By Luke Kelly on 04.11.2026 | Caped Crusaders

The age of superheroes

From Christopher Reeve to Christian Bale, from practical costumes to the MCU, Propstore's Entertainment Memorabilia Live Auction charts 50 years of superhero filmmaking.

No genre has defined blockbuster cinema in the 21st century more than the superhero film. From Marvel to DC to The Incredibles and Kick-Ass, superheroes of all shapes and sizes have dominated the cultural landscape, and the modern phenomenon can be traced back to 1978’s genre-defining Superman: The Movie.

Christopher Reeve’s man of tomorrow made us all believe a man could fly across four movies, and his screen-matched costume from Richard Lester’s Superman III comes from one of the most memorable moments across his tenure as Superman. With its toned down colour palette, it’s instantly recognisable from the scenes in which Richard Pryor’s Gus Gorman corrupted Kal-El, creating an “Evil” Superman.

In 1989, Tim Burton’s Batman redefined superhero expectations, transporting us into a gothic, stylish vision of Gotham. Its success opened the door for filmmakers to explore the darker corners of the genre where the Dark Knight flourished. Propstore has two complete Batsuits in its latest auction that reflect how Batman evolved on screen through costuming and production design: Val Kilmer’s Batman Forever suit is stylish and sculpted, while Christian Bale’s Batman Begins suit is practical and stealthy.

Batman’s adversaries also evolved on screen to match the tone of the films. The contrast is vividly brought to life through two lots in the catalogue: a Two-Face mask from Batman Forever showcase the vivid, cartoony colour palette of Joel Schumacher’s Batman era, while the clay sculpts and lifecast of Heath Ledger’s Joker from The Dark Knight represent a more grounded, human approach to his adversaries.

Considered by many to be one of the best superheroes ever made, Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight was released in 2008, just a few months after Jon Favreau’s Iron Man was released in cinemas. Little did cinemagoers know that both films would come to define the next era of the genre. Where The Dark Knight’s success moved blockbusters into a grittier, more grounded style, Iron Man became the launching pad for the MCU which is now the highest-grossing franchise of all time.

Across 38 movies and the Disney+ series, the MCU is well-represented across the auction. From Chadwick Boseman’s iconic Black Panther costume to Natalie Portman’s cracked Mjolnir from Thor: Love and Thunder, there’s something for everyone. And Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine claws from Deadpool & Wolverine offer a tantalising link between the MCU and the 20th Century Fox X-Men, which – along with Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man – bridged the superhero gap between Tim Burton and Christopher Nolan’s Batman.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day and Avengers: Doomsday are destined to become future classics, ensuring a bright future for the caped heroes we know and love for another 50 years.