Black superheroes have made a big splash on the big screen.
Marvel, DC, and an array of independent creators have brought black characters to life in film and television.
Black Lightning premiered this week, to rave reviews and record breaking ratings. Black Panther is still a rage as it continues to smash ticket sales records in advance of its release next month. DeWanda WIse, star of Captain Marvel and She’s Got It is set to appear opposite Brie Larson in Captain Marvel . Wise is expected to play Monica Rambeau in Captain Marvel, the comic book’s second version of Captain Marvel before she became the superhero Spectrum. If this happens, Wise will be the most awaited black woman superhero in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Black superheroes are also making their mark on television. Marvel’s Luke Cage exploded Netflix in 2016 when it was released. The company is ready to do it all over again by ordering ‘Raising Dion – a comic adaptation about a black mother who raises a boy with superpowers. The Vixen , The Blade and CW Seed also offer shows the Vixen . A Spawn remake is reportedly being developed.
We’re not yet here to discuss the stars of small screens. We are focusing on those who have made it into the film industry. There’s no Nick Fury, because he is more of a spy than a hero. Black superheroes have made their cinematic debuts after years of being confined to comic books. Let’s also not forget the heroes who paved the path for these newcomers. Here are 22 of the best black superheroes from movies.
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22. Will.I.Am in ‘X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009)’ as John Wraith
John Wraith (also known as Kestrel) keeps things simple. He’s basically a black Nightcrawler, but he held Wolverine to the death. So he’s ok in our books. Will is a fan of the cowboy cap, as it’s the most conservative outfit he has ever worn.
21. Shaquille o’Neal in Steel (1997)
You can say what you like about , but the movie was popular among kids in the ’90s. This is another thing that millennials do. The DC character John Henry Irons became a cult classic among young fans by combining superheroism with the NBA superstar. Even action figures were produced! steel is a forgotten gem (a fact that we’re certain Shaq will be happy to hear). While nostalgia may make the film seem good, it’s still true that the soundtrack is pretty cool, featuring KRS-One on “Man of Steel” and Ice Cube on “B-Real.” Move over Superman.
20. Michael B. Jordan in ‘Chronicle‘, 2012 as Steve Montgomery
We don’t wish to reveal anything about Steve, including whether or not he turns to the darkside, but we do love the fact that, in the crew’s earlier stage of superpower abuse, he used telekinesis on a red BMW to make a woman think it had been stolen. This set up the punchline “Yes, this time it was the black man.”
19. Tobar Mayo in “Abar, the First Black Superman” (1977).
Video via Youtube
Was there a chance that a Blaxploitation film with such a title wouldn’t make it on this list? Abar, the hero in the hood is just a righteous glance away from leveling out the 1970s race relations. Prejudiced police–defeated! Money-hungry preachers–swag deflated! Even rich fat cats who have no empathy for the plight in the ghetto can be a target. We want to know, where is the remake with Samuel L. Jackson.
18. Edi Gathegi in ‘X-Men: The First Class’ (2011)
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Darwin, a.k.a. Armando Munoz has one of the most amazing powers of all X-Men. It’s essentially unlimited: he can adapt and evolve to any environment or situation, and change his surroundings to survive. We’re still trying our best to comprehend the fact that Armando Munoz was the only significant death in – First Class. As if that wasn’t enough, he got mutilated in the first half of First Class. It’s hard to be a black X-Man if you don’t have the name Storm, huh.
17. Omar Sy in X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014)
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The rest of the X-Men team had to protect the fort while Kitty Pryde was trying to send Wolverine’s consciousness back to the 1970s to prevent the Sentinels gaining power. Bishop, a young mutant with the ability to absorb and redirect massive amounts of energy, was also part of this group.
He made a big impact in his debut film, even though he had a limited amount of screen time. Fun fact: Simon Kinberg, Matthew Vaughn and two other Days of Future Past authors originally considered sending Bishop in time rather than Wolverine.
