13 comic book movies from the 1990s you probably forgot

The 1990s were an interesting time for comic book films. Tim Burton’s Batman had been a huge success in 1989, and suddenly all the major studios (as well as some minor ones) wanted to get in on the act as the ’90s approached.

The basic thought process was that if audiences would show up for Batman, then surely they would show up for other comic book movies, right? Well, that’s what Hollywood believed, and suddenly a spate of comic book movies were put into production.

Some of these movies were based on fairly famous properties, some were adapted from lesser-known titles, while others were merely inspired by comic books and super heroes. However, despite their best efforts many of the movies either flopped, were critically mauled, or came and went with little interest.

In this post I am taking a look at thirteen comic book/super hero movies from the 1990s which fall into these categories. I’m serving up some big names, alongside some true stinkers.

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Spawn (1997)

First up, let’s talk about one of the biggest comic book stars of the 1990s: Spawn! Created by former Spider-Man artist, Todd McFarlane, Spawn was a huge hit in print during the ’90s (ridiculously so) and that meant he was perfect for the big screen, right? Wrong!

A big screen adaptation of Spawn was released in 1997, and it was, well, pretty rubbish to be honest. And that is putting it mildly.

Despite good performances from Michael Jai White and John Leguizamo, a poor script and some truly abysmal computer-generated visual effects torpedoed Spawn’s chances of box office glory. Critics hated the movie, fans weren’t convinced either, and this resulted in a big flop for New Line Cinema.

If you have forgotten about Spawn – or you are simply trying to erase it from your mind – it is for a good reason. The film is bad.

So, what’s the current status of Spawn? Well, ever since 1997, McFarlane has been discussing Spawn’s cinematic return, initially as a sequel and then as a reboot. But, at the time of publishing this post, Spawn remains stuck in development hell, where he is presumably fighting the bad CGI that scuppered his film career.

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Darkman (1990)

Next up is Darkman – director Sam Raimi’s disfigured super hero who could change his identity using… some kind of science-y stuff… or something. Look, it was a guy in bandages who ran around in a trench coat, and he was played by Liam Neeson, what more do you need to know?

Darkman was a pretty cool super hero B-movie that not only boasted Raimi’s unique flair, but also demonstrated he knew how to handle big screen heroes – which came in handy 12 years later when he helmed Spider-Man (2002). So, what happened?

Raimi’s film was fairly popular and gave birth to two sequels, becoming the Darkman trilogy, but then the series just fizzled out. Darkman has remained a cult favourite ever since, but no one seems that arsed in reviving it, and it kind of seems stuck as a ”90s thing’ and not much more.

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The Shadow (1994)

Ah, The Shadow – a movie that tried to be as good as Tim Burton’s Batman, but sadly failed. Shame really, as The Shadow boasted an all-star cast which included Alec Baldwin, Sir Ian McKellen, and Tim Curry!

So, what happened?

Neither the audience nor the critics cared much for The Shadow and the film flopped at the box office. Again, this was a shame as Baldwin was pretty damn good, and it really deserved a bit more recognition.

At present, The Shadow seems to have largely been forgotten, so don’t expect to see a reboot anytime soon. During the ‘00s, there was talk of Sam Raimi bringing the character back to the big screen, but the project never came to fruition and there’s been no further chatter since.

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The Phantom (1996)

I must admit, I have a huge soft spot for this one. Sure, The Phantom is corny as heck, and the final act turns into an Indiana Jones-style pantomime, but there’s some great stuff going on in this comic book romp.

Unfortunately, my love for this film, and Billy Zane’s performance as Kit Walker/The Phantom is not enough to bring it back from beyond the grave. The film was killed by poor reviews in 1996, and an even poorer box office.

Possibility of a new movie?

Well, regardless of the box office performance, The Phantom did pick up a second wind on the home video market, even leading to chit-chat about a potential sequel in the ’00s, but it never happened. One day the ‘Ghost Who Walks’ will walk again, of this I’m sure, although sadly it won’t involve Billy Zane.

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The Meteor Man (1993)

Do you remember the 1993 super hero comedy, The Meteor Man?

Well, if you said ‘yes’ then you’re probably one of the few who does, because the film flopped at the box office (a common theme in this post) and has largely fallen into obscurity ever since. However, I’m here to remind you that this movie – about a school teacher struck by a meteorite and granted superpowers – was real, and was not a figment of your warped imagination.

Robert Townsend, wrote, produced, directed, and starred in The Meteor Man, taking the lead role of Jefferson Reed aka Meteor Man. He was joined by a cast that included Eddie Griffin, James Earl Jones, Frank Gorshin, Luthor Vandross, Sinbad, and…er, Bill Cosby.

Likelihood that we will see a Meteor Man II in the future? I’d say you’ve got more chance of being hit by a meteorite, granted superpowers, and given your own movie than you have of seeing a sequel.

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Mystery Men (1999)

Onto Mystery Men now, and although this one received a mixed response from critics, and was a box office disaster, this satirical super hero team-up film had its moments and is a lot of fun. It also had a scene-stealing turn from Janeane Garofalo, and decent performances from Ben Stiller and William H. Macy.

But the age old combination of bad reviews and bad box office killed Mystery Men, along with any chances of a sequel. A reboot looks pretty much non-existent too.

