While superhero movies have dominated theaters for several years, not enough attention has been given to those led by Black characters. Heroes such as Blade, Black Panther, Miles Morales, and Sam Wilson have greatly impacted comic book movies and pop culture in general.
Meanwhile, there are plenty of Black superheroes who have yet to get the blockbuster treatment they deserve. Though there is surely more to come, there are already a handful of notable films headlined by Black superheroes that deserve audiences’ attention. Here are our rankings for the seven best Black superhero movies.
7. Captain America: Brave New World (2025)
Sam Wilson took flight in his first solo film as the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s new Captain America. Like The Winter Soldier and Civil War, Captain America: Brave New World delivers a globe-trotting and action-packed political thriller that has the hero clash with the government. Nevertheless, this film struggles to stick the landing with its lackluster action, rushed plot, and unfinished VFX.
While Brave New World gets weighed down from trying to accomplish too much, the movie does have something interesting to say about Captain America as the hero struggles to live up to expectations and fight for justice in a world held back by corrupt politicians.
6. Blade (1998)
Wesley Snipes is best remembered for his iconic role in Blade: Marvel’s first successful film. The story introduced the world to the titular “daywalker” vampire as he hacked and slashed his way through bloodsuckers to prevent Deacon Frost from starting a war against humanity.
While many aspects of Blade haven’t aged well in the decades since its release, it deserves praise as a thrilling action film. It also helped bring superhero movies into the mainstream, particularly dark and gritty ones, so the genre wouldn’t be what it is today without it.
5. Blade II (2002)
Who better to helm a Blade film than legendary director Guillermo del Toro? The young horror master delivered a worthy successor to 1998’s Blade, which showed the daywalker joining forces with a group of vampires to stop the mutant Repears from infecting and destroying the vampire race.
This sequel is elevated over its predecessor thanks to its ultraviolent action and frightening, clever creature designs. The film also stands out from the first by having Blade team up with his sworn enemies to protect the world.
4. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022)
This sequel was a bittersweet experience, as the viewers and the film’s characters mourned the death of Chadwick Boseman and King T’Challa. Nevertheless, the Black Panther’s spirit lives on in this film as Shuri and her family continue to fight for Wakanda against greedy world powers and the Talokan King Namor. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever includes thrilling action, compelling characters, and gorgeous visuals.
However, what really sets it apart from other projects in the MCU’s fourth phase is its exploration of grief as Shuri struggles to cope with the loss of T’Challa, making for a heartfelt farewell to one of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes.
3. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018)
This was Miles Morales’s first-ever film, and what a film it was. Once again, Miles proved himself to be a worthy successor to Peter Parker as Spider-Man, swinging into action to save his universe from Kingpin’s supercollider.
Though Miles is the main character in this movie, the young web-slinger teams up with Spider-People from across the Multiverse, bringing together several animation styles in this vibrant and thrilling adventure. Though Into the Spider-Verse could’ve been left in the MCU’s shadow, the movie defied expectations and even won Best Animated Feature at the Oscars.
2. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023)
This Spider-Verse sequel improved on the original movie with a larger, darker story in which Miles and his allies clash over how to contain the Spot as he brings chaos throughout the Multiverse. The franchise continued to deliver more lively animation and meta-humor with Across the Spider-Verse.
However, by exploring how Spider-People are forced to follow “canon” events across the Multiverse, the film makes a meta-commentary about what it means to be a web-slinger as Miles refuses to submit to let others define him. It’s a heavy but inspiring tale that raised the bar for the Spider-Verse franchise and superhero movies as a whole.
1. Black Panther (2018)
This is Black Panther’s first solo film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and it continues to be one of the franchise’s most successful pictures. As the newly-crowned King T’Challa fights to defend Wakanda, he is forced to stand up to the injustices he and his isolated nation failed to combat. Despite some unfinished CGI, Black Panther presented a beautiful, exciting, and stirring movie that wasn’t afraid to dish out some harsh social commentary.
It also brought greater Black representation to Hollywood as T’Challa and the people of Wakanda took center stage, making the movie a groundbreaking cultural phenomenon.
