2025 was a critical year for the superhero movie genre. Once the undisputed dominant force in Hollywood, superhero movies are no longer quite the safe bet they used to be. Are moviegoers growing tired of superhero films altogether, or are they just becoming more discriminating? Based on how much better James Gunn’s Superman performed compared to other recent DC releases, we’d like to think it’s the latter.
In their own ways, Marvel Studios and DC Studios both used 2025 as a way of stepping back and focusing on quality over quantity. Marvel finally gave fans the Multiverse Saga team-up they’ve been waiting for in Thunderbolts*, while also ringing in Phase 6 of the MCU by reintroducing the Fantastic Four. And DC kicked off the theatrical wing of its new DCU shared universe with Superman.
Each December, the IGN team looks back at all the movies they’ve watched and reviewed over the past year and votes on which one they think is the greatest of them all. Now, the time has come to drill down on 2025’s superhero lineup and pick the winner. And frankly, it wasn’t such a hard choice this year. The winner came in with over 75% of the vote. Read on to find out which film is IGN’s best superhero movie of 2025.
Runner-Up: The Fantastic Four - First Steps
The MCU is a sprawling palace full of countless heroes and villains pulled from all corners of Marvel’s extensive publishing history. But after all these years, the MCU is only just starting to take advantage of the X-Men and Fantastic Four franchises. 2025 marked a key turning point in that regard, as Phase 6 began with the debut of a brand new cinematic incarnation of Marvel’s First Family.
The result is easily the best Fantastic Four movie to date. No, that’s not exactly a high bar to clear, but it’s still satisfying to see these characters done justice on the big screen. First Steps is a briskly paced adventure that emphasizes the family aspect of the team in a big way. The charisma among the various FF members is undeniable. First Steps is a great foundation on which we hope the MCU will continue to build in the years to come.
Runner-Up: Thunderbolts*/The New Avengers
Despite the massive success of 2024’s Deadpool & Wolverine, the MCU wasn’t necessarily on the firmest footing coming into 2025. The consistent quality and forward momentum of earlier phases just hadn’t been present. But whether you call it Thunderbolts* or The New Avengers, this team-up film proved to be a vital shift for this shared universe.
Thunderbolts* has a lot going for it, from the relatively darker tone and well-shot action scenes, but as with The Fantastic Four: First Steps, it’s really the core team dynamic where the movie thrives. Thunderbolts* takes full advantage of this motley crew of anti-heroes and screw-ups, playing them off of each other in fun ways and telling a surprisingly compelling story about dealing with mental illness. It’s not quite a proper Avengers movie, but we’ll take it.
Winner: Superman
2025 was truly DC’s year to sink or swim. After a string of flops like 2023’s The Flash and 2024’s Joker: Folie à Deux, they needed a bona fide hit to get their brand-new cinematic universe off on the right foot and prove to audiences that the DC brand is still worth following. It’s fortunate that they tapped noted superhero movie veteran and geek extraordinaire James Gunn for this nigh-impossible challenge.
Superman is exactly the strong start the DCU needed on the big screen. The film delivers a confident, fast-paced reboot of the Man of Steel, thrusting viewers right into the midst of a thriving superhero universe where David Corenswet’s Supes himself is just one hero among many. Getting to spend time with the likes of Edi Gathegi’s Mister Terrific, Isabela Merced’s Hawkgirl, and Nathan Fillion's Guy Gardner is half the fun.
That said, the core Superman cast more than hold their own, with Corenswet’s Kal-El and Rachel Brosnahan’s Lois Lane establishing a chemistry to rival that of Christopher Reeve and Margot Kidder. And who could forget the demonic intensity of Nicholas Hoult’s Lex Luthor, a villain who brings new meaning to being a professional hater?
Ultimately, it’s Superman’s heart that helps it rise above the pack, with the film making a very pointed argument that kindness and decency are the new punk rock in 2025. The film is a great foundation for the new DCU, and we can’t wait to see what Gunn and his various collaborators have in store over the coming years.
But what do you think? Was Superman the greatest superhero movie of 2025, or would you pick a different film? Let us know in the comments below, vote in our poll, and be sure to check out our various other best of awards for 2025 across film, TV, gaming, and comics. We’ll see you in 2026.
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