2024 was a quiet year for comic book movies, thoughMarvel,DC, and the wider comic book sphere still managed to provide audiences with some stellar moments. Despite a lower number of releases, Marvel had a solid year in terms of its box office, withDeadpool & Wolverinegaining over $1.3 billion worldwide, delivering a win for the MCU. DC didn’t see similar success withJoker: Folie à Deux,and Sony had two flops betweenMadame WebandKraven The Hunter’s box office resultsand reviews - thoughVenom: The Last Dancefared much better, despite mixed reviews.
Still, every film has value, even if it may be harder to find.Deadpool & Wolverinehad many of 2024’s best comic book movie moments, thanks to a hilarious script that delivered excellent cameos, meta references, and action scenes that audiences were begging for. However, other films still had plenty to offer, even if they weren’t the mega-blockbusters thatDeadpool 3was. Here are the top 10 comic book movies of 2024.
10Deadpool & Wolverine’s Opening Credits
Deadpool & Wolverine
Deadpool is known for having stellar opening credit sequences that set the tone for each film.Deadpoolopens with a freeze-frame of Deadpool fighting criminals in a car set to Juice Newton’s “Angel of the Morning.” Similarly,Deadpool 2featured a James Bond-style opening credits sequence set to “Ashes”, an original song by Celine Dion.The “Ashes” music video ends with Deadpool saying he should get NSYNC next time- and that’s exactly what Marvel did, asDeadpool & Wolverineopens with a bloody battle featuring NSYNC’s “Bye Bye Bye.”
The fight is sometimes synchronized with the song, creating many hilarious moments as Deadpool kills TVA soldiers using the Adamantium bones of Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine’s corpse fromLogan. The fight also cuts to footage of Deadpool performing NSYNC’s choreography from “Bye Bye Bye.” Unfortunately,it’s not Ryan Reynolds dancing, but it’s still incredible to see Deadpool recreating an iconic music video from the early 2000s. This scene was such a hit with audiences that NSYNC changed the song’s title onYouTubeto “Bye Bye Bye (Official Video from Deadpool and Wolverine).”
9Joker Questions Gary Puddles During His Trial
Joker: Folie à Deux
Joker: Folie à Deuxis an ambitious movie with many risks that don’t always pay off. It divided audiences and flopped at the box office, but it still has many worthwhile traits. One interesting aspect of the film is how it reflects on Arthur Fleck’s actions from 2019’sJokerand how they impact him and the rest of society. However, Arthur doesn’t see the true damage he caused until he questions Gary Puddles. Gary was Arthur’s friend who witnessed him kill Randall, a fellow clown who worked with Arthur and Gary.
Every Joker (2019) Character That Returns in the Sequel
Joker: Folie à Deux has plenty of new characters, but a few cast members from 2019’s Joker return in the sequel.
While Arthur claims Randall’s death was justified due to him being a bully, Gary was left traumatized and heartbroken that someone who had been kind to him could cause him so much pain.It’s the first time Arthur sees the damage he caused, leading him to rethink whether being the Joker is worth costing him his morality. He later renounces being the Joker, and Gary’s testimony is a significant reason why. Audiences may not have been happy with this result, but it was bold for this movie to reverse what the first film set up.
8Deadpool And Wolverine Save The Multiverse
Deadpool & Wolverineends with the titular duo saving the multiverse through the power of friendship. While this might sound a cliché, the way the film pulls the sequence off makes it feel both emotionally gripping and funny at the same time. After defeating the Deadpool Corps, Wade Wilson and Logan have to stop Cassandra Nova from destroying the multiverse through the Time Ripper. Deadpool initially sacrifices himself to destroy the machine, but Wolverine joins him and the pair join hands and hold the line together.
This scene is enhanced by the choir performance of Madonna’s “Like a Prayer” and the flashbacks to Wolverine accepting that he’s a hero. The scene also makes sure to add some levity, with Wolverine’s shirt being dramatically destroyed, leaving Deadpool in awe about his 6-pack abs. Despite it looking like both could die here, the pair emerge victorious to “Iris” by the Goo Goo Dolls. It’s an inspiring and emotional ending to a film boosted byDeadpool & Wolverine’s incredible soundtrack.
7Venom Bonds With Different Animals
Venom: The Last Dance
Venom can take many forms, but audiences have largely only seen him bonded with a human. Whether inSpider-Man 3or theVenomseries, the symbiote typically takes a human form after bonding with Eddie Brock. SinceVenom: The Last Danceis the final Tom Hardy Venom film, though, it seems the filmmakers decided to get creative. While on the run from the Imperium andKnull’s Xenophages, Venom bonds with a horse so he and Eddie can cover a large distance quickly, leading to an entertaining sequence that’s interrupted by the Imperium group hunting them down.
Eddie and Venom become separated, and Venom bonds with a few animals, including a frog and a fish, to catch up with Eddie. It’s an inventive action sequence that introduces many creative designs for each animal. While they do look somewhat goofy, it is interesting to see these animals imbued with Venom’s powers, even if it’s only briefly. This has also opened the window more for any future appearances from the character on-screen to take a less conventional approach with Venom going forward.
