Top 20 Movies That Lived Up to the HYPE

By 2018, the MCU was already well underway. The first “Iron Man” movie was ten years old, and “The Avengers” was turning six. But there was still room for more heroes, and that’s where “Black Panther” comes in. Plans for a “Black Panther” film had been in development since the early ‘90s, and the movie carried a number of important cultural mantles, like being the first MCU film with a predominantly Black cast. Furthermore, director Ryan Coogler had several acclaimed films under his belt, so people knew the movie was going to be great. And, luckily, it was, with many critics calling it the best film in the MCU.

The hype around James Cameron’s “Titanic” was as vast as the ocean itself. Its immense hype was fueled by Cameron’s reputation as a master storyteller, his technical wizardry with visual effects, and of course, the legacy of the Titanic itself. The movie’s emotional resonance, combined with Cameron’s astounding filmmaking, helped make it a global phenomenon. “Titanic” turned in just shy of $2 billion in its first theatrical run and accumulated eleven Academy Awards, tying it for the most ever. It’s now considered a landmark movie and is preserved in the Library of Congress. Just another day at the office for Mr. Cameron.

One question was at the forefront of everyone’s mind - would a sequel to “Blade Runner” still work 35 years after the fact? Short answer - yes. And it was way better than anyone could have possibly imagined. The first “Blade Runner” has long been considered one of the best sci-fi films ever made, and this sequel had a lot going for it in pre-release. That included the involvement of Ryan Gosling, the return of Harrison Ford as Deckard, and director Denis Villeneuve fresh off acclaimed films like “Sicario” and “Arrival.” “Blade Runner 2049” was yet another notch in his ever-growing belt, receiving praise for its visual effects, thoughtful themes, and Roger Deakins’ Oscar-winning cinematography.

While some dismissed the film as a blatant cash grab, others saw a great potential for success. Lego has been around for decades, and billions of people around the world were raised on its endless possibilities. We didn’t know how a Lego movie would work - we just knew it would. Like one of your many masterpieces, it built itself up brick by brick, with clever humor, a heartfelt story, and an innovative animation style modeled after real Lego physics. Audiences were enamored with the film’s witty dialogue and surprisingly profound narrative about creativity, landing it on many best-of-the-year lists. We knew the movie would be good - we didn’t know it would be that good!

In 1999, “The Matrix” bullet-dodged its way into the pop culture zeitgeist, despite audiences not having the faintest idea of what they were walking into. Much like Neo, they wanted to learn the truth, with the tantalizing trailers offering little in the way of information but promising a fictional world unlike anything we had seen before. “What is the Matrix?” Millions wanted to know, and unlike Neo, they were more than satisfied with the answers. The film’s cutting-edge effects and breathtaking action sequences were revolutionary for the time, and the story explored themes of reality, identity, and free will, all of which resonated with audiences. “The Matrix” became a global phenomenon, all thanks to a brilliant imagination and some genius marketing.

At a time when movies are struggling at the box office, here comes “Barbie” to show everyone that, yes, they can still make major money. The hype behind “Barbie” was simply unreal, with the Barbenheimer phenomenon taking the internet by storm throughout much of 2023. While “Barbie” could have easily been a mindless cash grab, Greta Gerwig turned it into a hilarious and often thoughtful introspection on identity, feminism, and existentialism. Audiences couldn’t get enough, and “Barbie” absolutely dominated the 2023 box office with a global taking of $1.4 billion. Between this and “Oppenheimer” winning Best Picture, we’d say the Barbenheimer hype train more than paid off. SUBLIME!!!

For people who weren’t there, it’s impossible to state just how huge “Harry Potter” was at its peak. The book series was absolutely enormous, a cultural juggernaut that was already four novels deep by the time “Philosopher’s Stone” reached theaters in 2001. Fans eagerly wanted to see J.K. Rowling’s magical world and its many colorful inhabitants brought to life. Luckily, the film faithfully recreated the beloved novel, capturing the wonder and magic of Hogwarts and containing a pitch-perfect cast that embodied the characters with an almost eerie perfection. It not only further cemented the juggernaut that was “Harry Potter,” it also proved that none of the magic would be lost in the transition from page to screen.

Frank Herbert’s “Dune” is considered a seminal work in the science fiction genre, and while it has a legion of fans, adapting it for the screen was no small feat. Just ask David Lynch. But our old friend Denis Villeneuve took a shot, and the status of his films grew bigger than a sandworm. The first movie was a huge success, receiving great reviews and grossing over $400 million at the height of COVID. Its success further bolstered the hype - hype that “Part Two” handily exceeded. The praise was near unanimous, with many people calling it a modern masterpiece. That includes Steven Spielberg, who referred to “Part Two” as “one of the most brilliant science fiction films [he has] ever seen.”

The first “Top Gun” was awesome. Tom Cruise movies are awesome. Jets and explosions are awesome. So what wasn’t to love about “Top Gun: Maverick?” This movie is a legacy sequel of sorts, with Cruise training a young group of up-and-comers played by up-and-comers like Miles Teller and Glen Powell. The film was everything we wished it would be and more. Cruise insisted that it was played in theaters, and we’re glad he did. It was an old-school theatrical experience with heart, humor, and blockbuster entertainment, and it became Cruise’s most successful movie ever with a gross of nearly $1.5 billion. Talk about hitting your target.

