• There have been 55 movies based on characters from DC Comics.
• They range from all-timers like "The Dark Knight" to stinkers like "Catwoman."
• The most recent DC film, "Superman," is closer to all-timer status.

Director, writer, and DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn's "Superman" is finally out in the world.

Is it any good?

If you listen to critics, the answer is a resounding yes. But you don't have to take it from them; "Superman's" CinemaScore rating (taken from audience members who just walked out of the theater) is an A-minus. Not bad; not bad at all.

Of course, while "Superman" is the first in an all-new DC cinematic universe, it's not the first movie to be based on DC Comics. That honor goes all the way back to 1966's "Batman."

Over the last 59 years, there have been 55 movies based on characters introduced in the pages of DC Comics and its imprints Vertigo Comics, WildStorm, and Paradox Press.

We used Rotten Tomatoes to determine how each DC film has rated with critics, from the universally panned to the beloved classics.

Here's how each DC Comics film stacks up, including "Superman."

54 (tie). "Catwoman" (2004)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 8%

"Catwoman" stars Halle Berry as Patience Phillips, aka Catwoman, in an all-new take on the character. Really, her only resemblance to the comics character is that she, well, likes cats.

In this film, Patience gets her powers (which are new from the comics) from the Egyptian goddess Bast, and decides to take down her evil boss, Laurel (Sharon Stone), who has created an antiaging cream with dangerous side effects. It's as silly as it sounds.

Christy Lemire of the Associated Press called the movie a "soulless amalgamation of quick edits, computer images and swooping, nausea-inducing dolly shots."

54 (tie). "Steel" (1997)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 8%

Steel, aka John Henry Irons, is one of Superman's most famous allies — but you'd never know it from this film, which invents a new backstory for Steel (played, we'll say, woodenly, by Shaquille O'Neal), that sees him don an iron suit to get revenge on his nemesis Nathaniel Burke, played by Judd Nelson of all people.

"Shaq isn't much of an actor, of course, but as with his first starring effort, 'Kazaam,' he's used more for his screen 'presence.' And casting Nelson in the picture helps, since he's always pretty awful," wrote Chris Hicks for Deseret News.

53. "Batman & Robin" (1997)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 11%

"Batman & Robin" is known to some as a campy classic filled with neon lighting, a suit with Bat-Nipples, and a pun-loving Mr. Freeze played by Arnold Schwarzenegger.

However, we can't cosign George Clooney's performance as Bruce Wayne or Batman. He just doesn't have it.

"Of all modern Batmans, George Clooney bears the closest physical resemblance to the comic-book hero, but there isn't much to say about his performance because there isn't much performance to discuss," wrote The Wall Street Journal's Joe Morgenstern.

52. "Jonah Hex" (2010)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 12%

"Jonah Hex" stars Josh Brolin as the titular character, a former Confederate soldier who was left for dead and healed by a Native American tribe, leaving him with the ability to communicate with the dead.

It also stars Megan Fox as Lilah, Jonah's gun-toting love interest, John Malkovich as Jonah's nemesis, Quentin Turnbull, and Michael Fassbender as Turnbull's maniacal right-hand man, Burke.

"It's a loud and subtle-as-a-sledgehammer assault on the senses, though, at 81 minutes, mercifully short," wrote Marc Lee for The Telegraph.

51. "Superman IV: The Quest for Peace" (1987)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 14%

By the time Christopher Reeve was suiting up for his fourth (and final) go-around as Superman, it was clear that it was time to move on from this version of the character.

The actors seem somewhat checked out, the effects weren't getting any better, and the choice to deviate from the comics by pitting Superman against a new villain called Nuclear Man was not a wise one.

"In many sequences, Reeve looks as if he's pink-faced from embarrassment as he flies through the air looking like a cardboard cut-out," wrote The Boston Globe's Michael Blowen.

50. "The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen" (2003)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 16%

"The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen" is based on the WildStorm/America's Best Comics series of the same name — originally, these were independent brands from DC Comics, but they were acquired in 1998 by the comics giant, angering "League" creator Alan Moore.

He should've waited until 2003 to see how director Stephen Norrington would butcher his source material to get truly angry, though.

This film takes place in a universe where some of the most iconic characters in fiction (think Dorian Gray, Allan Quatermain, Captain Nemo, and Tom Sawyer) are part of a team of agents that take down threats such as Professor Moriarty of "Sherlock" fame.

"Destined to go down in the history books as the 'Heaven's Gate' of superhero flicks, this is nothing more and nothing less than an extraordinary waste of time and money," wrote Jamie Russell for the BBC.

49. "Supergirl" (1984)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 21%

Helen Slater stars as Kara Zor-El, the cousin of Kal-El (you might know him better as Superman), who had a very different upbringing than her cousin — instead of being raised on Earth by kindly farmers, she grew up among the remnants of Krypton. After a mishap with a wizard played by Peter O'Toole (!), Kara is sent to Earth and becomes Supergirl.

However, the cheesiness of this movie and Faye Dunaway's performance as the main villain, Selena, make it a tough watch in 2025.

Anna Maria Dell'oso of The Sydney Morning Herald called the film a "disappointingly bland and twitty movie."

48. "The Kitchen" (2019)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 24%

Did you even know a comic-book movie starring Melissa McCarthy, Tiffany Haddish, Elisabeth Moss, Domhnall Gleeson, Common, and Margo Martindale was released in 2019?

If you didn't, you're not alone. It made just $16 million on a $38 million budget, per Box Office Mojo.

The film is based on the Vertigo Comics series of the same name. In it, McCarthy, Haddish, and Moss play three mob wives who are suddenly put in a position of power after their husbands are sent to jail, giving them freedom for the first time.

"Moss, somehow, retains her dignity but McCarthy and Haddish are made to look like amateurs. I'm a fan of both women. Get me outta this kitchen," wrote Charlotte O'Sullivan for the London Evening Standard.

47. "Green Lantern" (2011)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 25%

What can we say about the quality of "Green Lantern" that Ryan Reynolds hasn't already said in the post-credit scene of "Deadpool 2"?

For those not familiar, Reynolds plays Hal Jordan, a test pilot who discovers a ring and becomes endowed with the powers of the Green Lantern Corps, an alien police force.

There's a lot wrong with this movie, from the underwhelming villain to the cheesy special effects. Perhaps James Gunn and the DCU will finally get Hal right in "Lanterns" in 2026.

"Even by the standards of the current run of mediocre comic-book movies, this one stands out for its egregious shoddiness," wrote Slate's Dana Stevens.

46. "Suicide Squad" (2016)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 26%

When the first teaser for "Suicide Squad" came out, people were excited. And then the cast proudly chatted to press about their matching tattoos and the camaraderie they built on set (Jared Leto's method-acting as the Joker notwithstanding).

Unfortunately, the finished product didn't live up to the hype. In a word, this team-up of some of the most iconic comics villains of all time (Harley Quinn played by Margot Robbie, Deadshot played by Will Smith, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje as Killer Croc, etc.) is cringe.

"For all its cast and crew's inglorious chest-thumping, 'Suicide Squad' is a failed, forced exercise in  — of all things! You had one job!  —ensemble chemistry," wrote K. Austin Collins for The Ringer.

45. "Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice" (2016)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 28%

For all that's been written about the DC Extended Universe and its failures, "Batman v Superman" is really where the wheels started falling off.

Instead of making the "Man of Steel" sequel that fans wanted, or introducing a new Batman, as played by Ben Affleck, in his own stand-alone film, the studio chose to smush those two stories together in a nonsensical story that hinges on Batman and Superman's moms having the same name.

"If a filmmaker attempted to combine everything casual moviegoers don't like about superhero franchises, they couldn't come up with a picture as execrable as this one," wrote Jason Bailey for Flavorwire.

43 (tie). "Joker: Folie à Deux" (2024)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 31%

The first "Joker," which stars Joaquin Phoenix as Arthur Fleck, a mentally unstable wannabe comedian who just wants to be loved, made over $1 billion at the box office, was nominated for best picture at the Academy Awards, and Phoenix even won for best actor.

