10 Best Superhero Movies & TV Shows Of 2025, Ranked

In 2025, major superhero franchises like Marvel and DC delivered a variety of new movies and TV shows, with mixed results. While Marvel Studios had several releases, the franchise experienced lower box office numbers than usual, a notable change for the typically successful shared universe.

Despite a slower year for movies, both Marvel and DC delivered some enjoyable TV shows. DC only released one film, Superman, but a new series laid the groundwork for their upcoming universe. Beyond Marvel and DC, several superhero shows returned with new seasons, resulting in a solid list of the best releases of 2025, including:

10. Captain America: Brave New World

The newest Captain America movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe ranks as the least successful of the year, and it’s not hard to understand why. Many fans consider Chris Evans’ Captain America films to be the best in the MCU, so Anthony Mackie, as Sam Wilson, faced high expectations. Unfortunately, the movie felt unremarkable and didn’t leave a lasting impression.

Marvel’s focus on Hulk-related storylines without featuring Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner created a disjointed experience in Wilson’s first solo film. While Anthony Mackie performed well with what he had, Brave New World doesn’t quite work as a Captain America movie. The marketing heavily promoted Red Hulk, but his actual appearance was limited, which was ultimately a letdown.

9. Gen V Season 2

I really enjoyed the first season of Gen V, and it quickly became one of my favorite superhero shows. However, I was a little disappointed with season two. The characters made some confusing choices, the central mystery wasn’t as captivating, and the plot felt hurried in places.

Despite its flaws, the Boys spinoff offered plenty to like. Hamish Linklater’s character, Cipher, quickly became a standout in the overall story, even with only appearing for one season. Several characters also experienced genuine growth, and Gen V effectively laid the groundwork for what’s coming in The Boys season 5. Overall, the first season felt more well-rounded.

8. Peacemaker Season 2

I went back and forth on where to rank Peacemaker season 2, but ultimately landed here. While I’m not entirely sure it moved the overall story forward, the season really shined in its character development. The characters grew a lot, which was great, but it felt like the plot took a backseat.

The season featured some powerful moments and laid a good foundation for what DCU is building. However, certain plot points, like the Earth-X storyline, felt underdeveloped. For example, Rick Flag made a brief appearance early on but wasn’t seen when his universe was central to the story, and Keith’s arc was never concluded. Ultimately, the season finale didn’t deliver and felt like it was just filling time.

7. Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man Season 1

Image via Disney+

Fans will see Tom Holland reprise his role as Peter Parker in Spider-Man: Brand New Day next year, and a great series arrived in 2025 to keep them entertained until then. I was really surprised by the first season of Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man. While the animation style was initially different, I quickly realized the unique 3D, cel-shaded look actually made the action scenes more exciting and gave the show a feel like reading a comic book.

The Marvel series offered a fresh but classic take on Peter Parker and the people around him. It perfectly captured why Spider-Man is such a popular hero. The show featured a mix of heroes and villains, all part of a story about Peter learning to fully embrace his role as a hero. The way the series connected to the larger Marvel Cinematic Universe was also a smart move.

6. Marvel Zombies

Courtesy of Walt Disney Studios

Marvel Zombies is the last superhero series we’ll cover before shifting our focus to our top 5 of 2025. This animated series broke new ground for the MCU, delivering a more adult story that wasn’t afraid to eliminate fan-favorite characters. The series, rated MA, built upon the ‘What If…?’ episode from season 1, creating a deeply engaging and bleak world.

The animated series Marvel Zombies delivered something fans had been hoping for in the Multiverse Saga, largely thanks to the return of beloved actors voicing their iconic characters. It was the first time we saw interactions between heroes like Shang-Chi, Ms. Marvel, and John Walker, creating a feeling similar to a classic Avengers event – complete with intense stakes and powerful emotional moments – but presented as an animated story.

5. Daredevil: Born Again Season 1

Image via Disney+

Many consider Netflix’s Daredevil to be the best live-action superhero show ever made, so I went into Daredevil: Born Again with very high hopes. The Disney+ series largely lived up to those expectations, although it was tough to see Foggy Nelson die in the first episode. Thankfully, the actors who starred in the original Netflix series were fantastic.

The biggest problems with the show are in its writing. It’s clear the change in creative teams affected the story. Some characters feel less important, and they start making uncharacteristic, illogical choices. Also, Matt Murdock’s faith, which was previously a key part of his character, is now less emphasized. Despite these issues, the action sequences are still strong, the show maintains its dark atmosphere, and it still has a lot of promise.

4. Thunderbolts*

This year, two out of the three Marvel Cinematic Universe movies landed in the top five, and Thunderbolts was a particularly welcome surprise. The film successfully brought together characters from various previous MCU movies and TV shows – a risky move that really paid off. Thunderbolts stands out as a more serious and emotionally complex film compared to many other Marvel projects.

The movie delivers the superhero action and funny moments you expect from the MCU, but it finds a much better balance than films like Thor: Love and Thunder. It’s a story about flawed characters supporting each other to overcome their personal struggles and ultimately become heroes. Essentially, Thunderbolts transforms its characters into major MCU players, feeling like a secret Avengers movie.

3. Invincible Season 3

In my opinion, Invincible is the greatest superhero comic book of all time. The animated series on Prime Video does an excellent job of bringing the story to life, and each season manages to build on the original comics in exciting ways – season 3 is no exception. The ‘Invincible War’ storyline is particularly impactful, with consistently brutal action and compelling character growth.

I had high hopes for Conquest, and it delivered. Jeffrey Dean Morgan brought a fresh depth to the character, and his emotional confession during the fight with Mark – something we hadn’t seen before – really made Conquest feel complete. This season also shows Mark that he doesn’t always have to stick to his strict beliefs, and that will have lasting consequences for the show.

2. The Fantastic Four: First Steps

The Fantastic Four are officially part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and many fans think it was worth the wait. Some viewers questioned why the Eternals hadn’t gotten involved in earlier events, considering they’d been around for millennia. However, ‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps’ cleverly avoids this issue by taking place on an alternate Earth, which creates a lot of potential for exciting new stories.

This Marvel movie felt genuinely original, and I especially appreciated its 1960s-inspired look, which made it stand out from other Marvel films. The four main characters were perfectly cast and acted the part, creating what many fans will consider the best live-action versions of these heroes. Finally, Galactus was portrayed well, and the brief appearance of Doctor Doom hinted at a dramatic future conflict in Avengers: Doomsday.

1. Superman

The standout superhero release of 2025 was James Gunn’s Superman movie. I’ve personally been a big supporter of David Corenswet as Superman since seeing him in The Politician back in 2019. But even putting that aside, Superman truly earned the top spot because Gunn successfully delivered the optimistic and uplifting feel that fans have been wanting for a long time.

This movie’s impressive world-building broadens the DC Universe while still keeping Superman the main focus. Superman demonstrates that being kind is always relevant, portraying the world’s strongest hero as a champion of peace and empathy. David Corenswet delivers a wonderful performance as both the endearing Superman and the cheerful Clark Kent.

As a huge movie fan, I have to say Nicholas Hoult absolutely nails Lex Luthor – he’s brilliantly manipulative. Rachel Brosnahan is exactly the Lois Lane we’ve always wanted, a truly fearless reporter. But what really sets this film apart is the energy – it’s so vibrant and confident, it genuinely feels like stepping right into the pages of a comic book. Honestly, I don’t think anything Marvel, DC, or any other superhero movie coming out in 2025 will be able to compete with it.

2025-12-26 22:13