Following on from previous engaging listicles, such as “10 Upcoming Movies You Should be Excited About”, let’s take a look at the most anticipated Marvel and DC films for the end of 2017 and 2018.

Superhero movies are instant blockbusters these days, with both DC/Warner Bros. and Marvel/Disney raking in millions from their respective cinematic universes. It’s hard to say how long this superhero phenomenon will last but, until then, the most die-hard comic book lovers have plenty to be happy about.

As comic book characters permeate mainstream audiences, various other companies have joined the trend. For instance, the CW Television Network is now heavily associated with producing DC-centered shows, from The Flash and Arrow to Supergirl and Legends of Tomorrow. Meanwhile, video game developers are also creating more narratives based on superheroes. Batman: The Telltale Series by Telltale Games, explores a fresh storyline for the classic DC character and is set in current times. The superhero craze even reached online, with gaming providers Spin Genie hosting a variety of superhero-inspired slot games including Wonder Woman and King of Atlantis. And Spin Genie is just one of many gaming communities that pay homage to our favourite crime fighting superheroes through digital games. In light of all these titles coming out from numerous industries, there seems to be no limit to the influence of superheroes.

The first half of 2017 alone was packed with superhero films, from Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 2 and Spider-Man: Homecoming to DC’s Wonder Woman. Yet there are still several titles coming out before 2017 ends. The next year of course, looks promising as well.

Here are 5 Marvel and DC flicks to get excited about.

1. Thor: Ragnarok

Director: Taika Waititi

The third iteration sees the mighty Thor imprisoned on the other side of the universe without his hammer. He finds himself in a race against time as the entire Asgardian civilization is under threat from the all-powerful Hela. To escape, he must first compete in a deadly gladiatorial contest that pits him against the Incredible Hulk.

Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo and Tom Hiddleston return as Thor, The Hulk, and Loki, respectively. Joining the cast are Cate Blanchett as Hela, Tessa Thompson as Valkyrie, and Jeff Goldblum as the Grandmaster.

Release Date: November 3, 2017

2. Justice League

Directors: Zack Snyder and Joss Whedon

DC’s highly anticipated movie unites Batman (Ben Affleck) with Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot), along with The Flash (Ezra Miller), Aquaman (Jason Momoa), and Cyborg (Ray Fisher). The team is up against the catastrophic threat of the Steppenwolf and his army of Parademons.

Unlike the dark, gritty mood present in Man of Steel and Batman V Superman, Justice League seems to take on a much lighter tone. It would be interesting to see the end result, since Joss Whedon took over director duties after Zack Snyder left due to a personal tragedy. Variety relayed that Warner Bros. reportedly spent millions on extensive reshoots to ensure that the movie’s success echoes that of Wonder Woman.

Release Date: November 17, 2017

3. Black Panther

Director: Ryan Coogler

After the death of his father (shown in Captain America: Civil War), T’Challa returns home to the isolated African nation, Wakanda, to succeed the throne.

It’s unclear who the main villain is but we do know two characters of interest: M’Baku (Winston Duke), the head of a religious minority in Wakanda who doesn’t support the new king and; Erik Killmonger (Michael B. Jordan), who is the protagonist’s nemesis in the comics. Included in this superb cast ensemble are Lupita Nyong’o, Danai Gurira, Forest Whitaker, Angela Bassett, Daniel Kaluuya, Andy Serkis, and Martin Freeman.

Release Date: February 16, 2018

4. Avengers: Infinity War

Directors: Anthony and Joe Russo

The Infinity War is a major storyline in the comics, and Marvel Studios is finally bringing it to the big screen. It will be told in two parts, with the second one due for a release in 2019. The Avengers join forces with the Guardians of the Galaxy to battle Thanos (Josh Brolin), an ominous threat who intends to capture all 6 Infinity Stones and use them to essentially destroy reality.

Every Marvel Studios film has built up to this point, and whatever takes place after that is uncertain. Popular speculations note that Chris Evans’ Captain America will die in the epic battle against Thanos, and either Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) or Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) will take up his mantle.

Release Date: May 4, 2018

5. Aquaman

Director: James Wan

No official synopsis has surfaced but fans were given a first preview of Aquaman at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con. The footage revealed an underwater army, with schools of warriors riding sharks.

The film will most likely tackle Aquaman’s origin story. Jason Momoa’s character is the king of an underwater nation called Atlantis. Among his superpowers are the ability to manipulate tides, as well as communicate with any aquatic creature.

Furious 7 and The Conjuring director James Wan revealed the technical challenges that come with filming Aquaman. His sentiments were documented by The Hollywood Reporter, wherein he noted the difficulty of working with underwater sequences. Much of the challenge comes from his commitment to use less CGI. The cast also includes Willem Dafoe, Nicole Kidman, Patrick Wilson and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II.

Release Date: December 2018