Superhero Entertainment Round-Up: 2025

2025’s Superhero Entertainment Rises From The Ashes

2025 was a year of renewal. The new DC Universe launched to great acclaim and Marvel pivoted from Kang the Conqueror to a Doctor Doom-led Secret Wars. Some series ended and new superheroes made their debut.

What superhero shows and movies came out in 2025? What was worth your time and what wasted it? Let’s find out.

2025 Superhero Entertainment: Movies

Batman Ninja vs. Yakuza League

Voice Actors: Koichi Yamadera, Yuki Kaji, Romi Park, Kazuhiro Yamaji

Synopsis: The Bat-Family returns from an adventure in feudal Japan and finds chaos. Other heroes no longer exist, Japan is flying over Gotham City, and yakuza rain down from the sky. Batman investigates and discovers that Japan is ruled by the Hagane Family, a yakuza Justice League. Can the Bat-Family defeat the world’s greatest villains? 

The Review: This Batman: Ninja sequel is a mixed bag. The animation style looks ugly and unfinished. The voice actors underperform aside from Harley Quinn and The Flash. Viewers who don’t know Japanese culture will be confused by references like Wonder Woman’s yakuza ballad or Alfred’s send-up of Science Ninja Team Gatchaman.

Yakuza League rose above its flaws. The titular villains are well written and have believable character arcs. The redesigns are spectacular. I also appreciate the Bat-Family playing into the absurdity with goofy Science-Ninja Techniques, including Electrolysis, Spectral Conversion, and Vending Machine.

The Verdict: 6/10
Land of the Rising Villains: Only ninjas thrive in a Yakuza world, so check out our list of the Top 5 Ninja Superheroes. If you’re not prepared for other dimensions, then these top five Isekai superheroes can give you a crash course.

Captain America: Brave New World

Starring: Anthony Mackie, Harrison Ford, Danny Ramirez, Tim Nelson, Giancarlo Esposito

Synopsis: President Ross contacts Sam Wilson about forming a new Avengers team. Sam’s mentor Isaiah is brainwashed into an assassin targeting Ross. Sam investigates and discovers a conspiracy to ruin Ross’ life. Can the new Captain America unravel the secret and prevent a war?

The Review: Advertising ruined Brave New World by hyper-focusing on Ross becoming the Red Hulk for less than ten minutes during the finale. The real, Manchurian Agent-style plot was ignored, as were most of the supporting characters. Falcon II was often annoying, Giancarlo Esposito’s Sidewinder was a glorified mook, and Sabra lost her unique superhero identity in favor of being a Black Widow.

Harrison Ford was just there for a paycheck, and every line sounded apathetic. The political commentary is offensive. A President turns into a giant red monster destroying Washington D.C. after spending much of the runtime covering his war crimes, and the movie expects viewers to sympathize with him.

The Verdict: 2/10

That Has Such People In It!: We’ve got a round up on Brave New World’s cast right here. You might enjoy learning about five superhero presidents better than Harrison Ford.

Thunderbolts* (The New Avengers)

Starring: Florence Pugh, Lewis Pullman, Sebastian Stan, David Harbour

Synopsis: Former Black Widow Yelena Belova is searching for purpose. Black Ops director Valentina sends her into an ambush with other disposable pawns. A mysterious prisoner named Bob convinces them to join forces against Valentina. Meanwhile, the Winter Soldier investigates Valentina and exuberant Soviet superhero Red Guardian rushes to his daughter Yelena’s rescue. Can they stop Valentina?

The Review: Thunderbolts* is a fun romp with several unpopular characters. Yelena shows a more protective side while keeping would-be hero Bob from danger. U.S. Agent shines as Captain America’s jackass replacement. The Ghost and Taskmaster remain in the background. Bob and Red Guardian are the movie’s heart. The former develops from a nebbish civilian into a power player while the latter plays the supportive, embarrassing comic relief.

Valentina is a diet-Amanda Waller whose victories come off as plot armor instead of cunning. Winter Soldier’s not bad, but more of a Terminator than his usual snarky persona. Thunderbolts* does very little to update fans who skipped any spinoffs and the twist ending is rushed.

The Verdict: 7/10
Justice, Like Lightning…: This Thunderbolts backstory covers their long history. We also have a rare joint backstory for Yelena Belova and the Red Guardian.

