The Most Epic Superhero Entrances In Movies

If a superhero movie doesn't have an epic entrance, is it even a superhero movie? After all, there are certain tropes we expect to see in superhero flicks. The evil villain bent on world domination, the damsel (or dude) in distress, and the shameless marketing tie-ins. All of them are so common, they border on cliche. Yet as expected as it is, the one trope that never fails to get an audience excited is the epic superhero entrance. Yes, even if Deadpool mocks it, the epic superhero entrance is exactly what we want from our comic book flicks. 

Seriously, how much of a let down would it be if Batman just opened a door, sitcom-dad style? Or if Superman phoned first before arriving to save the day? Or Iron Man snuck in with a group of friends so as not to draw attention to himself? See, superheroes can't enter a scene like the rest of us because they aren't like the rest of us. That would simply spoil the awesomeness. When the situation seems dire and the music starts to swell, that's when the superhero has to save the day. Cue goosebumps. Of course, while the formula is familiar, not all epic superhero entrances are created equal. Some are simply more awesome than others. From the Man of Steel to Earth's Mightiest Heroes, here are the most epic superhero entrances in movies.

After Superman: The Movie ruled the box office in 1978, a sequel was a foregone conclusion. Actually, it was happening regardless of the money, because both movies were filmed at the same time. Despite a lot of behind-the-scenes drama with directors, Superman II eventually took flight, and the plot finds our fair planet in peril as three Kryptonians escape their floating mirror prison and seek vengeance on the son of the man who put them there. Powered by our solar system's yellow sun, this trio of space meanies imprisons humanity, even forcing the President of the United States to kneel before Zod. Meanwhile, talk about bad timing, Superman has given up his powers so he can be with his love, Lois Lane, which seems remarkably shortsighted given the circumstances. All hope seems lost when the three Kryptonians take Lois hostage, hoping to lure the Man of Tomorrow out for a round of fisticuffs. But as they say, be careful what you wish for. A remarkable gust of wind sweeps through the now morbid streets of Metropolis. It's a bird. It's a plane. Nope, it's the red and blue Boy Scout coming to kick Zod's butt.

Remember what we said about filmmakers copying the "I'm Batman" moment? Well, that line was so memorable it was repeated 16 years later in the Warner Brothers' reboot, Batman Begins. You know your scene is special when even uber-original director Christopher Nolan feels the need to borrow it. The setup, however, is much different. This isn't our first encounter with Bruce Wayne by this point. We've been with Wayne on his journey from disenchanted youth to prison baddie to ninja warrior. And after an hour of buildup, we see him for the first time as the man in black. Vicious mob boss Carmine Falcone is making a deal on the docks, like he has safely done a million times before. But this is Batman's town now. With the pacing of a horror movie, a shadowy figure takes out the hoods one by one. Falcone attempts to escape in his limo, but Batman's all like, "No sir." Once again, when the villain asks "what the h*** are you," he's met with a guttural "I'm Batman," followed by a vicious Bat-headbutt to the skull. Hey, just because a moment is an homage doesn't make it any less epic.

With six different characters with six different skill sets, The Avengers has more than its share of epic entrances. There's Iron Man rescuing Cap from Loki, and Thor riding a wave of lightning to capture his imprisoned brother, just for starters. But the most memorable of the bunch comes in the film's final act, during the battle of New York. A giant evil space slug is attacking New York City. Mild-mannered Bruce Banner arrives on a scooter, ready to take it out. Captain America says, "Dr. Banner, now might be a really good time for you to get angry." Banner smirks and utters the line that launched a million memes: "That's my secret, Cap. I'm always angry." This moment is actually two entrances for the price of one, as it immediately leads into the now-classic Avengers wraparound scene. Originally, they were six individuals. Now, they're a team. Avengers assemble!

While there have been a bazillion attempts to bring Wonder Woman to the big screen, the Amazonian warrior princess hadn't been seen in live action since Linda Carter. However, that changed in the most unlikely of places: the first on-screen pairing of Batman and Superman. Despite the disappointment that followed in its wake, it's hard to overstate just how monumental Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice was for fanboy culture. This was the first time Batman and Superman would share the screen in a live-action film. Plus, Wonder Woman was going to show up too. The holy trinity of DC characters, and three-fourths of the Mount Rushmore of Comic Book Heroes, were all going to be in a movie at the same time. It should've been great. 

It was not. 

However, while the movie was nightmare-inducing, Wonder Woman's entrance was a dream come true for millions of fans worldwide. While Diana Prince had been a principal character in the film, she didn't appear in the red, white, blue and gold until the final battle. Doomsday is about to blast Batman into oblivion when — with her now iconic, Led Zeppelin-like theme wailing in the background — Wonder Woman appears to save the day. If your movie is only going to have one good moment, make it a great one.

Directed by Patty Jenkins, Wonder Woman features an entrance unlike any other. Taking place in the grisly pits of World War I trench warfare, the setting is more reminiscent of Band of Brothers than of a superhero movie. After witnessing the suffering of innocent villagers and the madness of the war raging around her, Wonder Woman is moved to action. She bravely marches into No Man's Land, taking fire from thousands of German soldiers. Upon arriving in the imprisoned village of Veld, the Amazonian warrior princess pretty much single-handedly wins the battle like the demi-god she is. Once again, her theme is the soundtrack, and the screaming electric guitar totally works in the early 20th-century setting. In an era dominated MCU's effective, well-honed storytelling style and the DCEU's dark and dour films, there was something fresh and invigorating about good, old fashioned adventure storytelling. It was like Indiana Jones, only with two XX chromosomes and a lasso of truth. While the DCEU has had its ups and downs, Wonder Woman's entrance is definitely a high point.

We all know that, despite their best efforts, the Avengers couldn't stop Thanos in Infinity War. The Mad Titan snaps his fingers, half the universe turns to dust, and the Avengers have to cook up a complicated time heist to right the wrongs of the past. And as we come to the end of Avengers: Endgame's gargantuan three-hour runtime, that's when we get one of the most epic entrances in all of cinema.

While Hulk successfully snaps the Infinity Stones and brings everybody back to life, Thanos now has the upper hand in the climactic battle. His million-monster army has caught the Avengers by surprise, and he seems poised to destroy what's left of Earth's Mightiest Heroes, reclaim the Infinity Stones, and destroy all life as we know it. The heroes once again find themselves in peril, when suddenly, Dr. Strange's familiar glowing orange disc appears. From the otherworldly body, out walks King T'Challa, the Black Panther. The last we saw him, he had dissipated into dust following Thanos' snap. He's soon joined by Dr. Strange, the Guardians of the Galaxy, Spider-Man, and the remainder of our once-fallen heroes. Thanos' victory in Infinity War has been reversed. We're in the endgame now. The screen is soon populated by thousands of Wakandans, Asgardians, and other warriors, ready to wreak vengeance upon the wicked Thanos. Only one word can describe such an entrance: epic.