person___man

Spider-Man (2002): Peter Parker is late for Thanksgiving dinner, injured from a previous fight with the Green Goblin. Unfortunately for him, he's sitting directly next to the Green Goblin as Norman Osborne, who is VERY interested in how Peter got the same wounds he inflicted on Spider-Man. (I also like how Peter's wearing Green Goblin colors and Norman's wearing Spider-Man colors.)

Spider-Man: Homecoming (2016): Peter Parker is off to prom with his date Liz and her father, the Vulture. He slowly realizes over the car ride that this little twerp dating his daughter is also the little twerp wrecking his criminal operation.

Robert Pattinson as The Batman (2025). Pattinson's work in the Twilight franchise led some to see him as just a "sparkly vampire" with little substance. This take promptly disintegrated after his stellar brooding portrayal of Bruce Wayne in The Batman.

Similarly, Michael Keaton's casting in Batman (1989) was questioned by comic book fans due to Keaton's primarily comedic background - people feared he would simply rehash the campy Adam West-y vibes of the Batman TV show. However, Tim Burton's signature dark take on the character coupled with Keaton's rockstar performance created the highest-grossing movie of the year.

Heath Ledger, much like Robert Pattinson, was known for "pretty boy" roles in teen dramas. Many people doubted he could put on a competent Joker performance, much less one that could outdo Nicholson's. However, The Dark Knight (2008) was overwhelmingly praised for a version of the Joker that's now a widespread cultural icon.

(The Force Awakens) Kylo Ren speaking to Darth Vader

(Megamind) Megamind visiting the Metro Man Museum

A Minecraft Movie (2025)

Fant4stic (2015)

Suicide Squad (2016)

(Planet of the Apes) The Planet of the Apes is actually a post-apocalyptic Earth. They put this Statue of Liberty shot on the actual Blu-Ray cover. It was also parodied on Family Guy.

(Metroid) Samus Aran, underneath the power suit, is a woman. The instruction manual refers to Samus as male to obscure her gender until the surprise reveal at the end of the game, but nowadays, Zero Suit Samus is a playable character in most Smash titles.

(Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde) The two characters are actually split personalities of the same person. In the book, this is a massive revelation, but the title of the book is now synonymous for someone with a secret dark side.

(Scary Movie 3) Widening state trooper hat

(Spongebob Squarepants) Patchy the Pirate's hook and eyepatch are constantly alternating sides

(The Animal) Ever-tightening police shirt

(Brooklyn Nine-Nine) Rosa Diaz' changing hairstyles in the episode "The Crime Scene", courtesy of her girlfriend Jocelyn

Reinhardt (Overwatch)

King Dedede (Kirby)

Barrel (Amphibia)

link to artist

(Puss in Boots 2) Before his epic debut duel, Death is shown in the opening scene watching from an alleyway. He's also in the death-montage number cards.

(Spider-Man: Far From Home) Quentin Blake/Mysterio and his team is secretly stalking Peter on his Europe trip to ensure the plans go smoothly

(Game Changer) Sam Reich's iconic line is "I've been here the whole time." Yes, he's an antagonist.

Chernobyl, site of a nuclear reactor meltdown

Pompeii, city lost to a volcanic eruption

Auschwitz, complex of concentration and extermination camps

Unnamed Fire Nation lackey accidentally refers to Iroh & Zuko as "prisoners", forcing Azula's hand and resulting in their escape. Iroh & Zuko continue to grow and change as people. (ATLA)

Some rat lets Scott Lang out of the Quantum Realm, causing the inciting incident of Avengers: Endgame. This makes the rat the undisputed MVP of the Avengers saga, don't @ me (MCU)

Random mugger kills the two wealthiest people in Gotham, unknowingly creating the Batman. It is absolutely better for their deaths to be caused by a random mugging that's representative of the rot and crime that pervades Gotham as a whole and leaves no one safe, absolutely @ me I'm prepared to keep explaining (DC Comics)

Moses & Ramses (Prince of Egypt)

Charles Xavier & Erik Lehnsherr/Professor X & Magneto (X-Men)

Orion Pax & D-16/Optimus Prime & Megatron (Transformers)