Every Marvel and DC film to win an Oscar

Despite pulling in astronomical numbers at the box office, superhero films are largely omitted from big award ceremonies. Regardless, there are nine films between Marvel and DC to secure an Academy Award.

‘Superman’ (1978)

Starring Christopher Reeve as Clark Kent/Superman, ‘Superman’ has some hailing the film as the first superhero blockbuster. The movie showcases Superman’s origin story and follows Clark Kent as he’s sent away from his dying planet, Krypton before crash landing on Earth where he’s raised by kind farmers and learns to use his powers for good.

The film won Best Visual Effects, which may be outdated today, but was incredible for the ‘70s. It was also nominated for Best Film Editing, Best Original Score, and Best Sound.

‘Batman’ (1989)

Directed by Tim Burton and featuring Michael Keaton as Bruce Wayne/Batman and Jack Nicholson as the Joker, this film was the first to take a comic book adaptation seriously and paved the way for future superhero movies to come.

The film went on to win Best Art Direction.

‘Spider-Man 2′ (2004)

Sam Raimi’s ‘Spider-Man 2′ received acclaim for digging into the psychology of a superhero. It expanded upon the burden of being Spider-Man while also establishing the character as an amazing hero.

The film won Best Visual Effects. It was also nominated for Best Sound Mixing and Best Sound Editing.

‘The Dark Knight’ (2008)

One of the darkest superhero movies to date, Christopher Nolan’s ‘The Dark Knight’ introduced fans to Heath Ledger’s terrifying Joker and offered layers of complexity to each of its main characters.

The film won Best Supporting Actor for Heath Ledger’s Joker and Best Sound Editing. It was also nominated for Best Achievement in Cinematography, Best Film Editing, Best Art Direction, Best Makeup, Best Sound Mixing, and Best Visual Effects.

‘Suicide Squad’ (2016)

‘Suicide Squad’ saw a group of villains as the protagonists, however, it’s still widely considered one of the worst-rated superhero films to date.

Still, it won Best Makeup and Hairstyling.

‘Black Panther’ (2018)

‘Black Panther’ smashed records to become one of the highest-grossing superhero films. The movie had significant cultural importance for its African and African-American representation.

The film won Best Costume Design, Best Original Score, and Best Production Design. It was also nominated for Best Picture, Best Original Song, Best Sound Editing, and Best Sound Mixing.

‘Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse’ (2018)

‘Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is widely regarded to be the best ‘Spider-Man’ film and stood out for its incredibly unique and stunning animation style. It’s also been praised for its complex characters and exciting superhero story.

The film won Best Animated Feature Film.

Its highly anticipated sequel, ‘Spider: Across the Spider-Verse’ hits theaters on June 2, 2023.

‘Joker’ (2019)

Joaquin Phoenix delivered the next best Joker performance and astonished audiences in this chilling Joker origin story. The movie tells the story of Arthur Fleck who’s consumed by the harsh realities of this world and grows more and more corrupt, leading to his transformation into one of the greatest criminal masterminds in movie history.

The film won Best Actor for Joaquin Phoenix’s Joker and Best Original Score. It was also nominated for Best Picture, Best Directing, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Costume Design, Best Makeup and Hairstyling, Best Film Editing, Best Sound Mixing, and Best Sound Editing.

‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ (2022)

‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ tells a story of revenge, trauma, and healing. It features Shuri (Letitia Wright) taking on the mantle as the new Black Panther in the wake of her brother, T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman)’s death.

The film won Best Costume Design. It was also nominated for Best Supporting Actress for Angela Bassett’s Queen Ramonda, Best Original Song, Best Makeup and Hairstyling, and Best Visual Effects.