While superhero movies have started to see more recognition at the Oscars, their presence was a rarity for a long time. In the past, superhero movies received nominations in less prestigious categories, with Best Picture or Best Actor being less likely. It’s interesting to see how far these superhero movies have come since they got their first nomination in 1940.
With more acceptance and appreciation for their quality, superhero movies slowly began to get their due accolades. Things began to change towards the end of the 2000s, with a superhero film receiving a nomination in the coveted Best Actor in a Supporting Role category. Here is a comprehensive list of the most popular and undebatable superhero movies, original or comic book based, that have been nominated in any category at the Academy Awards. The list is compiled in chronological order from the oldest to the most recent nomination.
34. The Mark of Zorro (1940)
Publisher: Grosset & Dunlap.
Yhe first superhero film to be nominated for an Oscar was The Mark of Zorro. The movie was based on Johnston McCulley’s novel, The Curse of Capistrano. While in changes in different iterations, in most versions of DC lore, The Mark of Zorro was the movie Bruce Wayne and his parents went to see before the parents were mugged and killed by Joe Chill. The movie, combined with the murder, helped to set the stage for the creation of Batman.
The Mark of Zorro received a single nomination at the 13th Academy Awards in 1941. Alfred Newman was nominated in the category of Music (Original Score). However, Newman lost to Leigh Hairline, Paul J. Smith, and Ned Washington for their contribution to Disney’s Pinocchio.
33. Superman (1941)
Publisher: DC.
Superman was the first DC adaptation to be nominated for an Oscar. Directed by Dave Fleischer, it became the first installment of seventeen short films produced in animated technicolor. The film is also known as The Mad Scientist and had Bud Collyer playing Clark Kent/Superman.
Published by DC, the movie was nominated for the 14th Academy Awards in 1942. Producer Max Fleischer was nominated in the category for Short Subject (Cartoon). The film lost to Walt Disney’s Lend A Paw.
32. Superman (1978)
Publisher: DC.
The first installment in the popular Superman film series was the next superhero movie nominated for an Oscar after a long time with no recognition. Christopher Reeves portrayal of the superhero Clark Kent/Superman has become iconic, despite Reeves being an unknown actor at the time. This is why Christopher Reeves’s name appears behind Marlon Brando and Gene Hackman in the credits and trailers for the original movie.
Superman was nominated at the 51st Academy Awards in 1979 in four different categories and won one. Superman (1978) won the Special Achievement Award (Visual Effects). However, it lost in Film Editing, Music (Original Score), and Sound categories.
31. Batman (1989)
Publisher: DC.
Batman is the first installment of the first Warner Bros. Batman film series. At the time of release, the movie became the fifth highest-grossing film in history. Batman starred Jack Nicholson as Jack Napier/The Joker, Michael Keaton as Bruce Wayne/Batman, and Kim Basinger as Vicki Vale.
The movie was nominated at the 62nd Academy Awards in 1990. The movie only received a single nomination in the Art Direction category, but it won the category that night.
30. Batman Returns (1992)
Publisher: DC.
Batman Returns is a direct sequel to the 1992 Batman. Michael Keaton reprised his role as Bruce Wayne/Batman, Danny DeVito joined the cast as Oswald Cobblepot/Penguin, and Michelle Pfeiffer played Selina Kyle/Catwoman.
The movie was nominated at the 1993 Oscars. Batman Returns was nominated in two categories—Makeup and Visual Effects. The film lost in both categories to Bram Stoker’s Dracula and Death Becomes Her, respectively.
29. Batman Forever (1995)
Publisher: DC.
Batman Forever was created as a stand-alone movie, but is the third installment of the Batman film series. This film was the first appearance of the comics’ Wayne Enterprises and Arkham Asylum in a live-action movie. Batman Returns was also be the first live-action film to refer to Batman as “The Dark Knight.”
