Nate Nguyen: Every Superhero Show and Movie in 2021, Ranked
Hi! My name is Nate and I would consider myself a pretty big fan of the superhero genre. I just wanted to thank Kent for reaching out to me and allowing me to write my very own “Best of ____ 2021” list. I think I got a good majority of everything that was released this year, I might be missing a few stragglers though…but if I forgot about them then they might not be worth talking about. KIDDING!! There’s just way too much content out there so it’s hard to get to all of them. Anyways let’s get started!
Honorable Mentions:
DC Fandome 2021
Returning this year was DC’s Fandome event which is basically the company’s Comic-Con panel brought to your home screens. it’s a nearly four hour live stream of panels, showing off fan art and cosplay, but, more importantly, reveals for all things DC. This year we were given behind the scenes looks of Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (December 2022) and Shazam: The Fury of the Gods (February 2023). We also got sneak peeks at The Flash (November 2022) and Black Adam (July 2022). Lastly, and the one DC was hyping up the most, the “official” trailer for The Batman (March 2022). Personally this event can be skipped and does not need to be watched live. There is a lot of fluff if you are just here for trailers and first looks, like myself.
The CW Shows
This would be The Flash, Supergirl, and Batwoman. I mean you’ve watched one season you pretty much have seen the rest of them. Same formula across the same shows. Same bad writing. Same average at best acting. Same set locations.
The HBO Max Shows
While not sitting down to watch these yet I’ve heard good things about Doom Patrol, Superman and Lois, and Stargirl. The last two being an interesting piece of media where it is co-produced by the CW and HBO MAX. They stream on HBO MAX but also air on the CW. Then there is Titans…the only good thing, IN MY OPINION, are the costumes. From the story to the writing itself. There’s not much going for the show and yet it got renewed for a fourth season so someone’s obviously watching it.
As a fan of the more sinister Carnage from this comic, this movie could have only done so much with a PG-13 rating. Like most fans, I saw this to see if it had any tie-ins with Spider-Man: No Way Home and honestly that’s the only thing it had going for it.
13. Black Widow
It was a film that should’ve come out right after Captain America: Civil War. The best thing about this film was that we got Florence Pugh into the Marvel Cinematic Universe and that’s about it.
12. The Falcon and The Winter Soldier
Originally one of my most anticipated Disney+ series of the year became my biggest disappointment. With Kevin Feige announcing this series first and that all Disney+ shows will have a similar budget as the films, I was ecstatic! Sadly, despite having a similar budget, that never meant the writing would be the same too. If you knew anything about the comics you knew where this show was heading and that it was all about the execution. While there were some cool ideas brought up they were never fully executed however this show did it’s job in showing us the new Captain America.
11. What If…?
The Marvel Cinematic Universe’s first animated show was honestly a pleasant surprise! With a unique art style and right off the heels of Loki. The show introduces the multiverse slightly as we see some different outcomes of the MCU’s biggest events. This was also Chadwick Boseman’s last performance as T’Challa before his passing. What also helped this show, in my opinion, is that most actors that play the characters for the films also came back to voice their characters in this animated show.
10. Young Justice: Phantoms (First Half)
Young Justice has a special place in my heart as the show was canceled back in 2013 but was revived in 2016. Entering DC’s great library of animated content is the fourth season of the titular show. As we entered the age of streaming and knowing that the original audience of Young Justice has grown up since it’s premiere back in 2011. Seasons 3 and 4 have shifted into more adult tones. While Season 3 presented a mostly new cast of characters to us with a mediocre reception, Season 4 reels fans back into what they loved about the first two seasons, “the Team.” So far Season 4 has shown us one of the original members of “the Team” and given them their own 4 episode story arc. As of writing this I am loving what the team of Young Justice is putting out and excitedly waiting for the second half of Season 4.
9. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
Probably a very unpopular opinion in the community but this movie is very meh to me. Actually I can pinpoint when this film goes downhill, it’s the beef joke. Mostly being filmed on a blue screen, doesn’t really do anything to be different and just heavily relying on being the first Asian superhero film. However, I believe the first action sequence on the bus is a good standout moment of the film. Tony Leung’s performance as the Wenwu steals the show and 88 Rising’s soundtrack is amazing. I’m interested to see where the sequel and the Disney+ show goes next with these characters and how they will interact with the rest of the MCU but it’s only because I care more about the MCU than I did with these characters.
8. Hawkeye
The last of the original Avengers to get their own series comes a fairly decent show. We have the titular Avenger in a more street level story where we meet Hailee Steinfield’s Kate Bishop. This series doesn’t get too weird with any super soldier serums or anything with the multiverse. Just tells a straightforward (Christmas) story. A cool bit of trivia about this show is that each episode is supposed to be a single day leading to Christmas Day in the year 2024. Steinfield and Renner work well together and with their costars and I had a good time watching it. Not much is known about Renner’s contract in regards to his previous cast mates who have exited the MCU so we don’t know where Hawkeye (the character) is heading. However if this is his final outing I believe it was well done.