2025 Superhero Entertainment: K-Pop Demon Hunters

Voice Actors: Arden Cho, May Hong. Ji-young Yoo, Ahn Hyo-seop

Synopsis: Globally popular band HUNTR/X are secretly a trio of demon hunters on the cusp of musically sealing away the demon realm forever. Demonic musician Jinu forms his own band, The Saja Boys, to steal HUNTR/X’s fans and power. Even worse, lead singer Rumi begins losing her voice as her secret half-demon heritage grows stronger. Can she keep her secret and stop the Saja Boys?

The Review: K-Pop Demon Hunters earned its popularity. The titular trio are delightfully chaotic. Lead dancer Mira keeps them focused during hunts while energetic rapper Zoey is the comic relief. Rumi is torn between desperation to complete the seal and her dawning attraction to Jinu.

Jinu is a charismatic manipulator, but also a dork who misreads Rumi’s signals. She makes many excuses for his actions after learning his backstory, but K-Pop Demon Hunters never forgets that he’s a villain. The Big Bad role falls to Jinu’s quietly sadistic boss, Demon King Gwi-Ma, who keeps the singer on his leash with a desperately wanted reward. 

KDH follows musical tropes to a T, so seasoned fans can often predict what will happen, but it uses those tropes very well, bolstered by an amazing soundtrack.

The Verdict: 9/10
Remix: HUNTR/X and the Saja Boys made our list of Superhero Soundtracks from 2022 to 2025. Check that out to see how they stacked up. 

Superman [2025]

Starring: David Corenswet, Rachel Brosnahan, Nicholas Hoult, Edi Gathegi

Synopsis: Superman struggles with his first defeat at the hands of an unknown supervillain while Lex Luthor discovers a secret that could allow him to finally kill Superman. Lois Lane petitions the Justice Gang for help stopping Luthor while Superman finds himself under fire from all angles.

The Review: Superman understood the assignment. Clark is a humble goofball who can’t imagine not doing the right thing. That idealism is a double-edged sword earning love and derision from others. Lois Lane keeps up with him very well and points out consequences that Superman doesn’t care about.

The movie starts in media res and centuries after superheroes began appearing. It doesn’t spend time explaining characters, trusting fans to follow along. Krypto the superdog is a scene stealer. Green Lantern is a gold-hearted jerk who plays off of arrogant Mr. Terrific well. Hawkwoman is unfortunately an afterthought.

Nicholas Hoult is the best live-action Lex Luthor. He demonstrates his intelligence through action scenes, calling out maneuvers for his minions to use against Superman. Ultraman and The Engineer are much less interesting threats. A late plot twist about Superman’s parents is divisive, but perhaps will get more context in 2026’s Supergirl.

The Verdict: 9/10
Super Friends: Superman expects fans to know the characters, so check out our cast round-up. Lex Luthor’s Backstory will reveal why he has beef with the Man of Steel.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps

Starring: Vanessa Kriby, Pedro Pascal, Joseph Quinn, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Julia Garner

Synopsis: The Fantastic Four are Earth’s greatest heroes in an alternate, ’60s-inspired universe. The Invisible Woman learns that she’s pregnant and the team begins preparing for the baby. Earth is visited by The Silver Surfer, revealing that planet-eater Galactus is coming for them. The Fantastic Four blast off into space to stop him.

The Review: Fantastic Four: First Steps is a gorgeous movie. The retro-futurist designs look great and Silver Surfer’s scenes are some of the prettiest in the MCU. She is a subdued character, but Galactus makes up for that as a desperate, all-powerful god.

Pedro Pascal was miscast as Mr. Fantastic, but did well enough. Invisible Woman steps into the spotlight as a diplomat and expectant mother. The Human Torch shines as First Steps explores his often over-looked intelligence and empathy. The Thing has nothing to do, but the others bounce off of him.

The Verdict: 9/10
Heraldry: Let’s go surfing with the alien to Silver Surfer’s Backstory as we herald Galactus’ Backstory.

2025 Superhero Entertainment: TV Shows

What If? Season 3

Voice Actors: Jeffery Wright, Hayley Atwell, Devery Jacobs, Jason Issacs

Plot Synopsis: The Watcher returns for one final romp through the multiverse, exploring how stories could have gone. The Watcher finally breaks his non-interference oath after years to help humanity. He is imprisoned by other Watchers, leading his friends to mount a rescue operation. Can The Exiles defy The Watchers and save him?

