It's no secret that male superheroes dominate the box office. However, there are exceptional female characters who are well worth some solo screen time. It may have taken a bit of time, but female superhero flicks have had major success with audiences, and luckily, there are still more to come.

Despite male superheroes like Superman and Spider-Man hogging the spotlight for some time now, there are several female superhero movies out there that deserve more attention, such as Black Widow and Captain Marvel. Whether movies led by a female character or films where a female character has an especially prominent role, they've met increased success and have developed loyal fanbases.

Updated by Jordan Iacobucci on February 28, 2024: In the age of superhero movies, female heroes are finally getting the representation that they deserve. The MCU and DCU are committed to bringing more female superheroes to the big screen in their own films, with projects like The Marvels and the upcoming Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow. While not every female-led superhero film has been well-received, some show just how terrific the prospect can be.

20 Thunder Force (2021) Is a Feel-Good Movie

Runtime: 1h 46m

Starring amazing actresses Octavia Spencer and Melissa McCarthy, Thunder Force follows two unlikely superheroines, Emily and Lydia (aka Thunder Force), as they step up to protect Earth. Emily, a scientist, creates a serum to obtain superpowers, and after a period of training, the two women face the Miscreants, a group of supervillains that terrorize the city.

Thunder Force received very negative reviews, but the movie is a lighthearted yet innovative approach to the superhero genre, as it defies the usual stereotype of superheroes portrayed on television. The movie isn't only hilarious, but it also teaches people that everyone can be a superhero. While the film may be funny, it still isn't quite the empowering superhero story that some fans wanted it to be.

19 The Powerpuff Girls Movie (2002) Is a Timeless Classic

Runtime: 1h 20m

The Powerpuff Girls Movie hit theaters in 2002 after the hit animated television series' huge success. The movie and series followed the lives of superhero sisters Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup. In the film, it was finally revealed just how the three girls obtained their superhero powers and joined forces as the Powerpuff Girls to save the day.

The Powerpuff Girls united to stop the evil mutant monkey Mojo Jojo from taking over the world. With a combined force of flight, super strength, laser powers, and sonic abilities, the Powerpuff Girls are without a doubt one of the strongest superhero trios, which is exactly what viewers witnessed on the big screen.

18 Supergirl (1984) Is the Most Iconic Adaptation of This Character

Runtime: 2h 30m

1984's Supergirl loosely adapted the comic character in the movie universe established by the Superman films. The movie explored the story of Kara from the Kryptonian Argo City. She arrived on Earth and posed as Clark Kent's cousin, Linda Lee. Supergirl was sent on a quest to recover the Omegahedron power source from an evil sorceress on Earth.

Supergirl was dated and extremely campy, but it was also the first-ever mainstream superhero film to feature a woman in the lead role. Thanks to Helen Slater's superb portrayal of Supergirl, the movie shined in all the best ways and took its place at an important moment in film history. In many ways, Supergirl opened the door for future female-led superhero movies to be made--even if it took a few decades for it to happen.

17 Tank Girl (1995) Is An Amazing Female Superhero

Runtime: 1h 44m

In the year 2033, an evil and powerful man took over a desolate Earth in 1995's cinematic adaptation of Alan Martin and Jamie Hewlett's Tank Girl. A pair of outlaws known as Tank Girl and Jet Girl, played by Lori Petty and Naomi Watts, rose to the occasion and fought to destroy the corrupt system.

Tank Girl puts the titular female hero's abilities at the forefront and represents the true essence of a female lead. Although neither character possesses superhuman abilities, it's their vast knowledge of technology and combat paired with their determination that allows them to rise up and win.

16 Elektra (2005) Is a Fantastic Anti-Hero Story

Runtime: 1h 44m

Jennifer Garner starred in 2005's Elektra, following the character's cinematic debut in 2003's Daredevil film alongside Ben Affleck. She became a love interest of the Marvel superhero, but she faced her death at the hands of one of Daredevil's strongest and deadliest villains, Bullseye. Elektra survived, but her violent traits and vengeful mission kept her separated from her love.

Elektra followed the assassin-for-hire as she received a task that finally activated her conscience. She decided to protect a young target rather than take them out. While the spinoff didn't win any awards, Elektra depicted a strong female superhero in her own film, which wasn't something fans got to see much at the time. Much to many fans' excitement, Jennifer Garner's Elektra may return in Deadpool 3.

15 The New Mutants (2020) Introduced Powerful Female Mutants

Runtime:1h 34m

After the film spent a couple of years on the shelf, Disney finally released The New Mutants into theaters in 2020. It introduced the supposed next generation of Fox's X-Men to the big screen, along with a few more powerful female mutants.

Illyana Rasputin/Magik (played by Anya Taylor-Joy) joined Rahne Sinclair/Wolfsbane (played by Maisie Williams) and Dani Moonstar/Mirage (played by Blu Hunt), some of the scariest New Mutants members to appear in the movie. While fans likely won't see them return anytime soon, The New Mutants still impressed some long-time fans of the comic characters. Even so, the film's muted story and nearly unidentifiable place in the X-Men franchise failed its characters, leaving few reasons for audiences to remember The New Mutants after its release.

