Films based on comics from Marvel and DC are interesting for both adults and children. Spider-Man, Captain America, Thor, The Avengers, and of course Iron Man regularly hit the box office charts, as do movies starring DC favorites Batman, Wonder Woman and Superman. ...
Hundreds of millions of dollars are spent on the creation of modern comic books. Today the Justice League is the most expensive film on the budget for filming. However, this was not always the case. Before the release of X-Men in 2000, comic-book movies were mostly small budget crafts, with crude special effects and actors in cheap costumes.
In this list, we will consider 10 most famous low-budget superhero movies... And this is not fan art, but films shot by professional directors.
10. Supergirl (1984)
The budget is $ 35 million.
This is the most expensive film in the ranking of low-budget superhero movies. In 1978, director Richard Donner convinced the world that "man can fly" by releasing Superman in theaters. Christopher Reeve starred. The film has delighted audiences all over the world and has spawned a number of successful sequels.
Supergirl, released in 1984, was an attempt to create a TV series from Donner's film. The film is set in the same universe as Superman, and Helen Slater starred as Kara-El, Superman's long-lost cousin from the planet Krypton.
While 1984 Superman was entertaining and well-directed, Supergirl was bad at best and horrible at worst. The movie is currently rated 4.3 / 10 on imdb.com.
9.Mister Steel (1997)
The budget is $ 16 million.
In 1992, DC Comics killed their most iconic hero, Superman. He was replaced by four heroes. And Mr. Steel was one of them. Although this superhero remained a minor character in the comic book world after Superman rose from the dead in 1993, he still got his solo film.
Starring former basketball star Shaquille O'Neal, that hasn't saved Mr. Steel from failure. At the world box office, the cinema has collected only 1.7 million dollars. His current rating on imdb.com is 2.7 / 10.
8. The Amazing Spider-Man (1977)
The budget is $ 11 million.
Today Spider-Man is one of the most popular and beloved comic book characters in the world. Sam Raimi's "Spider-Man" trilogy was a huge success, followed by two more franchise relaunches.
In 1977, Marvel Studios was already trying to bring Spider-Man to the big screen in The Amazing Spider-Man. In the film starring Nicholas Hammond as Peter Parker and his spider-web alter-ego, Spider-Man defends New York from a mysterious hypnotist who can use telepathy to take control of people.
The film was a pilot for the series of the same name, but failed to gain popularity among viewers. It currently has a 5.7 / 10 rating on imdb.com.
7. Captain America (1990)
The budget is $ 10 million.
Before one of the most beautiful actors in the world Chris Evans played Steve Rogers in the 2011 film Captain America: The First Avenger, and American actor Matt Salinger played the role in the 1990 film.
One of the lowest budget superhero movies, Captain America's origin story and life spanned 40 years. This period included the time of the fight against the Nazis in the 40s and the time of the battle with the evil "Red Skull" in the 80s.
The film is usually criticized for its poor script, terrible acting and cheap costumes. He currently scored 3.2 / 10 points on imdb.com.
6. The Punisher (1989)
The budget is $ 9 million.
The Punisher is arguably the most violent comic book hero in the Marvel Universe. Unlike "good-looking" superheroes such as Superman, Batman and Spider-Man who value human life, Frank Castle, nicknamed "The Punisher", has no problem handing out death sentences to bad guys.
Frank Castle made his film debut in 1989 in The Punisher, directed by Mark Goldblatt. Dolph Lundgren starred in the role of Castle, and he had to fight against the yakuza. The film received mixed reviews from audiences and critics. He is currently rated 5.6 / 10 on imdb.com.
5. Decapitate Hydra (1998)
The budget is $ 6 million.
In modern blockbusters from Marvel, the role of Nick Fury is played by Samuel Leroy Jackson. But in the late 90s, the role of Fury was played by "Knight Rider" - David Hasselhoff. In 1998, the movie "Nick Fury: Agent SHIELD" was released, which was renamed in the Russian box office to "Decapitate Hydra".
In it, Nick Fury, somewhat similar to Indiana Jones, fought against a terrorist cell called Hydra, which threatened to infect Manhattan with a deadly virus.
The film received a lukewarm reception from many comic book fans who felt Hasselhoff had a hard time playing Nick Fury. The movie is currently listed on imdb.com with a 3.6 / 10 rating.
4. The Incredible Hulk: The Return (1988)
Budget - unknown
Before Edward Norton, Mark Ruffalo, and Eric Bana played the Hulk on the big screen, this character was played by two actors: Bill Bixby, who became the Hulk's alter ego, David Banner, and bodybuilding legend Lou Ferrigno, who played the greenest giant. Why David and not Bruce? According to Ferrigno, the CBS name Bruce was considered gay. According to another version, the screenwriter of the first part of "The Incredible Hulk" Kenneth Johnson renamed Bruce David to honor the memory of his deceased son.
In this low-budget superhero movie, the Hulk teams up with the Norse god Thor to fight against a crime syndicate obsessed with taking over the world.
The movie is currently rated 5.6 / 10 on imdb.com.
3. Doctor Strange (1978)
The budget is unknown.
Former neurosurgeon and practicing sorcerer, Doctor Strange is the "Supreme Sorcerer of the Marvel Universe", a man tasked with protecting Earth from all manner of evil magical creatures.
In 1978, Peter Hooten played the role of Strange. From the very beginning, the project floated upstream: the lack of popular actors, the not-too-famous comic book character, and the special effects that didn't quite match the original comic - all worked against the film.
Doctor Strange's main opponent was Morgana Lefey, an evil sorceress from the past.
Doctor Strange received bad reviews from critics. It also failed to get a movie release and was eventually released on VHS. The movie is currently rated 5.5 / 10 on imdb.com.
2. Three giant men (1973)
The budget is unknown.
This is perhaps the strangest superhero action movie in history. It was filmed by the Turkish filmmaker T. Fikret Uchak. Captain America and wrestler Santo, a local Turkish superhero, have teamed up to fight the evil psychopath Spider-Man.
The film was not officially sanctioned by Marvel and was not released outside of Turkey. However, over the years the film has become infamous as rumors of its existence have spread all over the internet.
Today, Three Giant Men (aka Captain America and Santo vs. Spider-Man) is a cult classic and a great reminder of just how far comic book films have come over the years.
1. Fantastic Four (1994)
The budget is $ 1.5 million.
In the early 90s, the comic industry was in dire straits. Comic book sales were plummeting, and Marvel and DC fought to stay afloat. And in a moment of weakness, Marvel decided to sell the rights to some of its popular heroes in order to make some money.
Sadly, New Horizons, the production company that bought the rights to Fantastic Four, has done an incredibly poor job with its new intellectual property.
As a result, the lowest budget superhero movie became a flop of epic proportions. It had terrible direction and script, and the acting left much to be desired. The 1994 Fantastic Four is currently rated 3.9 / 10 on imdb.com.