Superhero movies have come a long way from black-and-white battles between good and evil. These days, some of the most compelling films in the genre turn the formula on its head by putting villains front and center. These aren’t just bad guys doing bad things. They’re complex characters with motivations and struggles that make us question the very nature of heroism. From tragic backstories to morally ambiguous choices, villain-centered superhero films give us a darker, messier look at what it means to have power.
Joker
Todd Phillips’ Joker might be the poster child for villain-as-protagonist storytelling. The film drags us along on Arthur Fleck’s painful spiral into becoming Batman’s future archenemy. But unlike typical villain stories, we feel for the guy. Through Phoenix’s Oscar-winning performance, we witness how mental illness, society’s cold shoulder, and personal trauma created the monster. By sticking us firmly in Arthur’s shoes, the film does something truly uncomfortable—it makes us empathize with someone we know is destined to become one of comic book history’s most twisted minds.
Venom
After being butchered in Spider-Man 3, the alien goo known as Venom finally got its due. Venom follows Eddie Brock, a journalist who ends up playing host to an alien symbiote with a taste for violence. What makes this film work is how it positions Venom as both anti-hero and villain, exploring the weird dynamic between Eddie and his body-snatching companion. Their relationship evolves from parasite-and-victim to something like a dysfunctional buddy comedy. By focusing on a character traditionally cast as a villain, the film digs into the blurry line between hero and baddie when survival is what’s at stake.
Megamind
DreamWorks’ Megamind flips superhero tropes by focusing on a blue-skinned alien supervillain with a massive head and even bigger insecurities. After finally beating his nemesis Metro Man, Megamind finds himself bored and purposeless. It turns out being bad isn’t so fun when there’s no one to be bad against. The film cleverly explores that age-old question: what happens when the bad guy wins? Through its family-friendly animation, Megamind delivers some pretty thoughtful commentary on hero-villain dynamics, the nature of good and evil, and how society’s expectations can push someone toward villainy. The real charm comes from watching someone defined by being bad discover they might be… pretty good.
Despicable Me
Okay, so Despicable Me isn’t technically a superhero movie, but it earns its spot for making supervillain Gru our main character. The film tracks his journey from dedicated evildoer to reluctant dad when three orphaned girls crash into his life. Gru starts with the ridiculous plan to steal the actual moon, but slowly transforms into a caring parent who’d do anything for his kids. This family-friendly take on the villain-protagonist idea shows that even the most hardened villain can change through unexpected connections. The film was such a hit that it spawned a whole franchise following Gru’s evolution from villain to something closer to hero, proving that redemption stories can be just as engaging as traditional good-guy tales.
Brightburn
James Gunn-produced Brightburn asks a disturbing question: What if Superman were a psychopath? The film flips the classic origin story, showing what might happen if a superpowered alien kid landed on Earth and chose to embrace his darker impulses rather than protect humanity. Young Brandon Breyer discovers his extraordinary abilities and, instead of becoming Earth’s savior, uses them to terrorize his small town. Brightburn mashes up superhero tropes with horror elements to create something genuinely unsettling. By inverting such a familiar hero story, the film explores the scary potential of unchecked power in the hands of someone without a moral compass. We watch in horror as Brandon goes down a path that’s the polar opposite of Clark Kent’s, giving us a uniquely disturbing villain-centered experience.
Morbius
Riding the Venom wave, Sony took another stab at Spidey’s rogues gallery with Morbius. Jared Leto plays Dr. Michael Morbius, a biochemist who accidentally turns himself into a living vampire while trying to cure his rare blood disease. The film positions Morbius as an anti-hero wrestling with his newfound bloodlust and abilities. Though critics weren’t exactly kind (that’s putting it mildly), Morbius tries to explore the moral complexity of a character who’s traditionally been one of Spider-Man’s villains. The story follows his struggle against both his vampiric nature and an even more dangerous threat, letting Morbius occupy that gray area between hero and monster.
Chronicle
Shot as found footage, Chronicle follows three high school students who gain telekinetic powers after stumbling upon a mysterious glowing crystal thing. While the film initially splits focus between all three teens, it gradually morphs into a compelling supervillain origin story. Andrew, who’s endured years of abuse and bullying, starts to embrace the darker side of his new abilities. Dane DeHaan delivers a gut-punch performance as we watch Andrew’s transformation from victim to villain unfold. Chronicle effectively shows how trauma plus power can equal disaster, giving us a grounded, psychological portrait of a villain protagonist whose actions, while destructive, come from a place of real pain and isolation.
Black Adam
After what felt like forever in development hell, Black Adam finally brought The Rock’s take on the DC anti-hero to the big screen. The film centers on Teth-Adam, an ancient Egyptian warrior given godlike powers by the wizard Shazam, who wakes up in the modern world after a 5,000-year nap. Though he fights against other forces, Black Adam’s brutal methods and casual attitude toward killing place him firmly in villain territory for most of the film. The story digs into his complex morality and the fine line between justice and revenge. By focusing on a character who’s traditionally been a villain in DC Comics, the film examines how cultural context and personal history color our views on what makes a hero or villain.
Split
While it wasn’t initially sold as a superhero film, Shyamalan’s Split eventually revealed itself as part of the same universe as Unbreakable. James McAvoy delivers an absolutely bonkers (in the best way) performance as Kevin Wendell Crumb, a man with Dissociative Identity Disorder whose 24th personality, “The Beast,” manifests superhuman abilities. The film mainly follows Kevin’s perspective as he kidnaps three young women while battling his various personalities. Split gives us a unique villain protagonist story by exploring Kevin’s fractured mind and the emergence of The Beast as a supervillain. The film’s connection to a larger superhero narrative gets confirmed in those final moments, cementing Kevin’s story as the origin for a complex villain in Shyamalan’s grounded superhero universe.
Avengers: Infinity War
Avengers: Infinity War makes the bold choice to structure its story around Thanos rather than the superheroes we’d followed for years. While the Avengers appear throughout, the film primarily tracks Thanos’s mission to collect all six Infinity Stones. The movie gives unprecedented depth to a Marvel villain, diving into his motivations, personal sacrifices, and twisted philosophy. The Russo brothers frame Thanos’s genocidal plan as a hero’s journey from his perspective. He sees himself not as a villain but as the only being willing to make the tough calls needed to save the universe from overpopulation. This perspective flip creates a fascinating viewing experience where our traditional heroes become obstacles to the protagonist’s goal, culminating in that rare movie where the bad guy wins.
The Suicide Squad
James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad throws together a bunch of supervillains for a suicide mission, turning characters who’d normally be the bad guys into our unlikely heroes. Unlike most superhero films with their morally upstanding protagonists, this movie follows hardened criminals with powers who are basically blackmailed into serving government interests. Characters like Bloodsport, Harley Quinn, and Peacemaker—all established villains in DC Comics—become surprisingly likable despite their bloody backgrounds. The film embraces its characters’ villainous pasts while giving them moments of real heroism, creating a morally complex setting. By centering on bad guys forced to work together, The Suicide Squad explores themes of redemption and found family through the lens of characters who’d normally be stuck playing the antagonists.