Its long-awaited sequel, which added Lady Gaga as Harley Quinn? Not so much.

It was a bomb, making just $207 million worldwide, and got such negative reviews from critics that it essentially disappeared from culture altogether.

"'Folie à Deux' is a punishingly dull affair. It's a pointless sequel with very little plot. It wastes the talent on screen, and it squanders the genuinely intriguing conceit of its characters breaking into song," wrote Esther Zuckerman for Bloomberg.

43 (tie). "Superman III" (1983)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 31%

A classic move in "Superman" storytelling is to explore the possibility of Superman having a bad day — what would happen if the most powerful being on the planet decided he wasn't so good after all?

That's a compelling concept, if it's done right. In "Superman III," which sees our favorite Kryptonian corrupted by synthetic Kryptonite, it's not.

David Denby of The New Yorker called the film "tedious, labored, and feeble beyond belief."

42. "Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom" (2023)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 33%

The last film in the DCEU before James Gunn and Co. took over went out with a whimper, not a bang. While its predecessor made over $1 billion, this film topped out at $439 million.

In "Lost Kingdom," Aquaman (Jason Momoa) is now ruling over the seven seas with his wife Mera (Amber Heard, in a very reduced role from the first film). But when an old enemy (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) gets hold of a powerful magical weapon, Aquaman must team up with his formerly villainous half-brother Orm (Patrick Wilson) to stop him.

"Where 'Aquaman' felt original, 'Lost Kingdom' is stale, void of all originality," wrote Jenny Nulf at the Austin Chronicle.

40 (tie). "Black Adam" (2022)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 39%

Infamously, while promoting this movie, Dwayne Johnson warned fans that the hierarchy of power in the DC Universe was about to change. In a way, he was right — just two months after this film's post-credit scene reintroduced Henry Cavill's Superman to the big screen for the first time in years, James Gunn announced he'd be starting from scratch with a new actor playing Superman in his revamped DCU.

But "Black Adam" itself is pretty boring. Johnson stars as Teth-Adam (aka Black Adam), an anti-hero who was bestowed super-powers by ancient Egyptian gods. After he's awakened from a centuries-long slumber, he goes on a mission to stand up for his home country, Kahndaq.

"'Black Adam' is two hours of cinematic soup, the ultimate statement from the god-king of movies that everyone sees but no one remembers," wrote Dylan Roth for the Observer.

40 (tie). "Justice League" (2017)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 39%

This is the first version of "Justice League" released, to be clear — the one directed by Zack Snyder that was then taken over by Joss Whedon, starring Ben Affleck as Batman, Henry Cavill as Superman, Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman, Jason Momoa as Aquaman, Ezra Miller as the Flash, and Ray Fisher as Cyborg.

The biggest problems with this movie, which sees the most powerful metahumans on Earth unite to defeat an alien called Steppenwolf, are that there's too much going on and the tone is all over the place.

Also, Henry Cavill's CGI-ed out mustache.

"Perhaps the new Superman is closer to what the fans wanted. But he doesn't really feel like a character anymore. He, like the rest of his movie, feels like a focus group-approved concept," wrote Mashable's Angie Han.

39. "Batman Forever" (1995)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 41%

"Batman Forever" was the third installment of WB's first attempt at a "Batman" franchise and the first (and only) outing of Val Kilmer's take on the Caped Crusader.

In this film, Bruce Wayne teams up with Robin (Chris O'Donnell) to take down the new team of the Riddler (Jim Carrey) and Two-Face (Tommy Lee Jones). Both Carrey and Jones are absolutely going for it in these roles, and for that alone, it's worth the watch.

"'Batman Forever' is in and out but wins in the end by staying true to its unbridled comic spirit," wrote Peter Travers for Rolling Stone.

38. "Red 2" (2013)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 44%

"Red 2" is the sequel to 2010's "Red" (coming later on this list). Once again, the film stars Bruce Willis as Frank Moses, a "retired and extremely dangerous" former CIA agent. He gets pulled into another scheme when he's framed for an operation back in the Cold War that involved smuggling bombs into the USSR.

"While we applaud the minds behind 'Red 2' for making a film for adults in a sea of movies for kids and teenage boys, they didn't actually make a good film for adults," wrote IndieWire's Kimber Myers.

37. "Constantine" (2005)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 46%

Based on the comic character of the same name, Keanu Reeves stars in "Constantine" as the titular exorcist and demon hunter, John Constantine, as he searches for the archangel Gabriel (Tilda Swinton).

Though this film wasn't very beloved by critics or a huge financial success, it certainly has its fans — so much so that, per Deadline, a sequel was announced to be in development in 2022.

"Keanu Reeves is — let me just get this off my chest — very good," wrote Salon's Andrew O'Hehir.

36. "The Losers" (2010)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 47%

In 2010, the year before Chris Evans would join the MCU as Captain America, he starred in a different comic-book movie — this one based on the Vertigo Comics series "The Losers."

The titular Losers are a group of black-ops soldiers who are sent on the most dangerous missions in the world. In this film, they're sent on a mission to Bolivia to destroy a drug trafficking compound, but are double-crossed by their evil boss, Max (Jason Patric).

"'The Losers' is a ho-hum scraping of the comic-book barrel, which feels particularly needless with both 'The A-Team' and 'The Expendables' on their way," wrote Tim Robey for The Telegraph.

35. "Shazam! Fury of the Gods" (2023)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 49%

"Shazam! Fury of the Gods" was one of the DCEU movies released after the announcement that an entire universe rehaul was imminent, rendering the events of this movie irrelevant.

It's a sequel to the perfectly lovely 2019 film "Shazam!," but this movie seemingly forgot what was charming about the first one. Zachary Levi (who plays the adult Billy) and Asher Angel (teen Billy) don't seem to be playing characters who have any knowledge of each other.

"The original film left nothing of substance for this superhero sequel," wrote Adam Mullins-Khatib for Chicago Reader.

34. "The Return of Swamp Thing" (1989)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 56%

The sequel to 1982's "Swamp Thing," "The Return of Swamp Thing" leans into every schlocky and campy quality of the original and turns it up to 11.

This time, Swamp Thing (Dick Durock) must rescue a young botanist, Abby Arcane (Heather Locklear), from her evil stepfather Anton (Louis Jordan), who wants to steal her youth.

Lindsay Costello of The Stranger called the movie "one of the most precious gifts ever put to celluloid."

33. "Man of Steel" (2013)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 57%

In the 12 years since "Man of Steel" was released, there's been a lot written about what this movie did to the character of Superman, the destruction he wrought (seemingly without a second thought) across both Smallville and Metropolis, Cavill's portrayal of Kal-El, and the controversial characterization of his adopted dad Pa Kent (played in this iteration by Kevin Costner).

In general, we think it's a solid origin story that was hindered by a couple of casting choices, a lack of humor, and an oppressively gray color palette.

"Christliness has always been an element of the Superman myth. But this film's near literal insistence upon it becomes absurd since director Zack Snyder and screenwriter David S. Goyer don't dramatize the analogy, they presume it," wrote Wesley Morris for Grantland.

32. "Wonder Woman 1984" (2020)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 58%

"Wonder Woman 1984" is the highly anticipated follow-up to 2017's "Wonder Woman," moving our heroine (played by Gal Gadot) from WWI-era Europe to 1980s Washington, DC.

The film also stars Pedro Pascal as Maxwell Lord, a would-be billionaire who becomes the living embodiment of a genie's lamp when he gets the ability to grant anyone's wishes just by getting near them.

Diana (aka Wonder Woman) has to choose between getting the love of her life, Steve (Chris Pine), back from the dead or having her powers and the ability to save people.

"It's a refreshingly silly and airy adventure focused on the emotions of one character, Wonder Woman (played by Gal Gadot), and a charming end to a tiring year of cinema," wrote David Sims of The Atlantic.

31. "Swamp Thing" (1982)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 61%

"Swamp Thing" was directed by horror legend Wes Craven, and is his love letter to the creature features of the 1950s such as "The Creature from the Black Lagoon."

