Though the superhero movies of the MCU and the DCU are widely known for their action, there have also been entries into the genre that have been incredibly scary. The movies of the MCU may have contributed to a general perception that the superhero genre is typically comprised of family-friendly films, but this isn’t always the case. On many occasions, the brutal violence of heroes and villains or the supernatural aspects of the genre spill over into horrifying territory.
Though many of the comic book movies that defined the genre have been more traditional superhero fare, there have always been those that are much darker. In these cases, their superhero stories come off as more terrifying than uplifting, and are therefore more likely to frighten their audiences than inspire them. With that in mind, here are the 10 scariest superhero movies of all time.
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10
Constantine (2005)
Director: Francis Lawrence
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2005’s Constantine adapted a lesser-known DC character into live-action, with Keanu Reeves starring as the eponymous exorcist. The film follows John Constantine as he investigates a suspicious death and uncovers a supernatural scheme to unleash demons upon the human world. Considering the movie’s general premise, its status as a notably scary superhero movie is perhaps unsurprising on many levels, especially to those with prior knowledge of the character and the source material.
Constantine might not be terrifying in the same way as the average horror movie, but it is undoubtedly more scary than most comic book movies. Its gritty noir aesthetic and exploration of paranormal themes involving demons and angels with ill intentions certainly establishes an incredibly unsettling atmosphere, and the overall thrust of the movie is relatively bleak and unnerving. Some of its deeper themes further contribute to its generally scary feel, making its sequel’s place in the list of upcoming DC movie releases all the more surprising.
9
The Crow (1994)
Director: Alex Proyas
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The Crow may not be a superhero movie in the traditional sense, but the protagonist’s nature as an iconic anti-hero has helped it earn cult classic status. The 1994 film follows Brandon Lee’s Eric Draven, a rock star who returns from beyond the grave to avenge the murder of his fiancée against the people who killed him. The Crow may not be a hero in the standard manner, but the movie is, without a doubt, a scary entry into the genre.
The Crow’s gothic presentation lends an air of the macabre to the movie, but it’s really the deeper themes and subject matter that make it frightening. The brutal nature of the murders that precipitate the events of the movie is disturbing enough, as is the reactionary violence that follows. Combine that with the dark and gritty style of the movie itself, and The Crow is one of the scariest superhero movies there is.
8
The Toxic Avenger (1984)
Directors: Lloyd Kaufman, Michael Herz
1984’s The Toxic Avenger might be considered one of the cheesier attempts at making a superhero horror movie, but that surprisingly doesn’t detract from its ability to scare its audience. It follows Melvin, a cleaner who is regularly bullied, after an unfortunate incident transforms him into the titular Avenger. Despite being primarily a black comedy, The Toxic Avenger is still scary in many ways.
In spite of the comedic slant of its story, The Toxic Avenger does not shy away from its horror elements. The intensely painful-looking transformation the Toxic Avenger himself is forced through is enough to establish the ways that the movie is able to terrify, but the use of brutal violence and heavy gore only compounds the fear-inspiring aspects of the movie. It may not be primarily scary, but its horror aspects shine through in a way that makes them hard to overlook.
7
Blade II (2002)
Director: Guillermo del Toro
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Years before the beginning of the MCU’s movie timeline, there were Marvel movies that embraced the darker side of the comic book genre. 2002’s Blade II did just that, with the mind of master of horror Guillermo del Toro directing the superhero sequel. Following on from the 1998 original, Blade II doubled down on the violent and horrifying superhero action in a truly excellent sequel.
Blade II features mutated vampires, horrific experiments, and dark and claustrophobic scenes packed with tension. In its premise and in its visual execution, the movie fully embraces the horror genre, with its status as a superhero movie taking a clear back seat to the scarier aspects of its story. Even decades after its release, Blade II remains one of the scariest superhero movies of all time, thanks in no small part to Guillermo del Toro’s unique knack for blending the two genres.
6
Darkman (1990)
Director: Sam Raimi
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Though it’s often overlooked within the superhero genre, 1990’s Darkman was an early foray into superhero action for acclaimed director Sam Raimi. Long before he adapted Spider-Man to the big screen, Raimi turned his knack for horror-focused storytelling to a superhero story, creating Darkman, employing the talents of Liam Neeson and Frances McDormand. Neeson stars as a scientist who returns after being burned alive to exact revenge upon his tormentors.
Darkman’s scariest moments all stem from its visual presentation. Raimi’s direction treated Darkman as a horror film with seemingly coincidental connections to the superhero genre, clearly demonstrating his ability to blend the two distinct tones into a single film. From the violence of its premise to the burned visage of its protagonist, Darkman brings many scary aspects to a story that is otherwise a relatively simple superhero narrative.
5
Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness (2022)
Director: Sam Raimi
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Even though the MCU is not known for being able to scare its audience, 2022’s Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness proved a deceptively horrifying entry into the franchise. The superhero sequel employed the talents of Sam Raimi, who brought his perspective as a horror filmmaker to the groundbreaking Marvel franchise. The result was a film that introduced a unique sense of horror to an otherwise light-hearted franchise.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ horror stemmed from the director’s vision for realizing its story. The presentation of certain scenes painted the Scarlet Witch as a movie monster rather than a superhero-turned-villain, with Wanda Maximoff effectively hunting Strange and America Chavez through the Multiverse. Throwing in moments of body horror and existential peril, Raimi made Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness one of the MCU’s most frightening movies.
