron Man 3

Why Was Incredibles 2 Such A Hit?

I can’t speak for every other zillennial, but in my opinion, nostalgia definitely played a role in Incredibles 2's success. For many of us, it was our first, age-appropriate experience of the superhero genre, so it makes sense that we’d want to revisit those characters years later.

Another reason is that The Incredibles was genuinely good. With a 97% score on Rotten Tomatoes, it's fair to say that the film was almost universally acclaimed. As well as being a visually entertaining experience, it featured a compelling, original story that could be enjoyed at all ages. In turn, it was nominated for four Academy Awards, winning two.

So, for those who were old enough to watch (or rewatch) The Incredibles with a more critical eye, there was plenty of depth and smart humour for us to dig our teeth into. Taking all that into account, more than enough fans were enthused for a sequel.

Thankfully, the best thing about the sequel is that it actually delivered: it received similar critical acclaim and was nominated for both a Golden Globe and an Academy Award. It also helps that the film came out at a time when, arguably, interest in superheroes was at an all-time high.

While Marvel movies can be a bit much for a younger audience, Incredibles 2 is truly the definition of a family film - something that can be enjoyed by all and, therefore, something the widest possible audience wants to pay to see.