It's a pretty standard monster movie anchored by performances by Ray Wise, Dick Durock, Adrienne Barbeau, and Louis Jordan. Alec Holland (Wise), a scientist, is turned into a superhuman monster after an experiment gone wrong. Horror ensues.

Roger Ebert called it "one of those movies that fall somewhere between buried treasures and guilty pleasures."

30. "The Flash" (2023)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 63%

A lot was riding on "The Flash" before it hit theaters in 2023 after numerous delays. Apparently, Tom Cruise himself was so taken by it that he called director Andy Muschietti for 15 minutes to rave about it, per Variety.

Instead, it ended up being a somewhat garbled mess. Ezra Miller stars as Barry Allen, a young man struck by lightning who develops superspeed. But that's the least of Barry's concerns; he also has a dad who's been falsely imprisoned for murdering his mom. After the events of "Justice League," Barry figures out he can travel back in time and makes the choice to stop his mom from dying.

That small choice sends things into chaos, with Barry getting catapulted into an alternate universe with no other metahumans and the Michael Keaton version of Batman.

"Mad trippy or catastrophic? This DC superhero epic is actually a mix of both, dragged down by exhausting multiverse hopping but flashy fun on the wings of virtuoso Ezra Miller and the grumpy comic perfection of Michael Keaton as a Batman on the ropes," wrote Peter Travers for ABC.

29. "Watchmen" (2009)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 65%

The second-best reviewed Zack Snyder joint on this list is "Watchmen," adapted from the iconic, highly lauded comic of the same name.

In this story, masked crime-fighters have been around for decades (oh, and Richard Nixon is a five-term president at the height of the Cold War) — but they've been outlawed for years.

One such former vigilante, Rorschach (Jackie Earle Haley) becomes convinced that someone is taking out former heroes one by one, and tries to warn his former team, the Watchmen, that someone might be after them. But the conspiracy goes deeper than any of them could've imagined.

"'Watchmen' isn't boring, but as a fragmented sci-fi doomsday noir, it remains as detached from the viewer as it is from the zeitgeist," wrote Entertainment Weekly's Owen Gleiberman.

28. "Aquaman" (2018)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 66%

"Aquaman" stars Jason Momoa as Arthur Curry, a half-human, half-Atlantean hero who is of both land and sea. Over the course of the film, he must learn to accept his birthright as the king of Atlantis — but first, he must defeat Black Manta (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) and his half-brother Orm (Patrick Wilson).

"Hollywood has given us the greatest, goofiest holiday gift in a long time," wrote Jordan Hoffman for AMNY.

27. "Joker" (2019)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 68%

The discourse around "Joker" (Is it about incels? Is it a truly nihilistic piece of art? What is a Joker movie without a Batman?) has almost obfuscated that it's a pretty good movie.

Joaquin Phoenix is almost unrecognizable as Arthur Fleck, a down-on-his-luck wannabe comedian who struggles with telling the difference between reality and delusion. But as his psyche begins to crack, he only becomes more beloved by the disillusioned residents of Gotham.

Wenlei Ma wrote for news.com.au, "'Joker' is a jumble — sometimes brilliant and sometimes trite. Among its flashes of excellence is a self-serious movie that isn't nearly as deep as it thinks it is."

24 (tie). "DC League of Super-Pets" (2022)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 72%

The first (but not last!) animated film on this list is "DC League of Super-Pets," which is essentially the Justice League with cats and dogs (and turtles and guinea pigs and squirrels …).

In the same year he played Black Adam in live-action, Dwayne Johnson also voiced Krypto, Superman's pet dog. Kevin Hart, on the other hand, voiced Ace, Batman's boxer mix, whom the Dark Knight has adopted.

"The Super-Pets aren't the most witty or cutting bunch — and no doubt destined to be plush toys on store shelves soon — but there's little reason to resist the cute," wrote The Guardian's Adrian Horton.

24 (tie). "Red" (2010)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 72%

"Red" is a somewhat forgotten movie these days, but it was actually nominated for a Golden Globe in 2010, for best motion picture — musical or comedy.

It's based on the WildStorm comic (a DC imprint) of the same name about a retired CIA agent named Frank Moses (Bruce Willis) who is pulled back into action after another agent, William Cooper (Karl Urban), is tasked with killing him by the vice president, Robert Stanton (Julian McMahon).

"A fast, funny, smart, adult-oriented action-comedy that generates precisely the kind of giddy vibe 'The Expendables' lacked," wrote The Age's Jim Schembri.

24 (tie). "Superman Returns" (2006)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 72%

The plot of "Superman Returns" completely ignores the events of "Superman III" and "Superman IV," and is instead a semi-reboot, semi-legacy sequel to "Superman II."

This time, though, our hero is played by Brandon Routh, who we'd maintain never got a fair shake at playing Superman. This movie is pretty good! The airplane sequence that kicks off the movie holds up almost 20 years later.

"It's all about heart — not that the spectacle falters; this is the finest popular entertainment since the 'Rings' trilogy closed. Superman doesn't fly — he soars," wrote Ian Nathan for Empire.

23. "V for Vendetta" (2005)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 73%

"V for Vendetta" is based on the Vertigo Comics series of the same name. It takes place in an alternate version of Great Britain that has been overtaken by a fascist, totalitarian regime. A lone anarchist, known as V (Hugo Weaving) who is never seen without a Guy Fawkes mask, begins planting the seeds of a revolution with the help of a young woman, Evey (Natalie Portman).

Claudia Puig wrote for USA Today, "The dark and stylized 'V for Vendetta' is visually exhilarating, provocative and disturbing."

21 (tie). "Stardust" (2007)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 77%

"Stardust" is based on the Neil Gaiman novel of the same name that was published by DC Comics in 1999.

It's an epic romantasy starring Charlie Cox as Tristan, a young man who wants to collect a fallen star to present to his love, Victoria (Sienna Miller) — but when the fallen star turns out to be a young woman named Yvaine (Claire Danes), Tristan finds himself in a love triangle.

"A stern editor with a sense of dramatic timing could have given this film more tension to go with its random bursts of comedy and big, happy fantasy setpieces, but lacking tautness, it'll have to settle for expansive joy," wrote the AV Club's Tasha Robinson.

21 (tie). "Batman" (1989)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 77%

Tim Burton's "Batman" took Gotham City's favorite vigilante out of the campy '60s and into the gothic, dark '80s.

The film (which actually isn't really an origin story — it starts off with Bruce Wayne having been Batman for at least six months) stars Michael Keaton as Wayne/Batman and Jack Nicholson as the Joker, in one of the most entertaining performances of his career.

Newsday's Mike McGrady called the film "one of the most interesting comic-book movies ever made, a movie that vividly illustrates where most of the others have gone wrong."

19 (tie). "Blue Beetle" (2023)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 78%

"Blue Beetle" is a charming little movie about a recent college grad, Jaime Reyes (Xolo Maridueña), who becomes fused with a piece of alien tech known as the Scarab (voiced by Becky G) and becomes a powerful hero known as the Blue Beetle.

"'Blue Beetle' is both scrappy and tailored, poignant and breezily amusing. Pitched from a new angle and guided by talented hands, 'Blue Beetle' is a rarity in these superhero end-times: a genuine pleasure to watch, reviving tired old formula with brio," wrote Richard Lawson for Vanity Fair.

19 (tie). "Zack Snyder's Justice League" (2021)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 78%

As you might remember, there already was a "Justice League" movie on this list — but it wasn't the director Zack Snyder's complete product, since he had to step away from filming due to personal reasons.

But when fans became aware that Snyder had shot enough footage to make a four-hour cut of the film that was true to his vision, they became obsessed with the #SnyderCut.

Sure, it took years, but "Zack Snyder's Justice League" hit HBO Max in 2021, all 242 minutes of it, after the fans' unrelenting pressure on Warner Bros.

While the general story remains the same, there's much more of every character in Snyder's cut, especially Cyborg (Ray Fisher) who was almost entirely cut out of the theatrical version. And it's a better movie for Fisher's performance, who is the heart of the film.

