16 Biggest Superhero Oscar Snubs of All-Time, From Deadpool to The Dark Knight (2025)

Superhero movies make studio executives happy with all the money they generate. However, they’re rarely seen as an art form that can yield Oscar attention. Whether it’s from the Marvel Cinematic Universe or the newly re-invented DC Studios, convincing Academy and industry voters to take films featuring iconic characters like Batman, Superman or Iron Man as seriously as the latest World War II epic can be challenging. Nonetheless, that doesn’t mean there haven’t been worthy films and performances throughout cinema’s history that should have been well-documented on the various “snubs and surprises” lists.

In Variety ranks the 15 most significant Oscar snubs for superhero movies.

Marvel Studios has achieved significant success, landing 27 Oscar nominations across its global box-office hits, beginning with Jon Favreau’s inaugural entry “Iron Man” (2008). Of these noms, Marvel has taken home four statuettes: costume design (Ruth E. Carter), production design (Hannah Beachler and Jay Hart) and original score (Ludwig Göransson) for “Black Panther” (2018), and costume design (Carter) for “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” (2022). Carter is the only Black woman to win multiple Oscars in any category. Directed by Ryan Coogler, “Black Panther” was the first superhero movie to be nominated for best picture. This was followed by Todd Phillips’s “Joker” (2019) in the subsequent awards season.

Before the current iteration of DC Studios, led by James Gunn and Peter Safran, the DC Extended Universe existed, which was kicked off with Zack Snyder’s Superman reboot, “Man of Steel” (2013). Warner Bros. has released multiple adaptations from DC Comics, starting with Richard Donner’s classic “Superman” (1978) starring Christopher Reeve. Fairing better than its MCU rival, collectively, films based on DC Comics have generated 30 Oscar nominations, winning six: art direction (Anton Furst and Peter Young) for “Batman” (1989), supporting actor (Heath Ledger) and sound effects editing for “The Dark Knight” (2008), makeup and hairstyling for “Suicide Squad” (2016), and actor (Joaquin Phoenix) and original score (Hildur Guðnadóttir) for “Joker” (2019).

Shawn Levy’s “Deadpool & Wolverine” has received exceptionally high general audience reception, but critics’ reviews, currently at 78% on Rotten Tomatoes, are the lowest of its three predecessors. Regarding the Oscar race, I would expect the Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman starring vehicle to be in the discussion for some artisan races, particularly for visual effects and sound. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Golden Globes liked it for their comedy races, especially since they recognized the inaugural entry with noms for best picture and actor (Reynolds).

Read the list of Variety’s 15 top Oscar snubs throughout history below.

Honorable mentions: Makeup, “Darkman” (1990); Visual Effects, “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” (2022); Visual Effects, “The Rocketeer” (1991); Original Score, “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” (2023); Visual Effects, “Spider-Man: Homecoming” (2017); Visual Effects, “Thor: Ragnarok” (2017)

• ‘The Lego Batman Movie’ (Animated Feature)

  

  Director Chris McKay, along with producers Phil Lord and Chris Miller, crafted one of the funniest entries in the franchise with the Lego spin-off film featuring Will Arnett as the Caped Crusader. Despite its brilliance, it failed to garner any Oscar recognition in the animated feature category. Nonetheless, the film stands out for its memorable action sequences and Michael Cera’s hilarious yet heartfelt portrayal of Robin, the trusty sidekick.

• ‘Scott Pilgrim vs. the World’ (Cinematography)

  

  Fighting for love is no easy feat, especially when you’re up against the seven ex-lovers of your dream girl. Edgar Wright’s brilliant adaptation of Bryan Lee O’Malley’s graphic novel seamlessly blends action and comedy, enhanced by stunning visuals and breathtaking action sequences shot by the criminally underappreciated cinematographer Bill Pope. Known for his work on “The Matrix” (1999), “Spider-Man 2” (2004), and “The Jungle Book” (2016), Pope’s craftsmanship shines through. Come for the fun performances by Michael Cera and Kieran Culkin and stay for the exhilarating adrenaline rush from start to finish.

• Mark Hamill — ‘Batman: Mask of the Phantasm’ (Supporting Actor)

  

  A movie that has become a classic as time has progressed, the animated Batman movie that was released on Christmas Day in 1993 was lost in the dust of “The Lion King” and “Nightmare Before Christmas” released that year. Nonetheless, thanks to the power of physical media (in this case, VHS tapes), the once-deemed box office flop has found a legion of admirers, especially for the voice performance of Mark Hamill as the villainous Joker. The turn goes down as one of the more iconic villainous performances and has found appreciation in the decades since.