The Review: What If?’s showrunners clearly knew they weren’t getting another season and had fun with the remaining time. Avenger-themed mechs fighting Hulkzilla? Howard the Duck and Darcy Lewis protecting their egg from every Big Bad? Agatha Harkness becoming a movie star in the 1930s? Nothing was off limits.

The last third suffered wrapping up the running plotlines. The Watcher’s slow development into an oathbreaker was great, but ended on two episodes based around The Exiles without showing how they formed. Captain Carter stole the spotlight again, Kahhori had nothing to do, and we never see how they met Byrdie the Duck or Storm: Goddess of Thunder. The final minutes also tease several What If’s that we’ll never see.

The Verdict: 6/10
One Final Question: What if you read our review of season one or our Top 5 Episodes of What If?

2025 Superhero Entertainment: : The Creature Commandos

Voice Actors: Indira Varma, Frank Grillo, Sean Gunn, Alan Tudyk, Zoe Chao, David Harbour

Synopsis: Amanda Waller has been forced to shelve the Suicide Squad after they were exposed. She shifts to using monstrous operatives who lack human rights. The Creature Commandos are sent to protect the princess of an allied country from Circe. Meanwhile, Frankenstein’s Monster learns that his Bride is a member of the Commandos and pursues her.

The Review: Creature Commandos is a mixed bag. The titular monsters are an eclectic mix of villains, madmen, and moral compass Nina. Dr. Phosphorus and The Bride get most of the limelight, but Nazi-loathing gunman G.I. Robot is the breakout star. Frankenstein is transformed into an incel hunting The Bride for centuries and killing anyone he thinks she likes.  

Each episode spends half of its runtime on a Commando’s origin story, killing the modern plot’s pacing. The second half of the story makes Waller an idiot until the finale confirms that she was right all along. James Gunn’s signature needle drops are good, but Gogol Bordello’s discography won’t please everyone.

The Verdict: 7/10
Creature Credentials: Our dossier has all the information you need on the Creature Commandos. But if you want a real monster, look no further than Amanda Waller’s backstory.

Harley Quinn Season 5

Voice Actors: Kayley Cuoco, Lake Bell, Alan Tudyk, Stephen Fry

Synopsis: Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy are in a rut. They move to Metropolis after a crime reinvigorates them and adapt to their new home. Their antics draw the attention of queen bee Lena Luthor and her order-obsessed patron, Brainiac.

The Review: Get me The Fonz and Ted McGinley, we’ve got a shark jump! Harley Quinn season 5 has no forward momentum, trading the show’s heart and wit for generic sitcom plots. Harley and Brainiac sharing a duet was the final straw. The characters don’t grow or change, they just react.

Season 4’s plot teases were tossed out immediately. The Gotham City Sirens? They disbanded off-screen. Nightwing returning from the dead to seek revenge against Harley Quinn? An afterthought in an episode where Alfred tries to kill everyone. Two Cousin Olivers, shock deaths, a meandering plot, and novelty episodes sound Harley Quinn’s death knell.

The Verdict: 3/10
Clowning Around: We reviewed Harley Quinn season one. Perhaps you’d be more interested in other Hollywood Heroes who got their start on TV.

Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man Season 1

Voice Actors: Hudson Thames, Grace Song, Eugene Byrd, Colman Domingo

Synopsis: Peter Parker prepares for his first day of classes, but the school is destroyed in a battle between Dr. Strange and Venom, and Peter is bitten by a mysterious spider. He attends an inner city school with new friends while acting as Spider-Man. One rescue earns the attention of billionaire Norman Osborn, who becomes Spider-Man’s mentor. Are they a dynamic duo or an impending nightmare?

The Review: Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man is the most original Spidey series in a decade. Taking place in a branching MCU timeline, the future Green Goblin is Spider-Man’s patron and mentor. Peter balances heroism and awkwardness well as he slowly becomes a hero.

Spider-Man’s usual cast is swapped out for lesser-known characters. Peter befriends gothic outcast Nico Minoru after saving her from Venom. Star quarterback Lonnie Lincoln has an entire subplot setting him up to become crime lord Tombstone. Other obscure picks include The Unicorn, Speed Demon and NFL SuperPro. I’m not sure that Marvel’s legally allowed to use him anymore.