7. Eternals
I liked Chloé Zhao’s Eternals and here’s why. Her cast of characters are diverse! Is there a white male co-leading the film? Yes, but it’s Richard Madden! Every single Eternal is such a unique casting and while some characters could use more fleshing out I think overall seeing them in this makes me excited to see them again (hopefully, please don’t cancel the sequel Mr. Feige). Chloé Zhao actually filming in different areas around the world. A common deterrent for the MCU films for me is that most of them are filmed on a blue screen in Atlanta, Georgia. While Eternals isn’t completely free of this it gets a star of approval of actually filming on location. My last point of my reasoning for liking Eternals is that it doesn’t follow the MCU films formula 100%. Now don’t get me wrong it does follow it but just not to a T. Now I’m hoping a sequel gets announced sometime soon!
6. Invincible
With an all-star cast of Steven Yeun, J.K Simmons, Sandra Oh, and many more recognizable talents, and from the creator of The Walking Dead, comes Robert Kirkman’s take on the superhero genre. All I’m gonna say is watch the first episode from start to end and if you don’t like it or aren’t intrigued then the show is not for you.
5. Loki
If you told me back in 2019 when watching Avengers: Endgame that Loki escaping would lead to one of the best MCU Disney+ shows so far I wouldn’t believe you. However Loki (the show) gives us one of Tom Huddleston’s best performances as Loki but also helps push the MCU into its next phases. This show felt like a movie stretched upon six episodes with the budget to back it up. Also the surprise in the finale was such a good moment when watching the episode for the first time.
4. The Suicide Squad
Warner Brothers gave James Gunn full control and a budget and he went all in making this rated R superhero film. I really loved this movie! From the comedy, to the action, to its band of misfits. Everything just works! If I’m being honest I’m actually now excited to see Guardians of the Galaxy: Volume 3!
3. WandaVision
While I am a bit biased because this show brought my girlfriend and I together, overall this was my favorite Disney+ show from Marvel. Not originally being the first piece of MCU content that we were supposed to get for Phase 4, it still ended up being one of the most talked about MCU shows till now! Having each episode being almost exactly like a sitcom from the eras of sitcoms and using that to tell the overarching story is genius! Like Elizabeth Olsen and the director of the shows said, this kind of show can only be done once. Everything from the weekly discussion, the clues hidden each episode, the show had so much going for it. While the finale is a bit “MCU” so to speak. I’m very excited to see Wanda again this upcoming May in “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.”
2. Spider-Man: No Way Home
Arguably the most hyped MCU movie in all of 2021, one could also argue that the most hyped Superhero movie of 2021 was Tom Holland’s third solo film. Quick side note, this the first MCU trilogy to be completed by the same director for all three films. It is also the fastest trilogy to be finished if you think about it (starting in 2017 and ending in 2021). This movie brings together three Spider-Man franchises together and it absolutely works. My favorite of Holland’s portrayals of the character and my favorite of his trilogy. Honestly my only complaint of the movie, and it’s only if I’m getting real nit picky, is that there are a lot of frames where there are only one or two characters on screen. Of course the main reasoning for this is that his film started it’s production during the pandemic but again that’s if I wanted to get real nit picky. Overall I loved this movie and loved seeing it in theaters with other fans!
1. Zack Snyder’s Justice League
At last my favorite piece of Superhero media in 2021. A pipe dream turned to reality thanks to the new era of streaming comes Zack Snyder’s Justice League. While not the exact #Snydercut, this four hour film is Snyder’s last DC film. Originally leaving the set of Justice League because of a family tragedy back in May 2017. We now know that Snyder was replaced by the director of Avengers and Avengers: Age of Ultron. He’s not a good man so I will not say his name :) Anyways the film came out in November 2017 and well it was a mix mash mediocre film of two directors with two completely different styles. However with the #ReleasetheSnyderCut movement and four years later Warner Brothers saw an opportunity to make some more money and allowed Snyder to finish his original version of his film with not THAT many restrictions compared to the 2017 theatrical release. While there are problems here and there with the film much like his other DC entries I enjoyed it!
Briefly going into why this isn’t the real #SnyderCut because this isn’t Snyder’s Theatrical cut of his film. Snyder has said that he finished this film for the fans and poured everything he could to not only complete the film in his way but also to give the fans the fan service they deserve. In whichever timeline Snyder is continuing his DCEU there is no way Warner Bros will let him release a four film into theaters. Anyways despite being the better version of the movie Warner Bros is moving forward with the 2017 version as the canonical one for its future films. While not much changes story-wise, I feel like some characters lose what they gained in Synder’s version.
Epilogue
That’s *mostly* everything for the superhero genre in 2021 and honestly I would say it’s been a pretty solid year. Obviously Marvel and the MCU for that matter dominated in terms of content however I would argue that DC still did it’s best to remain in the headlines. Despite having only two major releases they’re coming in full force for 2022. From the Peacemaker show, The Batman, Super-Pets, Black Adam, The Flash, Aqua-Man and the Lost Kingdom, and much more DC is not holding back in 2022. However as the MCU has shown in for the past decade they have their own line up for this year as well. Their first project coming out in March being Moon Knight with Oscar Issac being the titular character. I’m excited to see what the superhero genre brings for us this year! Just a big big shoutout to Kent for allowing me to write this and reaching out to me for this opportunity.