With several other firsts, it was the first time Batman swims in his suit and all the first time he kisses someone while wearing it. It’s also the first live-action movie to show the audience Batman’s origin with the bats in the cave. Batman Returns was also Warner Bros.’ shortest live-action Batman movie in its series at the time, with a running time of 122 minutes.
Batman Returns was nominated at the 68th Academy Awards in 1996. It received Oscar nominations in three categories—Cinematography, Sound, and Sound Effects Editing. It did not win in any of its nominated categories.
28. The Mask of Zorro (1998)
Publisher: Grosset & Dunlap, et al.
Directed by Martin Campbell, the movie stars Antonio Banderas as Alejandro Murrieta/Zorro and Catherine Zeta-Jones as Elena Montero. It also had Anthony Hopkins playing the original Don Diego de la Vega/Zorro. It is also the first time a Spanish-born actor, Antonio Banderas, would play the live-action character of Zorro.
The film was nominated at the 71st Academy Awards in 1999. The Mask of Zorro (1998) was nominated in two categories. It was nominated for Sound and Sound Effects Editing, but unfortunately lost in both categories.
27. Spider-Man (2002)
Publisher: Marvel Comics.
Spider-Man (2002) was the first live-action film from Marvel Comics to be nominated at the Oscars. Directed by Sam Raimi, it was the first of his directorial trilogy for the webslinger. At the time of release, the movie had the highest Box Office gross in a single day.
In 2003, the movie was nominated at the 75th Academy Awards. It received two nominations in Sound and Visual Effects. However, the movie failed to win in any category.
26. Spider-Man 2 (2004)
Publisher: Marvel Comics.
The second installment in Sam Raimi’s trilogy, Spider-Man 2 was also nominated at the Oscars. Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst, and James Franco reprise their roles as Peter Parker/Spider-Man, Mary Jane Watson, and Harry Osborn. The movie was nominated at the 77th Academy Awards in 2005.
Spider-Man 2 was nominated in three categories—Sound Editing, Sound Mixing, and Visual Effects. Although the movie lost in Sound Editing and Sound Mixing categories, it won in Best Visual Effects. As of 2023, this makes it the only live-action Spider-Man movie to win an Oscar.
25. The Incredibles (2004)
Publisher: Original Superhero Movie Script by Brad Bird
The Incredibles (2004) is the only Pixar film written by a single writer. The movie was Pixar’s first film with a human perspective storyline. Until this film, the storylines centered on monsters, animals, and toys.
The Incredibles was nominated at the 77th Academy Awards in four categories. It was nominated for Animated Feature Film, Sound Editing, Sound Mixing, and Writing (Original Screenplay). It won in two categories, Best Animated Feature Film, and Best Sound Editing.
24. Batman Begins (2005)
Publisher: DC.
Christopher Nolan’s Batman Begins (2005) is a reboot of the Batman film series. Christian Bales takes on the role of Bruce Wayne/Batman. Other notable stars in the movie include Michael Caine, Liam Neeson, Katie Holmes, Gary Oldman, and Cillian Murphy.
Batman Begins (2005) received a single nomination at the 78th Academy Awards. It was nominated in the Cinematography category. However, it lost to Memoirs of a Geisha.
23. Superman Returns (2006)
Publisher: DC.
Bryan Singer’s Superman Returns was released 20 years after the previous Superman film, Superman IV: The Quest for Peace (1987). Coincidentally, in the last movie, Superman tells Luthor, “See you in twenty.” Superman Returns (2006) is the sixth and final installment from the original Superman film series.
Superman Returns got a single nomination at the 79th Academy Awards. The film’s visual effects team, Mark Stetson, Neil Corbould, Richard R. Hoover, and Jon Thum, were nominated in the Best Visual Effects category. They lost to the visual effects team in Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest.
22. Iron Man (2008)
Publisher: Marvel Comics.
Jon Favreau’s Iron Man (2008) was Marvel’s first self-financed movie and the first film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It became the first movie in 2008 to cross the $300 million U.S. Box Office mark. It was nominated at the 81st Academy Awards in 2009 in two categories, Sound Editing, and Visual Effects. It lost in both categories to The Dark Knight and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.
