Over the last three decades, superhero movies have become among the most profitable and widely discussed among critics, fans, and general audiences. The formula can be somewhat easy to identify - somebody discovers new abilities, decides to use them for good, and fights against some villainous force to protect innocent people. The formula has become a brand at this point, yet within it lies the potential for experimentation, especially among other genres.

One such genre is where most superheroes originate from science fiction. Many heroes and villains have origins, settings, or abilities that come directly from a sci-fi source. Whether through aliens, time travel, or exploring the multiverse, sci-fi has done more for superheroes than perhaps all other genres. Whether they explore the wondrous possibilities of the greater universe and what can be done for humanity or reveal what those with more sinister intentions would do with the power they’ve been given, they fit well on the sci-fi spectrum.

10 'Brightburn' (2019)

Directed by David Yarovesky

It’s a story that sounds familiar. A spaceship carrying a baby lands in Kansas. A couple without children discovers him and decides to adopt him. They keep his true heritage a secret until he discovers it as a pre-teen when strange new abilities start to emerge. But instead of deciding to use his powers for good, he goes insane and kills all his friends and family. While not a DC film, Brightburn is a decidedly dark coming-of-age story that takes the premise of Superman and gives it a horror-focused twist.

The boy, here named Brandon (Jackson A. Dunn) goes from being an innocent, Clark-Kent type to being a rage-filled force of nature determined to fulfill his true purpose - ‘take the world’. His parents try everything they can to temper his behavior but begin to realize his rage is not going to be restrained through human means. While it attempted to begin a franchise that didn’t quite get off the ground, Brightburn is still an interesting experiment as a Superman-esque horror film.

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9 'Chronicle' (2012)

Directed by Josh Trank

Andrew Detmer (Dane DeHaan) is facing serious problems. His mother (Bo Petersen) is dying of cancer, his father (Michael Kelly) is an abusive alcoholic, and he’s unpopular and bullied at school. Deciding to make a video diary, Andrew begins recording almost everything he does. But Andrew’s life changes when he, his cousin Matt (Alex Russell), and kind popular student Steve (Michael B. Jordan) discover a mysterious object hidden within the woods. When the footage cuts to a few days later, the three now have new abilities of strength, flight, and telekinesis.

At first, they do what any teenager would do with superpowers in this situation - play pranks and goof around until it goes a little too far. But Andrew’s powers begin to draw out his darkest instincts and develop a far more predatory point of view. Chronicle is an unusual combination - a found footage character study where teenage angst grows into super-villain destruction. It is a brutally grim film, showing the dangers of putting the powers of a hero into the wrong hands.

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8 'Sky High' (2005)

Directed by Mike Mitchell

Ever wondered where future superheroes receive their education? The answer is Sky High - a school that floats hundreds of feet in the air to keep its location hidden from those with sinister intentions. Among its newest students is Will Stronghold (Michael Angarano), the son of legendary superheroes Jetstream (Kelly Preston) and The Commander (Kurt Russell). The only problem is that Will doesn’t seem to be born with any powers, so he gets placed with the rest of the school rejects, a.k.a. the sidekicks.

But when his abilities begin to emerge, Will must choose between remaining with his friends in the sidekick division or fitting in with the cool kids in the hero division. All the while, Royal Pain (Patrick Warburton), an evil, tech-themed villain from his parents’ past, has big plans for the superhero faculty and alumni of Sky High. With an offbeat sense of humor, a wonderfully creative premise, and likable characters, Sky High is an underrated Disney comedy that proudly wears its influences on its sleeve.

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7 'Captain Marvel' (2019)

Directed by Anna Boden & Ryan Fleck

In 1995, amnesiac warrior Vers (Brie Larson) is a member of the Starforce, an intergalactic ops squad tasked with fighting for an alien race called the Kree. While Vers is somewhat respected by her peers, her mentor Yon-Rogg (Jude Law) and her commander known as the Supreme Intelligence (Annette Benning) urge her to keep her strength and emotions in check. After a scuffle with the Skrulls, the Kree’s enemy race, Vers lands on Earth and discovers her mysterious past, the truth behind the Skrull-Kree war, and the true potential of her powers.

Another cosmic Marvel story, Captain Marvel is a fun time with engaging characters, cool visuals and a structure held together by a magnificent performance from Brie Larson. The sci-fi aspects are done in a different flavor than the Guardians of the Galaxy films, with a less pronounced sense of humor and a more allegorical story. But it never loses its sense of fun and has fun connections to the rest of the MCU’s timeline.

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6 'Blue Beetle' (2023)

Directed by Angel Manuel Soto

After graduating from Gotham Law, Jaime Reyes (Xolo Mariduena) has returned to his hometown of Palmera City. Desperate to get a job and save his family home, he decides to meet with Jenny Kord (Bruna Marqezine), the niece of Kord Industries’ CEO Victoria (Susan Sarandon). But instead of a job, Jaime is given a burger box containing a robotic scarab that fuses with him and grants him superpowers. Jaime soon discovers the scarab (Becky G) is an alien super weapon that has chosen Jaime as its host - and Victoria will use any means necessary to get it back for her own sinister plans.

