2017 proved to be a landmark year for superhero cinema, with major studios such as Fox, Disney, and Warner Bros. releasing eight wide-ranging films. From the gritty, Western-inflected Logan to the irreverent comedy of Thor: Ragnarok, the year stretched the boundaries of what a superhero movie can be. Justice League represented the classic team-up spectacle, while The Lego Batman Movie and Captain Underpants brought big-budget superhero storytelling into mainstream animation.
Altogether, these films grossed roughly $5.1 billion worldwide and generated awards-season attention for titles like Wonder Woman and Logan. Below is our ranked rundown of every comic book movie released in 2017 — from the least successful to the standout achievements of the year.
8. Justice League
Budget: $300 million
Worldwide Box Office: $637 million
Starring: Gal Gadot, Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill, Jason Momoa, Ezra Miller, Ray Fisher, Amy Adams, J.K. Simmons, Amber Heard, Willem Dafoe, Jeremy Irons, Connie Nielsen, Diane Lane, Billy Crudup, Ciaran Hinds
Despite the high-profile cast and the long-awaited on-screen team-up, Justice League was widely viewed as a disappointment. The film struggled with tone and pacing, lingering on lengthy character introductions and failing to deliver a compelling antagonist. Visual effects and narrative choices often felt uneven, leaving a film with big ideas that didn’t cohere into a satisfying cinematic whole.
7. Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie
Budget: $38 million
Worldwide Box Office: $125 million
Starring: Kevin Hart, Ed Helms, Nick Kroll, Jordan Peele, Kristen Schaal
Based on the popular children’s books, Captain Underpants arrived as a lively, frenetic animated comedy from DreamWorks. While it may not have left a lasting cultural impression compared with other animated releases, it delivered solid family entertainment and a playful, energetic tone. The film is pleasant and serviceable, prioritizing kid-friendly humor and fast-paced visual gags over deep storytelling.
6. The Lego Batman Movie
Budget: $80 million
Worldwide Box Office: $312 million
Starring: Will Arnett, Mariah Carey, Michael Cera, Rosario Dawson, Ralph Fiennes, Zach Galifianakis
The Lego Batman Movie expanded on the comic sensibility introduced in The Lego Movie, focusing on a self-aware, brooding Batman whose exaggerated ego provides much of the comedy. The film trades on a loving parody of Batman lore, delivering sharp jokes and clever references that reward fans while remaining accessible to casual viewers. Its rapid-fire humor and heartfelt beats make it one of the more enjoyable animated superhero entries of the year.
5. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
Budget: $200 million
Worldwide Box Office: $864 million
Starring: Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper, Karen Gillan, Elizabeth Debicki, Kurt Russell, Sylvester Stallone
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 doubled down on the strengths of the original: irresistible characters, an eclectic soundtrack, and a blend of humor and pathos. Visually striking and emotionally resonant, the sequel added new layers to established characters while expanding the stakes in the Marvel universe. Though it sometimes felt like a refinement rather than a reinvention, its warmth and inventiveness made it a crowd-pleaser.
4. Spider-Man: Homecoming
Budget: $175 million
Worldwide Box Office: $880 million
Starring: Tom Holland, Marisa Tomei, Robert Downey Jr., Tony Revolori, Donald Glover, Michael Keaton, Zendaya, Jon Favreau
Spider-Man: Homecoming reintroduced the web-slinger as an authentic teenager, grounding the story in a high-school setting that blended coming-of-age comedy with thrilling action. Tom Holland’s energetic performance, coupled with a memorable turn by Michael Keaton as the Vulture, helped this entry feel fresh within the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The film balanced humor, heart, and superhero spectacle, successfully relaunching Spider-Man for a new era.
3. Thor: Ragnarok
Budget: $180 million
Worldwide Box Office: $843 million
Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Cate Blanchett, Jeff Goldblum, Tessa Thompson, Karl Urban, Anthony Hopkins, Tom Hiddleston, Idris Elba, Benedict Cumberbatch
Taika Waititi reinvented Thor by leaning into bold comedic sensibilities and vivid visual design, producing one of the funniest and most exhilarating MCU entries to date. Ragnarok revitalized the Thor franchise with inventive set pieces, strong performances, and a self-aware tone that embraced genre play. It proved Marvel could take established characters in new directions without losing emotional stakes.
2. Wonder Woman
Budget: $149 million
Worldwide Box Office: $822 million
Starring: Gal Gadot, Chris Pine, Connie Nielsen, Robin Wright, Danny Huston, David Thewlis, Ewen Bremner
Wonder Woman was a cultural and commercial breakthrough, helmed by Patty Jenkins and anchored by Gal Gadot’s commanding, empathetic performance. The film blended blockbuster action with grounded emotional storytelling, becoming the highest-opening weekend for a female director at the time and breaking box office records for films directed by women. Its success sparked serious awards attention and helped demonstrate that mainstream superhero films can be both commercially viable and culturally significant.
1. Logan
Budget: $97 million
Worldwide Box Office: $617 million
Starring: Hugh Jackman, Patrick Stewart, Boyd Holbrook, Richard E. Grant, Stephen Merchant
Logan closed Hugh Jackman’s long tenure as Wolverine with a restrained, powerful, and unexpectedly intimate film that leaned into Western and character-driven traditions. Rated R, the movie used its mature tone to explore the consequences of violence and the emotional cost carried by its characters. With raw performances from Jackman and Patrick Stewart and a script that emphasized quiet, harrowing moments as much as action, Logan stands out as a genre-bending achievement that elevated the possibilities of superhero storytelling.
Looking ahead to 2018, studios prepared to follow up with major releases such as Black Panther, Avengers: Infinity War, Ant-Man and the Wasp, Deadpool 2, The New Mutants, and X-Men: Dark Phoenix. With corporate shifts like Disney’s acquisition of Fox and changes within Warner Bros.’ DC division, the cinematic landscape was poised for continued evolution. If 2017 proved anything, it was that superhero films can be wildly different from one another while still achieving critical and commercial success — and the best of them can reshape how we think about the genre.