The MCU redefined the entire genre of superhero movies when it kicked off with Iron Man in 2008, but before that, there were many attempts at comic book movies. Some are still beloved, like the early Spider-Man and X-Men films, but others are generally despised. Nonetheless, some of those hated pre-MCU superhero movies are actually worth a watch.
To determine what it means for a superhero movie to be "hated," we're relying on their Rotten Tomatoes critical and audience scores. Make no mistake, I'm not claiming these movies are all secret masterpieces. Some of them are better than they're given credit for, but others are simply fascinating as campy artifacts of their time, or as examples of superhero movie culture gone by.