The Verdict: 9/10
World Wide Web: Let’s shed some light on Spidey’s allies. Our Runaways Backstory has the skinny on Nico while Green Goblin’s shows what Norman is building to.

2025 Superhero Entertainment: Invincible Season 3

Voice Actors: Steven Yeun, Gillian Jacobs, Jason Mantzoukas, Jeffery Dean Morgan

Synopsis: Invincible is a wreck after murdering supervillain Angstrom Levy. An incident leads him to break away from government liaison Cecil Stedman and return to solo superheroics alongside girlfriend Atom Eve and his little brother, Kid Omni-Man. But stronger villains and a war with the Viltrum Empire loom ever closer. Can Invincible live up to his name?

The Review: Invincible, the show, is still great and makes up for season 2’s biggest mistake by not splitting the season. A divisive beginning gives way to several one-off episodes that build the characters before a gruesome finale. 

Other superheroes get plenty of screentime to show why they matter. That undercut series regular Dupli-Kate, who was written to be unlikable. New villains are interesting, but overshadowed by Aaron Paul’s Powerplex, an evil army of Invincible variants, and Viltrumite vanguard Conquest.

The Story Thus Far: Don’t take this mini-review as gospel. We’ve done a full sized review for Invincible season 3.

Daredevil: Born Again Season 1

Starring: Charlie Cox, Vincent D’Onofrio, Ayelet Zurer, Margarita Levieva

Synopsis: Matt Murdock has retired from crime fighting after nearly killing Bullseye over Foggy Nelson’s death. Wilson Fisk has likewise abandoned his crime empire to become the Mayor of New York. Both of them slowly inch towards resuming their roles as vigilante and a serial killer run rampant in New York. With The Kingpin passing totalitarian laws, Matt realizes that Daredevil must return.

The Review: Daredevil: Born Again is uneven. The leads’ slow return to the status quo often leaves one plot spinning its wheels while the other catches up. The Kingpin’s master plan makes little sense, as it relies on easily blocked laws and could be stopped by The Avengers.

Vigilantes suffer in the background. The Swordsman returns from Hawkeye without any fanfare. Obscure hero White Tiger is at the heart of a court case without any prior introduction. Serial killer Muse loses his powers and is treated as an afterthought to motivate Matt. A squad of Punisher-worshipping cops are the worst, because their misguided massacres and Punisher’s cameos are set-up for his upcoming spinoff.

The Verdict: 7/10
Salvation: Daredevil’s Backstory will explain who he is. Catch up on the life and crimes of Wilson Fisk in our Kingpin Backstory

2025 Superhero Entertainment: Ironheart

Starring: Dominique Thorne, Anthony Ramos, Lyric Ross, Sacha Baron Cohen

Synopsis: Teen genius Riri Williams is expelled after being caught doing other students’ homework. She returns home to Chicago, reconnecting with her family while trying to find a way to fund her power armor. Riri is recruited by The Hood, a magical gangster who offers her a partnership. But is Riri willing to make a deal with the devil for her dream?

The Review: Ironheart is a rarity. The title character is a self-centered villain protagonist who is certain that she’s the hero. Riri sinks deeper into manipulation and crime while her family fails to notice signs that something’s wrong. Only an AI based on her dead best friend knows how far Ironheart is going.

The Hood is delightful. He’s reasonable, empathetic, and can smite enemies with magic. His gang is forgettable despite some interesting members. The Hood’s mystic patron doesn’t appear until the final episode, but Sacha Baron Cohen steals the show once he does.

The Verdict: 8/10
The Devil’s In the Details: Ironheart’s Backstory shows how she built her first set of power armor. The Hood’s backstory reveals the sacrifices he’s made for power.

The Sandman Season 2

Starring: Tom Sturridge, Patton Oswalt, Esme Creed-Miles, Ann Skelly, Jack Gleeson

Synopsis: Dream of the Endless is tormented by his past sins. He chooses to rectify them traversing Earth and Hell to help those he once wronged. These acts lead him into a trap threatening divine retribution against The Dreaming. Can Dream save his realm?

The Review: The Sandman rushed to finish the plot in one last season. The showrunners condensed four volumes and a spinoff into twelve episodes. Many characters were cut while others lost all of the context that made their stories work. An annoying cut was including the end of Volume 5 as a character beat in an unrelated story, introducing and immediately killing off a character without earning the gravitas that scene demands.

