TheMarvel Cinematic Universehas had its reasonable share of benighted picture endings over the years , as did theDCEUand standalone Marvel & DC photographic film , though some left a bigger scar than others . Marvel Studios has become known for using a specific formulato craft its movies . While the studio ’s function of humor is always remembered , that does not intend that the dealership does not know when to get blue , and some of thebest MCU moviestook that direction .

As a whole , DC is wide regard as the more serious and dark of the two , at least where live - action films are concerned . Even the lighterfilms in the DCEU , like theShazam!franchise , featured saturnine moment . The battle between sub and villain always reaches a boiling percentage point by the terminal third of the motion-picture show , and that has led to many Marvel and DC movies give dark endings , of which these are the darkest .

10Bruce Wayne’s Parents Die & Hell Breaks Loose

Joker (2019)

Joaquin Phoenix ’s first Joker movie became a phenomenon , gross over $ 1 billion to become the top performing artist among all radius - rank movies at the box office for years . As the film wasbased on one of DC ’s biggest villains , it was expect that the project would be quite dark .

Jokeris the story of how guild sound off a military man — a demented one at that — while he is down to the point that he simply relegate , and the globe suffers for it . After killing Murray Franklin on live TV , Arthur Fleck goes on to embrace his Joker side .

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Directed by Todd Phillips , Joker is an pedigree story for Batman ’s most iconic villain . Arthur Fleck ( Joaquin Phoenix ) is a down - on - his - luck clown who is attempt to become a successful rack - up comic . When thing do n’t go according to plan , and Arthur feels Gotham is oppress him and others with mental illness , Arthur sparks a tearing revolution within the city .

Joker ’s endingshows how the villain inspired a syndicate that postulate to the street to destroy everything . Arthur calumniate rake on his lip to become the Joker . The topsy-turvyness go to Bruce Wayne ’s origin story , with his parent murdered in cold-blooded blood in front of him .

9Batman Has To Take The Fall For Harvey Dent

The Dark Knight (2008)

The Dark Knightis easily one of the best superhero moving-picture show of all time . The film features the Joker as its main villain inan all - timekeeper performance from Heath Ledger . The villain raise the film with schema that lead to a brutal conclusion .

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

DC has become roll in the hay for experience dark live - action stories than Marvel , and over the eld , there have been many DC movies with huge deaths and more .

Tom Holland’s Spider-Man looking shocked and pointing to the side

The Dark Knight ’s endingis dark and deplorable . Dent becomes Two - facial expression and die . Bruce decides that he and Jim Gordon should keep Harvey as Gotham ’s shining knight . Batman take the fall for Dent ’s death and his actions . Batman being trace despite being Gotham ’s hero is heartbreaking .

8Peter Parker Is Left All Alone

Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)

Spider - Man : No room Homeis the biggest Spider - Man movie of all time . The film unite Tom Holland , Tobey Maguire , and Andrew Garfield ’s versions of Peter Parker . While that could have guide to it being lost in spectacle , Spider - Man : No Way Homehad a impregnable emotional gist .

Around the mid - degree of the film , Willem Dafoe ’s Green Goblin kills Aunt May . That second is the first in truth heartbreaking aspect of the film . It is the beginning of the apparatus for the Spider - Man movie ’s dark ending . After the three Spider - Men manage to heal all the villains , Doctor Strange completely interchange Peter Parker ’s life .

The risky Marvel movie of 2024 could end up leading to the good street - level story for Tom Holland ’s Spider - Man , and it would be quite dark-skinned .

Chris Evans as Captain America in Avengers Endgame and Robert Downey Jr as Tony Stark

The only way to fix the motion-picture show ’s multiverse problems is to have everyone forget who Peter is . Tom Holland ’s Spider - Man enter his dark phaseat the remnant of the movie , forgotten by everyone he loves after decide not to tell Zendaya ’s MJ to keep her safe . wanderer - Man 4 ’s revealed storywill build on that moment .

7Henry Cavill’s Superman Dies

Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice (2016)

Batman V Superman : Dawn Of Justiceis one of the darkest Marvel or DC movies ever . That is , in huge part , why it was so factious . Instead of having Batman and Superman team up in their first alive - activeness 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 .

The overstuffed movie interpret Lex Luthor transform General Zod ’s eubstance into Doomsday . The monsterkills Henry Cavill ’s Superman in a brutal moment . Even though Superman also takes Doomsday out , having the film end with the last of the Man of Steel was a wildly dark import . It is tragical , as Batman had just realized Superman was " human " after all .

Chris Evans' Captain America injured and looking confident in Avengers Endgame

6Rorschach Is Killed To Maintain World Peace

Watchmen (2009)

Zack Snyder’sWatchmenbegan the manager ’s family relationship with DC adaptations . While the movie makes some changes to the iconic comic leger story , they mostly go . As such , Snyder craft a bare world where morality adopt 2nd place to getting things done .

That is the stance Ozymandias takes . In an cause to achieve world serenity , the " hero " realizes he has to do some in truth evil things to ensure his programme ’s achiever . He shoot down the Comedian and then gazillion all around the reality . The end is to criminate the all - powerful Doctor Manhattanfor the act , chair to the nations drop aside their differences to unite against him .

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

RDJ’s Iron Man doing the snap in Avengers Endgame, Thanos smiling at the end of Avengers Infinity War, and Cavill’s dead Superman from BvS

Custom image by Yeider Chacon

Ozymandias ' plan is extremely dreary and twisted . However , it does work . Watchmenends withDoctor Manhattan killing Rorschach so that he does not reveal the trueness . Then , he exiles himself to another galaxy . It could have all been for nothing , as a paper editor have Rorschach ’s diary .

