X-Men: First Class
To say that superhero movies have dominated the box office in recent years would be a but of an understatement - but despite regularly appearing on the big screen this hasn't halted their success
It sees that film fans can't get enough as super heroes from the likes of D.C and Marvel Comics have found themselves getting the big budget, CGI makeover.
This week sees the return of the X-Men franchise as X-Men: First Class takes the story right back to the beginning as Charles and Erik aka Professor X and Magento are young men coming to terms with their powers.
So to celebrate the release of X-Men: First Class we take a look at some of the biggest grossing superhero movies.
1.The Dark Knight - $1,001 billion
Released back in 2009 The Dark Knight, which was the second Batman movie from director Christopher Nolan, is widely regarded as one of the best superhero/comic book movies of all time.
Nolan dissects the notion of good and evil and questions what makes a hero and villain in a very complex and dark movie that is aimed, perhaps for the very first time in this genre of movie, at adults going far beyond what we have come to expect of the comic book film.
Heath Ledger turns in a fabulous performance as The Joker, far removed from that of Jack Nicholson, and it was a part that earnt him a well deserved posthumous Oscar.
The Dark Knight Rises is in the pipeline - can Nolan go one better third time around?
2. Spider Man 3 - $890 million
A re-boot to the Spider Man franchise may be underway but it's currently Tobey Maguire's last outing in 2007 that was the most successful movie at the box office.
Sam Raimi was back in the directors chair while Maguire reprised his central role as Peter Parker.
A strange black entity from another world bonds with Peter Parker and causes inner turmoil as he contends with new villains, temptations, and revenge.
3. Spider Man - $821.7 million
It's hard to believe that Spider Man hit the big screen almost a decade ago - making a superstar of Tobey Maguire.
Spider Man really gave birth to the summer action blockbuster that is now so common as it swung into cinemas in 2002.
And the film is a stylish one at that kicking off what was to be a much loved franchise.
4. Spider Man 2 - $783.7 million
It may be Spider Man 3 that has had the most success at the box office bit it was Spider Man 2 that enjoyed the most praise from the critics when it was released in 2004.
Peter Parker is beset with troubles in his failing personal life as he battles a brilliant scientist named Doctor Otto Octavius, who becomes Doctor Octopus (aka Doc Ock), after an accident causes him to bond psychically with mechanical tentacles that do his bidding.
5. Iron Man 2 - $622 million
Iron Man 2 hit the big screen last year and it was bigger and bolder that's the original. Jon Favreau was back in the director's chair while Robert Downey Jr took on the role of Tony Stark.
6. Iron Man - $585 million
Iron Man may not have been the most popular of the Marvel Comic characters but it roared to box office success in 2008 with Jon Favreau at the helm and Robert Downey Jr leading the cast.
The movie broke $100 million in it's opening weekend in America and went on to resurrect Robert Downey Jr's career as an action hero.
Despite being one of the lesser known characters of the Marvel comics this turned out to be a positive for the film as director Favreau had a clean slate to work with delivering one of the stylish movies in this genre.
7. X-Men: The Last Stand - $459 million
2006 was the last time that an X-Men movie hit the big screen, which have since been treated to the stand alone movie Wolverine.
This time around Brett Ratner was in the director's chair while Hugh Jackman, Halle Berry, Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellan all returned to their roles.
When a cure is found to treat mutations, lines are drawn amongst the X-Men, led by Professor Charles Xavier, and the Brotherhood, a band of powerful mutants organized under Xavier's former ally, Magneto.
8. Thor - $411.8 million
Thor kicked off the summer season of blockbusters in fine style as Kenneth Branagh turned his hand to the CGI laden ed movie for the very first time.
Despite not being the biggest named actor Chris Hemsworth was cast in the lead role and delivers a fine performance for his first big role.
Thor is a fast paced movie that delivers action, comedy as well as a very human, and often touching tale - not to mention that Asgard looks absolutely stunning.
A sequel is a guarantee and Hemsworth is currently reprising his role in The Avengers.
9. Batman - $411.3 million
It was back in 1989 when Tim Burton took on the Batman movie with Michael Keaton in the lead role - not to mention Jack Nicholson's iconic turn as The Joker.
Despite the success of the re-booted Batman franchise Burton's movie is still held in very high esteem and is one of the best movies in this particular franchise.
Keaton reprised the role three years later with Burton back in the director's chair.
10. X2 - $407.7 million
X2 is the best X-Men movies to have graced the big screen - released back in 2003. Bryan Singer was once again in the director's chair.
The X-Men band together to find a mutant assassin who has made an attempt on the President's life, while the Mutant Academy is attacked by military forces.
X-Men: First Class is out now
FemaleFirst Helen Earnshaw
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