Despite the speedy pacing, season 2 found time to build up underused side characters. Puck and Loki’s team-up was upgraded to a toxic romance. Queen Titania took witch Thessaly’s place as Dream’s scornful ex-lover. Lady-in-waiting Nuala transformed from a forlorn fae into Dream’s unchosen hero.

The Verdict: 8/10
Final Chapter of an Endless Story: We reviewed The Sandman’s first season right here. With all his siblings coming to play, why not learn about The Endless in their backstory?

Eyes of Wakanda

Voice Actors: Winnie Harlow, Larry Heron, Jacques Colimon, Jona Xiao, Anika Noni Rose

Synopsis: The secret legacy of the War Dogs, Wakanda’s black ops division, is uncovered in an animated anthology. War Dogs travel the world, stealing any fragments of vibranium they can find while encountering superhuman beings. But the final piece could doom Earth. What is the secret of the vibranium axe?

The Review: Eyes of Wakanda is pretty, but pointless. The first episode is one long fight scene broken up by exposition. The second raises dozens of questions by revealing that the Greek mythological heroes were real. Almost makes me wish we got Marvel’s take on The Odyssey instead.

The third episode is easily the best. A hotshot War Dog accidentally brings Iron Fist back from a mission and must stop her while keeping his hard-ass boss in the dark. The final episode spans centuries and should have been the series’ framing device.

The Verdict: 5/10
Wakandan Lore: Let’s delve into Black Panther’s past with his Backstory and five Black Panther Secrets.

Peacemaker Season 2

Starring: John Cena, Jennifer Holland, Danielle Brooks, Freddie Stroma, Steve Agee

Synopsis: Christopher Smith and friends are aimless after stopping an alien invasion. He discovers that his interdimensional armory can access the multiverse, discovering a world where his father and brother are alive. After accidentally killing his doppelganger, Peacemaker must decide if he wants to live in his reality or the idyllic world with his family. But is the other side too good to be true?

The Review: Peacemaker season 2 has no idea about what it wants to do. Chris’ depression and desire to abandon his world for the other universe is a slow-burn. Subplots slow the pacing, including romantic drama, government espionage, and a parody of Firestarter’s Rainbird hunting Peacemaker’s pet eagle. 

The story nosedives during the series finale. The other world is tossed aside after a single episode and the plot transitions to villain Rick Flag exploring the multiverse. His evil plan could have lasted an entire season, but gets shoved into half an episode with plans to expand on it in other series. A last-minute twist ending ends Peacemaker with a sucker punch instead of a bang. 

The Verdict: 5/10
Make Peace, Not War: Peacemaker’s backstory explains how he can be a pacifist while gunning people down. We’ve also got a list of Suicide Squad members that he used to run with.

2025 Superhero Entertainment: Marvel Zombies

Voice Actors: Iman Velanni, Todd Williams, Simu Liu, David Harbour, Elizabeth Olsen

Synopsis: Earth has suffered a zombie apocalypse. Survivor Kamala Khan discovers a beacon that could contact other worlds for help. Alongside Blade, Shang-Chi, and other survivors, they search for tools needed to make the beacon work. Hordes of superpowered zombies are hunting them, led by the Queen of the Dead, Scarlet Witch. Can a dead world be saved?

The Review: Marvel Zombies is refreshing. The story has more room to breathe than What If? and isn’t concerned with the main universe. Battles are gory, the situation is tense, but there’s always an undercurrent of hope. Ms. Marvel is great, but Blade was the MVP thanks to being empowered as the new Moon Knight. He’s a pragmatic mentor and big gun all in one. 

The zombies are too strong. Armies of normal flesh-eaters and undead heroes are one thing, but their queen has all of her faculties and godlike magic. I can’t think of much remaining in the series that can stop her. It’s also annoying that the heroes never score a definitive win, just surviving attacks through heroic sacrifices.

The Verdict: 8/10
Earth’s Hungriest Corpses: We’ve covered the Marvel Zombie’s origins in a backstory. Read up on Ms. Marvel to learn about your best shot at survival.

Didya Get All That?

What were your favorite superhero shows and movies? Did we miss anything great? Tell us in the comments.

Image courtesy of DC.

Jared Bounacos

Jared Bounacos has written for Movie Rewind since 2016.