16. Michael B. Jordan in “Fantastic Four” (2015) as Johnny Storm/Human Torch
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According to reports, the Fantastic Four will be joining X-Men as well as other Fox properties in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Fox attempted to reboot the Fantastic Four franchise before this landmark deal. The film was not well received, but the creators stirred emotions by trying to change the storyline and bringing Michael B. Jordan in as the normally white character, Human Torch. The Human Torch, with his power of flight and fire, is an important member of the dynamic group.
15. Damon Wayans in “Blankman” (1994).
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blankman was not only a parody but also a classic. Damon Wayans plays the vigilante hero, who takes action after his grandmother is murdered by mobsters. This tragedy makes him want to be like Batman, his favorite superhero (except he has less money). David Alan Grier plays Other Guy, his reluctant sidekick. Together they take on the criminals of their neighborhood. Damon Wayans blankman, is one of few black heroes in films that are not based on comic books.
14. Robert Townsend in “Meteor Man” (1993).
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Robert Townsend, who has been a cultural icon for many decades, was the first black superhero to debut Meteor Man back in 1993. The hero’s powers are derived from a green meteorite. He is also given superpowers like telekinesis, dog telepathy, X-ray sight, and laser beams. The meek man, now armed with his new abilities, becomes a formidable force as he takes on a local gang known as The Golden Lords. A short comic book was released to go along with the movie.
13. Jacob Latimore in “Sleight” (2016) as Bo
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Sleight is a great superhero origin story. It has the potential to be a big superhero sequel. Bo, a recently orphaned boy who sells drugs and performs magic tricks to support his sister (Storm Reid), learns to control metal in the film. He is not afraid to take out the bad guys when he must save his little sister from Angelo (played by Dule hill). By the end of the movie, he seems to have a new and exciting trick in his arsenal. We hope that Lattimore and Reid can find time to return for a Sleight 2 despite their busy schedules. Lattimore stars in Lena Waithe’s acclaimed series The CHI, while Reid will be seen in Ava Duvernay’s upcoming A Wrinkle in Time. Hill could also reprise his role!
12. Halle Berry in ‘X-Men 2000-2014’ as Storm
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Super strength, flight and invisibility are all cool powers. What if we were able to control the weather? We could say that those grey, rainy NYC week’s where our sneakers collect dust are a thing from the past.
Storm’s humility is the best thing about her. Despite the immense power she has, she is humbler than hell. Halle’s terrible accent and even worse dialogue (“Does a toad die when struck by lightning?”) in the original X-Men films still make us shudder. Halle’s terrible accent and her even worse dialogue (“Do you know what happens to a toad when it is struck by lightning? We won’t even mention her wigs. Okay, so that’s actually two complaints. But now that Disney is set to buy Fox (https://www.complex.com/pop-culture/2017/12/disney-21st-century-fox-deal), we’ll hopefully get a brand new Storm and a better hair team–preferably the same one that did Angela Bassett’s hair for Black Panther. What are our suggestions for actresses to consider? Tika Sumpter or Michaela Coel, or Aja Naomi Queen from : How to Get Away with Murder .
11. The Marshall Family in “Up, Up, and Away!” (2000)
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Robert Townsend returned with his super family seven years after he first introduced the Meteor Man to the world. Jim Marshall (Townsend), and his wife Judy (Alex Datcher), both had superhuman abilities, such as flight, super-strength, and advanced combat. The supporting characters of this fictional Disney family, such as their son Scott, were what really made them stand out. Scott had to manage his family’s secret identities at school while dealing with the possibility that he didn’t have the genetic supergene. He must also figure out how he can defeat the evil guys despite being powerless. Yikes. The film stars Sherman Hemsley, as the Marshalls’ grandad. Molly is a bratty sister with X-ray and heat-ray vision, and Adam is a cool, older brother who has superspeed.
10. Idris elba in Thor (2011-2017).
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He talks and walks softly but he has a large stick. (pause) Idris’s casting as the Norse gatekeeper, a hulking brute with a big stick was the best colorblind Marvel casting ever since Sam L. walked into Tony Stark’s apartment wearing that eye-patch in the role of Nick Fury. Elba, sadly, didn’t do much in Thor. He had one memorable fight (Loki didn’t fight fairly), but that was it. In Ragnarok Heimdall played a larger role, as an Asgardian Moses who led Asgard’s citizens to safety, while Hela ravaged their homeworld.
