Which superhero movie has won the most Oscars?
Blockbuster movies have long received much snobbery from critics across the globe, especially of late, where superhero flicks seem to dominate each and every year. Ever since 2008, when Iron Man kicked off the Marvel cinematic universe, spandex-wearing heroes have held a monopoly over Hollywood thanks to such movies as 2019’s Avengers: Endgame, DC’s villain drama Joker, and the swansong of the popular web-slinger in Spider-Man: No Way Home.
Few people, even the most ardent defenders of superhero cinema, would argue against the fact that such movies have become stale over the years, with each one copying the formula of the last to create a bland, uniform product. With a splash of safe comedy, familiar CGI-heavy action sequences and villains who offer little genuine intrigue, superhero movies have become an easy target for ridicule.
Though, it would be foolish to state that each and every one of them has been of poor quality, with several superhero movies standing tall as exemplary examples of contemporary blockbuster cinema. Whether you go as far back as Christopher Nolan’s 2008 classic The Dark Knight or glance back at the more recent successes of James Mangold’s Wolverine movie Logan or Todd Phillips’ Joker in 2019, it’s clear that the genre has legs for innovative storytelling.
There is one movie that is held in such high regard, however, that it even achieved considerable Oscar success, taking home three Academy Awards back in 2019.
Directed by Ryan Coogler, Black Panther was something of a revelation at the time of its release, being the first major superhero movie to feature a majority black cast and production team. Telling the story of the pretty niche Marvel character Black Panther, the tale told the story of T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman), the heir to the technological paradise of Wakanda who is forced to step up to his responsibilities.
Among its many achievements, Black Panther became the very first superhero movie to be nominated for ‘Best Picture’, rubbing shoulders with the likes of Spike Lee’s BlacKkKlansman, Yorgos Lanthimos’ The Favourite and Adam McKay’s Vice. Though, whilst it lost out on the esteemed award to Peter Farrelly’s Green Book, who was a surprise recipient of the prize, Black Panther won three Oscars in separate categories.
Ludwig Göransson won the award for ‘Best Original Score’ for his rousing contributions to the film, whilst Ruth E. Carter won for ‘Best Costume Design’, rightfully taking home an Oscar for helping to curate the film’s incredible visual style. Lastly, Hannah Beachler and Jay Hart took home the Academy Award for ‘Best Production Design’, wonderfully bringing the world of Wakanda to life from the comic book to the silver screen.
The sequel to the celebrated 2018 movie Black Panther: Wakanda Forever was received with a similar level of adulation, with Carter picking up another Oscar for her fantastic costume design. Still, this is all that the film came away with, despite having been nominated for ‘Best Supporting Actress’, ‘Best Original Song’ and ‘Best Achievement in Makeup and Hairstyling’ among others.
