3. Marvel Studios
After the smashing of both Loki and the box office with The Avengers, Marvels position as a film production company doesnt seem the outlandish proposition it once was. But turn the clock back less than five years and you find a much different picture. At the start of the current superhero trend, Marvel initially sold the rights to their top tier heroes (Spider-Man to Sony, X-Men to Fox), putting their name to their cinematic adventures, but not actually being involved directly in the production. When it came to adapting Iron Man, a hero known much less to the public, they decided to make the brave move of keeping the rights for themselves, producing the films in house. Hiring popular director and serial cameoist Jon Favreau and casting a recovered drug addict in the form of Robert Downey Jr., it was incredibly well received and paved the way for more superhero features pairing competent directors and strong actors. The key to Marvels success, immediately stopping fan uncertainty, was direction. From their very first film it was made clear what the eventual goal was. Now, at the end of their first phase, its clear each film has is part of a greater story. In taking a similar approach to comic books, Marvel have established them as a one of the best production studios of the genre.