Comic book adaptations have been around since the early 1940s, existing as serials for DC and Marvel's most popular characters like Batman, Captain Marvel, Captain America and Superman - and 2025 marks some major announcements for several classic releases. Since the beginning of comic book movies, the landscape of the genre has changed drastically with landmark films like Batman (1989), Sam Raimi Spider-Man, The Dark Knight, and the films in the MCU timeline.
Things will continue to change even more with James Gunn's DCU and Sony's Spider-Man Universe. Still, it's good to remember what came before in terms of comic book movie adaptations, and in 2025 there are a few that will have significant anniversaries. Here they are The Biggest Comic Book Birthdays Happening in 2025.
14
Captain America
35 years
Captain America had its initial release on December 14, 1990turning 35 years old in 2025. Although the film was not well regarded upon initial release, and that perception has not changed over time, the film still has something of a cult following, and it is interesting to look back at one of the oldest films of superheroes and Captain Americacinematic legacy. It was released just a year later Batmanbut I couldn't do the same for Steve Rogers who Batman did for Bruce Wayne. With a budget of just $3 million, it never stood a chance.
Still, it's a breezy 90-minute film that could ironically be appreciated as a product of its time and lack of budget. Even those who don't like the story itself can derive some value from the differences and similarities between this version of the character and Chris Evans' MCU hero, who appeared on screen two decades later.
13
Batman Forever
30 years
Batman Forever was released on June 9, 1995turning 30 years old in 2025. This marked a major change for Tim Burton's franchise after the relative underperformance of Batman Returns a few years earlier. Joel Schumacher replaced Tim Burton as director and Michael Keaton did not return as Batman, with Val Kilmer taking over the role.
The film attempts to explore the character on a deeper level, but gets lost in the neon-soaked madness along the way.
It seems the public perception of Batman Forever has changed over the years, with many seeing it as a fun, campy take on the Caped Crusader in a sea of gritty, realistic takes since then. Jim Carrey and Tommy Lee Jones give incredibly over-the-top performances as Riddler and Two-Face, while Kilmer typically doesn't get the recognition he deserves for his performance as Bruce Wayne. The film attempts to explore the character on a deeper level, but often gets lost in the neon-soaked madness along the way.
12
X-Men
25 years
X-Men was released on July 14, 2000, turning 25 years old in 2025. The original X-Men the film is perhaps one of the most significant comic book adaptations of all time, taking notes from Blade shortly before, while preparing the way for Sam Raimi Spider-Man a few years later. What X-Men did so well was get much of the cast right in its most important members. Patrick Stewart as Charles Xavier and Hugh Jackman as Wolverine are some of the best casting decisions of all time.
Jackman truly makes Wolverine his own in the film, laying the groundwork for his performance as the character to become one of the most enduring and iconic of all time. It's a remarkable race that shows how much X-Men got it right in 2000. It's not the best film in the franchise, but it was a milestone, setting up the pieces for X2: X-Men United three years later.
11
Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker
25 years
Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker is an animated superhero film set in the futuristic Gotham City. The film follows the new Batman, Terry McGinnis, mentored by an elderly Bruce Wayne, as they encounter the ominous return of Batman's deadliest enemy, the Joker. The film delves into the mystery behind the Joker's reappearance and his connection to the original Batman's past, featuring Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill reprising their iconic roles.
- Director
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Curt Geda
- Writers
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Glen Murakami, Bob Kane, Bruce Timm, Paul Dini, Jerry Robinson
- Execution time
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76 minutes
- Release date
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December 12, 2000
Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker was released on December 12, 2000turning 25 years old in 2025. When Batman Beyond came out, it was a fantastic sequel to Batman: The Animated Seriesfeaturing an older Bruce Wayne who would mentor a new Batman named Terry McGinnis. The cyberpunk-inspired art design was impressive, allowing Batman Beyond be something of its own, respecting what came before.
Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker is a great addition to the series, starring Will Friedle (Boy meets the world) once again playing Terry, while Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill continue their iconic roles as the original Batman and Joker. The Joker character's return to the film was a game changer, and Hamill's return is one of the best parts of the film.