Swinging onto screens in 2018 was the first full-length animated film in the “Spider-Man” franchise, and what hype that distinction brought. Spider-Man is obviously a huge character, and setting expectations even higher was the involvement of Phil Lord, who is responsible for some of the most highly acclaimed comedies of the 2010s. Needless to say, the film exceeded all expectations. Audiences were blown away by its innovative animation that brought comic book panels to life while introducing multiple versions of Spider-Man from different dimensions. This gimmick would later be brought to the live-action sphere with “No Way Home.” The film was also praised for its heart, humor, and cultural representation, resulting in a film that appealed to both comic book enthusiasts and general audiences.

“The Lord of the Rings” is a seminal fantasy book series whose story was considered impossible to film throughout most of the 20th century, despite an animated attempt. Not only that, but the trailers for this movie aired just when the internet’s hype machine was beginning to take shape. However, “Fellowship” more than exceeded expectations thanks to revolutionary effects, gorgeous scenery, a soaring score, spectacular acting, amazing set pieces, surprisingly good pacing for such a long film, and much more. The movie, and eventually the trilogy, managed to please hardcore fans and general audiences alike, while becoming a landmark of filmmaking in general and ultimately the fantasy film to rule them all.

Speaking of groundbreaking and influential films, the second “Terminator” movie set the standard in several areas, like its impressive computer-generated effects, as well as its impact on the movie industry, influencing Hollywood’s emphasis on sequels. “T2” itself is a phenomenal film, doing everything its predecessor did, but bigger and, more importantly, better. The action scenes are thrilling and explosive, but the characters also have greater depth. Meanwhile, the thematic elements, like the horrors of nuclear Armageddon, are also well executed. So few sequels can even equal the original, but “Terminator 2” surpassed it, and fan expectations, with gusto.

The legendary trailer for this mind-bending film had everyone excited to see if Christopher Nolan could deliver on the promise it displayed. As it turned out, “Inception” was indeed worthy of its reputation. Its inventive take on the much-used sci-fi concept of entering people’s dreams is well developed, and its layered plot and settings make it worthy of watching several times. The visuals are still spectacular today and the strong central character is highly compelling, even if a few of the side characters are a little underutilized. Overall, it’s a film that gives us a lot of boom for our buck…so to speak.

Fans had not seen anything from director George Miller’s gritty, post-apocalyptic desert series for decades when “Fury Road” came on the scene, so expectations were high for this high octane film. Thankfully, it stepped on the gas and never let up, featuring scene after scene of breathtaking, practical stunts and action, along with beautifully bleak scenery and a compelling, if simple story. Not only did “Fury Road” deliver on the hype, but it also has us eagerly awaiting the day when we can return to Mad Max’s insane thrill ride of a world once again.

When news broke that “Logan” would be Hugh Jackman’s final film as Wolverine, we all hoped that he would go out on top – and boy, did he pull it off! “Logan” follows an older, more grizzled and defeated Wolverine as he is pulled into one last adventure that sees him try to help a young mutant reach her friends. The story borrows elements from Westerns and features plenty of bloody action, standout performances from all the leads, as well as some truly heartbreaking moments. One of the “X-Men” franchise’s greatest strengths has been its diverse cast of characters, but this personal story about just one may be its best.

After two universally acclaimed animated masterpieces, the standard of “Toy Story” movies had been set almost unrealistically high when its third installment came around. However, “Toy Story 3” managed to deliver a funny, heartfelt send-off to the franchise, or what we thought was a send-off at the time. It’s about the toys’ attempts to return to their owner Andy, despite his having outgrown them. Although we’re thrilled that Woody, Buzz, and the rest of the gang are coming back again, we would have been perfectly content if this had been their final adventure.

Though the Marvel Cinematic Universe has seen plenty of hyped movies in its roster since this film, like “Captain America: Civil War,” the first “Avengers” movie takes the cake. The MCU had been building up smaller connections between its standalone movies, but “The Avengers” was its first big crossover event and the anticipation was huge. However, the film surpassed our expectations and featured a fun, thrilling, and endlessly watchable story that united the mightiest heroes in a fashion that pleased casual audiences, critics, and comic book fans alike, while breaking box office records in the process. And after years of build-up, the franchise concluded wonderfully with the long-anticipated “Avengers: Endgame.”

Universal, the company that distributed this film, put out an impressive pre-game marketing campaign for “Jurassic Park,” with dozens of products plastered with its logo. The film also had to live up to the desires of kids, and kids at heart, to see amazing dinosaurs realized on screen. “Jurassic Park,” like the dinosaurs themselves, found a way. Featuring compelling characters, a stirring soundtrack, unforgettable sequences, and effects that still hold up today, “Jurassic Park” is pure blockbuster magic, brought to us by the master of it, Steven Spielberg.

Pleasing “Star Wars” fans can be…tricky, to say the least. The franchise is among the most beloved in all of pop culture and its juggernaut of a hype train has let us down on some occasions. However, the seventh main film of the franchise managed to move the story forward with new, interesting characters, while featuring returning favorites who got their time to shine again, as well as the series’ signature sci-fi action. Though some have criticized its similarities to prior films, sometimes the best way to satisfy people is to give them something familiar.

A legendarily memorable trailer and Heath Ledger’s untimely death sent the hype for this follow-up to the already excellent “Batman Begins” into overdrive, to the point where we were sure that Batman and the Joker’s battle for Gotham’s soul was going to be amazing. “The Dark Knight” surpassed our hype to become something else entirely, conveying an epic battle of ideologies in a supremely entertaining superhero movie. All of this is helped by gripping action, great performances, and scene after scene of iconic moments and lines that have left their mark on pop culture forever.

Which movie exceeded your expectations? Let us know in the comments below!