10 Superhero Movies That Defined Other Superhero Movies

It's hard to imagine what the superhero landscape would like without Batman.

Tim Burton's 1989 classic is often cited as the first modern day superhero movie and, if you watch it back, it's easy to see why.

Produced at a time when comic book movies were still very much considered gimmicky and/or children's programming (a.k.a. not for adults) by mainstream audiences, the odds were undoubtedly stacked against it.

Throw in the fact that the last time Batman had appeared on the big screen was in the film adaptation of the campy 1966 Adam West TV series and, well, yeah it pretty much had an insurmountable mountain to climb. However, in spite of all of that, it proved to be a massive success, earning acclaim from critics for its mature storytelling and dark tone.

Batman didn't just reinvigorate The Dark Knight himself, it changed the face of superhero movies entirely, proving that they were capable of producing well-written and cohesive narratives worthy of all audiences and, in doing so, kick-started a movement that is still alive and well all these years later.

Every superhero movie that came after it undoubtedly owes a huge debt of gratitude to Batman and that, in itself, is a legacy that will continue to influence the genre for decades to come.

Long live Batman.

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Can you think of any other superhero films that influenced another? Tell us in the comment section below!