Hollywood Has Spoken: THE DARK KNIGHT Crowned the Greatest Comic Book Movie of the 21st Century — GeekTyrant

Geek Tyrant

02-07-2025

What's the greatest superhero movie that been made in the 21st Century? This is something fans have enjoyed debating over the years, but now we've got a fresh take from the people who actually make the movies.
The New York Times recently surveyed over 500 directors, actors, and other industry creatives to compile a definitive ranking of the best films released since the year 2000. Only two comic book adaptations made the list, and one of them outranked everything else in its genre.
Coming in at #96 was Ryan Coogler's Black Panther . Even at the tail end of the list, it made an impression. The Times wrote:
'There's so much to love. It's a superhero spectacle that actually has something important to say, about how identity, history and responsibility intersect. Wakanda, the Afrofuturistic world where the story takes place, is a visual wonder.
'The women (played by Angela Bassett, Danai Gurira, Lupita Nyong'o and Letitia Wright — all excellent) aren't just sidekicks or love interests. Michael B. Jordan, as the tragically villainous Killmonger, has never been more swoon worthy.
'And, of course, Chadwick Boseman shines in the title role, sadly one of his last before dying of cancer.'
But the real heavyweight, the comic book movie that rose above them all was Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight . It ranked far higher than Black Panther at #28, standing alone as the only superhero film to break into the upper echelons of the list. According to the Times:
'Indifference to superheroes isn't a prerequisite for making a great film about them. But Christopher Nolan's allergy to comic-book logic and his infatuation with the grown-up crime movie canon (especially Heat and The Godfather) revitalized a character still laboring to emerge from the miasma of Batman & Robin.
The second entry and high-water mark of Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy poses fruitful questions about the naïveté of its protagonist's moral code. But the film's greatest asset is Heath Ledger, whose staggering performance as the Joker set the bar for subsequent supervillains forever.'
The Dark Knight didn't just change Batman, it raised the bar for what a comic book movie could be. Grounded, philosophical, and terrifyingly real, Ledger's Joker turned a blockbuster into something mythic. This wasn't just popcorn cinema; it was a cultural moment.
And just for context, here's the full Top 10 from the poll:
Parasite
Mulholland Drive
There Will Be Blood
In the Mood for Love
Moonlight
No Country for Old Men
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Get Out
Spirited Away
The Social Network
It's a strong list, filled with daring storytelling and masterful direction, and The Dark Knight fitting right into that conversation is a pretty strong argument for its staying power.
So whether you agree with the ranking or still believe Avengers: Endgame deserves the throne, there's no denying this: in the eyes of Hollywood's best , The Dark Knight still looms large.