4
The Batman (2022)
Director: Matt Reeves
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Though many actors have played Batman in live-action, few have done so in a way that makes his world seem quite so scary as Robert Pattinson. Cast as the iconic Caped Crusader for Matt Reeves’ The Batman, Pattinson’s turn as the hero saw him working to capture the Riddler before his murderous plot could be brought to fruition. The movie was surprisingly scary, especially in the scenes featuring its main antagonist.
The Riddler’s murders in the movie are as graphic as they are creative. The bloody bludgeoning of the mayor in the film’s opening scene, the creative maze designed to force a rat to kill Gotham’s police commissioner, and the exploding collar fixed around the DA’s neck all serve as examples of the horrific and frightening ways the Riddler took out his victims. Adding to that the generally dark tone and visuals of the movie, and The Batman is one of the scarier entries into the superhero genre.
3
The Dark Knight (2008)
Director: Christopher Nolan
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Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy is often considered one of the best franchises in the history of the superhero genre, with 2008’s The Dark Knight standing out as by far the best movie of the three-film arc. Although each of the three movies features moments that could be considered scary, The Dark Knight does them the best. The movie’s ability to scare its audience stems almost entirely from Heath Ledger’s unforgettable performance as the Joker.
Ledger’s Joker is one of the greatest villains in movie history, not least because he is as hypnotic as he is terrifying. The unpredictable nature of the character makes him one of the genre’s scariest villains, and scenes involving his brutal and violent actions lend The Dark Knight an especially unnerving atmosphere. As such, it stands out as a particularly scary superhero movie, even though it doesn’t actually seem to sit squarely within either genre.
2
Split (2016)
Director: M. Night Shyamalan
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2016’s Split is a unique superhero movie, as it was promoted entirely as a horror thriller from the mind of M. Night Shyamalan. Its story followed a man with dissociative identity disorder who abducted multiple young teenagers with the intention of sacrificing them in a harrowing ritual. It’s only in the movie’s final moments that it is revealed as a part of a wider superhero universe.
Split’s status as a stealth sequel to Shyamalan’s 2000 movie Unbreakable was revelatory, and it retroactively earned it a place as a superhero movie. James McAvoy’s performance was excellent, and helped to make Split an especially scary and unpredictable experience. Considering it was designed to function entirely as a pulse-pounding thriller in its own right, Split stands out as one of the scariest movies to ever exist within the superhero genre.
1
Brightburn (2019)
Director: David Yarovesky
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Brightburn took a novel approach to the superhero genre by examining one of the most frightening alternate perspectives of a superhero story. The movie explores the notion of a powerful Superman-esque figure turning evil as a child, embarking on an unstoppable rampage against humanity. By flipping the genre upside down, Brightburn earned itself the accolade of being perhaps the most frightening superhero movie of all time.
Brightburn’s story is complete with violent and gory detail, with its horrifying action all stemming from a child antagonist. This unsettling approach to a genre that typically inspires and uplifts makes for an especially frightening experience, particularly as it takes a completely different approach to a superhero story. As a result, Brightburn sits apart from the superhero movies of the MCU and the DCU, as it is one of the scariest films ever to grace the superhero genre.
Marvel Cinematic Universe
Created by
Kevin Feige
First Film
Iron Man
Upcoming Films
Deadpool & Wolverine, Captain America: Brave New World, Thunderbolts*, Blade (2025), The Fantastic Four: First Steps, Avengers: Doomsday (2026), Avengers: Secret Wars
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Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
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DC Universe
Created by
Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson
First Film
Man of Steel
First TV Show
Peacemaker
Cast
Henry Cavill, Ben Affleck, Gal Gadot, Ezra Miller, Ray Fisher, Jason Momoa, Amy Adams, Jesse Eisenberg, Laurence Fishburne, Jeremy Irons, Will Smith, Jared Leto, Margot Robbie, Joel Kinnaman, Viola Davis, Jai Courtney, Jay Hernandez, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Cara Delevingne, Chris Pine, Robin Wright, Zachary Levi, Dwayne Johnson, Amber Heard, Patrick Wilson, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Mark Strong, Asher Angel, Jack Dylan Grazer, Djimon Hounsou, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Jurnee Smollett, Rosie Perez, Ella Jay Basco, Ali Wong, Ewan McGregor, Idris Elba, John Cena, Michael Keaton, George Clooney, Xolo Mariduena
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Upcoming MCU Movies
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Thunderbolts*
Release Date
May 2, 2025
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The Fantastic Four: First Steps
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July 25, 2025
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Avengers: Doomsday
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May 1, 2026
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July 31, 2026
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Avengers: Secret Wars
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May 7, 2027
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Superman
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July 11, 2025
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Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow
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June 26, 2026
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The Batman Part II
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October 1, 2027
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