21. The Dark Knight (2008)
Publisher: DC.
The Dark Knight was Christopher Nolan’s second installment in The Dark Knight trilogy. Heath Ledger famously played the role of the Joker, with a shocking performance that marked the movie out among other live-action Batman films. It was also nominated at the 81st Academy Awards in 2009.
The Dark Knight received eight nominations, making it the first superhero film to be nominated in so many categories. It was nominated for Actor in a Supporting Role, Art Direction, Cinematography, Film Editing, Makeup, Sound Editing, Sound Mixing, and Visual Effects. It won two categories, Heath Ledger’s posthumous win for Best Actor in a Supporting Role and also Sound Editing.
20. Iron Man 2 (2010)
Publisher: Marvel Comics.
Iron Man 2 (2010) is the third film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It’s a direct sequel to Iron Man (2008). It was nominated at the 83rd Academy Awards in 2011. Unlike the first film, it received a single nomination for Best Visual Effects. The movie lost to Inception.
19. The Avengers (2012)
Publisher: Marvel Comics.
The Avengers was directed by Joss Whedon and became the first Marvel Cinematic Universe movie to earn $1 billion. It is the sixth film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the first time the major Marvel superheroes are assembled to stop Loki, Thor’s brother, from conquering Earth. The movie got a single nomination at the 85th Academy Awards. It was nominated for Best Visual Effects. However, it was lost to Life of Pi.
18. Iron Man 3 (2013)
Publisher: Marvel Comics.
Iron Man 3 was the first Iron Man film not to be directed by Jon Favreau. It also became the first Iron Man film to cross the $1 billion mark at the box office, and the second in the MCU to do so. The movie was nominated for Best Visual Effects at the 86th Academy Awards in 2014. It lost to Gravity.
17. Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)
Publisher: Marvel Comics.
With the Russo brothers in the director’s seat, Captain America: The Winter Soldier became the ninth movie in the MCU. Like the three other MCU nominated in previous years at the Oscars, the film got a single nomination. It was nominated for Best Visual Effects at the 87th Academy Awards. It lost to Interstellar.
16. X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014)
Publisher: Marvel Comics.
X-Men: Days of Future Past is the first X-Men movie to ever be nominated for an Oscar. It is the direct sequel to the 2006 X-Men: The Last Stand. It received a single nomination at the 87th Academy Awards in the same category as Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014). It also lost to Interstellar.
15. Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
Publisher: Marvel Comics.
When the comic origins of Guardians of the Galaxy were first published in January 1969, the team was made up of entirely different members. The movie became the first non-Avengers Marvel film to be developed by Walt Disney Pictures and became the highest-grossing superhero movie of 2014. It was nominated at the 87th Academy Awards in the Best Visual Effects category and for Best Makeup. The movie lost in both categories.
14. Suicide Squad (2016)
Publisher: DC.
David Ayer’s Suicide Squad (2016) is the third movie in DCEU. It’s also the first live-action appearance of Harley Quinn’s character. Suicide Squad is the first movie featuring Batman that had no reference to his character in the movie’s title. The movie is the first DCEU movie to win an Oscar: it was nominated at the 89th Academy Awards in 2017 and won for Makeup and Hairstyling.
13. Doctor Strange (2016)
Publisher: Marvel Comics.
Doctor Strange is actually the second live-action adaptation of the Doctor Strange comics, with the first released in 1978. It is the 14th movie in the MCU. It was nominated at the 89th Academy Awards for Best Visual Effects. It lost the nomination to The Jungle Book.
12. Logan (2017)
Publisher: Marvel Comics.
Logan (2017) is the first superhero movie to receive a nomination for Best Writing (Adapted Screenplay). It is also the first stand-alone movie with Wolverine that doesn’t have his name on the movie’s title. At the 90th Academy Awards, the movie lost its nomination to Call Me By Your Name.
11. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)
Publisher: Marvel Comics.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 was the 15th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The storyline revolves around the Guardians helping Peter Quill learn about his family. The movie was nominated for Best Visual Effects at the 90th Academy Awards in 2018 but lost to Blade Runner 2049.
10. Black Panther (2018)
Publisher: Marvel Comics.
Black Panther (2018) gave superhero movies the recognition they truly deserve. It became the first superhero or comic-based live-action film to be nominated for the Oscars Best Picture. In doing so, it broke another record by being the first MCU movie to win an Oscar.
Black Panther was nominated in seven categories at the 91st Academy Awards in 2019. It was nominated for Costume Design, Music (Original Score), Best Picture, Production Design, Sound Editing, Sound Mixing, and Original Song. It won three categories—Costume Design, Music (Original Score), and Production Design.
9. Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
Publisher: Marvel Comics.
Finally bringing together the Infinity Stones, Avengers: Infinity War was the 19th movie in the MCU’s. It was nominated in a single category at the 91st Academy Awards. It was nominated for Best Visual Effects but lost to First Man.
8. Incredibles 2 (2018)
Publisher: Original Superhero Movie Script by Brad Bird
Incredibles 2 remains Pixar’s longest film to date. Incredibles 2 was nominated at the 91st Academy Awards for Best Animated Feature Film. It lost the nomination to Marvel’s Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.
7. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018)
Publisher: Marvel Comics.
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse was the first animated movie in Sony’s Spider-Man franchise. The movie was nominated for Best Animated Feature Film at the 2019 Oscars. It won the category, despite it being the only nomination the movie received.
6. Avengers: Endgame (2019)
Publisher: Marvel Comics.
Avengers: Endgame is the longest MCU movie to date with a runtime of 181 minutes. It was nominated for Best Visual Effects at the 92nd Academy Awards. The movie lost the nomination to the film 1917.
5. Joker (2019)
Publisher: DC.
Joker set a record as the first R-rated and also the least expensive movie to gross over $1 billion at the box office. It received 11 nominations at the 92nd Academy Awards, setting a new nomination record for superhero movies at the Oscars. It was the first superhero movie to be nominated for Best Actor in a Leading Role.
The categories nominated include Actor in a Leading Role, Cinematography, Costume Design, Directing, Film Editing, Makeup and Hairstyling, Music (Original Score), Best Picture, Sound Editing, Sound Mixing, and Writing (Adapted Screenplay). The movie won three nominations for Best Actor in a Leading Role and Best Music (Original Score).
4. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021)
Publisher: Marvel Comics.
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings was the MCU’s 25th film and the first properly portray Asian culture respectfully. It had a single nomination at the 94th Academy Awards in 2022. Shang-Chi was nominated for Visual Effects alongside another MCU movie, Spider-Man: No Way Home. However, it lost the nomination to Dune.
3. Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)
Publisher: Marvel Comics.
Spider-Man: No Way Home is Sony’s highest-grossing film in the company’s history. The movie grossed $1.922 billion at the Box Office with a budget of $200 million. It received a nomination at the 94th Oscars for Best Visual Effects. It also lost to Dune.
2. The Batman (2022)
Publisher: DC.
Directed by Matt Reeves, The Batman takes a look at Batman outside of the DCEU or the new DCU. The movie introduced Robert Pattinson as Bruce Wayne/Batman and Zoë Kravitz as Selina Kyle/Catwoman. It is the first film to feature the Riddler since Batman Forever (1995). The Batman received three nominations at the 95th Academy Awards in 2023. The categories The Batman is up for include Makeup and Hairstyling, Sound, and Visual Effects.
1. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022)
Publisher: Marvel Comics.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is the 30th movie in the MCU. It is a direct sequel to Black Panther (2018). At the 95th Academy Awards, the movie received five nominations. It would be the first time a superhero movie would be nominated in the Best Supporting Actress category. The movie is nominated for Actress in a Supporting Role, Costume Design, Makeup and Hairstyling, Visual Effects, and Original Song.
The 2023 Oscars will be held on March 12, 2023.
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