10
Constantine
20 years
Constantine, directed by Francis Lawrence and released in 2005, stars Keanu Reeves as John Constantine, a supernatural detective. Based on the DC Comics series Hellblazer, the film follows Constantine as he battles the dark forces of the underworld with the help of a determined police officer, played by Rachel Weisz. The film mixes elements of horror and action as Constantine navigates a demonic landscape.
- Director
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Francisco Lourenço
- Writers
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Jamie Delano, Garth Ennis, Kevin Brodbin, Frank A. Cappello
- Execution time
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121 minutes
- Release date
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February 18, 2005
- Cast
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Keanu Reeves, Rachel Weisz, Shia LaBeouf, Djimon Hounsou, Max Baker, Pruitt Taylor Vince
Constantine was released on February 18, 2005turning 20 in 2025. This was an adaptation of one of DC's most iconic magic users, even though it didn't have much in common with the source material it was trying to adapt. Although Keanu Reeves' Constantine makes several changes to the source material, the character's iteration has a sizable fan base, with much excitement at the prospect of a Constantine 2 film all these years later.
Constantine I had fun at the cinema, despite not sticking to the original material. It looked fantastic and featured some truly surprising moments. Reeves has expressed interest in a sequel over the years, and it looks like that could come to fruition with the latest efforts to Constantine 2which is officially in development. Whatever the case, though, Constantine is a fascinating look at the comics scene in the mid-2000s.
9
Batman begins
20 years
Batman begins was released on June 15, 2005turning 20 in 2025. This is one of the most important reboots of the modern comic book era, taking the character in an entirely different direction than he's come before, while also setting the stage for The Dark Knight three years later. It was the beginning of The Dark Knight trilogy, which would forever change comic book adaptations from now on.
Batman begins came out just 8 years later Batman and Robin it basically destroyed the character's reputation with the general public. Director Christopher Nolan decided to go for a realistic and gritty version of Batman, with Christian Bale becoming the iconic character. It was worth it and Bale is still considered one of the best actors to play Batman. Without Batman beginscomic book movies may be in a very different place now.
8
Fantastic Four
20 years
Fantastic Four was released on June 29, 2005turning 20 years old in 2025. It was the second attempt at a Fantastic Four film after the disaster that was The Fantastic Four in 1994. That film never saw the light of day, but Fantastic Four did, leaving just a few weeks later Batman begins. The film isn't particularly good, but it features a pretty fun cast with pre-Captain America Chris Evans playing Johnny Storm.
The mid-2000s were a strange time for comic book movies, and Fantastic Four fits perfectly in this aspect. It received a sequel, but never made it into a trilogy. For some reason, Fox struggled to get the adaptation right, and now that the MCU has the opportunity, it could be something special. Yet, Fantastic Four is a light-hearted romp through Marvel's cinematic history in which most can find some level of enjoyment.
7
Elektra
20 years
Elektra is a 2005 superhero film directed by Rob Bowman, featuring Jennifer Garner as the titular character, Elektra Natchios. The film follows Elektra, an assassin for hire who struggles with her dark past and embarks on a journey of redemption. As she takes on a dangerous mission, she must face powerful enemies and her deepest fears. Elektra is a spin-off of the 2003 film Daredevil, also starring Garner.
- Director
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Rob Bowman
- Writers
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Mark Steven Johnson, Frank Miller, Zak Penn, Raven Metzner
- Execution time
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97 minutes
- Release date
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January 14, 2005
Elektra was released on January 14, 2005turning 20 in 2025. Jennifer Garner reprized her role as the titular character in this spin-off after playing her in 2003 Reckless, which saw Ben Affleck playing Matt Murdock. None Reckless nor Elektra they are considered very well and are also not considered to have aged particularly well. Jennifer Garner got to reprise her role in Deadpool and Wolverinehowever, giving her another chance at the character.
It may be shocking to note that Elektra and Fantastic Four came out the same year as Batman begins. The film feels like a product of its time, but it never had that much of an impact, even when it was released. Still, like all comic book adaptations created at that time, there's something fun to find in Elektra which can't really be replicated in modern films, although Sony has tried valiantly with films like Morbius and Lady Teia.
6
Batman: Under the Red Hood
15 years
Batman: Under the Red Hood was released on July 27, 2010completing 15 years in 2025. The film tells the story of Jason Todd, the second Robin, who was killed at the hands of the Joker. After his resurrection, he returns to Gotham as the Red Hood, a vigilante who does the job Batman doesn't do: that is, killing people. This draws Batman into stopping him, which leads to exciting moments throughout the film.