• ‘Batman Begins’ (Adapted Screenplay)

  

  What I deem the best-written entry of “The Dark Knight” trilogy, the inaugural entry, penned by director Christopher Nolan and his brother Jonathan, delivers a finely tuned and well-constructed origin story that is full of dramatic heft and memorable villains such as Cillian Murphy as Scarecrow and Liam Neeson and Ra’s al Ghul.

• ‘Blade’ (Film Editing)

  

  I can’t deny that a recent cameo inspired me to remind cinephiles everywhere of the sheer brilliance of the 1998 vampire action flick “Blade,” starring the indomitable Wesley Snipes. Exceptional in just about every way, with its meticulously choreographed action sequences, expertly edited by two-time Oscar nominee Paul Rubell (“The Insider” and “Collateral”). The film’s longevity and success owes much to Rubell’s skillful cuts. We need more superhero movies like “Blade”— or at least the long-awaited “Blade” entry into the MCU (maybe one day?)

• ‘Avengers: Infinity War’ (Original Score)

  

  Two-time Oscar-nominated composer Alan Silvestri (“Forrest Gump” and “The Polar Express”) made the initial shortlist of finalists for best original score for “Avengers: Infinity War” (2018), before the eventual nominations announcement for the first part of Marvel’s epic culmination. The auditory experience reaches its peak during the final battle sequence, where the track “Get That Arm/I Feel You” heightens suspense, excitement and ultimately grief, with our favorite superheroes desperately trying to keep the last infinity stone out of Thanos’ glove.

  However, with its MCU counterpart and eventual winner “Black Panther” by Ludwig Göransson in the running, there was room for only one superhero score in the final lineup.

• ‘Wonder Woman’ (Costume Design)

  

  Costume designer Lindy Hemming (“Topsy-Turvy”) has navigated various genres, taking on British comedies (“Four Weddings and a Funeral”), fantasies (“Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets”) and contemporary action (“Casino Royale”). With a sole Oscar nom (and win) for “Topsy-Turvy” (1999), a second mention seemed imminent for bringing the women warriors of Themyscira and Diana Prince, aka “Wonder Woman,” to life. Sadly, with its record-breaking box office and strong reviews from critics, the film ultimately was shut out of all categories, leaving Hemming on the sidelines again.

• ‘Deadpool’ (Makeup and Hairstyling)

  

  “Deadpool” was a box office juggernaut in 2016, and when it made the initial shortlist for best makeup and hairstyling, the fandom was hopeful they would see the R-rated 20th Century Fox movie find Oscar love. However, the Academy favored the eventual winner “Suicide Squad” and left the Ryan Reynolds movie out in the dust, which the actor and producer took in stride, saying at the time, “Regularly scheduled tickle-fight at Camp #Deadpool is still on. Congrats to all the nominees for these brilliant films.”

• ‘X-Men’ (Visual Effects)

  

  It’s July 14, 2000. Two weeks after celebrating my 16th birthday and just wrapping up my sophomore year of high school, my friends and I had one thing on our minds: seeing the live-action feature of our favorite cartoon, “X-Men.” The film starred a mix of familiar and unfamiliar faces, including Hugh Jackman as the roughhouse Wolverine. At the time, I’d never seen anything like it.

  Fast forward to the following Oscar season. On Feb. 13, the day before Valentine’s Day — a day when many of us geeky kids often get our hearts broken — my novice pundit mind expected to hear the film cited for at least four Oscar nominations. I was particularly hopeful for a nod in Visual Effects, given the film’s impressive blend of minimal CGI and practical world-building imagery. However, the VFX team of Michael L. Fink, Michael J. McAlister, David Prescott and Theresa Ellis Rygiel were nowhere to be found on the nominations list. This left a teenager pondering why the Academy chose to break the hearts of New York and New Jersey kids who just wanted to see their heroes properly recognized. I think we may have forgiven them by now.

• ‘Captain America: Civil War’ (Visual Effects)

  

  Anthony and Joe Russo contributed significantly more to the MCU than simply introducing Chadwick Boseman’s iconic T’Challa and Tom Holland’s friendly neighborhood Spider-Man in the 2016 crossover “Captain America: Civil War.” The duo elevated the visual standards of these films with meticulously crafted action sequences, such as the memorable airport scene. It also demonstrated the seamless blend of practical and visual effects in costume design, as seen with the “Black Panther” suit. It’s strange (no pun intended) that the Academy favored the visuals of another MCU film, “Doctor Strange,” over the innovative work of the Russo brothers and their VFX team.

