Many people don’t consider superhero movies to be anything more than action flicks. After a while, these superhero films in the landscape of comic book cinema have sort of turned into a brown soup. Except for standout movies like Thor: Ragnarok, these films have largely become cookie-cutter.
However, new life could be breathed easily into the world of superhero movies if these films’ creators simply dared to explore new genres. If superhero comics were turned into movies other than action films, such as horror films, people might enjoy seeing them even more than they already do. In fact, there are already quite a few superhero comics that would make great horror movies.
10 “Batman: The Cult” By Jim Starlin & Bernie Wrightson
Over the years, Batman has had countless scary stories told about him in the comics. Any number of these would probably make for a great horror movie. However, one of the more obvious choices from his comic tales is the 1988 miniseries “Batman: The Cult.”
Written by Jim Starlin, with art by Bernie Wrightson, this Batman story saw the eponymous hero kidnapped by a cult, where he’s slowly brainwashed. Even after he’s released, he struggles to deal with the impact the cult has had on him. People love seeing cults in horror movies, so bringing Batman and cults together on the silver screen might just be the perfect move.
9 “Uncanny X-Men: Days Of Future Past” By Chris Claremont & John Byrne
While X-Men: Days of Future Past was actually a movie recently, the original storyline “Days of Future Past,” written by Chris Claremont, with art by John Byrne, was initially a plot in The Uncanny X-Men. The recent film leaned more heavily into the action side of things, as these superhero movies tend to do.
However, the entire concept of “Days of Future Past” is centered around a dystopian future where mutants have been nearly wiped out. Mutants have to fight against robots that are hunting them down in this story. A horror movie is begging to be made based on this premise.
8 “Captain America’s Weird Tales” By Stan Lee & Martin Nodell
While Captain America’s most popular stories usually involve characters like Red Skull, not many people remember the story “The Red Skull Strikes Again!” in “Captain America’s Weird Tales.”
Credited to Stan Lee, with art credited to Martin (or Marty) Nodell, “Captain America’s Weird Tales” featured several horror stories, one of which was centered around Captain America fighting the Red Skull in Hell at the request of Satan. While strange, if properly executed and treated with the correct dedication, this plot could make an interesting horror addition to the MCU.
7 “Doom Patrol: Crawling From The Wreckage” By Grant Morrison & Richard Case
There are countless arcs, storylines, and even single comics in Grant Morrison’s run on Doom Patrol that would be perfect horror movie plots. However, one stands out above all the rest as the potential best option.
“Doom Patrol: Crawling from the Wreckage” is not only arguably the best arc in all of Doom Patrol, the story was Grant Morrison’s ode to weird kids who grew up without anyone to relate to. This is exactly what horror movies have done for a long time, as well. Making a Doom Patrol horror movie based on Grant Morrison’s run on the comics would be a perfect collaborative effort.
6 “Batman: Faces” By Matt Wagner
Among many other Batman stories that would make excellent horror movies, “Batman: Faces,” written and illustrated by Matt Wagner, would work in a number of ways. There are actually several plots going on in “Batman: Faces” that could all work separately as their own horror movies, or the entire thing could be adapted in one entire faithful adaptation right from page to screen.
This story has serial killings, blackmail, circus people going missing, and— of course— a classic Batman villain, in the form of Two-Face. This story actually has everything to make a successful Batman-themed horror movie.
5 “Green Lantern: Blackest Night” By Geoff Johns & Ivan Reis
Zombie movies are fairly successful in the horror genre, and have been for some time. Recently, shows like The Walking Dead have proven that comics can successfully become live-action horror properties. A storyline like “Green Lantern: Blackest Night,” by Geoff Johns, with art by Ivan Reis, would similarly adapt well into a zombie-themed horror movie.
The basic plot of the story sees superheroes being reanimated into walking corpses as Nekron tries to wipe out all life in the entire universe. This emotionally charged and genuinely terrifying storyline would come together for an excellent zombie movie.
4 “Spectacular Spider-Man: The Hunger” By Paul Jenkins & Humberto Ramos
In all honesty, any Venom story would probably make for a good horror movie. The concept of Venom as a whole is already horrifying enough to stand on its own. However, Spectacular Spider-Man’s storyline “The Hunger” has its own very specific and terrifying vibe.
The Venom symbiote is more than an alien monster here, but becomes something of a Lovecraftian horror or an eldritch abomination. This interpretation of Venom, written by Paul Jenkins with art by Humberto Ramos, could make for a visually compelling (albeit horrifying) on-screen version of the character in a horror movie.
3 “DCeased” By Tom Taylor, Trevor Hairsine, Stefano Gaudiano, & James Harren
Once the limited series “Marvel Zombies,” written by Robert Kirkman, with art by Sean Phillips, was released, DC knew it wanted to do something similar. It took some time, but, eventually, writer Tom Taylor, along with artists Trevor Hairsine, Stefano Gaudiano, and James Harren, brought DC’s equivalent to the comics.
This miniseries, entitled “DCeased,” saw yet another alternate Earth. On this Earth, a zombie apocalypse had happened, as Lois Lane tells the readers. This take on a potential zombie plague in the DC Universe not only could work, but Zack Snyder’s Justice League actually has made a “DCeased” movie adaptation more viable than ever.
2 “Black Panther: White Light, Black Heat” By Reginald Hudlin & Scot Eaton
The Black Panther comic book “White Light, Black Heat” may only be one comic in Reginald Hudlin’s run on Black Panther, but it provides a perfect concept for a Black Panther-themed horror movie in those pages. “White Light, Black Heat,” written by Reginald Hudlin, with art by Scot Eaton, has elements of sci-fi and horror.
Here, Black Panther has to fight alongside heroes like Luke Cage, Monica Rambeau, and none other than Blade himself, against vampires in New Orleans. This time-traveling tale has almost everybody it needs already established in the MCU, and would be a completely out-of-left-field — and potentially incredible — choice for a horror movie adaptation.
1 “Batman R.I.P.” By Grant Morrison & Tony Daniel
Of course, on a list that features a couple of Batman stories already, yet another Batman story arc must close it out. Batman simply translates well to horror films, and the story arc “Batman R.I.P.” would arguably make the perfect horror movie. This story, written by Grant Morrison, with art by Tony Daniel, set out to systematically dismantle absolutely everything that Batman has ever stood for.
There are truly horrifying moments here, such as when Batman gets dressed in a straitjacket and buried alive. As is typical of Grant Morrison, this story is off the rails, but is also genuinely incredible. There are many Grant Morrison stories that would make great horror movies, but “Batman R.I.P.” is undoubtedly high on the list.