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Thanks to the movie and TV domination of Marvel and DC, who are both American publishers, it might look like that all great superhero movies come from the United States. However, that's not quite the case. The superhero genre is popular not only in English-speaking countries, but in places all around the world.
People love superheroes regardless of their ethnicity, nationality, or their first language. As such, multiple countries have created their own superhero movies. Some of them have a lot to offer to fans of this genre even though the budget of the movies isn't as high as in the MCU or the DCEU. For those who love to see heroes do their thing, these films are worth checking out.
7 Devilman (2004)
Japan has multiple great animated movies and TV series featuring superheroes, but a lot of them belong to established franchises, which makes it difficult for a new viewer to just jump in. Devilman, on the other hand, stands on its own and it offers an action-filled story full of tension and horror. That's what happens when scientists accidentally release demons who possess people.
Akira is the one person who manages to resist the demon to a certain degree, and he starts calling himself Devilman. The movie gives space both to the heroes and to the villains which makes it different from many superhero stories, and the demons are genuinely scary at times.
6 Griff The Invisible (2010)
Ryan Kwanten is best known for playing Jason Stackhouse in the hit vampire show True Blood. However, he gets a chance to shine in a superhero role in this Australian movie. Kwanten plays Griff, a man bullied by his co-workers who leads a double life. He works an ordinary job during the day, and fights crimes by night. His life changes when he meets a woman he likes.
The movie balances the superhero genre with drama as Griff is trying to find out who he is as a person. This type of struggle makes him relatable to many people, regardless of whether they ever dreamed about being superheroes or not.
5 The Invisible Boy (2014)
This film comes from Italy, and proves that superheroes don't always have to be adults. Michele is a shy thirteen-year-old boy who's in love with his classmate Stella, but doesn't know what to do. His life changes when he wears a costume for a Halloween party and discovers he can turn invisible.
The movie starts in a comedic tone as Michele discovers his new power and has fun with it, just like many people his age would. But it later becomes more dramatic as Stella gets into trouble and Michele wants to help. The movie balances both moods well and the actors give excellent performances, making The Invisible Boy a hidden jewel worth watching.
4 Lucy (2014)
Fans of Scarlett Johansson who want to see the talented actress in a superhero movie not related to the MCU should give Lucy a watch. Director Luc Besson excels in making movies with formidable female heroines. This French-made movie is in English but doesn't follow the usual formula of American superhero movies.
Lucy gains new powers when she starts using more than ten percent of her brain, thanks to a drug released into her body. As she uses more and more of her brainpower, the limits of what Lucy can do evolve and she takes on her enemies. The fast-paced movie gives Johansson a chance to shine, and its ending will surprise many viewers.
3 SuperBob (2015)
There are plenty of superhero movies made in other English-speaking countries, not just the USA. SuperBob is a British comedy movie that works with a unique sense of humor. Its titular hero, Robert, used to work as a postman and now works for the government. And now he's just got his first date in six years — but juggling romance, work, and superhero life is no easy task.
SuperBob fulfills the definition of a romantic superhero comedy, so viewers who want to take a break from action-filled movies shouldn't miss it. Plus, the movie has a great cast and it only lasts around 80 minutes, which makes it an easy watch.
2 iBoy (2017)
This British superhero movie is currently streaming on Netflix, and is darker than many other movies working with this topic. It focuses on a young boy named Tom, who gets shot and discovers he has super powers after he wakes up. As a result, coming back to his normal life will be impossible. With his newfound powers, Tom considers getting revenge on the people who hurt him and his classmate Lucy that he has a crush on.
The movie works with some serious topics, such as dealing with trauma. It has an excellent young cast. Bill Milner plays the leading rolem and Maisie Williams appears as Lucy. iBoy isn't an optimistic story, but it deserves more attention from fans of the genre.
1 Supervized (2019)
This lesser known Irish-British movie tackles another topic that rarely often appears in superhero movies. That makes it ideal for all fans of this genre who want to see something new. The movie delves into the question of what happens to superheroes who age, and are thus no longer able to fight crime as they once did.
As Supervized proves, reaching a greater age doesn't mean that a superhero has to give up forever. The movie approaches its chosen topic with humor, offers a strong cast, and has the power to make the audience think about how the world approaches older people.