2019 had many new superhero movie releases - some of them good and others not so much. Sometimes a sidekick can make the superhero more interesting while other times the race of a superhero contributes greatly to their identity also increasing the hero's popularity among audiences.
But what sometimes matters most is the superhero's origin story which could either make or break them. These are the highest-rated superhero origin films on IMDb.
Doctor Strange (2016) - 7.5
Still considered one of the more original movies in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, we have Doctor Strange. That's still the case even though Doctor Strange's origin story is similar to that of Tony Stark. Thankfully, Benedict Cumberbatch is one of the most charismatic actors of our time.
After Dr. Stephen Strange, a renowned and successful surgeon, gets in a car crash and breaks almost all of his bones, he can no longer continue his career. This is why he seeks out a place where his fingers can be healed properly, but instead learns the mystic arts and introduces magic into the MCU.
Batman (1989) - 7.5
Though Christopher Nolan's trilogy is considered the best, Tim Burton's 1989 Batman and its sequel Batman Returns are considered a standard of early superhero movies. Burton's films changed the way superhero movies were viewed by the general public and made them a genre of their own.
Michael Keaton plays Bruce Wayne who is already successful as Batman and has to face a new villain in Gotham - the Joker (played by Jack Nicholson). The tone of the film is quite dark because the movie tries to ground the story and deal with more complex themes than superhero movies usually do.
Kick-Ass (2010) - 7.6
Kick-Ass is quite an unconventional superhero movie based on comics written by Mark Millar, who also created Kingsman and some Marvel comics. The movie also has a sequel that is just as overboard, hilarious, and violent as the first movie.
The story follows a regular teenage highschooler named Dave Lizewski (played by Aaron Taylor-Johnson) who decides to become a superhero but realizes that it is not as simple as he first thought. A peculiar thing about Kick-Ass is that both Taylor-Johnson and Evan Peters, who played one of Dave's best friends, played a Marvel superhero named Quicksilver. Taylor-Johnson did so in the MCU, while Peters did in the X-Men franchise.
Watchmen (2009) - 7.6
You probably heard of the recent series adaptation of the Watchmen comics, but there was a movie adaptation directed by Zack Snyder back in 2009. The comics were created by the legendary Alan Moore and actually also satirize the superhero genre like Kick-Ass.
Set in a dark and dystopian alternate year 1985, the story unfolds at the height of the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union. A group of retired superheroes has to reunite to investigate the death of one of their own and discover a conspiracy that makes the situation more complex than it seems at first.
X-Men: First Class (2011) - 7.7
While not entirely an origin movie, X-Men: First Class does tell the story of how mutants revealed themselves to the public, how they formed groups like X-Men and the Brotherhood of Mutants, how they adopted their superhero titles, and how Charles Xavier opened Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters.
The film is considered one of the best in the X-Men franchise and rightfully so. With a great plot, detailed character relationships. amazing score, and outstanding cast performances, it is probably one of the best movies in the superhero genre.
Iron Man (2008) - 7.9
2008's Iron Man needs no introduction. It managed to create some buzz and launch the biggest cinematic universe in the history of cinema, even if the big break actually came with 2012's The Avengers that brought together three of the biggest superheroes in the MCU: Iron Man, Captain America, and Thor.
Tony Stark (played by Robert Downey Jr.) is a genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist... and an industrialist and master engineer who gets captured by terrorists while demonstrating his latest weaponry. He then builds a mechanized suit of armor from scrap while being held in a cave that helps him become Iron Man.
Deadpool (2016) - 8.0
In 2016, Deadpool became the highest-grossing R-rated movie, and though Joker surpassed it last year (that won't be on this list because it is not technically a superhero movie). This is why Deadpool remains the highest-grossing R-rated superhero movie and the second highest-grossing R-rated movie based on a comic book.
Ryan Reynolds plays Wade Wilson, who becomes Deadpool and wants to get revenge on the person who gave him his mutant abilities and terrible scars. Deadpool is known for making explicit jokes and constantly breaking the fourth wall to address the audience.
Guardians of the Galaxy (2014) - 8.0
Arguably Marvel's biggest surprise in the MCU is Guardians of the Galaxy. It was quite different from other movies in the franchise because of its sense of humor and story that was centered on a group of misfits coming together for a common cause.
James Gunn's direction contributed a lot to the look and feel of the final film while his song choices enriched the movie. The same can be said about its sequel, but Vol.1 - as the two are referred to sometimes - is still better than Vol.2 by a bit.
Batman Begins (2005) - 8.2
Though The Dark Knight would undoubtedly be at the top of this list, it is not an origin movie - Batman Begins is. Undoubtedly, Christopher Nolan's trilogy has contributed a lot to the superhero genre and will continue appearing at the top of various film lists.
Batman Begins focuses on Bruce Wayne's journey to becoming Batman. The film is breathtaking thanks to Nolan opting for real locations instead of relying on CGI. The story is tight, the acting is wonderful, the action is exciting, and the plot twists are unexpected - everything a great movie should have is here.
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018) - 8.4
It's curious that the greatest superhero origin movie is actually an animated feature film from a studio that doesn't have the best reputation when it comes to animated projects. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is one of a kind, which made it one of the biggest hits of the past few years.
What is most admirable about it is the animation that makes the film look like it is a comic book that came to life. The story focuses on a regular teenage highschooler named Miles Morales and his adventures as he has to become the new Spider-Man and save the world and his new friends.