With the tremendous accomplishment of Infinity War, and the grievous misstep of Justice League, there’s been a lot of focus on where our heroes are going. This Guy, however, is of the opinion that we must never forget where they came from. So, while we wait for the next superhero outing of the year (Aquaman, this holiday season), we’re going to count down the greatest Superhero Origin Stories seen in film!

 

5. Wonder Woman (2017)

Patty Jenkins made a hell of an impact with Wonder Woman last year. Gal Gadot’s turn as the Amazonian demigod quickly became one of the top grossing films of the year, and breaking the record for highest grossing of superhero origin stories. A spunky young girl, raised on an island of battle-hardened warriors with dreams of saving mankind from constant war and catastrophe. She meets a spy. He likes her. She likes him. He takes her to the front lines of the war to end all wars. You know, that old chestnut.  It’s a tale as old as time, really. The gods write the time I guess, so, literally. Overall, it’s a fine film, with great action, an awesome score, and the distinct honour of being the first ever female led superhero film (because Elektra never happened, please go away).

 

4. Superman: The Movie (1978)

Now, here’s a classic. Ask anyone on the street if they know any hero origin stories, and you know Supes is first up every time. For Jor-El so loved humanity, that he gave them his only begotten son. I think that’s written somewhere. Christopher Reeve played the Man of Steel to perfection, kicking ass for truth, justice, and the American way, and thwarting Lex Luthor at every turn. And if at first he doesn’t succeed, he’ll just spin the Earth backwards and take a mulligan. Superhero movies may not have been taken nearly as seriously in ages past as they are today, but in 1978, this film made people truly believe a man could fly.

 

3. Unbreakable (2000)

This one may not be as instantly recognizable as some of our other heroes of the Golden Age of comics, but it deserves its place all the same. M Night Shyamalan made something truly unique when he wrote and directed Unbreakable. He created a wholly original superhero film, with a wholly original hero, and villain to boot. This story finds David Dunn (Bruce Willis) the unscathed sole survivor of a train crash. What follows is a twisted journey into his true identity, as he comes to realize he may be more than an ordinary man. And as his mentor points out, maybe we all have something special inside of us, and it’s just about finding your place in the world to discover it.

 

2. Batman Begins (2005)

Forget Joel Schumacher and his neon clad, ice-skating Caped Crusaders, Christopher Nolan put Batman back on the map with Begins (still This Guy’s favourite Batman film). For the first time on the big screen, Bruce Wayne’s insane journey to the cape and cowl was presented earnestly, with a grounded, realistic take on the character. And it still managed to involve ninjas, fear gas, and Liam Neeson sword fights. What followed is widely considered one of the greatest superhero franchises of all time. And while the films may be a tad inconsistent, it can’t be denied that Batman Begins gave the entire a genre a much needed wake up call.

 

1. Iron Man (2008)

When the first trailer dropped for Iron Man in mid-2007, This Guy hadn’t even thought of the man in the can for years. But here we were, watching a commercial for his first trip to the big screen. And it. Looked. AWESOME! Tony Stark builds an armoured suit (in a cave, with a box of scraps), and decides it’s time to put his fortune to good use, killing bad guys and saving small villages. And looking stylish the whole way. It’s like if Bruce Wayne had a sense of humour. Some might find this choice quite debatable, but the truth is, Iron Man succeeded in more than just bringing a B-level hero to the mainstream and rejuvenating RDJ’s career. It also kicked off a decade long, 18 film trek to make comic and film history with the Marvel Cinematic Universe. And it’s not done yet.