10 Darkest Marvel & DC Movie Endings Of All Time

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has had its fair share of dark movie endings over the years, as did the DCEU and standalone Marvel & DC films, though some left a bigger mark than others. Marvel Studios has become known for using a specific formula to craft its movies. While the studio’s use of humor is always remembered, that does not mean that the franchise does not know when to get dark, and some of the best MCU movies took that direction.

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As a whole, DC is widely regarded as the more serious and dark of the two, at least where live-action films are concerned. Even the lighter films in the DCEU, like the Shazam! franchise, featured dark moments. The battle between heroes and villains always reaches a boiling point by the final third of the movie, and that has led to many Marvel and DC movies having dark endings, of which these are the darkest.

10 Bruce Wayne’s Parents Die & Hell Breaks Loose

Joker (2019)

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Joaquin Phoenix’s first Joker movie became a phenomenon, grossing over $1 billion to become the top performer among all R-rated movies at the box office for years. As the film was based on one of DC’s biggest villains, it was expected that the project would be quite dark.

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Joker is the story of how society kicks a man — a sick one at that — while he is down to the point that he simply breaks, and the world suffers for it. After killing Murray Franklin on live TV, Arthur Fleck goes on to embrace his Joker side.

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5/10 19 8.1/10 Joker R

Directed by Todd Phillips, Joker is an origin story for Batman’s most iconic villain. Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix) is a down-on-his-luck clown who is trying to become a successful stand-up comedian. When things don’t go according to plan, and Arthur feels Gotham is oppressing him and others with mental illness, Arthur sparks a violent revolution within the city.

Release Date October 2, 2019 Cast Joaquin Phoenix , Robert De Niro , Zazie Beetz , Frances Conroy , Brett Cullen , Shea Whigham Director Todd Phillips Runtime 122 minutes

Joker‘s ending shows how the villain inspired a mob that takes to the street to destroy everything. Arthur smears blood on his lips to become the Joker. The chaos leads to Bruce Wayne’s origin story, with his parents murdered in cold blood in front of him.

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9 Batman Has To Take The Fall For Harvey Dent

The Dark Knight (2008)

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The Dark Knight is easily one of the best superhero movies of all time. The film features the Joker as its main villain in an all-timer performance from Heath Ledger. The villain elevates the film with schemes that lead to a brutal ending.

The Joker does not want to kill Batman or even Harvey Dent. For him, it is all about sending a message. That being, Gotham City’s symbol of hope can be corrupted just like the city. The first step toward that is the death of Rachel Dawes, which happens after Joker figures out Batman loves her and gives him Dent’s address instead.

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Related 10 Darkest DC Movies Of All Time, Ranked

DC has become known for having darker live-action stories than Marvel, and over the years, there have been many DC movies with huge deaths and more.

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The Dark Knight‘s ending is dark and sad. Dent becomes Two-Face and dies. Bruce decides that he and Jim Gordon should keep Harvey as Gotham’s shining knight. Batman takes the fall for Dent’s death and his actions. Batman being hunted despite being Gotham’s hero is heartbreaking.

8 Peter Parker Is Left All Alone

Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)

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Spider-Man: No Way Home is the biggest Spider-Man movie of all time. The film united Tom Holland, Tobey Maguire, and Andrew Garfield’s versions of Peter Parker. While that could have led to it being lost in spectacle, Spider-Man: No Way Home had a strong emotional core.

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Around the mid-point of the film, Willem Dafoe’s Green Goblin kills Aunt May. That moment is the first truly heartbreaking scene of the film. It is the beginning of the setup for the Spider-Man movie’s dark ending. After the three Spider-Men manage to cure all the villains, Doctor Strange completely changes Peter Parker’s life.

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The only way to fix the film’s multiverse problems is to have everyone forget who Peter is. Tom Holland’s Spider-Man enters his darkest phase at the end of the movie, forgotten by everyone he loves after deciding not to tell Zendaya’s MJ to keep her safe. Spider-Man 4‘s revealed story will build on that moment.

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7 Henry Cavill’s Superman Dies

Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice (2016)

Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice is one of the darkest Marvel or DC movies ever. That is, in huge part, why it was so divisive. Instead of having Batman and Superman team up in their first live-action meeting, the DCEU movie had them fight.

Batman almost kills Superman, which would probably have made the movie rank higher on the list. While Bruce Wayne ended up not going through with it, the Man of Steel would die all the same.

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The overstuffed movie saw Lex Luthor transform General Zod’s body into Doomsday. The monster kills Henry Cavill’s Superman in a brutal moment. Even though Superman also takes Doomsday out, having the film end with the death of the Man of Steel was a wildly dark moment. It is tragic, as Batman had just realized Superman was “human” after all.

6 Rorschach Is Killed To Maintain World Peace

Watchmen (2009)

Zack Snyder’s Watchmen began the director’s relationship with DC adaptations. While the movie makes some changes to the iconic comic book story, they mostly work. As such, Snyder crafts a bleak world where morality takes second place to getting things done.

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That is the stance Ozymandias takes. In an effort to achieve world peace, the “hero” realizes he has to do some truly evil things to ensure his plan’s success. He kills the Comedian and then millions all around the world. The goal is to incriminate the all-powerful Doctor Manhattan for the deed, leading to the nations casting aside their differences to unite against him.

It could have all been for nothing, as a newspaper editor receives Rorschach’s journal.

Ozymandias’ plan is extremely dark and twisted. However, it does work. Watchmen ends with Doctor Manhattan killing Rorschach so that he does not reveal the truth. Then, he exiles himself to another galaxy. It could have all been for nothing, as a newspaper editor receives Rorschach’s journal.

