Top 20 Superhero Movies That Deal With Serious Issues

Thunderbolts* (2025)

The MCUs latest chapter is a breath of fresh air for the franchise, due in no small part to its emphasis on exploring the pasts of its anti-heroic ensemble. Even with the fresh slate their team-up inspires, Thunderbolts* gives us a group of tortured souls struggling to escape their pasts. The movie doesnt sugarcoat their discussions of mental health and nihilism, instead giving each of them the chance to look their traumas directly in the eye. Its an unconventional approach befitting its off-kilter assortment of characters, and Thunderbolts* enhances its frankness by visualizing their respective Voids in unique ways. These arent the kind of problems the Avengers can save the world from, but the movie emphasizes the value of managing them with help from others.

Batman: Mask of the Phantasm (1993)

We all know the story: Bruce Wayne commits himself to fighting crime after witnessing his parents deaths. Rather than retell these events, Batman: Mask of the Phantasm zeroes in on the emotional toll Bruces decision has taken. After reconnecting with old flame Andrea Beaumont, Bruce faces the possibility of a normal life. Its a dilemma far bigger than anything Batmans rogues could threaten him with, as the only thing that stings more than Bruces loss is the fear of letting his parents down. In his mind, a world without Batman is one in which they died for nothing. The movie finds nobility and tragedy in Bruces sacrifice, probing the question of whether or not doing the right thing should come at our own expense.

Captain Marvel (2019)

When the movie Captain Marvel kicks off, we see Carol Danvers as a Kree warrior whos been fully indoctrinated into their world. The Kree are at war with the Skrulls and Carol is fully committed to fighting alongside her comrades. Its not until we get about halfway through the movie we learn the Skrulls arent what she thought they were. As the pendulum swings back in the other direction, Carol realizes shes spent years as the victim of Kree propaganda. Its this realization that should remind all of us that perspective is vital. One person's interpretation is not necessarily the entire story. Critical thinking is key, especially when lives are on the line.

Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)

As much as we want to hate the villain in most movies, the best antagonists are often the ones whose motivations may be flawed, but understandable. Even a big bad like Thanos had his own misguided reasons for the snap. Spider-Man: Homecoming gave us the relatable Adrian Toomes. He was a blue-collar worker trying his best to support his family through good old fashioned hard work. When the Department of Damage Control takes a huge job from him, he turns to a life of illegal weapons dealing. It may have been morally compromising, but desperation can breed many things when youre trying to stay economically afloat.

Blue Beetle (2023)

Coming along near the end of the DCEU, Blue Beetle didnt get a fair shake with audiences prior to its success on VOD. Thats quite a shame, and its not just because its one of the franchises more enjoyable entries. Aside from its down-to-earth tone, audiences missed out on an authentic portrayal of families hindered by economic disadvantages. Even with an education and superhuman abilities, Jaime Reyes is unable to save his family from losing their house. Compounding his struggle is the villainous Victoria Kord, an ignorant industrialist who views laborers and minorities as a means to an end. Blue Beetle keeps one foot firmly in reality by giving Jaimes journey genuine stakes and ensuring that the lessons he learns hit very close to home.

Batman Returns (1992)

Tim Burtons take on Gotham City is a place where adults in costumes are just kids playing dress-up. In the case of Batman and the Penguin, their appearances and behavior are symptomatic of the childhoods they were deprived of. But whereas Bruce Wayne uses loss as a motivation to pursue justice, Oswald Cobblepots abandonment turns him into a jaded man desperate for approval. Both characters view the world in naïve ways, but Batman Returns never fully allows us to categorize the latter as a villain. Instead, it asks us to consider what Oswalds pursuit of acceptance says about his lack of maturity after fending for himself. Its a thought-provoking experience to consider where a lost soul can go had they been given a chance to grow.

Iron Man (2008)

Over the course of the MCU timeline, we have learned quite a bit about how the Stark family fortune was made. Howard Stark was a brilliant man who worked closely with the US military. From weapons, to the very serum that made Captain America, Stark was funded quite heavily by government contracts. This continued past his death. Unfortunately, his business partner Obadiah Stane crossed the line and began selling weapons directly to radicals. The arms business is a dangerous one, and a connection that Tony Stark finally put an end to. As arrogant as he can be, Tony showed the world, and us as the audience, that powerful companies have a moral obligation just as much as a financial one.

