Fans Ranked 10 Best Scariest Superhero Movies Of All Time

Superhero movies have risen to prominence in the last decades, and currently, the MCU is one of the most profitable and biggest cinematic universes to date. Although modern take on the genre is oftentimes PG-13, with plenty of action, sometimes thriller, and intrigue, not all superhero movies shy away from horror and gore.

Fans gathered on Ranker with over 20K votes to choose their favorite superhero flick of all time, and the results just might surprise you.

10. ‘Unbreakable’ (2000)

M. Night Shyamalan is not exactly famous for creating superhero flicks, so when he created ‘Unbreakable,’ that pretty came as a shock, what was even more shocking was the fact that the movie was good. It led to a three-part series of unconventional superhero movies. The movie is not your conventional horror, instead, it focuses on the psychological aspect.

9. ‘Glass’

‘Glass’ is the third part of Shyamalan’s franchise, although the director admitted he never planned on making a sequel to the movie much less a threequel. As with the previous movie on this list, ‘Glass’ is often considered a horror movie due to its psychological and thriller elements rather than traditional horror scares. The film explores dark and unsettling themes, including the psychological manipulation of its characters, the blurred lines between reality and fantasy, and the looming threat posed by superhuman abilities.

8. ‘Blade 2’ (2002)

‘Blade 2’ was not as highly praised as the original movie, despite using the same approach and formula that worked with the first movie. Blade franchise is often classified as a horror due to elements like vampires and dark and atmospheric cinematography. It does feature more violence and shocking scenes than ‘The Unbreakable’ franchise, but it’s still relatively mild by today’s standards.

7. ‘Spawn’ (1997)

Al Simmons, a U.S. Marine Corps Force Recon Lieutenant Colonel and CIA operative, reluctantly carries out a mission to infiltrate a biochemical weapons plant in North Korea for his superior, Jason Wynn. Unbeknownst to Simmons, Wynn orders his assassin, Jessica Priest, to kill him during the mission. Simmons is betrayed and set on fire by Wynn, causing an explosion at the plant. Simmons dies and finds himself in Hell, where he strikes a deal with Malebolgia, one of Hell’s rulers.

‘Spawn’ is not exactly the most popular superhero movie of all time, and there is a good reason for that, it was considered too violent on release. Pretty much the only aspect of the movie that was praised was practical effects, so I’m really not sure why it’s “higher” on this list than the aforementioned movies.

6. ‘Hellboy’ (2004)

I honestly never considered ‘Hellboy’ franchise all that scary and I certainly wouldn’t classify it as a horror movie, especially ‘The Golden Army’ (which also found itself on the list but much much lower) but I guess with the main character being basically a demon, and all that religious themes, It was bound to happen.

5. ‘Split’ (2019)

‘Split’ is a standalone sequel to Shyamalan’s 2000 film ‘Unbreakable’ although not marketed as such. The movie was praised as a skillful mix of Hitchcockian suspense, horror, and introspective therapy sessions. So it doesn’t surprise me that it was rated the best out of all three movies.

4. ‘Blade’ (1998)

‘Blade’ was so successful beacuse it embraced a bold visual style, utilizing dramatic camera angles, eccentric costumes, and sets, and of course, uncovering the ugly underbelly of the vampiric world. Much of ‘Blade’s’ horror aspect relies on shocking kills and the presence of dark and supernatural, and it worked apparently.

3. ‘The Crow’ (1994)

‘The Crow’ owes much of its horror vibe to its Gothic settings, eerie lighting, and supernatural elements, which are typical of horror aesthetics. At its core, ‘The Crow’ revolves around themes of revenge and justice, with the protagonist returning from the dead to avenge his and his fiancée’s murders. This revenge-driven plot aligns with themes commonly explored in horror movies.

2. ‘Constantine’ (2005)

‘Constantine’ is almost like The Exorcist for superhero fans, so naturally it’s going to end up near the top of the list. It’s an excellent movie that explored the little-talked-about side of the DC universe, however, Reeve’s performance in the main role polarized the fandom.

1. ‘Brightburn’ (2019)

I think that ‘Brightburn’ is the only true superhero horror movie on the list, beacuse since its inception it was marketed as “horror.” The film subverts the traditional superhero origin story by presenting a dark and twisted version where a young boy with superhuman abilities becomes a malevolent force rather than a hero. Throughout the film, there is a sense of psychological tension and dread, so, I for once agree with this ranking.

What about your list of horror movies? Let us know your rankings in the comments below!

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