Superhero movies are supposed to be popcorn cinema at their finest. Light, breezy, easy viewing that lets you escape into a fantastic world without thinking too much about what’s going on. Unfortunately, real life creeps in, and just like every other movie, the end result is a controversy that taints the movie’s legacy.
Infamous castings, behind-the-scenes drama, or just something that made the fans react a little stronger than anyone expected. These don’t necessarily make for bad movies; just for movies that are remembered for all the wrong reasons. Here are the most controversial superhero movies of all time and why you should watch them despite their complicated receptions.
Zack Snyder’s Justice League (2021)
It may not be the first movie you think of when you consider a “controversial” superhero movie, but it's hard to ignore not only the original wave of controversies that surrounded Zack Snyder's Justice League, but the original 2017 Justice League as well. The film, which sees Batman band a group of heroes together to combat an invasion led by the deadly Steppenwolf, largely exists thanks to an aggressive fan campaign which went back-and-forth between genuine fan admiration and outright harassment of film studio execs. Despite this, most admit it is better than the 2017 cut, but the four-hour runtime and cliffhanger finale that will never be resolved left a sour taste in the mouths of fans. Nonetheless, as a finale to the controversial Snyderverse and an attempt at a genuine DC universe epic, the film does merit watching, if only to see what could have been.
Super (2010)
2010 superhero satire Super came practically out of nowhere. Directed by James Gunn shortly before he became the shepherding force behind the MCU's Guardians of the Galaxy, Super follows a nobody who becomes a superhero following a vision from God and his wife leaving him. With a surprisingly all-star cast, including Rainn Wilson, Elliot Page, and Kevin Bacon, the film received a mixed reception at release and suffered a major blow when it released adjacent to comic book adaptation Kick-Ass, with some accusing the project of ripping off the other. Even without those comparisons, though, the film received criticism for its tone and violence. Nonetheless, it’s developed a cult-following over the years and is a prime example of Gunn’s lauded pre-MCU work.
Spider-Man 3 (2007)
With the success of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Spider-Man trilogy and the beloved reception of Spider-Man: No Way Home, it’s easy to forget just how much drama surrounded Spider-Man 3. By 2007, comic book movies were still huge but not coherent, and Sam Raimi was expected to bring yet another enjoyable yet largely standalone entry to the big screen. What fans got was a cringy, melodramatic mess, with a Venom who was ironically toothless and a classic villain reworked to shove him awkwardly into Spidey’s origin. Spider-Man 3 was nearly the end of comic book movies, but the reception has warmed up over the years, with many coming around on the tongue-in-cheek cheese of Emo Peter Parker.
Brightburn (2019)
Yet another James Gunn flick makes its way to the list, though his involvement here is minimal at best. Though he produced Brightburn, it's actually written by his brothers Brian and Mark. The film may now serve as something of an ironic counterpart to Gunn’s upcoming Supermann, with Brightburn focusing on a young boy of alien origin discovering he has superhuman powers but using them to become a villain in this chilling horror film. It’s not the most high-brow of concepts, but it was enough to raise a few eyebrows. Still, it was too middle of the road for many; some took issue with the violence, while others felt it failed to deliver on its promise of an ultraviolet Superman pastiche. Nonetheless, it’s an excellent alternate take on Superman, though it seems unlikely this universe will ever get visited again.
The Amazing Spider-Man (2012)
While Spider-Man 3 was a controversial flop, The Amazing Spider-Man was a controversial reboot. Everyone involved in Spider-Man 3 had expected to eventually return for a refocused fourth film, and they were surprised to realize that Sony intended to reboot the franchise instead. The film has its merits, including a really stellar set of performances from Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone, and serves as an interesting enough modernization of the Spidey mythos. But the overall somber, edgy tone clashed with what fans wanted from the character, and the fan outcry over the cancellation of Raimi’s Spider-Man 4 made this far more infamous than it deserved.
Fantastic Four (1994)
The Fantastic Four have had a rough go at film, but none was more controversial than the original outing, which never saw the light of day. Directed by Roger Corman and starring a cast of unknown actors, The Fantastic Four was presented to everyone involved as a big-budget attempt at Marvel’s First Family. However, the film never saw the light of day, despite a trailer being released and the cast doing convention tours. Rumors have persisted for years that the film was bought by Marvel exec Avi Arad, with stories alleging that he destroyed the only print of the film, though he insists that’s not true. To date, the film is only available as a bootleg, but you can watch the stellar documentary Doomed! to learn more about the its production.
Iron Man 3 (2013)
The cap of Marvel’s Iron Man trilogy, published in the shadow of the wildly successful The Avengers, should have been a slam dunk. Instead, Iron Man 3 became one of Marvel’s first missteps. Problems started in production, when out-of-touch studio execs demoted the film’s intended villain, Maya Hansen, because they didn’t think they could sell toys of her. It only got worse when the replacement villain, Aldrich Killian, became a bait-and-switch for The Mandarin. Though many have come around on the more grounded tone of Iron Man 3 and its focus on Tony over the armor, a very vocal selection of fans have still not forgiven its Mandarin swerve.
The Marvels (2023)
It was already an uphill battle for The Marvels, a film that served as the culmination of three massive MCU projects and was poised to set the stage for a major multiverse crossover. Unfortunately, the timing was just awful. It was a victim of an MCU that was in a state of disarray, struggling after a string of lackluster releases and controversies that led to a major course correction. Unfortunately, this resulted in The Marvels feeling somewhat toothless, with no real stakes and no significant ties to the larger picture. To make things worse, the film suffered a blow to its marketing due to strikes. It’s a shame, because The Marvels is genuinely a lot of fun, but it fell far short of what fans wanted from a comic book movie in 2023.
The Toxic Avenger (1984)
In the no man’s land between Superman: The Movie and Batman (1989), there was The Toxic Avenger. Released by horror comedy chock studio Troma, The Toxic Avenger is the story of a nobody who is dumped into toxic waste by bullies, mutating him into a monstrous superhuman who wants to do good. The film is perhaps best known for its wild tone, full of over-the-top gore, nudity, and innuendo. Still, The Toxic Avenger has a quaint charm, and it's worth a watch for any film buff to see Troma’s indie filmmaking at work, just be sure to have a strong stomach and know what you’re getting into.
Batman (1989)
It seems hard to imagine today that the classic 1989 Batman was controversial, but it was a long road to being a success. You have to remember the film was a departure from what many thought of Batman. While comics like The Dark Knight Returns and Batman: Year One had done a lot to bring Batman back to his darker roots, fans still thought of the campy 1966 Batman TV show above all else, and the casting of Michael Keaton, then known for his comedy work, didn’t help. Obviously, the film became a genre-defining classic, but that was after the first trailer was released. Before then, it was a movie everyone was convinced would be a failure.
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