The Incredibles (2004)

Part of what makes The Incredibles so timeless is that its most relatable ideas only become clearer with age. In an era of superhero saturation, its status is elevated considerably by its innovative portrayal of fandom turned sour. This is best embodied by the cunning pettiness of the films villain, Syndrome. Buddy Pines abrasiveness alienated him from his childhood idol, Mr. Incredible, sending him down a dark path of revenge against the entire superhero culture. Preying on the Supers desire to recapture the past in order to further his future schemes, Syndromes egotistical tactics are all in service of living out the glory he never got. That he ultimately backs up his words with actions only underscores the movies potent argument against meeting our heroes.

Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)

The threat of artificial intelligence has been part of popular culture since the early 20th century. Whether its Skynet from the Terminator franchise, or WOPR from WarGames, storytellers love using this idea to frame a threat to our world. So, when Tony Stark and Bruce Banner decide to use the gem from Lokis scepter containing an AI, we knew things were bound to go wrong. They created Ultron, a maniacal being who saw the elimination of humanity as the only way forward. He represents the worst of our human fears regarding artificial intelligence. Will what we create ultimately destroy us? Its certainly a question well face if we push the limits as far as Stark and Banner did.

The Batman (2022)

For all of its problems, most adaptations of Gotham focus on the good that its still capable of. Thats not always the case with Matt Reeves take on the Caped Crusader, which depicts a city on the brink of collapse due to widespread corruption. Bringing the character back to detective roots, The Batman throws one hindrance after another into his investigation of the Riddler. The winged sleuth uncovers issues even more unsolvable than a riddle, like a police force owned by organized crime bosses and representatives ready to overlook wrongdoing. By the end of the film, the Riddlers plan to expose the citys elites not only begins to make sense, but also has us questioning if Batman can really do anything to help.

Captain America: Civil War (2016)

2016 gave us two superhero flicks that dealt directly with the concept of unchecked power. But while Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice undercuts its tension with a convoluted story, Captain America: Civil War is still paying dividends for the MCU almost a decade later. The Sokovia Accords cast a morally ambiguous shadow over Phase Three, with Steve Rogers and Tony Stark coming to blows over the role the Avengers should play in world affairs. Splitting Earths Mightiest Heroes down the middle for one of the sagas greatest fight scenes, Civil War supports Iron Mans desire for national security without admonishing Caps fear of government overreach. It remains a hotly contested debate amongst fans, and one thats not likely to end any time soon.

RoboCop (1987)

The dystopian future of RoboCop is capitalism taken to an extreme, if not entirely illogical, end. In addition to its satirical jabs at consumerism and product placement, it also features a grim landscape in which law enforcement has been privatized by major corporations. One such corporation revolutionizes the Detroit Police Department by turning a fatally wounded officer into the ultimate crime fighting cyborg. Its here that RoboCop becomes rife with philosophical overtones as Alex Murphy gradually regains control over his consciousness and begins to question the ethics of his torrid brand of justice. As the protagonist finds himself in the heart of a city-wide conspiracy, the movies tug of war between authoritarianism and freedom of choice encompasses the best that science fiction has to offer.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)

In the wake of the Edward Snowden scandal, the world learned just how much information the government is capturing about each of us. For the MCU, this was personified by the introduction of Project Insight in Captain America: The Winter Soldier. A series of helicarriers were to be used to identify possible threats to both the United States and Hydra. The truth about what they really are is made clear when Captain America says This isnt free. Its fear. Theres a fine line where being too protective can infringe on freedom. Captain Americas second outing definitely illustrates how badly mass surveillance can be misused to cause chaos.

Iron Man 3 (2013)

Despite all their powers, and the countless lives they saved, MCU superheroes cant always escape their own emotional and mental scars. Every one of the heroes have experienced some kind of trauma throughout their journey. In the wake of the lives lost in the snap, we dont blame anyone for struggling to accept such a massive loss. None of this is more apparent than what we see in Tony Stark in Iron Man 3. Following the events of the New York battle in the first Avengers movie, Tony struggles to keep himself together. Were not used to seeing someone as confident as him in such a vulnerable state. What it does give however, is a real depiction of how trauma affects us.