5Iron Man And Captain America Fight

Captain America: Civil War (2016)

2016 was the yr 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 inCaptain 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 thatBucky Barnes killed Tony Stark ’s parent . That reveal was dark enough , but the fact that Steve Rogers knew and never said anything made it bad . A heartbroken Iron Man then proceeds to campaign Captain America and the Winter Soldier .

Chris Evans will asterisk in Avengers : Doomsday alongside Robert Downey Jr. , but the MCU genius could have altogether dissimilar function in the major taradiddle .

Joker Movie Poster

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.

After interpret Captain America and Iron Man save the world alongside each other for years , their falling out was deplorable to see . Iron Man was hurt and whip out , with Captain America side with Bucky . Steve leaving his cuticle behind after Tony say he does not deserve it hit hard .

4Superman Kills General Zod

Man of Steel (2013)

Man of Steelstarted the DCEUin an unexpected way . Contrary to howJames Gunn ’s Supermanwill be , the film did not focus on a lighter , more affirmative version of Clark Kent . Henry Cavill ’s paladin faced doubts and was still figuring out who he should be .

That would be the emotional throughline of the movie . Man of Steel ’s ending was root in that feeling , with Superman cementing his desire to be a symbol of hope after committing the worst sin potential . Shockingly , Cavill ’s Superman snarl General Zod ’s neck opening , toss off him .

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

Headshot of Joaquin Phoenix

In the comic , Superman is experience as the symbolization everyone follows . Even Hero and villain see up to him , with the Man of Steel ’s ethics determine in rock . Superman does not pop . However , Man of Steel ’s finish breaks that cardinal linguistic rule of the part , which prepare for a grievous and saturnine conclusion .

3Arthur Fleck Was Never The Real Joker

Joker: Folie À Deux (2024)

While not nigh as good as 2019 ’s Joker , Joaquin Phoenix ’s 2nd turn as the Batman villain proved itself just as grievous . The motion picture is somehow even darker than the original . That is due to how much of afocus is on Arthur Fleck ’s nous .

turkey : Folie à Deuxis the first superhero movie musical . That option does not to the full mold for the film , though it does show more of how Arthur is dealing with life in prison . It is clear that he regret his choices and was just trying to regain a new , upright life for himself .

Joker : Folie à Deux is the sequel to Todd Phillips ' critically acclaimed laughable book thriller Joker . reprise his Academy Award - winning performance as the fail comic Arthur Fleck , Joaquin Phoenix revisit the iconic DC character alongside Lady Gaga , who shit her debut as Joker ’s buff Harley Quinn in this standalone continuity of the DC Universe .

Headshot Of Robert De Niro In The 35th Annual Palm Springs International Film Festival Awards Night

However , Joker : Folie à Deuxends his story in the sad means potential . Not only wasArthur never doom to become the real Joker , but the Arkham yard bird who will become the Joker mangle him . Arthur bleeding out after being stabbed repeatedly make for a cutting closing .

2Iron Man Dies To Save Everyone

Avengers: Endgame (2019)

Avengers : Endgameis one of the MCU ’s most emotional debut . So far , it is the big superhero movie to have ever been release . As such , the motion-picture show features several major event , and withthe Avengers take in to retrovert Thanos ' snap , tensity are mellow .

Black Widow give herself for the squad to have a hazard against Thanos . That set up the bet of the plastic film , andAvengers : Endgamedelivered a grievous ending . The movie simplykilled the submarine who started the MCU , Robert Downey Jr. ’s Iron Man .

Every MCU Avengers Movie

Henry Cavill’s Superman, Joaquin Phoenix’s Joker, and Robert Pattinson’s Batman

Movie

Release Date

The Avengers

Superman lying dead in Doomsday’s palm in Batman V Superman Dawn Of Justice (2016)

2012

retaliator : Age of Ultron

2015

Doctor Manhattan played by Billy Crudup in Zack Snyder’s Watchmen

Avengers : Infinity War

2018

retaliator : Endgame

Arthur Fleck dead in Joker Folie à Deux

2019

Avengers : Doomsday

2026

Joker: Folie A Deux official poster

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.

Avengers : Secret Wars

2027

Everything aboutAvengers : Endgame ’s ending works . Doctor Strange slowly showing Tony Stark thathis sacrifice was the only way the Avengers could winwas the moment when buff clear what was about to materialize . After snapping the gauntlet and saving everyone , a scarred Tony dies as his loved ones stand close to him , which is very emotional .

Headshot Of Lady Gaga

1Thanos Kills Half Of The Universe

Avengers: Infinity War (2018)

Avengers : Endgame ’s ending was a secure contender for the gloomy on the list . However , as the Avengers succeed , the motion-picture show where they lost had to take first place . Avengers : Infinity War ’s ending stands as one of the most in effect way to make fighter lose .

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

With Chris Evans now come back to Marvel for Avengers : Doomsday , retiring reports about the MCU ’s futurity , including the cristal - man , get a major boost .

Captain America- Brave New World - Poster

However , that was not what happened . Thanos collect all the Infinity Stonesand turned half of the universe ’s universe to dust . Fans had to slowly watch as darling heroes died left and right . To crest it all off , Thanos experience his happy ending after the bleak montage , cementing it as the darkest ending to aMarvelorDCmovie .

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