MRQE Ranks: Cinema's Best Comic Book Adaptations

1

The Dark Knight (2008)

Cast: Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Aaron Eckhart, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Gary Oldman

Director: Christopher Nolan

Synopsis: Christopher Nolan steps back into the director's chair for this sequel to Batman Begins, which finds the titular superhero coming face to face with... [MORE]

2

Superman (1978)

Cast: Christopher Reeve, Marlon Brando, Margot Kidder, Gene Hackman, Ned Beatty

Director: Richard Donner

Synopsis: Richard Donner's big-budget blockbuster Superman: The Movie is an immensely entertaining recounting of the origin of the famous comic book characte... [MORE]

3

Akira (1988)

Cast: Mitsuo Iwara, Nozomu Sasaki, Mami Koyama, Taro Ishida

Director: Katsuhiro Otomo

Synopsis: One of the most influential examples of anime, Akira is based on the manga (comic book) by Katsuhiro Otomo. The story is set in the post-apocalypti... [MORE]

4

Spider-Man 2 (2004)

Cast: Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst, James Franco, Alfred Molina, Rosemary Harris

Director: Sam Raimi

Synopsis: Stan Lee's all-too-human superhero returns to the screen in this highly anticipated sequel to 2002's blockbuster hit Spider-Man. Peter Parker (Tobe... [MORE]

5

Persepolis (2007)

Cast: Chiara Mastroianni, Catherine Deneuve, Gena Rowlands, Sean Penn, Iggy Pop

Director: Marjane Satrapi, Vincent Paronnaud

Synopsis: Filmmakers Vincent Paronnaud and Marjane Satrapi collaborated to co-write and co-direct this adaptation of Satrapi's bestselling autobiographical g... [MORE]

6

Oldboy (2003)

Cast: Choi Min-sik, Yoo Ji-Tae, Gang Hye-Jung, Chi Dae-han, Oh Dal-su

Director: Park Chan-wook

Synopsis: South Korean filmmaker Park Chan-wook directed this violent and offbeat story of punishment and vengeance. Oh Dae-su (Choi Min-sik) is a husband an... [MORE]

7

Batman Begins (2005)

Cast: Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Liam Neeson, Katie Holmes, Gary Oldman

Director: Christopher Nolan

Synopsis: The origins of the Caped Crusader of Gotham City are finally brought to the big screen in this new adaptation of the perennially popular comic-book... [MORE]

8

Ghost World (2001)

Cast: Thora Birch, Scarlett Johansson, Steve Buscemi, Brad Renfro, Illeana Douglas

Director: Terry Zwigoff

Synopsis: Filmmaker Terry Zwigoff, who enjoyed breakthrough success with his 1994 documentary Crumb, shifts gears as he examines the lives of two young women... [MORE]

9

Sin City (2005)

Cast: Bruce Willis, Mickey Rourke, Jessica Alba, Clive Owen, Rosario Dawson

Director: Frank Miller, Robert Rodriguez, Quentin Tarantino

Synopsis: The Eisner Award-winning comic series Sin City comes to life in this live-action feature adaptation from director Robert Rodriguez and creator Fran... [MORE]

10

American Splendor (2003)

Cast: Paul Giamatti, Hope Davis, Judah Friedlander, James Urbaniak, Earl Billings

Director: Robert Pulcini, Shari Springer Berman

Writer: Harvey Pekar

Synopsis: The documentary directing team of Robert Pulcini and Shari Springer Berman makes their narrative feature debut with the biographical comedy drama A... [MORE]

11

Iron Man (2008)

Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Terrence Howard, Jeff Bridges, Gwyneth Paltrow, Leslie Bibb

Director: Jon Favreau

Synopsis: From Marvel Studios and Paramount Pictures comes Iron Man, an action-packed take on the tale of wealthy philanthropist Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr... [MORE]

12

Spider-Man (2002)

Cast: Nicholas Hammond, Thayer David, Lisa Eilbacher, David White

13

A History of Violence (2005)

Cast: Viggo Mortensen, Maria Bello, Ed Harris, William Hurt, Ashton Holmes

Director: David Cronenberg

Synopsis: David Cronenberg directed this screen adaptation of a graphic novel by John Wagner and Vince Locke which explores how an act of heroism unexpectedl... [MORE]

