HBO Max is a real haven for superhero movies – particularly DC flicks – and that can make it an overwhelming task to pick one to watch.
The best superhero movies on the streamer have some no-brainer inclusions. Any one of these lists that has “The Dark Knight” available to view but isn’t included is borderline invalid, but that doesn’t mean there are not some less-celebrated greats that deserve your time. Rewatching Nolan’s Batman films is never going to go out of style but sometimes its good to spread those wings and see something new.
These are the seven best superhero films to check out on HBO Max right now.
The Dark Knight
Christopher Nolan’s “The Dark Knight” is considered by many to be the pinnacle of superhero cinema, and that’s for good reason. There is no aspect of the film that doesn’t work. Christian Bale is great, Hans Zimmer’s score is propulsive, and there have been approximately a billion words written about Heath Ledger’s performance as the Joker (but it’s as captivating as you’ve read and then some). If there is one downside to the movie, it’s how many tried to chase its grounded edge – few, if any, managed to realize the magic of the film is far more than centering the film in realism.
Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery though, and if you only count half the films that have tried to capture the magic of “The Dark Knight,” then that’s all the extra recommendation you need for a rewatch.
Superman
If “The Dark Knight” spanned years of brooding and grounded comic stories in the DC Universe, James Gunn’s “Superman” brought color and optimism exploding back to the scene. The film is a blessed return to what makes the titular Kryptonian such an enduring character, and after years mired in the rain-soaked trudgery of Zack Snyder’s take on the DC icon, that was a breath of fresh air indeed.
David Corenswet seemed to be bred in a lab to play Superman, and he pulls off the effort with ease. The entire cast is also a knockout, with Nicholas Hoult killing it as Lex Luthor, and Rachel Brosnahan making Lois Lane just as captivating as the high-flying hero.
The Suicide Squad
James Gunn proved he could handle a superhero team of misfits with “Guardians of the Galaxy” so after he was (briefly) fired from his Marvel directing duties, DC smartly snapped him up to handle their take on “Suicide Squad.” The result was “The Suicide Squad” – a film execs thought so good they rebooted the entire DC Universe and gave Gunn the keys to the kingdom. Pretty high praise.
Again, Gunn crushes the casting, which is almost more important when making a movie about a bunch of nobodies. Margot Robbie is back as Harley Quinn, which is enough reason to tune in on its own. But then you’ve got Idris Elba, who is loving his time, and John Cena, who pulled off such a strong performance he got a two-season HBO Max series expanding his character Peacemaker. At the end of the day, “The Suicide Squad” is much better than it has any right to be.
Blue Beetle
Not enough people saw “Blue Beetle” and that is such an easy and worthwhile fix thanks to HBO Max. Xolo Maridueña is killer as the lead – a boy who finds alien tech that allows him to access the titular power suit to fight crime. At its core, the film is a family story about Jaime Reyes and those closest to him and the overall film is made all the better by that focus. It’s also one of the few pre-2025 “Superman” films that James Gunn has decided is still a part of his new DCU. So if you want to be a completionist watcher then “Blue Beetle” should get on your list ASAP.
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
HBO Max being owned by who it is means there are not many non-DC superhero movies available. But one of the best Marvel and animated films ever made just so happens to be available. “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” is the sequel to “Into the Spider-Verse” and continues Miles Morales’ story and his interactions with the other Spider-folk across the multiverse.
The film is simply beautiful to look at, and each rewatch is a guarantee to catch some small new detail an animator snuck into a frame. The voice cast kills it across the board. It’s just an incredible movie and well worth your time.
Man of Steel
While the “Man of Steel” film doesn’t always capture the truest essence of Superman’s character and ethos, it’s still a helluva ride. Henry Cavill deserved better than he got during his time in Zack Snyder’s DCEU, and that’s never been more evident than how good he was in “Man of Steel.” If you want to see Superman beat wholesale ass across Metropolis, all set to a Hans Zimmer top-tier score, there may be no better film than this.
Wonder Woman
It’s borderline embarrassing how long it took Wonder Woman to get her own big-budget film, and that embarrassment should be doubled when the movie we finally got turned out as good as it did. Gal Gadot – who has earned her fair share of bad actor attacks in the past – puts on her best performance ever as Wonder Woman in the Patty Jenkins film. The No Man’s Land scene alone is worth the price of admission, but the entire film will leave you with goosebumps.