While most of the film’s set-up is somewhat typical of modern superhero flare, Blue Beetle still forms its own identity, largely through its down-to-earth setting, engaging performances and especially with its themes of family, power, and fighting for the right reasons. The sci-fi elements bring a unique visual aesthetic, complete with one of the coolest and most powerful suits in comic book movie history.

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5 'Thor: Ragnarök' (2017)

Directed by Taika Waititi

While the Thor movies that came before and after this one had divisive reactions from fans, Thor: Ragnarök is the best film focused on the god of thunder. After searching for the Infinity Stones, Thor (Chris Hemsworth) has, to be perfectly blunt, a pretty bad day. He discovers Loki (Tom Hiddleston) is still alive and has been on the throne of Asgard impersonating his father, Odin (Anthony Hopkins). They find the real Odin on Earth, where he peacefully dies with his sons by his side.

To top it all off, Odin’s secret daughter Hela (Cate Blanchett) escapes from her prison and destroys Thor's hammer Mjölnir, inadvertently sending Thor and Loki to a wasteland planet known as Sakaar. Thor is forced to battle the Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) in gladiatorial combat, then forms a plan with the latter and new ally Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson) to escape and save the people of Asgard from Hela's rule. Director Taika Waititi helms Thor: Ragnarök as a heavily 80s-inspired sci-fi comedy that doesn’t completely strip Thor of his trauma and tragedy but takes itself far less seriously than the serious, fantasy-based Thor films that came before it.

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4 'Guardians of the Galaxy' (2014)

Directed by James Gunn

Five intergalactic criminals meet in prison - earth abductee turned space pirate Peter Quill (Chris Pratt), runaway assassin Gamora (Zoe Saldana), angry yet dimwitted warrior Drax the Destroyer (Dave Bautista), talking raccoon bounty hunters Rocket (Bradley Cooper) & Groot (Vin Diesel), a tree with a limited vocabulary. Despite their intense differences, these scoundrels may become the only hope for the rest of the galaxy when they come into possession of an orb with the power to destroy entire planets.

Helmed by James Gunn, Guardians of the Galaxy was the film that brought Marvel’s unapologetically wacky and outlandish sci-fi elements kicking and screaming into the mostly grounded MCU. Despite its over-the-top characters, silly sense of humor, and a soundtrack composed mostly of songs from the 60s and 70s, it still manages to take itself somewhat seriously. Despite the characters and situations being fairly high-concept, the emotions and journeys undertaken are very real and serious.

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3 'RoboCop' (1987)

Directed by Paul Verhoeven

While RoboCop is considered to be more of a sci-fi action film than a superhero film, the title character goes through a journey that follows the quintisential superhero origin. In a near-dystopian Detroit, police officer Alex Murphy (Peter Weller) is brutally wounded and dismembered in a shootout. The mega-corporation Omni Consumer Products recovers his body and transforms him into RoboCop, an officer with enhanced strength, combat, and firepower. But while his body is upgraded in almost every way, Murphy’s mind is erased, with only fragments beginning to clue him in on the person he was, and what somebody on the OCP board has programmed him to do.

RoboCop is a sci-fi classic with biting social commentary, charming (if dated) special effects, and philosophical themes about the nature of humanity and machines. It may not usually be regarded as a superhero movie, but it still tells the story of a man who is given great power to become more than what his creators intended him to be.

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2 'Flash Gordon' (1980)

Directed by Mike Hodges

By the start of the 80s, Star Wars and Superman had become instant classics, so it made sense for producer Dino De Laurentiis to make a film based on one of their biggest inspirations, Flash Gordon. On the planet Mongo, the evil emperor Ming the Merciless (Max von Sydow) has found the perfect cure for his boredom - the destruction of planet Earth. As Ming sets natural disasters upon the planet, mad scientist Dr. Hans Zarkov (Topol) heads into space to investigate. His two unwitting companions are travel agent Dale Arden (Melody Anderson) and New York Jets quarterback Flash Gordon (Sam J. Jones).

As they explore new worlds, meet new enemies and allies, and see the extent of Ming’s terror, Flash soon discovers he may be the one to save every one of us. With breathtaking visuals, a campy sense of humor, and a soundtrack written by Queen, Flash Gordon is a camp classic that doesn't take itself too seriously, but provides sci-fi and superhero action in almost every scene.

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1 'Superman: The Movie' (1978)

Directed by Richard Donner

While considered in its day to be a sci-fi epic, Superman: The Movie has become the blueprint for the superhero genre as we know it today. On the planet Krypton, scientist Jor-El (Marlon Brando) realizes the planet is doomed to destruction. Unable to do anything but save his infant son Kal-El, he sends him on a spaceship to Earth. There, he is discovered and raised by Jonathan (Glenn Ford) and Martha Kent (Phyllis Thaxter), who name him Clark (Christopher Reeve). As Clark grows, he discovers his abilities, his heritage, and his destiny - to protect the human race as the hero known as Superman.

Superman is a character who is directly tied to the sci-fi genre, from his alien origins to the name of his home city, Metropolis, being taken from the first sci-fi movie ever made. With its themes and tone, Superman: The Movie comfortably occupies the more optimistic end of the sci-fi spectrum, inviting its audiences to look up in wonder at a man from another world who can fly.

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Next: 10 Best Superhero Movies That Expertly Blend Genres