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018)

Loss is an essential component of the Spider-Man mythos. As this franchises discussion of canon events demonstrates, the character quite literally cant exist without it. But regardless of who wears the mask, the web slinger remains the embodiment of coming to terms with grief and moving on. This lesson places Miles Morales in sharp contrast with crime boss Wilson Fisk as the latter attempts to override his familys death by beaming them in from another universe. While Kingpin is stuck somewhere between denial and anger, Miles is able to use the loss of his uncle Aaron to invigorate himself and trust his instincts. He may still need time to fully grieve, but Into the Spider-Verse reaches an empowering crescendo simply through his willingness to try.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023)

The Guardians have faced their share of deplorable villains, but the High Evolutionary immediately took the cake once we learned about Rocket Raccoons origins. A victim of cruel experimentation, Rockets backstory is one of the saddest the superhero genre has ever tackled, providing us tremendous insight into his untrusting nature. The High Evolutionarys complete lack of remorse for his actions, which includes dispatching Rockets friends, shines an uncomfortable light on the exploitative realities of animal testing. Its easy to see why the wicked scientists eventual defeat is one of the most satisfying in the entire MCU. For all of this trilogys quips, fights, and killer jams, its greatest accomplishment is reminding us to approach the world with decency, no matter how strange it may be.

Black Panther (2018)

Black Panther was the first superhero movie to ever be nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards. Instead of just being another action heavy superhero spectacle, director Ryan Coogler made a film that shows the dichotomy of being Black in different parts of the world. TChalla lives in Wakanda, an isolationist nation ruled by African people where oppression is virtually nonexistent. Killmonger, however, hails from the US where African-Americans have openly struggled for equality for centuries. Their clashing perspectives on how to handle the issue came from the worlds they were each raised in. By the end of the movie, its clear that theres still a long way to go to resolve racial issues around the world.

Watchmen (2009)

Can a bad thing still be considered right? And should we be willing to commit wrongdoings if they benefit the world long-term? This is the debate posed by Alan Moores groundbreaking graphic novel and its 2009 film adaptation. Set in a reality where superheroes are outlawed, Watchmen finds the titular group investigating a plot to discredit them amidst the Cold War. After the culprit, Ozymandias, reveals himself, the team reaches a moral impasse upon learning their friend-turned-foe has framed fellow member Dr. Manhattan for a fatal attack. Though Ozymandias actions ease international tensions, the group remains torn between their desire for justice and the peace their complicity guarantees. This ending is deconstruction at its finest, and will undoubtedly make you question if heroism truly exists.

X-Men franchise (2000-)

The X-Men have arguably been Marvels greatest outlet for exploring real-world issues, and that thematic depth has provided their cinematic counterparts with incredible longevity. Over two decades into its run, the X-Men movies have held firm in their exploration of topics like hatred and equality under a superhero lens. Its hard not to see Professor X and Magneto as stand-ins for activists like Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X, with their diverging approaches to obtaining mutant rights highlighting the difficulty in coming together for a common good. The X-Men franchise is at its best when championing both sides of the coin. Hero or villain, we cant help but sympathize with anyone willing to fight for their worth to the very end.

The Dark Knight (2008)

Even with a guy dressed as a bat for a protagonist, Christopher Nolans Dark Knight trilogy never shies away from bringing a startling dose of reality to Gotham City. The Dark Knight, especially, maintains particular resonance through its parallels to the War on Terror and Americas involvement overseas. The movie ruminates heavily on the idea of escalation, with Batmans mere existence making him culpable in the Jokers terrorist acts. The invasive methods used to thwart the Joker make for a chilling treatise both on the futility of working within the law and the dangers of operating outside it. The Dark Knight asks if theres any way to combat evil without resorting to it, and thats a question were still not sure how to answer.

Which superhero movies message only became clearer to you in hindsight? Be sure to let us know in the comments.