"It actually succeeds. In more ways than I ever expected," wrote NPR's Eric Deggans.

18. "Birds of Prey" (2020)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 79%

Margot Robbie's casting as Harley Quinn was far and away the best choice DC ever made. She shines in this movie as a newly empowered version of the Joker's ex-girlfriend who teams up with a few other local female criminals — The Huntress (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), Black Canary (Jurnee Smollett-Bell), and Cassandra Cain (Ella Jay Basco) — to take down the crime lord Black Mask (Ewan McGregor).

"Kinetic, silly, candy-colored, and hyperviolent, 'Birds of Prey' is a serious treat for fans of comic book films. But it wouldn't work without the equal parts goofy, hilarious, and unhinged performance of its lead," wrote Max Weiss for Baltimore Magazine.

17. "Batman" (1966)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 80%

This version of the Caped Crusader is based on the equally campy '60s TV show that aired on ABC for three seasons.

From that iconic theme song, to Adam West's perfectly calibrated performance as an adult man who feels the need to dress up as a bat to fight crime, to all the wild "bat" gadgets (Bat-Shark Repellant, anyone?), this movie is a classic.

"I'd choose Adam West's Batmobile over Michael Keaton's any day," wrote Time Out.

15 (tie). "Road to Perdition" (2002)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 82%

Yup, "Road to Perdition" is a comic movie. The series was published by the DC Comics imprint Paradox Press in the '90s and 2000s.

The Sam Mendes film stars Tom Hanks as Michael Sullivan, an enforcer for the Irish Mob in '30s Illinois. After his family is targeted by a rival mobster, Michael and his son, played by Tyler Hoechlin, are forced to go on the run, killing anyone in their way.

"This is classic albeit somber filmmaking, restrained and all of a piece, by a director who believes film can tell adult stories in an adult manner, who knows the effects he wants and how to get them," wrote the Los Angeles Times' Kenneth Turan.

15 (tie). "Batman Returns" (1992)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 82%

"Batman Returns" is a weirder, slimier, grimier, and meaner film than its predecessor — and it's a Christmas movie!

Michael Keaton is once again solid as Batman, but this movie belongs to Michelle Pfeiffer as Catwoman and Danny DeVito as the Penguin, two portrayals of the characters that live on 33 years later.

"The strange, ambitious character work that comprises 'Batman Returns' is wrapped in the perfunctory framework of a Tim Burton superhero film," wrote Justin Clark for Slant Magazine.

13 (tie). "Batman: Mask of the Phantasm" (1993)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 83%

"Batman: The Animated Series" is one of the most iconic and beloved cartoons of all time, so it stands to reason that a theatrical adaptation of the cartoon would work. And it does! Kevin Conroy's vocal performance as Batman/Bruce Wayne will live on forever as the definitive portrayal of the character, and the design of Gotham City is timeless.

The story itself is pretty standard Batman fare, but it's compelling to watch Bruce grapple with the choice to stay a vigilante or give it up for love.

"A fantastic-looking back-to-basics telling of the legend, it totally disregards any attempt at nineties reinvention," wrote Ross Jones for The Guardian.

13 (tie). "Superman" (2025)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 83%

The most recent DC movie is, of course, 2025's "Superman." It's the first feature film under James Gunn's new DC Universe (and it was also written and directed by Gunn himself).

It introduces audiences to an all-new version of Superman, this time played to perfection by David Corenswet. He's surrounded by an all-time supporting cast, including Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor, Skyler Gisondo as Jimmy Olsen, Nathan Fillion as Guy Gardner (a Green Lantern), Isabela Merced as Hawkgirl, and Krypto, a really great dog.

"It makes you want to cheer. That's it, that's the secret ingredient that's been missing from so many superhero stories for so long," wrote Glen Weldon of NPR.

11 (tie). "Batman Begins" (2005)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 85%

We'd call "Batman Begins" the first Batman movie of the modern era. It's directed by Christopher Nolan, and puts Batman (Christian Bale) into the most realistic version of Gotham City we'd seen to date. Plus, Cillian Murphy's portrayal of the Scarecrow still haunts us.

"The psychological realism and the science-fiction villainy don't always mesh seamlessly. But unlike so many superheroic summer spectacles, this one actually has a soul behind the special effects," wrote David Ansen for Newsweek.

11 (tie). "The Batman" (2022)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 85%

Tied with "Batman Begins" is the newest version of the Bat, this time played by Robert Pattinson in one of the most emo roles of his career. Seriously, this Bruce Wayne looks like he's a fully nocturnal animal.

In a change from the rest of his big-screen portrayals, this Batman is equally as much of a detective as he is a brawler — and he certainly does a lot of both.

We also have to pay respects to Zoë Kravitz's Catwoman and Colin Farrell's unrecognizable turn as the Penguin, which led to him getting his own HBO Max show.

"'The Batman' is the Batman movie we deserve, though: overwrought and overlong, but also carefully crafted and exhilarating," wrote Adam Nayman for The Ringer.

9 (tie). "The Dark Knight Rises" (2012)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 87%

Christian Bale wrapped up his time as the Dark Knight in 2012's "The Dark Knight Rises," which picks up eight years after the events of "The Dark Knight," when Batman was shunned by the people of Gotham after he took the fall for killing Harvey Dent.

This movie's lasting legacy is probably its villain, the hulking mass that is Bane (Tom Hardy) and his, we'll say, unique way of speaking.

But a lot happens in this movie. Batman meets Catwoman (Anne Hathaway), he gets his back broken and fully recovers, the city of Gotham is cut off from civilization via a series of bombings, and Batman fakes his own death. Phew.

"[Christopher] Nolan has turned a preposterous character back into a grave myth, the story of a tortured saviour, reluctantly giving his all," wrote The London Evening Standard's David Sexton.

9 (tie). "Superman: The Movie" (1978)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 87%

Arguably, this could be considered the first modern superhero movie, the film that set us down the path we're still taking to the movie theaters to this day. It's cheesy, but not overly so, it has an all-time superhero theme composed by John Williams (that's still being used in "Superman" content now), and the casting of Christopher Reeve as Superman remains the best superhero casting of all time, period.

And we didn't even mention Gene Hackman as Lex Luthor and Margot Kidder as Lois Lane, who complete a trifecta of A-plus performances in this film.

"Reshaping a comic book adaptation into a modern myth told with wonder, sincerity and soul, 'Superman: The Movie' didn't just make you believe a man could fly, it made you want to," wrote Zaki Hasan for the San Francisco Chronicle.

7 (tie). "A History of Violence" (2005)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 88%

Not even director David Cronenberg is immune to the comic-book movie craze. In 2005, he adapted the 1997 graphic novel published by Paradox Press (and later Vertigo Comics).

The film stars Viggo Mortensen as Tom, a small-town diner owner with a wife and son. He becomes the center of a media frenzy when he takes out two spree killers who are trying to rob his diner with relative ease — despite his best efforts to stay anonymous, his violent past as a mob hitman comes back to haunt him.

"Cronenberg's masterful, intelligent and gripping meta-thriller leaves us pondering about our enduringly perverse desire for alternative realities, in which surrogate violent alter egos run righteously and preposterously amok," wrote Richard Falcon for Sight & Sound.

7 (tie). "Superman II" (1980)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 88%

With all the shuffling that went on behind the scenes (director Richard Donner was fired 80% of the way through and replaced with Richard Lester), it's a miracle that this movie is watchable, let alone great.

It's carried to greatness largely on the back of Terence Stamp's performance as General Zod, an evil Kryptonian hellbent on taking over Earth and destroying Superman.

"The special effects are spare but spectacular, and the delightfully showy tricks are spaced out by comic ventures into romance, tourism and human drama," wrote Meaghan Morris for The Sydney Morning Herald.

6. "The Lego Batman Movie" (2017)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 89%

After Lego Batman was such a huge hit in "The Lego Movie," greenlighting a spinoff about his adventures in Gotham City was a no-brainer.

Will Arnett voices this petulant and somewhat callous version of Batman amazingly well. He's joined by an equally stellar voice cast of Michael Cera as Batman, Ralph Fiennes as Bruce's butler Alfred, Zach Galifianakis as the Joker, and Rosario Dawson as Batgirl.

