9. X-Men (2000-2014)
20th Century FoxThe critical and commercial success that followed the release of Bryan Singer's X-Men led to the revitalisation of the comic book movie, and 14 years later the popularity of the superhero genre is arguably stronger than ever. Even after seven movies including sequels, prequels and spin-offs, the merry band of mutants remain one of the most consistently popular brands in Hollywood, with the franchises box office total now past $3bn. The first X-Men was a well-crafted and intelligent blockbuster, but the sequel was where the franchise really took off. With the world-building out of the way, director Singer was able to fashion an exhilarating and action-packed second chapter that still ranks as one of the best comic book movies ever made. Singer's presence was sorely missed during The Last Stand, a disappointing trilogy-closer that went for sheer spectacle over plot and character. With their options seemingly exhausted the studio turned to spin-offs, with X-Men Origins: Wolverine giving Hugh Jackman's iconic character his own solo outing, which turned out to be the worst mutant movie yet. The Matthew Vaughn-directed First Class took the prequel route and was a return to form for the tiring series, a stylish period caper with a strong ensemble cast. The Wolverine was a more emotional, introspective and much better standalone tale than its predecessor, while the return of Bryan Singer to the fold reunited the casts of both timelines in the brilliantly entertaining Days of Future Past. The last three movies have been helmed by talented directors that respect the material and have yielded solid results, which only bodes well for the upcoming X-Men: Apocalypse and third Wolverine feature.