6Chris Evans Returns As Johnny Storm
Since Steve Rogers retired and reunited with Peggy Carter at the end ofAvengers: Endgame, many wondered if he would ever return to the MCU.Chris Evans is now set to return inAvengers: Doomsdayin an undisclosed role, but he agreed to make another appearance before then. InDeadpool & Wolverine, Evans returns asJohnny Storm, a.k.a. Human Torch, a role he played in 2005’sFantastic Fourand 2007’sFantastic Four: The Rise of the Silver Surfer.
Johnny joins Wade and Logan as the trio is surrounded by an army of X-Men villains who work for Cassandra Nova. Deadpool initially thinks he’s Captain America, but is surprised when Johnny yells “Flame On!” Unfortunately, Pyro gets the better of him, and the three heroes are taken to Cassandra, where Johnny is brutally killed after Deadpool reveals his vicious trash talk. It’s sad to see Johnny go out this way, but this return was a delightful surprise nonetheless, and this decision also makes sense in terms of making room for Joseph Quinn’s version before he debuts inThe Fantastic Four: First Steps.
5Kraven Fights Rhino’s Goons In The Woods
Kraven the Hunter
Kraven the Hunteris the bloodiest movie in Sony’s Spider-Man Universe, with several gruesome kills that display Kraven’s brutality. After arriving at Kraven’s home, several of Rhino’s minions search for Kraven in the woods. However, Kraven is prepared for them since they are in his domain and has set up several traps. He takes out several armed henchmen with violent methods, including a bear trap, and a rope that smashes someone on a tree stump.
It’s an entertaining sequence with elements ofHome Alone, except Kraven uses spikes and knives instead of ice, ornaments, and paint cans. It’s comedic, violent, and exciting, which combine well to infuse some life in the film’s climax. This scene displays creativity fromKraven’s filmmakers in a franchise that desperately needed some bloody, thrilling action.
4Deadpool Searches For A New Wolverine
Deadpool & Wolverineunderstands that there is no replacing Jackman’s Wolverine, and makes that part of its plot. It introduces the anchor being concept, suggesting that Wolverine was the Fox universe’s anchor being and his death started the slow destruction of the universe. However, Deadpool refuses to condemn his universe to death and searches the multiverse for a replacement Wolverine, coming across several cameos and comic book counterparts.
Every Wolverine Variant In Deadpool & Wolverine Explained
Several Wolverine variants pop up in Deadpool & Wolverine, celebrating the character’s history both on-screen and in the pages of Marvel Comics.
A few of the Wolverines Wade encounters include Patch, Old Man Logan, Age of Apocalypse Wolverine, comic-accurate Wolverine, Uncanny X-Men Wolverine, John Byrne’s Yellow and Brown Wolverine who fights the Hulk, and the Cavillrine. It’s a hilarious sequence that pays tribute to Logan’s lengthy Marvel Comics history.Henry Cavill’s cameois also a nice wink to audiences who want the British actor to play the MCU’s Wolverine.
3Deadpool and Wolverine Fight With Elektra, Gambit, Blade, And X-23
The internet was flooded with rumors and theories about which characters would make cameos inDeadpool & Wolverine. Many expected to see former X-Men or Fantastic Four characters - and some guessed correctly, while others were proven wrong. Elektra and X-23 were already revealed before the movie came out, but many were not expecting to seeWesley Snipes return as Blade, nor were they expecting Channing Tatum to make his debut as Gambit.
Things got even better when these characters joined forces with Wade and Logan to fight Cassandra Nova’s army of obscure X-Men villains. Each hero gets a chance to shine, and a moment of redemption after their franchises ended or never happened. Tatum finally got a chance to shine, and Snipes and Reynolds put any rumors of resentment to bed. They may never return to the MCU, but the characters all got the endings they deserved.
2The Symbiotes Team Up To Fight Knull’s Creatures
The Venom franchise has introduced many symbiotes that Venom and Eddie often fight.Venom: The Last Danceswitches things up by uniting the symbiotes to fight the Xenophages- Knull’s minions sent to Earth to chase Venom, who possesses the codex. The Xenophages are difficult to fight and can easily take down a single symbiote. However, an army of them has a chance and does a good enough job defeating several of them until it becomes impossible.
The Venom films are criticized for having CGI-filled climaxes - and this finale may feature the most CGI, but its execution does feel different. Seeing all the symbiotes team up and show off their different abilities is inventive and is an excellent finale for this franchise. It can be hard to follow all the CGI monsters, but the various colors manage to separate the creatures enough.Venom will likely return in the MCU, and this finale also opens up many possibilities for the other symbiotes in Venom’s universe.
1Wolverine Puts On The Cowl And Fights The Deadpool Corps
DespiteDeadpool & Wolverine’s many cameos, the loudest audience reaction came when Jackman finally put on Wolverine’s iconic cowl,completing the outfit people had waited 24 years to see. The film knows how important this moment is, slowing everything down so all the focus can be placed on Wolverine. After putting the cowl on, Wolverine and Deadpool fight the entire Deadpool Corps in a hilarious and well-choreographed action scene set to “Like A Prayer.”
The scene is done in a single tracking shot following the titular duo as they slice and dice through anarmy of Deadpool variants. There is so much going on in this sequence, and it’s endlessly replayable as viewers will find something new every time. Seeing Wolverine in the full yellow and blue spandex was amazing, and it was even better to see it in action, cementing it as the best 2024 comic book movie moment overall when looking at the release rosters ofMarvel,DC, and everything in between.