This version of the Batman story gets at the idea, perhaps more than any other Batman story, that Batman and the Joker need each other to survive. It's a toxic relationship, but a relationship nonetheless.

"Everything is still awesome in the irreverent 'Lego Movie' universe!!! All right, maybe not everything. But enough things," wrote Us Weekly's Mara Reinstein.

4 (tie). "The Suicide Squad" (2021)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 90%

In between his second and third "Guardians of the Galaxy" movies, James Gunn briefly jumped ship from Marvel to DC (and soon, permanently joined Team DC) to write and direct "The Suicide Squad," a loose sequel to 2016's "Suicide Squad." Confusing titles, we know.

This version of the team is all heart and the epitome of the found family trope that Gunn loves so much. After a fakeout in which almost an entire team is killed, we're introduced to our main characters: Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie), Bloodsport (Idris Elba), Peacemaker (John Cena), Rick Flag Jr. (Joel Kinnaman), King Shark (Sylvester Stallone), Polka-Dot Man (David Dastmalchian), and Ratcatcher 2 (Daniela Melchior).

"'The Suicide Squad' is relentlessly unapologetic, wacky and weird, violent and bloody, and darkly humorous. It also has so much heart that you may find yourself fighting back tears by its end," wrote Kirsten Acuna for Business Insider.

4 (tie). "Shazam!" (2019)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 90%

"Shazam!" was a surprise. It's a somewhat high concept: A young foster kid named Billy Batson is chosen by an ancient wizard to be bestowed with the power of the gods. Now, any time he says "Shazam" he goes from young Asher Angel to the adult Zachary Levi.

However, the strength of this movie is the bond between Billy and his foster siblings, mainly Freddy (Jack Dylan Grazer), as they come together and become a true family.

"Once Billy says that magic word and his supersized alter ego appears, the movie goes to its happy place and comfortably embraces its own identity as a light, jocular, modest entertainment," wrote Manohla Dargis for The New York Times.

3. "Teen Titans Go! To the Movies" (2018)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 92%

The best-reviewed animated movie on this list is "Teen Titans Go! To the Movies," the cinematic continuation of the Cartoon Network series that began airing in 2013.

The Teen Titans are exactly what it sounds like: a group of teenage superheroes. This version of the team contains Robin (Scott Menville), Starfire (Hynden Walch), Beast Boy (Greg Cipes), Cyborg (Khary Payton), and Raven (Tara Strong).

In this film, the Teen Titans are upset that no one takes them seriously because they've never had a movie made about them, so they go on a hunt to find an arch-nemesis worthy of the big screen.

Tara Brady of The Irish Times called it "appropriately super."

2. "Wonder Woman" (2017)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 93%

Wonder Woman is one of the most famous and beloved heroes in the DC universe, but it took 76 years to get Diana, the Amazonian princess of Themiscyra, on the big screen.

Thankfully, she was worth the wait. This movie, put simply, rocks. Chris Pine is dynamite as WWI fighter pilot Steve Trevor, Gal Gadot plays Diana's naivety about the modern world so well, and the rest of the supporting cast is on their A-game, too.

"It's not difficult to see where this route is going, but that doesn't make it any less enjoyable to watch. The simple power of love is the cornerstone upon which Wonder Woman is built. If it seems earnest, it's because it is," wrote Karen Han for Slash Film.

1. "The Dark Knight" (2008)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 94%

There's an argument to be made that "The Dark Knight," the second of the Christopher Nolan/Christian Bale trio, is the best super-hero movie ever made.

It blends action with thought-provoking ideas about the nature of good and evil — yes, we know it's cliché at this point, but in 2008, it was hitting different! — and a genuinely starmaking performance of Heath Ledger, who would go on to posthumously win an Oscar for his work as the Joker.

"The haunting and visionary 'Dark Knight' soars on the wings of untamed imagination," wrote Rolling Stone's Peter Travers.

• AI adoption is ramping up, opening opportunities for new consumer startups.
• Menlo Ventures' recent "State of Consumer AI" report reveals categories the VC firm is eyeing.
• Business Insider spoke with two partners at the firm about where Menlo is placing bets.

How can AI actually foster more human connection?

That's a question Menlo Ventures, a venture capital firm that's invested in companies like Uber, Tumblr, and Anthropic, wants to answer.

Connection is one of a handful of "white space opportunities" that Menlo Ventures is eyeing as fertile ground for new startups in consumer AI technology, according to the firm's recent "The State of Consumer AI" report.

Menlo Ventures and Morning Consult surveyed roughly 5,000 US-based adults in April about their feelings around AI and how they've used the tools within the past six months.

"Today, usage is dominated by these generalist AI systems," such as OpenAI's ChatGPT or Google's Gemini, Menlo Ventures partner Amy Wu Martin told Business Insider. "But we're seeing, starting with specific categories, this move into more specialized apps."

Menlo's research identified five broad categories where specialized AI apps are gaining traction: routine tasks, creative expression, physical and mental health, learning and development, and connection.

Dating, social networking, AI companions, and more

What falls under the connection umbrella?

One niche is dating. Menlo's market map of consumer AI tools highlighted AI-powered matchmaking apps like A16z Speedrun alum Sitch, Keeper, and Ditto. Then there are social networking apps that use AI agents to surface new people to meet, such as Gigi or professional-focused startups like Series or Boardy. Menlo also puts AI companions (think Character AI or Replika) and the turn-yourself-into-a-bot startup Delphi (a Menlo investment) under its connection thesis.

"People are starting to use AI as a bit of a crutch to actually figure out how to interact with people and feel less awkward," Martin said, pointing to examples of how people may use AI to prepare for a date or dinner party.

In addition to dating advice or social coaching, the technology can be a semi-social outlet in itself, enabling users to interact with AI-generated personas.

"The biggest gap in the AI connectivity is multiplayer mode," Martin said, referring to AI that facilitates and participates in group activities.

Social media has largely morphed into entertainment — propelled by the rise of influencers — instead of a place to foster real-life connections. Menlo thinks AI could help bring people together, especially in the still-untapped realm of multiplayer experiences.

"What is the tool that really just helps you be better in your relationships?" Menlo partner Shawn Carolan said. "I don't want more media coming my way. It's almost like the opposite of social media."

But people aren't running en masse to AI for connection just yet.

According to the report, only 14% of participants said they used AI for "staying in touch."

Investors are buzzing about consumer AI

A new crop of startups at the intersection of AI and social networking has stirred buzz with investors.

"We are trying to understand where the puck is going," Martin said. "The next phase, especially consumer, is around these specialized apps."

Menlo Ventures isn't the only firm betting on consumer AI applications.

Amber Atherton, a partner at early-stage consumer fund Patron, recently told BI about wanting to invest in startups that better help people find new relationships and maintain their existing ones.

Beyond connection, Menlo Ventures is also watching spaces like healthcare and wellness, financial management, personalized learning, home-related tasks, and family logistics as opportunities for startups.

Parents, for instance, are AI "power users," according to Menlo's survey.

"Ultimately, consumers are trying to get things done," Martin said.

• I moved to Orlando for my husband's job and a lifestyle that sounded dreamy with beaches and sun.
• Things like high home costs and a rough hurricane season made living there challenging for us.
• After a few years and a divorce, I moved to Atlanta, which is closer to family with milder weather.

In 2019, my (now ex) husband and I joined the mass exodus of Californians moving to less expensive states.

First, we settled in Atlanta. The bustling business hub seemed rife with career opportunities for both of us. Plus, it was familiar territory for me as I'd lived there a few times and had friends and family nearby.

After two years of living in Atlanta, we weren't sold on the idea of settling there and preferred to explore our options. We wanted more perks of California living — sunshine, beaches, and proximity to theme parks — for a fraction of the cost.

After a wonderful spring-break trip in 2021, we realized we could find all of those things in Orlando. When my then-husband received an offer for his dream job there a year later, we finally made the move to Florida.