Batman: Under the Red Hood is one of the best Batman animated adaptations of all time, with an emotional core that continues the story. It's sad to see Jason Todd become what Batman didn't want him to be, but it's understandable why he does the things he does. Batman: Under the Red Hood is a great film that explores the morality of Batman's crusade.
5
Iron Man 2
15 years
Iron Man 2 was released on May 7, 2010completing 15 years in 2025. At the time, Iron Man 2 was only the third film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe after Iron Man and The Incredible Hulk. It continued Tony Stark's story from the first film as he evolves into the hero Iron Man, while also introducing a number of new characters, including Rhodey becoming War Machine and Black Widow.
The first Iron Man set the bar so high that it had difficulty meeting the high expectations.
There's still a lot to like Iron Man 2but the first Iron Man set the bar so high that it had difficulty meeting the high expectations. Whiplash was underdeveloped as a villain, and it felt like the film was trying too hard to set up future plot points in the MCU. Still, it features an incredible action scene with Iron Man and War Machine working together and was a solid addition to the MCU in Phase One before The Avengers.
4
Jonas Hex
15 years
Jonas Hex was released on July 17, 2010completing 15 years in 2025. Jonas Hex stars Josh Brolin as the titular character alongside Megan Fox, who rose to fame a few years earlier for her role in Transformers. Josh Brolin has played several comic book roles, including Cable in Deadpool 2 and Thanos in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Jonas Hex features an essentially immortal cowboy who becomes a bounty hunter. It was a critical and commercial failure when it was released, marking a poor start to the decade for DC adaptations. Since its launch, Jonas Hex was not re-evaluated, becoming yet another addition to a long list of poorly regarded comic book adaptations. Even so, it's still worth watching, especially more than a decade after its release.
3
Avengers: Age of Ultron
10 years
Avengers: Age of Ultron was released on April 15, 2015completing 10 years in 2025. It was the continuation of The Avengerswhich had become one of the highest-grossing films of all time just three years earlier. Very similar Iron Man 2 compared to Iron Man, Avengers: Age of Ultron failed to live up to its high expectations, becoming bigger and bolder than its predecessor while laying the groundwork for what was to come.
In many ways, Avengers: Age of Ultron He has aged very well in the MCU. It's already been criticized for focusing too much on setting up future installments in the universe, but it's done a fantastic job of setting the stakes for films like Thor: Ragnarok and Captain America: Civil War. It also introduced Scarlet Witch and Vision into the MCU, whose story has become a central aspect of the post-Avengers: Endgame.
2
Ant-Man
10 years
Ant-Man was released on July 17, 2015completing 10 years in 2025. Ant-Man it was stalled in development for several years before finally coming to fruition. Paul Rudd plays Scott Lang, the second Ant-Man, which was a bold choice at the time, rather than focusing on Hank Pym as a character. Ant-Man's big success is how funny the film is, with Lang's team having some truly entertaining moments.
The nature of the character allowed Ant-Man to have a lot of fun with many of its action sequences and use the character's size in hilarious ways during them. With Ant-Man becoming one of the most pivotal characters in Avengers: Endgame - and the hero who faced Kang for the first time before Avengers: The Kang Dynasty was changed to be Avengers: Judgment Day - it's fascinating to see the trajectory the hero has taken since his debut.
1
Fantastic Four
10 years
Fantastic Four was released on August 4, 2015turning 10 years old in 2025. Affectionately called Fant4stic due to the title design, Fantastic Four it was Fox's third attempt to reboot the franchise. Unfortunately, this didn't go as planned, with Fantastic Four being widely considered one of the worst comic book films of all time.
With that said, the film holds a pivotal place in both Marvel and the team of heroes' cinematic legacy as a result of this reception. That's doubly true with the MCU's Fantastic Four movie coming up to try again with the group, putting previous attempts at bringing them to the screen into sharper focus. Ultimately, Fantastic Four still has one of the most important comic book birthdays for anyone Wonder or CC in 2025 as a result, even if that anniversary is more tumultuous.
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- Release date
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February 14, 2025
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- Release date
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July 25, 2025
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- Release date
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July 24, 2026
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