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5 Iron Man And Captain America Fight

Captain America: Civil War (2016)

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2016 was the year of heroes fighting each other. Like Batman and Superman in the DCEU, the MCU had Captain America and Iron Man on opposite sides of the conflict in Captain America: Civil War. Despite their differences, the heroes team up for a brief moment near the end.

However, that all changes when it is revealed that Bucky Barnes killed Tony Stark’s parents. That reveal was dark enough, but the fact that Steve Rogers knew and never said anything made it worse. A heartbroken Iron Man then proceeds to fight Captain America and the Winter Soldier.

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After seeing Captain America and Iron Man save the world alongside each other for years, their falling out was sad to see. Iron Man was hurt and lashing out, with Captain America siding with Bucky. Steve leaving his shield behind after Tony says he does not deserve it hit hard.

4 Superman Kills General Zod

Man of Steel (2013)

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Man of Steel started the DCEU in an unexpected way. Contrary to how James Gunn’s Superman will be, the film did not focus on a lighter, more optimistic version of Clark Kent. Henry Cavill’s hero faced doubts and was still figuring out who he should be.

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That would be the emotional throughline of the movie. Man of Steel‘s ending was rooted in that feeling, with Superman cementing his desire to be a symbol of hope after committing the worst sin possible. Shockingly, Cavill’s Superman snaps General Zod’s neck, killing him.

Superman killing Zod proved itself one of the DCEU’s most controversial choices.

In the comics, Superman is known as the symbol everyone follows. Even heroes and villains look up to him, with the Man of Steel’s morals set in stone. Superman does not kill. However, Man of Steel’s ending breaks that cardinal rule of the character, which makes for a heartbreaking and dark ending.

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3 Arthur Fleck Was Never The Real Joker

Joker: Folie À Deux (2024)

While not nearly as good as 2019’s Joker, Joaquin Phoenix’s second turn as the Batman villain proved itself just as heartbreaking. The movie is somehow even darker than the original. That is due to how much of a focus is on Arthur Fleck’s psyche.

Joker: Folie à Deux is the first superhero movie musical. That choice does not fully work for the film, though it does show more of how Arthur is dealing with life in prison. It is clear that he regrets his choices and was just trying to find a new, better life for himself.

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7/10 110 5/10 Joker: Folie a Deux R

Joker: Folie à Deux is the sequel to Todd Phillips’ critically acclaimed comic book thriller Joker. Reprising his Academy Award-winning performance as the failed comedian Arthur Fleck, Joaquin Phoenix revisits the iconic DC character alongside Lady Gaga, who makes her debut as Joker’s lover Harley Quinn in this standalone continuity of the DC Universe.

Release Date October 4, 2024 Cast Joaquin Phoenix , Lady Gaga , Brendan Gleeson , Catherine Keener , Zazie Beetz , Steve Coogan , Harry Lawtey , Leigh Gill , Jacob Lofland , Sharon Washington , Troy Fromin , Bill Smitrovich , John Lacy , Ken Leung Director Todd Phillips Runtime 138 Minutes

However, Joker: Folie à Deux ends his story in the saddest way possible. Not only was Arthur never destined to become the real Joker, but the Arkham inmate who will become the Joker murders him. Arthur bleeding out after being stabbed repeatedly makes for a bleak ending.

2 Iron Man Dies To Save Everyone

Avengers: Endgame (2019)

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Avengers: Endgame is one of the MCU’s most emotional entries. So far, it is the biggest superhero movie to have ever been released. As such, the film features several major events, and with the Avengers having to revert Thanos’ snap, tensions are high.

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Black Widow sacrificed herself for the team to have a chance against Thanos. That set up the stakes of the film, and Avengers: Endgame delivered a heartbreaking ending. The movie simply killed the hero who started the MCU, Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man.

Every MCU Avengers Movie
Movie	Release Date
The Avengers	2012
Avengers: Age of Ultron	2015
Avengers: Infinity War	2018
Avengers: Endgame	2019
Avengers: Doomsday	2026
Avengers: Secret Wars	2027

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Everything about Avengers: Endgame‘s ending works. Doctor Strange slowly showing Tony Stark that his sacrifice was the only way the Avengers could win was the moment when fans realized what was about to happen. After snapping the gauntlet and saving everyone, a scarred Tony dies as his loved ones stand close to him, which is very emotional.

1 Thanos Kills Half Of The Universe

Avengers: Infinity War (2018)

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Avengers: Endgame‘s ending was a strong contender for the darkest on the list. However, as the Avengers won, the movie where they lost had to take first place. Avengers: Infinity War‘s ending stands as one of the most effective ways to make heroes lose.

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A pin drop could be heard in theaters when the film ended due to how shocking it was. Up to that point, the Avengers had always found a way to win. While Thanos was a formidable foe, it was expected that the heroes, with the Guardians of the Galaxy and others, would succeed again.

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However, that was not what happened. Thanos collected all the Infinity Stones and turned half of the universe’s population to dust. Fans had to slowly watch as beloved heroes died left and right. To cap it all off, Thanos got his happy ending after the bleak montage, cementing it as the darkest ending to a Marvel or DC movie.

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All Announced Upcoming MCU Movies

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Captain America: Brave New World

Release Date February 14, 2025
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Thunderbolts*

Release Date May 2, 2025
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The Fantastic Four: First Steps

Release Date July 25, 2025
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Avengers: Doomsday (2026)

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Spider-Man Homecoming 4

Release Date July 24, 2026
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Avengers: Secret Wars

Release Date May 7, 2027