Best Superhero Shows and Movies on Netflix Right Now (August 2021)

While many still consider Netflix the streaming service to beat, its super-powered offerings have been slowly drained due to competing platforms, as all the Marvel movies slowly head to Disney+ and the DC films move over to Warner Bros.' HBO Max.

That being said, there are still some great superhero movies and TV shows to check out on Netflix — from The CW's entire Arrowverse and Marvel's Defenders-verse to Netflix Originals like The Umbrella Academy and Jupiter's Legacy.

So if you're looking for epic tales of good vs. evil, here are some the best superhero movies and shows to stream on Netflix. The newest additions to this list will be added at the top and marked with an asterisk.

Oh, and when you're done here, be sure to check out our list of the 25 best superhero movies of all time, see how to watch all the Marvel movies in order and find out what's new to Netflix in August.

The Best Superhero Movies and TV Shows on Netflix Right Now

Or follow these links for the best of other genres:

Note: This list pertains to U.S. Netflix subscribers. Some titles may not currently be available on international platforms. This page is periodically amended to remove movies and shows no longer available to watch on Netflix, and to include great titles that are now available for streaming on the service.

Jupiter's Legacy*

Netflix's recently released Jupiter's Legacy adaptation is a great addition to its superhero catalog. Based on the comic series from Old Man Logan writer Mark Millar and All-Star Superman illustrator Frank Quitely, Jupiter's Legacy tells the multigenerational tale of the world's first superheroes and their children, bouncing between Great Depression-era America and the present day. Exciting action, solid storytelling, memorable characters, and strong performances — from Josh Duhamel especially — make Jupiter's Legacy an easy recommendation for superhero fans.

Unfortunately, Netflix canceled Jupiter's Legacy after only one season despite its cliffhanger ending. Though Millar and Netflix are collaborating once again for an all-new King of Spies graphic novel.

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

Though it just missed out on being the #1 best Spidey film of all time in IGN's ranking of the Spider-Man movies, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is wildly considered to be one of the greatest webhead outings ever. A gorgeous, emotional ride through an alternate universe featuring the rise of one Miles Morales, Spider-Verse blew up the entire concept of a superhero film while staying true to Spidey's core principals and credo. A sequel is in the works too.

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse 2 is scheduled for October 7, 2022. Issa Rae (HBO's Insecure) will voice Spider-Woman in the sequel.

Arrow

One arena DC has solidly triumphed in in recent years is TV, where Arrow -- which focused on a presumed dead billionaire heir named Oliver Queen returning to his city as a hooded vigilante -- was able to kickstart an entire shared universe, and multiple sibling series, that eventually included The Flash, Supergirl, Black Lightning, and Batwoman. All of those shows are available to stream on Netflix.

Daredevil

Even though interest, in general, had waned by the time Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and Iron Fist all teamed up for The Defenders (due, in large part, to Iron Fist's lackluster first season), the three seasons of Marvel's Daredevil are about as solid and satisfying as you could hope for - with the third and final season being one of the best superhero seasons ever. The other shows, which also include two seasons of The Punisher, are also worth checking out, though they have more ups and downs in terms of quality.

On the film front, Marvel recently released Black Widow, which our review called it "a thrilling, though heavy-handed, espionage take on Marvel’s standard fare that adds tragic depth to Natasha Romanoff’s superhero story."

Gotham

When Gotham began, fans and critics latched onto the grabby hook that it was a Batman show with no Batman. How could this be? This will never work! But after a few seasons, and some truly crazy storylines (including a massive heel turn for Barbara Kean), Gotham embraced its lunacy and gave us a world where, unlike Batman lore, all of Batman's villains existed before him. And the more ridiculous the series got, the more it actually found its footing, allowing it to explore famous storylines from the comics and movies in new and inventive ways.

Another Batman spinoff series, Gotham PD, is currently in development for HBO Max. The series will reportedly focus on James Gordon.

The Umbrella Academy

Based on the Dark Horse comic series from Gerard Way and Gabriel Bá, relative newcomer to the super-series game The Umbrella Academy was a big hit right out of the gate as fans fell in love with a squabbling squad of super-powered surrogate siblings trying to avert an apocalypse that they themselves might be responsible for creating. Seasons 1 and 2 are available now on Netflix.

Netflix recently revealed the episode titles for Umbrella Academy: Season 3.

Agents of SHIELD

Marvel's Agents of SHIELD, featuring Clark Gregg's Phil Coulson, started out as a direct tie-in to the MCU films, especially considering the Hydra reveal in Captain America: The Winter Soldier. But as the series went on, and the rift between Marvel TV and Marvel Studios became greater, SHIELD stopped fully concerning itself with the films and focused more on its own built-in dramas and sagas. After teaming with Ghost Rider, battling Hydra in a virtual world, and taking on the Kree in a dystopian timeline where Earth was destroyed by Graviton, the SHIELD heroes were able to create a legion of rabid fans without relying on Avengers scraps.

Lucifer

Recently renewed for a sixth and final season, after having been saved by Netflix when Fox canceled the show after three seasons, Lucifer, based on the character from Neil Gaiman's Sandman comic series, is hellaciously good fun and features Tom Ellis as a restless and smug Lord of Hell who decides to give up his throne and live among mortals in Los Angeles.

The final eight episodes of Lucifer's fifth season are now streaming. IGN's Lucifer: Season 5 Part 2 review said it "embraces its campy sense of humor and biblical lore while also effectively developing its supporting characters." A sixth and final season has been confirmed.

Legends of Tomorrow

While the entire Arrowverse is worth watching, if not just to admire the ambition and scope of the shared universe, the most unexpectedly gleeful series in the giant machine is DC's Legends of Tomorrow, which features Arrow and Flash castaways -- like Atom, White Canary, Heat Wave, Constantine, and more -- in a rambunctious and humor-laced ride through time and space.

I Am Not Okay With This

As a smaller, but notable, Netflix original, I Am Not Okay With This takes us into a dreary, dilapidated town for a look at a high school girl coming to terms with her sexuality and her dangerously new telekinetic powers. IT's Sophia Lillis and Wyatt Oleff star in this humble superhero origin story that packs a big emotional punch.

How We Choose the Best Superhero Movies and TV Shows on Netflix

The superhero genre is wide-ranging, and one that can sometimes be difficult to pin down. We try to focus on superhero movies and shows that have a time-tested reputation, as well as those movies that scored well on aggregate sites like Rotten Tomatoes and Metacritic. In some cases, we may pick more critically divisive movies or shows like I Am Not Okay With This that we still feel are worth checking out. The one common thread is that all these movies and shows are true superhero stories, whether they're based on comic books or are original creations themselves.

Upcoming Superhero Movies and TV Shows on Netflix

August is unfortunately absent of notable superhero shows and movies, though Netflix did just add The Flash: Season 7 on July 28.

Matt Fowler is a writer for IGN and a member of the Television Critics Association. Follow him on Twitter at @TheMattFowler and Facebook at Facebook.com/MattBFowler.