Living in Orlando felt like heaven on earth to me, but the honeymoon phase ended after about three years.

Although I love visiting Orlando, living there wasn't all sunshine and rainbows

At first, I really enjoyed living in Orlando.

We had so much entertainment and fun right in our backyard: Our home was less than an hour from the beach, plus less than 30 minutes from Disney World, Universal, and SeaWorld.

Soon, I realized some of the area's not-so-great qualities were dealbreakers in my long-term living plans.

Since Florida is nicknamed the Sunshine State, I didn't think to look much deeper into its year-round forecasts before we moved.

We enjoyed a lot of sun, but in our first year as residents, I was shocked to discover how much it rains in Orlando — even in the summer. The area has a rainy season that lasts months, and rainfall here is higher than the US average.

Worse, though, is living through Florida's infamous hurricane seasons. Orlando is far inland and typically safe from hurricanes, but it isn't always entirely in the clear from the storm's path and local impact.

The city still gets heavy rains and flooding. In two of the three years we lived in Orlando, several hurricane warnings pushed us to evacuate. Plus, as we're more inland, heavy winds can make the area susceptible to tornadoes.

Although our top-floor apartment was never damaged by storms, we saw our homeowner friends fork out thousands for hurricane-related repairs while dealing with the area's rising insurance costs.

Combined with the rising risk of hurricanes and home prices, this all turned me off from the idea of ever buying a house in Florida.

Even if I didn't own property, it became clear to me that hurricane damages and risks would likely impact all residents one way or another — be it higher rent payments or car insurance rates.

Unfortunately, the Sunshine State's hot, humid, and rainy weather can also make homes especially susceptible to mold. When I began experiencing health issues related to frequent mold exposure, it felt like my final straw.

After three years, I'd had enough of living in Florida, and I was ready to leave, especially since my marriage was ending, too. I can't say living in Orlando played a role in our split, but not having family or a village nearby definitely wasn't great for us.

I moved back to a place where I knew I could settle with ease: Atlanta

Once our divorce was finalized, Atlanta welcomed me back with open arms.

Although the Georgia city experiences its fair share of tropical storms, the weather feels much calmer year-round, and I still get tons of sunshine. I'm closer to my family and friends, and feel comfortable settling down here.

I also like that there are so many thriving people in Atlanta who look like me. There's a reason this city is nicknamed the Black Mecca of the South — and I've seen firsthand its dense population of successful Black professionals and moguls.

I'm excited for my new chapter in Atlanta. It turns out it was the right place for me all along — just at the wrong time.

Although Orlando didn't work out as a permanent residence, it'll always be my home away from home and a go-to vacation spot.

• Another AI companion is coming to Elon Musk's Grok chatbot.
• The companion is inspired by "Twilight" and "50 Shades of Grey," Musk said.
• Grok already has two companions: an anime girl named Ani and a vulgar red panda named Rudi.

Elon Musk says his Grok chatbot is getting a male companion — and his company looked to two popular romance novels for inspiration.

Musk on Wednesday teased a forthcoming male Grok companion, asking users for their thoughts on what he should be named.

"His personality is inspired by Edward Cullen from Twilight and Christian Grey from 50 Shades," Musk wrote.

When an X user commented that the character should have been inspired by Mr. Darcy, a character from Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, Musk replied, "We will, of course, have another character inspired by Mr. Darcy."

Grok has already released two AI companions: a flirty female anime character named Ani and a vulgar red panda named Rudi.

A representative for xAI didn't immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.

Grok was recently criticized for a series of antisemitic posts, including some in which it referred to itself as "MechaHitler," a video game version of Hitler. xAI later apologized for the chatbot's "horrific behavior."

"Deprecated code made @grok susceptible to existing user posts; including when such posts contained extremist views," xAI said.

xAI isn't the only company to experiment with offering various chatbot personas. There's Character.AI, which says it lets users choose from millions of AI characters as conversation partners. Meta started offering chatbot characters featuring the likenesses of celebrities like Snoop Dogg, Kendall Jenner, and Charli D'Amelio, but scrapped them after less than a year.

Time will tell if Grok's companions meet a similar fate.

• A UK Royal Air Force F-35B has been stuck in India for more than a month.
• India is not a part of the program, and doesn't have permission to access the jet's advanced tech.
• A warfare analyst said: "You really don't want it sitting in a country that isn't cleared to access knowledge about those capabilities."

A UK F-35 stealth fighter jet has been stuck for more than a month in India, a country that isn't part of the program and does not have access to the plane's advanced tech and capabilities.

The stealth fighter landed on June 14 at Thiruvananthapuram airport in the state of Kerala, where it was diverted after it ran into bad weather in the Indian Ocean. An engine issue then prevented the jet from returning to the Royal Navy's flagship carrier, the HMS Prince of Wales, the British High Commission in New Delhi said.

Local media reports that the jet is still there but the repair work is underway.

The jet is an F-35B, the short-takeoff/vertical landing variant built with a lift fan for operations on amphibious assault ships, certain aircraft carriers, and limited runways. This version of the fighter is used by the UK, Japan, Italy, and the US.

The fifth-generation aircraft, made by the US defense contractor Lockheed Martin, is one of the most advanced jets in the world, and the US determines who gets access to these planes. India isn't on the list of approved partner countries.

The jet being stuck for so long has raised questions about how this could happen to such a modern jet and concerns about having top tech stranded where it shouldn't be.

Former Australian Army Maj. Gen. Mick Ryan, a warfare strategist, explained to Business Insider that "given the extraordinary capabilities and advanced technologies on these things, you really don't want it sitting in a country that isn't cleared to access knowledge about those capabilities."

He said he suspects the US is putting pressure on the UK concerning the recovery of the jet. Neither the Pentagon nor the US State Department responded to BI's request for comment. The F-35 Joint Program Office did not immediately respond either.

"I'd say there'd be a lot of diplomatic action in the background with the Indians to ensure that the security of that aircraft is paramount and that there aren't efforts to exploit that aircraft by some who might be tempted to do so," Ryan added.

The US is able to decide a lot about how the jet is used around the world, including restricting its export. It has previously done so with countries that use Russian and Chinese weapon systems, such as Turkey, which was initially part of the program. India has never been a part of the program, though there's been interest.

Christoph Bergs, an airpower analyst at the UK's Royal United Services Institute, told The New York Times this month that "there's lots of secrecy involving military aircraft in general," but it's even more sensitive with the F-35. Even though it's used by many American and partners allies, its tech is carefully guarded.

"You don't want unauthorized access where people can either interfere with the machine, or take very close-up pictures, or even start, you know, messing with the machinery itself," he said.

The jet has been moved to an on-site hangar.

When it was sitting out in the open, there were reports in Indian media that it hadn't been moved due to the UK's distrust. The Royal Navy rejected that in a statement to The Independent, saying it would have been done sooner if the required tools and expertise had been available. When relocating the fighter jet to a hangar became an option, action was taken "to minimise disruptions to the regular airport operations," it said.

The British Royal Navy directed BI to the British defense ministry, which did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

While the British military and experts have attempted to downplay potential trust issues and there have been no indications that India is attempting to access the jet's classified technology, there is, nonetheless, a reason to take security seriously.

A complicated relationship

The advanced combat technology aboard the F-35 stealth fighter is exceptionally sensitive, and the US carefully weighs who gets access to it.

The US and India are not formal allies, but they are strategic partners. India has purchased billions of dollars worth of US defense equipment, and the countries hold military exercises together, with Washington viewing Mumbai as a partner against China.

India, however, also buys a lot of Russian equipment, with Moscow as a major supplier of weapons to Mumbai. India also maintains a relationship with Russia and is a major buyer of Russian oil, complicating ties with the US.

Amid these complexities in the relationship, the US has at times been hesitant to share advanced tech with India. For instance, the previous US administration left it off the list of countries with unrestricted access to US-made microchips.

It's unclear how the new Trump administration will affect ties. India rejected President Donald Trump's claim in June that he had brokered a ceasefire between India and Pakistan during a conflict in May. But India's government has also publicly praised Trump, in a move seen by some analysts as a bid to avoid heavy tariffs that Trump is putting on much of the world.