14

Road to Perdition (2002)

Cast: Tom Hanks, Paul Newman, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Jude Law, Stanley Tucci

Director: Sam Mendes

Synopsis: The acclaimed graphic novel from crime writer Max Allan Collins becomes this big budget Dreamworks drama from director Sam Mendes and screenwriter ... [MORE]

15

X2 (2003)

Cast: Hugh Jackman, Ian McKellen, Halle Berry, Famke Janssen, James Marsden

Director: Bryan Singer

Synopsis: When a failed assassination attempt occurs on the President's (Cotter Smith) life by the teleporting mutant Nightcrawler (Alan Cumming), it's Profe... [MORE]

16

Metropolis (2001)

Director: Rintaro

17

V for Vendetta (2005)

Cast: Natalie Portman, Hugo Weaving, Stephen Rea, John Hurt, Stephen Fry

Director: James McTeigue

Synopsis: Based on the graphic novel by Alan Moore, V for Vendetta takes place in an alternate vision of Britain in which a corrupt and abusive totalitarian ... [MORE]

18

Conan the Barbarian (1982)

Cast: Arnold Schwarzenegger, James Earl Jones, Max von Sydow, Sandahl Bergman, Ben Davidson

Director: John Milius

Synopsis: John Milius's jingoistic direction and pulpy screenplay fit perfectly into this film version of the Robert E. Howard fantasy story of the sword and... [MORE]

19

Men in Black (1997)

Cast: Will Smith, Tommy Lee Jones, Linda Fiorentino, Vincent D'Onofrio, Rip Torn

Director: Barry Sonnenfeld

Synopsis: For his fifth effort as a feature-film director, one-time cinematographer Barry Sonnenfeld brought his cartoonish visual style and darkly humorous ... [MORE]

20

Batman (1989)

Cast: Michael Keaton, Jack Nicholson, Kim Basinger, Robert Wuhl, Pat Hingle

Director: Tim Burton

Synopsis: Behind the black cowl, Gotham City superhero Batman is really millionaire philanthropist Bruce Wayne (Michael Keaton), who turned to crimefighting ... [MORE]

21

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010)

Cast: Michael Cera, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Kieran Culkin, Chris Evans, Anna Kendrick

Director: Edgar Wright

Synopsis: Based on Bryan Lee O'Malley's Oni Press comic book of the same name, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World follows the eponymous slacker rocker on his colorf... [MORE]

22

Superman Returns (2006)

Cast: Brandon Routh, Kate Bosworth, Kevin Spacey, James Marsden, Parker Posey

Director: Bryan Singer

Synopsis: The Man of Steel returns to the big screen with this continuation of the icon's film legacy that picks up after the events of the first two Christo... [MORE]

23

Kick-Ass (2010)

Cast: Aaron Johnson, Nicolas Cage, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Mark Strong, Chloe Grace Moretz

Director: Matthew Vaughn

Synopsis: Adapted from Mark Millar's hyper-violent comic book of the same name, director Matthew Vaughn's (Layer Cake) vigilante superhero film tells the tal... [MORE]

24

X-Men (2000)

Cast: Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Hugh Jackman, Famke Janssen, James Marsden

Director: Bryan Singer

Synopsis: One of the most popular superhero teams in comic book history finally comes to the screen in this big-budget adaptation of the long-running Marvel ... [MORE]

25

The Crow (1994)

Cast: Brandon Lee, Ernie Hudson, Michael Wincott, David Patrick Kelly, Angel David

Director: Alex Proyas

Synopsis: Based on the graphic novel by James O'Barr, this fantasy follows Eric Draven (Brandon Lee), a rock musician who is murdered along with his fiancée,... [MORE]

26

Ghost in the Shell (1995)

Director: Mamoru Oshii

Synopsis: In the year 2029, the world has become interconnected by a vast electronic network that permeates every aspect of life. That same network also beco... [MORE]

27

Hellboy II: The Golden Army (2008)