9. Anthony Mackie in Captain America (2013-2016).
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Falcon, Captain America’s best friend (when Bucky the hairy one is not around), is one of MCU’s most beloved sidekicks. He’s Cap’s best friend, and he always has his back. Even when they have to fight the government, Iron Man, or both in Capt. America: Civil War. Falcon’s mechanical wings are pretty cool, and he can fly with them. If the comics are an indication of the film, we might see Falcon adopt the Captain America name one day.
8. Ray Fisher as Cyborg, (2017) in “Justice League”
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Cyborg was one of the most memorable characters in Justice League, even though it was a failure. Joe Morton, who works at B613 S.T.A.R. After Cyborg’s dad (Joe Morton), who works for B613 S.T.A.R. By the end of the movie, it appears that Cyborg has not only become a master of his skills but is also growing to accept his body. This makes us even more excited for his upcoming standalone film.
7. Don Cheadle in Iron Man and Captain America (2010-2016).
Don Cheadle took over the role of Iron Man’s War Machine in the 2008 film Iron Man. Terrence Howard had played the character as War Machine’s partner, but he was not the one to carry the torch for the remainder of the series. Cheadle is the embodiment of the witty and epic-storytelling hero (even though it’s not the response he wants). We have high expectations for Vision, even though his energy beam paralyzed the War Machine in Capt. America: Civil War. This is because we saw him fly in the Infinity War Trailer.
6. Will Smith as John Hancock, in “Hancock” (2008)
Another great character in a iffy film. The idea of an irresponsible drunken superhero who is reluctant and has a foul mouth, coupled with the Fresh Prince’s role, was simply brilliant.
The first half is a great movie, just like Bad Santa but with special effects. After the inevitable, but still disappointing taming the beast and the murky romantic twist, it starts to go downhill. At least this bizarre scene was cut.
5. Tessa Thompson in Thor: Ragnarok (2017)
Tessa Thompson steals the show as the last Valkyrie alive in , Thor: Ragnarok. The unflinching sword-wielding, heavy-drinking warrior was a badass worthy of a cape. With a dark past that suggests her Valkyrie lover sacrificed her life for her, her career can only get better. We’re excited to see her next in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
4. Chadwick Boseman in Captain America: Civil War (2016)
Marvel introduced the Black Panther character to the big screen in Captain America: Civil War in 2016. Black Panther was the star of the Captain America drama, alongside Iron Man, Bucky and Bucky. He stole the show by delivering amazing one-liners and having a bulletproof suit. There’s no doubt that Black Panther is the best movie ever made. People are planning the snacks they will sneak into the cinema on February 16th.
3. Samuel L. Jackson in “The Incredibles” (2004) as Frozone
Mr. Mr. You can hide his supersuit, but not when you’re riding. We need to make a romantic comedy starring Mr. and Ms. Frozone as soon as possible. The Incredibles 2will be released this summer in theaters, so it’s likely that we will see more of the Ice Crusader. It’s hoped that he has found a better place to store his super-suit.
2. Michael Jai White in “Spawn” (1997)
Spawn is a shite character. He’s a secret agent wrongly killed who tricks the Devil to bring him back with hellified powers and armor. Todd McFarlane’s source material makes for an anti-hero story that is exciting and new. The inevitable film adaptation, however, was, well…underwhelming.
Michael Jai White’s performance as the titular demon was good, but not the rest of the film (like John Leguizamo as a demon-clown). Martin Sheen lost a bet to a studio executive or something? Blumhouse, the same production company that brought us Get Out, Purge, and Split, will be bringing back Spawn.
1. Wesley Snipes in Blade, Blade II, and Blade: Trinity (1998-2004).
It’s true, the most stylish black vampire is also the coolest superhero in general. Blade’s dedication, badassery and sword are unmatched. Wesley Snipes, who is now out of prison and whose melanin makes us believe that he is a non-aging real vampire in reality, could reprise the role. He would also wear the leather jacket again. This could be a solo project or a collaboration with Blade’s Daughter, whose film has reportedly been in development. We don’t care what you choose!