The Trump administration has pledged to deepen its defense partnership with India. Trump said in February that "starting this year, we'll be increasing military sales to India by many billions of dollars." He added that they were "paving the way" for India to eventually get the F-35.

Whether that goes through remains to be seen. It's uncertain whether F-35s are right for India, which is eager to grow its own defense industry. Also, Russia is offering India an export version of its less expensive Su-57. The Russian jet comes with less red tape but also less capability.

Rescuing the jet

The UK is trying to repair the stranded aircraft to take it out of India. The UK Defence in India, the official X account of UK Defence Adviser in India, Commodore Chris Saunders, posted on July 7 that a team of engineers from the UK had arrived to work on the aircraft

It said repairs were underway on the aircraft, which had been moved to the maintenance hangar. It said "we are grateful for the continued support and collaboration of the Indian authorities."

India Today reported that UK military personnel were guarding the hangar and that India's security forces were staying outside and at a distance.

The jet likely can't be safely flown right now. The UK Ministry of Defence, in a statement to The Associated Press, rejected speculation that the jet could be partially dismantled and transported in a cargo plane if it can't be fixed by engineers.

For now, the advanced jet is where it is and has become something of a source of humor in India, sparking memes. The tourism department of Kerala shared a cartoon image of the fighter jet on a runway beside some palm trees with a fake five-star review alongside the text "Kerala is such an amazing place, I don't want to leave. Definitely recommend."

• OpenAI has lost some key talent, but few of them have talked about their time at the company.
• One employee, Calvin French-Owen, however, recently shared some details.
• OpenAI has a bottom-up culture where promotions are meritocratic, he said.

A lot can happen in a year at OpenAI.

Calvin French-Owen, a former member of OpenAI's technical staff who helped launch a series of AI coding tools called Codex, published a lengthy blog post on Tuesday that detailed what happened to him in his year at the company.

His blog offers a rare, first-person account of everyday life at OpenAI — insight that its string of recently departed employees haven't provided until now.

He said he left about three weeks ago after starting in May 2024. Prior to OpenAI, he was the cofounder of a customer data platform called Segment, according to his LinkedIn profile. He said he's still figuring out what's next.

French-Owen said that OpenAI has a "bottoms-up" culture, especially in its research departments. This makes the company "very meritocratic," he said, and people are promoted on their ability to generate ideas and execute them. The most competent, he said, weren't great at all-hands presentations or "political maneuvering."

Despite the revelations about CEO Sam Altman's leadership style that surfaced during his brief ousting as CEO in 2023 — and subsequent chatter of culture clashes between the company's academic and corporate factions — French-Owen said the company stays true to its nonprofit origins. "The longer you've been there, the more you probably view things through the 'research lab' or 'nonprofit for good' lens," he wrote.

That's not to say the company isn't worried about turning a profit. He said success is mostly measured by the number of subscriptions a new tool or update generates, a key path to profitability.

He also said the company doesn't operate like an institution or a tech giant. It makes decisions quickly, teams are fluid, and it can be "very secretive," he said, so he never knew what others were working on in much detail.

Another hallmark of the fast-paced, startup-like culture is that most communication takes place on Slack. French-Owen said he received about 10 emails during his whole tenure at OpenAI.

But the pace can sometimes backfire. "Everything breaks when you scale that quickly: how to communicate as a company, the reporting structures, how to ship product, how to manage and organize people, the hiring processes, etc," he said.

Hours are long, he said, especially as it comes close to a product launch. Some of OpenAI's engineers told media outlets that they were burned out from working 80 hours a week, and the company gave them a week off earlier this month.

When the launch of Codex neared, French-Owen said he worked from 7 a.m. to midnight most days, and weekends, too.

"The stakes feel really high," he said. "On the one hand, there's the goal of building AGI — which means there is a lot to get right. On the other hand, you're trying to build a product that hundreds of millions of users leverage."

Artificial general intelligence is broadly defined as AI that reasons as well as or better than humans. It's what most leading AI companies are competing to develop first.

Talent is the key to reaching that goal. The biggest tech companies in the world are throwing millions at a handful of top researchers to win the race to AGI.

Meta has been at the forefront of these talent wars. CEO Mark Zuckerberg recently hired Scale AI CEO Alexandr Wang to lead its AI efforts, and has recruited some of the top AI researchers in the world from other companies.

One of the top places Zuckerberg is poaching from is OpenAI. Jason Wei, who worked on OpenAI's o1 and deep research models, and colleague Hyung Won Chung, both left for Meta this week.

Ultimately, French-Owen said there's a chance he'd return to OpenAI.

"It's entirely possible that the quality of the work will draw me back," he said. "It's hard to imagine building anything as impactful as AGI, and LLMs are easily the technological innovation of the decade."

OpenAI did not immediately respond to Business a request for comment from Business Insider.

The MAGA backlash from the Jeffrey Epstein saga is spilling into a niche but influential corner of President Trump's coalition: the "manosphere."

Why it matters: Anti-establishment comedians and podcasters like Joe Rogan, Theo Von and Andrew Schulz were widely credited with expanding Trump's support among young men in the 2024 election.

• Many hosted Trump or Vice President Vance on their shows and voiced support for populist themes, while generally steering clear of overtly partisan messaging.
• Their organic outrage over the administration's handling of the Epstein case marks a rare rupture — one that could threaten Trump's cultural foothold with Gen Z and millennial men.

Driving the news: "There was supposed to be an Epstein joke here, but I guess it got deleted," comedian Shane Gillis, popular among conservatives for his irreverent humor, deadpanned at the ESPY Awards on Wednesday night.

• "Probably deleted itself, right? Probably never existed, actually. Let's move on as a country and ignore that."

What they're saying: The revolt reached critical mass in recent days across a constellation of "manosphere" podcasts — a term that came to describe their guys-being-dudes energy in 2024.

• "Flagrant" host Andrew Schulz, whose last three podcast episodes have all been dominated by Epstein discourse, accused Trump of "insulting our intelligence" by claiming that the notorious sex trafficker had no "client list" or blackmail ring.
• A clip of Vance saying "we need to release the Epstein list" on comedian Theo Von's podcast last month has gone viral in recent days. Von himself reposted the video on X and wrote: "Yeah what changed?"
• Joe Rogan, who has one of the most popular podcasts in the world, joined the pile-on this week: "They can lie about all kinds of things. Where's the Epstein files? 'Oh, can't find them, don't exist.' Like, they can get away with sh*t, man."

State of play: Nearly two weeks after the Justice Department released a memo announcing that the Epstein case would be closed, Trump's MAGA base is refusing to heed the president's calls to move on.

• A frustrated Trump is responding in increasingly personal terms, disavowing supporters who continue to focus on what he claims is a Democratic "hoax."
• "Let these weaklings continue forward and do the Democrats work, don't even think about talking of our incredible and unprecedented success, because I don't want their support anymore!" Trump posted Wednesay.

Reality check: This isn't the first sign of manosphere unease with Trump. Some voices have questioned his immigration raids or criticized the bombing of Iran's nuclear facilities.

• But nothing has pierced the broader cultural conversation — or triggered as visceral a reaction — as the Epstein scandal.

Between the lines: The manosphere is distinct from the core MAGA media ecosystem.

• While pro-Trump influencers like Charlie Kirk deliver explicitly partisan content, figures like Andrew Schulz and Joe Rogan have more wide-ranging and often light-hearted discussions.
• When they do discuss politics, it's largely through an anti-establishment lens.

The bottom line: At a time when MAGA is looking to expand upon gains it made with Gen Z voters in 2024, manosphere podcasters could serve as key conduits — but only if they stay in the tent.

• My husband and I spent about three months traveling around the United Kingdom, France, andSpain.
• I wish we'd learned how to use local public transit sooner and hadn't rented a car during the trip.
• Our trip would've been easier if we'd learned more of the local languages before we left.

No matter how much you plan or how well-traveled you are, you're bound to make a few mistakes. That's what my husband and I realized after our first trip together to Europe last spring.

