Thanks to Marvel and DC, superhero movies have inundated Hollywood, topping box offices worldwide over the past ten years. Immensely successful across most demographics, there seems to be no end in sight when it comes to comic book adaptations full of superpowers, vigilantes, and heroes ready to save the day.
Despite their popularity and the millions of dollars that they rake in every year, superhero movies are known for being overlooked at the Oscars. Regularly snubbed when it comes to the coveted Best Director and Best Picture categories, fans of the genre may be surprised that a handful of movies with a comic book connection have still come away winners at the Academy Awards.
Suicide Squad (2016) – 6.0
Suicide Squad may have been considered a flop by many a critic and DC fan, but it did do a couple of things right - namely, hair and makeup. Designed and applied by Alessandro Bertolazzi, Giorgio Gregorini, and Christopher Allen Nelson, some characters proved more of a challenge than others.
The Enchantress' spooky look took three hours per day to perfect, while Killer Croc's combination of prosthetics and body paint took a staggering five hours per day. The movie left the Academy Awards with Best Achievement in Makeup and Hairstyling.
Black Panther (2018) – 7.3
One of the most visually stunning films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it is no surprise that Black Panther was nominated for seven Oscars in the 2019 Academy Awards.
Though it lost out on its Best Picture nomination to Green Book, it still left the night a winner. Its awards include Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, which was credited to the talented Ludwig Göransson, Best Costume Design by Ruth E. Carter, and Best Achievement in Production Design by Hannah Beachler and Jay Hart.
Superman (1978) – 7.3
Superman movies have been hit and miss, but this 1978 classic didn't miss the mark when it came to special effects. Directed by Richard Donner, the first of the Superman film franchise won an Oscar for Special Achievement In Visual Effects in 1979 for its then-groundbreaking illusion of flight.
Nothing as effective as this had ever been done before quite in this way, and it truly brought the heroic comic book character to life for viewers everywhere. Though it only left with one Oscar, it was also nominated for Best Film Editing, Best Original Score, and Best Sound.
Spider-Man 2 (2004) – 7.3
Since the dawn of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the rise of Tom Holland as Spider-Man, many younger fans may not remember much about the franchise helmed by Sam Raimi and starring Tobey Maguire.
Nominated for Best Achievement in Sound Mixing and Best Sound Editing, Spider-Man 2 managed to snag the win for Best Achievement in Visual Effects in 2005, most likely due to the brilliant special effects used to create the villainous Dr. Otto Octavius AKA Doc Ock.
Batman (1989) – 7.5
Similar to the success of Superman in 1978, Tim Burton's Batman was a turning point for both the character and the superhero genre as a whole. Fleeing from the lighthearted and campy version of the Caped Crusader of the Adam West days, Michael Keaton offered a grittier version of the bat-inspired vigilante.
The gamble turned out to be a successful one. It was nominated for and won an Academy Award for Best Achievement in Art Direction, in the category of Set Direction in 1990.
Big Hero 6 (2014) – 7.8
Disney's Big Hero 6 brought an adorable inflatable robot and his team of young superhero friends to the big screen, but many may not realize that it is loosely inspired by a series of comics. Published by Marvel in the late 90s, Big Hero 6 followed a team of state-sanctioned superheroes scouted by the Japanese government and even had minor ties to the X-Men Universe.
Brought back into the public eye in 2014, Disney's action-packed adaptation won Best Animated Feature Film in the 2015 Oscars. Since then, it has also been made into an animated series currently available on DisneyPlus.
Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) – 8.1
Though not as traditional a comic book film as anything in the Marvel or DC universes, Mad Max: Fury Road does have a comic book attached to it. Serving as a prequel, it helped to connect the dots between the old Mad Max franchise and the new.
Directed by George Millar, Mad Max: Fury Road was nominated for a total of ten Oscars in 2016, including Best Picture and Best Director. It walked away with six awards for Best Film Editing, Best Costume Design, Best Makeup and Hairstyling, Best Sound Mixing, Best Sound Editing, and Best Production Design.
Joker (2019) – 8.4
Though many fans awaited the release of Todd Phillips' take on the Joker with skepticism and nervous anticipation, it is one of the most successful comic book inspired films to ever grace the Academy Awards. Nominated for eleven Oscars including Best Picture, it had a lot of tough competition and managed to win two.
Joaquin Phoenix took the win for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role, due to his empathetic yet sinister portrayal of the infamous DC villain, while Hildur Guðnadóttir was acknowledged for her original score with her win for Best Achievement in Music for Motion Pictures.
Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse (2018) – 8.4
Spider-Man: Into The Spiderverse invites yet another Spidey to the party - in fact, it invites a whole lot of them. Finding himself with newfound superpowers shortly after the death of Spider-Man, Miles Morales teams up with five other Spidey-themed heroes from other dimensions to help save all of their worlds.
Gorgeously animated with a fun and modern soundtrack, Spider-Man: Into The Spiderverse easily won the Oscar for Best Animated Feature at the 2019 Academy Awards Ceremony, even against big Disney names like Incredibles 2 and Ralph Breaks The Internet.
The Dark Knight (2008) – 9.0
Christopher Nolan's Batman franchise had a lot going for it, but one of the best parts of it was undoubtedly the casting of Heath Ledger in the role of the Joker. Nominated for eight Oscars in 2009, The Dark Knight left the prestigious show with two awards.
Sound editor, Richard King, won for Best Achievement in Sound Editing, but it is perhaps most famous for posthumously awarding Heath Ledger with the Oscar for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role for his incredible work as the chaotic villain.