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Tank Girl (1995)

Onto the post-apocalyptic sci-fi movie, Tank Girl, which you possibly remember but probably haven’t watched since it was released in 1995. Directed by Rachel Talalay, Tank Girl was based on the comic book of the same name and focused on the titular antihero, as played by Lori Petty.

The film boasted a decent cast (Naomi Watts, Ice-T, Malcolm McDowell etc), but just didn’t quite land as intended. It was also a huge flop, taking just $6 million from a budget of $25 million, which killed off chances of any more films.

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Dick Tracy (1990)

Star of comic books and (decent) movie serials, Dick Tracy was set to be a huge film in 1990, on par with Batman – or at least that was the plan. Sadly, the big screen adaptation of Dick Tracy wasn’t met with the same critical reception as the Dark Knight’s big screen adventure and the film pretty much came and went.

OK, so the movie didn’t do too badly at the box office, and it has gained a cult following since, but Dick Tracy isn’t a movie that gets brought up in casual conversation. It’s also not a film that is likely to get a sequel or a reboot any time soon.

The rights to Dick Tracy spent years locked in a legal battle between Tribune Media Services and actor/director Warren Beatty and that pretty much stopped any sequels from happening. The dispute was resolved in 2013, but nothing has happened since and it’s doubtful that it will in the foreseeable future.

Shame really. Anyway, this oft-forgotten film from 1990 boasts an impressive cast (Beatty, Pacino, Madonna, etc), a good soundtrack, great visuals, and is better than you remember.

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Steel (1997)

Oh dear, lord. It’s time for Steel!

In comics, Steel was introduced during DC Comics’ famous ‘Death of Superman‘ storyline and was created as a potential successor to Superman. He was slick, cool, and readers loved him!

However, on film, Steel was an awkward superhero played by Shaquille O’Neal who didn’t seem to know Superman at all, and was far from cool. Can you spot the major flaw in this comic book adaptation?

Anyway, if you have never watched Steel, be very, very thankful. It’s a truly awful picture that plays like a TV movie but actually got a theatrical release.

Unfortunately, there is no Superman in the film, nor anything of any real value. Not even the supporting cast of Judd Nelson, Richard Roundtree, and Annabeth Gish (Monica Reyes in The X-Files) could save this one.

A low budget, a poor script, and some terrible choices led to this film floundering at the box office and pretty much sinking without a trace. It’s largely forgotten and only brought up by… erm… me.

Sorry. I won’t mention it again.

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The Rocketeer (1991)

Onto The Rocketeer now, which is a fun movie that has picked up quite the cult following since it first hit cinema screens in 1991; however, during its theatrical run it died a quick death. Disney expected big things, but a mixed critical response and disinterest from audiences brought the movie crashing to the ground.

Once again (and you’re probably sick of me saying this) The Rocketeer’s box office shortcomings were a big shame and it is the reason this film fell to the wayside. The Rocketeer deserved more recognition and should have led to sequels.

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The Crow (1994)

OK, so you’ve probably not forgotten about The Crow, but you have probably forgotten how good it is. And you can pretty much blame this on what followed: A series of increasingly poor sequels, as well as a lacklustre TV show which took the sheen off the original.

The good news here is that the original movie was a hit – and if you do decide to revisit it, you’ll instantly be reminded just how much you loved it. As for a new entry in the series, well it took a while, but finally a remake/reboot/reimagining arrived in 2024 starring Bill Skarsgård but it was bloody awful, so it is best avoided/ignored/never-spoken-of-again.

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Judge Dredd (1995)

Onto Judge Dredd now and Sylvester Stallone took on the title role for this action movie which unfortunately was a misguided adaptation. Sure, it had its moments, and it seems to play better now than it ever did in 1995 (thanks to rose-tinted glasses), but yeah, it’s pretty bad.

Poor choices, bad dialogue, and Stallone’s co-star, Rob Schneider, all contributed to Judge Dredd’s demise, but in short, the film just didn’t capture the character in the way that fans expected. As a result, the movie underwhelmed when it should have been a huge hit.

So, will Judge Dredd return to the big screen? It’s hard to say.

In 2012, Judge Dredd did get a fresh start via the Karl Urban-starring Dredd – a stripped back take on the character that was far more comic book accurate than its predecessor. Fans LOVED IT, and critics thought it was pretty decent too, but general audiences didn’t show up at theatres and the movie bombed.

There’s been some talk of reviving the property since, with Urban expressing interest in making a comeback, but if it happens it’s likely to be via a TV show rather than a movie. And that’s if it ever happens.

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Doctor Mordrid (1992)

And finally, if you remember this one then you may need counselling, as well as a big hug. Doctor Mordrid is one of those films that few people saw, fewer people remember, and no one wants to admit to.

The movie – which starred Jeffrey Combs as a wizard/sorcerer – was originally conceived as an adaptation of Marvel’s Doctor Strange. However, when the rights to the character fell through, the producers removed all of the Marvel links, changed the name, and put it into production anyway.

Chances of seeing Doctor Mordrid II? Zilch. Zip. Never gonna happen.

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Editor/Writer/Long-Forgotten Comic Book Hero

Alex Wiggan

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Thanks for stopping by It’s A Stampede! to read this post about forgotten comic book movies of the ‘90s. For more posts be sure to check out the recommended reads below.