Despite our best efforts, our almost-three-month adventure in the United Kingdom, France, and Spain included more than a few miscalculations — some of which happened before we even boarded the plane.

Before your nexttrip to Europe, you may want to learn from our mistakes to save yourself time, money, and stress.

Relying on rideshares and cabs instead of learning how to navigate public transportation right away

During our first week in London, we used the city's famous black cabs and ride-hailing apps like Bolt and Uber. This cost us hundreds of dollars, and we also wasted a lot of time sitting in traffic.

We eventually figured out how to navigate public transit (with the help of the Citymapper app), and this was a huge time and money saver everywhere we went in Europe. I wish we'd done it sooner.

Not being more skeptical about rental listings

We booked a few rental spaces for our trip and didn't realize until after arriving that we'd been duped by some of the hosts' photos.

Turns out, many of them had been taken in 0.5 zoom, which can make spaces (especially bathrooms) look a lot bigger than they are.

We now scrutinize images on rental sites more closely, ask hosts specific questions about the space, and read all user reviews. Sometimes, we even request more photos.

Renting a car to cross countries

Part of the excitement of our European adventure was traveling by plane, train, and automobile.

We loved taking trains, butdriving through the south of France and northern Spain was more stressful than idyllic. We weren't prepared to navigate the roads, from the expensive tolls to the confusing signs with symbols we'd never seen before.

Looking back, we shouldn't have rented a car. From now on, when we're abroad, we're sticking to trains and planes.

Packing the wrong shoes and not breaking them in

My husband has an uncommon shoe size, so he packed two pairs of new sneakers. The problem was, he didn't wear them much before the trip.

Turns out, there's a big difference between walking a mile in Santa Monica and 6 to 8 miles a day in Paris and London. If he'd broken them in more, we would've known he needed replacement insoles.

Instead, by the end of our trip, we'd spent hundreds of dollars on moleskin pads and bandages — and my husband's feet were so blistered and bruised that they didn't go back to normal for weeks.

Next time, he's making sure his shoes are effectively tested and broken in before going on a trip that requires a lot of walking.

Hiding our passports in our rental apartment … then forgetting about them

We didn't necessarily want to carry our passports with us while exploring different cities and towns. So, in an effort to keep them safe, we'd hide them in some of our Airbnbs when a safe wasn't available.

However, we forgot to take our passports with us while checking out of one rental in Spain — partly because we were in such a rush to leave.

To avoid making this scary mistake again, we now use a packing checklist and double-check that we have all of our belongings when we check out of an accommodation.

Not learning enough of the local languages before the trip

Though it was easy for us to get by in Spain with my conversational Spanish, it was difficult to communicate in France with our very limited French.

Granted, most locals spoke English, but our lack of language proficiency was particularly distressing when we ended up at a Parisian hospital trying to explain my husband's headache symptoms and understand the doctor's advice. (Thank goodness for Google Translate!)

With so many free language-learning apps and resources out there, we should've brushed up months beforehand instead of waiting until the last minute. That way, we could've navigated each country more comfortably, efficiently, and independently.

Assuming our Platinum Amex would be the only card we'd need

Getting the Platinum Amex Card was phenomenal for its sign-on bonus points and perks like car-rental insurance, $15 monthly Uber Cash, and no foreign transaction fees.

However, most places we visited in Europe didn't accept American Express cards. Instead, we had to use our other credit cards that charged international fees.

Now, when traveling abroad, we don't rely on Amex alone — we also take at least one Mastercard or Visa that doesn't charge foreign transaction fees.

Booking a monthlong stay in a city we hadn't planned on visiting

Initially, our European adventure wasn't going to include a month in Donostia-San Sebastian, a seaside town in Spain's Basque Country.

But a friend told us about the region, and we figured it'd be fun to visit this renowned gastronomic hub.

It was beautiful — but after 10 days of pintxos (local bite-sized snacks) and promenade walks, we got bored and left.

Knowing we wouldn't get a refund for our rental was difficult, but we determined it was worth the extra cost so we could return to Paris and enjoy a city we truly love.

Next time, we'll follow our instincts and also try a place out for a shorter period of time if we're not sure we'll love it.

• Jamie Siminoff is back at Amazon running the Ring business he founded. He's making big changes.
• Siminoff recently mandated that staff show how they use AI when applying for promotions.
• This applies to Ring and some other Amazon units including Blink and Sidewalk.

To get ahead at Ring and other Amazon smart-home businesses, you'll need to show your AI chops.

Ring founder Jamie Siminoff, who also oversees Amazon's Blink security cameras, Key in-home delivery service, and Sidewalk wireless network, announced on Wednesday that all promotion applications at his RBKS organization must now explain how employees are using AI at work.

Siminoff, who returned to Amazon in April after a 2-year hiatus, said the new policy aims to reward "innovative thinking" and reinforce a culture of speed and efficiency.

"When we combine innovative technology with our missions, we create something truly special," Siminoff wrote in the email, a copy of which was obtained by Business Insider.

A Ring spokesperson told BI the changes only apply to Amazon's RBKS employees, and not the rest of the company.

The change underscores a growing trend among tech companies to incorporate AI use into their talent-evaluation process.

Shopify announced in April that managers must prove AI couldn't do a job better before hiring anyone new. Microsoft is asking some managers to evaluate employees based on how they use internal AI tools. Amazon CEO Andy Jassy, meanwhile, warned last month that AI will reduce the company's workforce because of efficiency gains.

Siminoff, in his email, said employees seeking a promotion must now describe how they have used generative AI or other AI technologies to improve customer experience or increase operational efficiency. They are also asked to cite specific AI projects they've worked on and the measurable impact achieved.

Those in management positions are also required to show how they used AI tools to accomplish "more with less," while reducing or not growing headcount, according to the email.

"In the spirit of Day 1 culture, we will keep learning, iterating and improving this," Siminoff wrote.

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• OpenAI released 'Agent Mode' on Thursday.
• Agent Mode allows ChatGPT users to parse data and create spreadsheets and slides, among other things.
• OpenAI announced the new tool as it navigates an otherwise bumpy summer.

OpenAI released "Agent Mode" on Thursday.

The company said the new tool is a ChatGPT agent that can tackle complex tasks "using its own computer."

That includes requests like "look at my calendar and brief me on upcoming client meetings based on recent news" and "plan and buy ingredients to make Japanese breakfast for four," the company said in its announcement.

During a livestream, CEO Sam Altman said the idea for the ChatGPT agent came after OpenAI launched its other agents, Operator and Deep Research. Operator uses its own browser to perform tasks, while Deep Research can do multi-step investigations on the internet.

"It became clear to us that what people really wanted was for us to bring those capabilities together," Altman said. "People wanted a unified agent that could go off, use its own computer, and do real complex tasks for them."

Agent Mode is now available for certain ChatGPT users.

"Starting today, Pro, Plus, and Team users can activate ChatGPT's new agentic capabilities directly through the tools dropdown from the composer by selecting 'agent mode' at any point in any conversation," the company said.

The release is a much-needed distraction from what has been a bumpy summer for the world's premier AI startup, which in March was valued at $300 billion after raising another $40 billion.

OpenAI has faced increased competition from Big Tech giants like Meta, Google, Amazon, and Microsoft recently. Google, for example, hired staffers from AI coding assistant startup Windsurf after its deal with OpenAI collapsed. Meta poached several of OpenAI's top staffers to bolster its own ranks, and Amazon is developing a potentially unflattering film about Altman.

It's also navigating disagreements with its largest investor, Microsoft, and a trademark suit related to its much-hyped acquisition of io, the design company founded by famed Apple designer Jony Ive.

Elon Musk's xAI, meanwhile, released the latest version of its chatbot, Grok, this month. OpenAI, on the other hand, delayed the release of its own new model.

With the release of Agent Mode, the ChatGPT maker is reminding everyone that it's still, for now, the leading AI company out there.

Agent Mode will allow ChatGPT users to do all kinds of things, including parsing data and creating spreadsheets and slides, competing directly with Microsoft and Google.