• ‘Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse’ (Best Picture)

  

  I’ve long championed Sony’s animated sequel “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” for its innovation and brilliance, believing it deserved best picture recognition last year. But before joining Variety, my admiration for the franchise began with the 2018 original, which introduced the world to the Afro-Latino hero Miles Morales, voiced by Shameik Moore. Though the film won the Oscar for best animated feature (Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey, Rodney Rothman, Phil Lord, Christopher Miller), it was a missed opportunity for the Academy to include it in their eight-film best picture lineup, which featured divisive nominees like “Bohemian Rhapsody,” “Vice” and the eventual winner “Green Book.” The bold originality of “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” should have been among them. The animation medium continues to be undervalued, and Hollywood must swiftly change its perspective on this vital art form.

• ‘Robocop’ (Makeup)

  

  Before Deadpool and Wolverine were stabbing each other relentlessly in the back of a fully loaded Honda Odyssey, director Paul Verhoeven made our jaws drop even lower with his look at the graphic world of a Detroit police officer who is murdered and later reassembled into the cyborg trigger-happy Robocop. Although the 1987 bloody sci-fi action flick received a Special Achievement Oscar for sound editing and noms for sound mixing and film editing, Carla Palmer’s masterful makeup work was overlooked. In a year when the makeup branch nominated only two films — “Happy New Year” and the winner “Harry and the Hendersons” — “Robocop’s” over-the-top violence and copious blood squibs were more than worthy of consideration.

• Michael B. Jordan — ‘Black Panther’ (Supporting Actor)

  

  Michael B. Jordan’s portrayal of Marvel’s most complex and compelling villain is a significant reason for the critical acclaim received by “Black Panther,” the first superhero movie nominated for best picture. As the antagonist to the late Chadwick Boseman’s T’Challa, Jordan infuses the character with depth and nuance, offering a fresh and innovative perspective on what acting in the MCU can achieve. His performance penetrated the film’s thematic core, elevating it beyond typical superhero fare. A supporting actor lineup that omitted the talent was one of the most egregious snubs of the decade.

• ‘The Incredibles’ (Best Picture)

  

  Disney and its subsidiary Pixar are the only companies to have produced three animated movies nominated for best picture: “Beauty and the Beast” (1991), “Up” (2009), and “Toy Story 3” (2010). However, they’ve faced notable snubs in between, particularly with their 2004 superhero family romp “The Incredibles.” This film pays homage to classic TV and humorously explores the quirks of the superhero genre. Featuring memorable voice work by Holly Hunter and Samuel L. Jackson, the Brad Bird-directed box office hit garnered four Oscar nominations, including original screenplay and sound mixing, and won two for animated feature and sound editing. Sadly, after receiving a prestigious PGA nom, it wasn’t enough to surpass period dramas like “Finding Neverland” in the lineup. Even Michael Giacchino’s undeniably iconic score was overlooked.

• Michelle Pfeiffer — ‘Batman Returns’ (Supporting Actress)

  

  Michelle Pfeiffer is an accomplished actor who should already have an Oscar for her role in Steve Kloves’ “The Fabulous Baker Boys” (1989). However, I believe her third career nomination for “Love Field” (1992) was a stand-in recognition for her work the same year as Selina Kyle, the secretary-turned-feline antagonist in Tim Burton’s campy “Batman Returns.” Her iconic turn as Catwoman brings seduction and fearlessness to a new level, standing as a testament to Pfeiffer’s unmistakable talent. We would have seen a more favorable outcome for her brilliance if the film had been released today.

• ‘The Dark Knight’ (Best Picture)

  

  It’s the snub that changed the Academy Awards forever. Before “Black Panther” and “Joker,” there was “The Dark Knight.”

  Brilliant, vengeful and a masterclass in acting, one of Heath Ledger’s final performances has cemented its place in cinema history. In the second film of Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy, he gave Batman’s long-time nemesis, the Joker, a visceral and terrifying upgrade. Transcending the boundaries of comic book adaptations, many believed the auteur, who had already been passed over for “Memento,” and then later in his career again for “Inception,” would garner the recognition many believed he deserved. The branch had other plans, ignoring the film in the top categories of best picture, director and screenplay, despite a hefty eight other noms.

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