Cast: Ron Perlman, Selma Blair, Doug Jones, Luke Goss, John Alexander, Seth MacFarlane, Anna Walton, Jeffrey Tambor, Roy Dotrice, Brian Steele

Director: Guillermo del Toro

Synopsis: Ron Perlman returns to the role of the big red BPRD agent in this sequel to 2004's Hellboy, directed once again by Guillermo del Toro and scripted ... [MORE]

28

Flash Gordon (1980)

Cast: Sam J. Jones, Max von Sydow, Melody Anderson, Topol, Timothy Dalton

Director: Mike Hodges

29

Batman Returns (1992)

Cast: Michael Keaton, Danny DeVito, Michelle Pfeiffer, Christopher Walken, Michael Gough

Director: Tim Burton

Synopsis: In this first sequel to 1989's Batman, the Caped Crusader (Michael Keaton) is up against the Penguin (Danny DeVito), the hideously deformed scion o... [MORE]

30

Watchmen (2009)

Cast: Billy Crudup, Jackie Earle Haley, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Malin Akerman, Matthew Goode

Director: Zack Snyder

Synopsis: 300's Zack Snyder brings Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons' critically acclaimed comic book Watchmen to the big screen, courtesy of DC Comics and Warner ... [MORE]

31

Creepshow (1982)

Cast: Hal Holbrook, Adrienne Barbeau, Fritz Weaver, Stephen King, Leslie Nielsen

Director: George A. Romero

Synopsis: Two of the most venerable names in the horror field, author Stephen King and director George A. Romero, present this anthology of original twisted ... [MORE]

32

Ichi the Killer (2001)

Cast: Tadanobu Asano, Nao Omori, Shinya Tsukamoto, Alien Sun

Director: Takashi Miike

Synopsis: Maverick auteur Takashi Miike spins this unsettling, blood-soaked yakuza yarn adapted from Hideo Yamamoto's cult manga Koroshiya 1. When mob don An... [MORE]

33

Over the Hedge (2006)

Cast: Bruce Willis, Garry Shandling, Steve Carell, Wanda Sykes, William Shatner, Nick Nolte

Director: Tim Johnson, Karey Kirkpatrick

Synopsis: A group of feisty forest critters awaken following the winter freeze to discover that not only has a new neighborhood cropped up during the cold mo... [MORE]

34

Superman II (1980)

Cast: Christopher Reeve, Gene Hackman, Margot Kidder, Ned Beatty, Jackie Cooper

Director: Richard Lester

Synopsis: Between giving up his super powers, confronting criminals from outer space, and having problems with his girlfriend, it's a bad time to be the Man ... [MORE]

35

Hellboy (2004)

Cast: Ron Perlman, John Hurt, Selma Blair, Rupert Evans, Karel Roden

Director: Guillermo del Toro

Synopsis: Mike Mignola's acclaimed comic book series about a creature from Hades who joins the battle against evil arrives on the screen in vivid form in thi... [MORE]

36

Uzumaki (2000)

Cast: Eriko Hatsune, Fhi Fan, Ren Ohsugi, Masami Horiuchi, Keiko Takahashi

Director: Higuchinsky

37

The Incredible Hulk (2008)

Cast: Edward Norton, Liv Tyler, Tim Roth, William Hurt, Tim Blake Nelson

Director: Louis Leterrier

Synopsis: Mild-mannered scientist Bruce Banner has been traveling the globe in search of the antidote that will allow him to break free from his primal alter... [MORE]

38

300 (2006)

Cast: Gerard Butler, Lena Headey, Rodrigo Santoro, Andrew Pleavin, Bonnie Mak

Director: Zack Snyder

Synopsis: Sin City author Frank Miller's sweeping take on the historic Battle of Thermopylae comes to the screen courtesy of Dawn of the Dead director Zack S... [MORE]

39

The Rocketeer (1991)

Cast: Bill Campbell, Jennifer Connelly, Alan Arkin, Timothy Dalton

Director: Joe Johnston

Synopsis: After getting his start as a visual effects artist on the original Star Wars trilogy, Spielberg protege Joe Johnston found success as a director wi... [MORE]

40

From Hell (2001)

