Best Comic Book Movies 2022

Robert Pattinson swapped his Twilight shimmer for black eyeliner in 2022, and comic book fans everywhere rejoiced. Though many doubted the casting, this new take on the Gotham antihero is a gritty crime drama with more than enough action and emotional resonance. Matt Reeves and company managed the incredible feat despite many headwinds around the DC properties. As it turned out, Michael Giacchino, who composed The Batman’s score, also provided one of its greatest challengers in the category, directing Marvel’s Werewolf by Night. Elsewhere on our list, we also find the latest Dr. Strange installment and Thor: Love and Thunder to supply more Marvel fare.

The order reflects Tomatometer scores (as of December 31, 2022) after adjustment from our ranking formula, which compensates for variation in the number of reviews when comparing movies or TV shows.

#1

The Batman (2022)
Tomatometer icon 85%

#1
Adjusted Score: 114926%
Critics Consensus: A grim, gritty, and gripping super-noir, The Batman ranks among the Dark Knight's bleakest -- and most thrillingly ambitious -- live-action outings.
Synopsis: Batman ventures into Gotham City's underworld when a sadistic killer leaves behind a trail of cryptic clues. As the scale... [More]
Directed By: Matt Reeves

#2
Adjusted Score: 109333%
Critics Consensus: A poignant tribute that satisfyingly moves the franchise forward, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever marks an ambitious and emotionally rewarding triumph for the MCU.
Synopsis: In Marvel Studios' "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever," Queen Ramonda (Angela Bassett), Shuri (Letitia Wright), M'Baku (Winston Duke), Okoye (Danai Gurira)... [More]
Directed By: Ryan Coogler

#3

Werewolf by Night (2022)
Tomatometer icon 90%

#3
Adjusted Score: 95644%
Critics Consensus: A spooky yarn told with taut economy, Werewolf by Night is a standout Marvel entry that proves Michael Giacchino as atmospheric and skilled a director as he is a composer.
Synopsis: On a dark and somber night, a secret cabal of monster hunters emerge from the shadows and gather at the foreboding... [More]
Directed By: Michael Giacchino

#4
Adjusted Score: 100349%
Critics Consensus: Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness labors under the weight of the sprawling MCU, but Sam Raimi's distinctive direction casts an entertaining spell.
Synopsis: In Marvel Studios' "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness," the MCU unlocks the Multiverse and pushes its boundaries further... [More]
Directed By: Sam Raimi

#5
#5
Adjusted Score: 88297%
Critics Consensus: In some ways, Thor: Love and Thunder feels like Ragnarok redux -- but overall, it offers enough fast-paced fun to make this a worthy addition to the MCU.
Synopsis: "Thor: Love and Thunder" finds Thor (Chris Hemsworth) on a journey unlike anything he's ever faced -- a quest for... [More]
Directed By: Taika Waititi

#6

Black Adam (2022)
Tomatometer icon 39%

#6
Adjusted Score: 55991%
Critics Consensus: Black Adam may end up pointing the way to an exciting future for DC films, but as a standalone experience, it's a wildly uneven letdown.
Synopsis: Nearly 5,000 years after he was bestowed with the almighty powers of the ancient gods--and imprisoned just as quickly--Black Adam... [More]
Directed By: Jaume Collet-Serra

#7

Samaritan (2022)
Tomatometer icon 38%

#7
Adjusted Score: 43997%
Critics Consensus: Although Samaritan is better than it could have been, this Stallone-led superhero drama is creatively underpowered.
Synopsis: Thirteen-year-old Sam Cleary (Javon "Wanna" Walton) suspects that his mysterious and reclusive neighbor Mr. Smith (Sylvester Stallone) is actually a... [More]
Directed By: Julius Avery

#8

Morbius (2022)
Tomatometer icon 15%

#8
Adjusted Score: 30756%
Critics Consensus: Cursed with uninspired effects, rote performances, and a borderline nonsensical story, this dreary mess is a vein attempt to make Morbius happen.
Synopsis: One of the most compelling and conflicted characters in Sony Pictures Universe of Marvel Characters comes to the big screen... [More]
Directed By: Daniel Espinosa