14 X-Men: The Last Stand (2006) Shows Jean Grey's Strength

Runtime: 1h 44m

Jean Grey's transformation into the villainous Dark Phoenix carried the focus of 2006's X-Men: The Last Stand. As one of the most powerful mutants to exist, Jean Grey's enhanced powers as the Phoenix made her essentially unstoppable. The Phoenix nearly destroyed all of San Francisco and tried killing Wolverine before she was stopped.

X-Men: The Last Stand also had a compelling storyline about a mutant cure that led to war between the followers of Professor Xavier and of Magneto. However, it was Dark Phoenix's appearance in the film that really captivated fans and helped bring the storyline of the original trilogy to an end. While some fans have come around to the film in recent years, its female characters still aren't always represented all that well, with the male heroes mostly driving the heroes' mission.

13 Suicide Squad (2016) Introduced Margot Robbie's Harley Quinn

Runtime: 2h 10m

Suicide Squad wasn't quite female-led, but it also wasn't much of a superhero film, either. However, it featured a cast of DC villains that included Margot Robbie's scene-stealing Harley Quinn. The Suicide Squad was an imprisoned supervillain group that executed missions to save the world in exchange for reduced sentences.

Harley Quinn first appeared in Batman: The Animated Series in 1992. The character quickly became a fan favorite, which led to her debut in the comics. Harley Quinn's popularity led to her ongoing appearances in spinoffs and her return as one of the main characters in 2021's The Suicide Squad sequel.

12 Kick-Ass (2010)'s Hit-Girl Is the Star of the Film

Runtime: 1h 57m

2010's Kick-Ass adapted Mark Millar and John Romita, Jr.'s comic of the same name. It brought the titular teenage hero to the big screen as Dave Lizewski masked up to carry out some street justice. While Kick-Ass found his way as a new hero, the real star of the film was Chloë Grace Moretz and her portrayal of Hit-Girl.

Mindy McCready was raised by her superhero father Big Daddy to become an elite costumed assassin. Hit-Girl eventually took the much older Kick-Ass under her wing and trained him as her partner in the 2013 sequel Kick-Ass 2. Now, the character is set to return in Matthew Vaughn's rebooted trilogy.

11 Birds of Prey (2020) Featured Harley Quinn, Huntress, and Black Canary

Runtime: 1h 49m

Margot Robbie reprised the role of Harley Quinn in 2020's Birds of Prey (And The Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn). The stand-alone spinoff was later re-titled as the less wordy Harley Quinn: Birds of Prey to further emphasize Quinn's central role.

Birds of Prey explored Harley's independence after her separation from the Joker. She allied herself with other DC heroes like Huntress (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), Black Canary (Jurnee Smollett), and Renee Montoya (Rosie Perez) to face off with Ewan McGregor's Black Mask as DC's first female-led cinematic team.

10 Wonder Woman 1984 (2020) Further Developed This Superheroine

Runtime: 2h 31m

Gal Gadot returned as Diana Prince for Patty Jenkins' 2020 sequel Wonder Woman 1984. The first female-led solo superhero sequel took place in the DCEU's past. Wonder Woman encountered a few of her greatest comics villains, Maxwell Lord and Cheetah.

Wonder Woman also received more time with Chris Pine's Steve Trevor in the sequel. However, the character literally shined when she wore her new golden Amazonian armor. Wonder Woman 1984 didn't resonate with fans as much as the original, but it still added something new to the DCEU. Even so, the film's negative reception led to some trepidation in DC greenlighting Wonder Woman 3, which was eventually placed on indefinite hold after James Gunn took over the franchise.

9 Thor: Love and Thunder (2022) Gave Mighty Thor the Spotlight

Runtime: 1h 59m

People first met Jane Forster (played by Natalie Portman) in Thor (2011), the scientist who accidentally encounters the God of Thunder and who later develops a romance with Thor. Thor: Love and Thunder, however, allows Jane to shine with a superhero arc of her own when the scientist picks up the Mjölnir, which turns her into the Mighty Thor.

Mighty Thor and Thor work together in Thor: Love and Thunder to stop Gorr the God Butcher. The film disappointed Marvel fans as it didn't portray the complexity of Jane and Gorr's characters as well as the comics did, but Jane Foster still has an inspiring and harrowing story arc that many viewers loved. Unfortunately for fans of her character, Jane dies at the end of Love and Thunder, bringing her superhero career to an early end.

8 Eternals (2021) Created More Emotionally Complex Superheroes for the MCU

Runtime: 2h 37m

Directed by Chloé Zhao, Eternals introduced a new group of superheroes to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The Eternals are an alien race sent to Earth to protect the planet from the Deviants, but soon, they discover that their mission on Earth isn't as straightforward as they thought and have to question what role they want to play in a new cosmic war.

While the movie follows the development of ten different characters, it focuses mainly on Sersi, portrayed by Gemma Chan. She's the Eternal with a stronger connection with humanity, and it's mostly up to her to stop Arishem's evil agenda. Sersi is a complex hero who shows that powerful beings are also vulnerable. The film also introduces several other compelling female heroes, including Salma Hayek's Ajak, Angelina Jolie's Thena, and Lauren Ridloff's Makkari.