Cast: Johnny Depp, Heather Graham, Ian Holm, Ian Richardson, Robbie Coltrane

Director: Albert Hughes, Allen Hughes

Synopsis: The true-life horror story of Jack the Ripper gets a new spin in this screen adaptation of the acclaimed graphic novel by Alan Moore and Eddie Camp... [MORE]

41

Blade II (2002)

Cast: Wesley Snipes, Kris Kristofferson, Ron Perlman, Leonor Varela, Norman Reedus

Director: Guillermo del Toro

Synopsis: Four years after scoring a box-office touchdown with Blade (1998), actor Wesley Snipes returns to portray the Marvel Comics character again in this... [MORE]

42

Dick Tracy (1990)

Cast: Warren Beatty, Al Pacino, Glenne Headly, Madonna, Charlie Korsmo

Director: Warren Beatty

Synopsis: Warren Beatty directed and starred in this big-budget action comedy featuring Chester Gould's square-jawed, two-dimensional comic strip detective. ... [MORE]

43

Iron Man 2 (2010)

Cast: Robert Downey, Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, Scarlett Johansson, Sam Rockwell, Mickey Rourke, Samuel L. Jackson, Clark Gregg, John Slattery, Garry Shandling, Paul Bettany, Kate Mara, Leslie Bibb, Jon Favreau, Christiane Amanpour, Philippe Bergeron, James Bethea, Michael Bruno, Katie Clark, Luminita Docan, Francois Duhamel, Larry Ellison, DJ A.M., Tim Guinee, Eric L. Haney, Ali Khan, Eugene Lazarev, Stan Lee, Isaiah Guyman Martin IV, Helena Mattsson, Keith Middlebrook, Anya Monzikova, Margy Moore, Olivia Munn, Elon Musk, Bill O'Reilly, Alejandro Patino, Davin Ransom, Karim Saleh, Brian Schaeffer, Phillipe Simon, Jack White

Director: Jon Favreau

Synopsis: As Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) owns up to being Iron Man before the world press, Anton Vanko lies dying in Russia. Years ago, Anton worked with ... [MORE]

44

Transformers (2007)

Cast: Shia LaBeouf, Megan Fox, Josh Duhamel, Tyrese Gibson, Rachael Taylor

Director: Michael Bay

Synopsis: The interstellar battle between the Autobots and Decepticons rains destruction down on planet Earth as director Michael Bay adapts Hasbro and Takar... [MORE]

45

The Mask (1994)

Cast: Jim Carrey, Cameron Diaz, Peter Riegert, Peter Greene, Amy Yasbeck

Director: Charles Russell

Synopsis: Hyperactive mayhem results when a mild-manned banker discovers an ancient mask that transforms him into a zany prankster with superhuman powers in ... [MORE]

46

Batman (1966)

Cast: Adam West, Burt Ward, Lee Meriwether, Burgess Meredith, Cesar Romero

Director: Leslie H. Martinson

Synopsis: Tongue-in-cheek humor prevails in Batman, a witty homage to the Dynamic Duo's exaggerated exploits. The Caped Crusaders (Adam West and Burt Ward) a... [MORE]

47

Hulk (2003)

Cast: Eric Bana, Jennifer Connelly, Sam Elliott, Nick Nolte, Josh Lucas

Director: Ang Lee

Synopsis: Ang Lee directs the live-action feature film The Hulk, based on the Marvel comic book created by Stan Lee and illustrated by Jack Kirby. Emotionall... [MORE]

48

Heavy Metal (1981)

Cast: Harvey Atkin, Thor Bishopric, Rodger Bumpass, Jackie Burroughs, John Candy

Director: Gerald Potterton

Synopsis: Inspired by stories from the fantasy graphics magazine Heavy Metal, this five-part animated feature combines the talents of hundreds of arti... [MORE]

49

Blade (1998)

Cast: Wesley Snipes, Stephen Dorff, Kris Kristofferson, N'Bushe Wright, Donal Logue

Director: Stephen Norrington

Synopsis: British director Stephen Norrington helmed this David S. Goyer adaptation of the Marvel Comics character created in 1973 by scripter Marv Wolfman a... [MORE]

50

Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984)

Director: Hayao Miyazaki