5 Marvel & DC Movie Nude Scenes That Changed Superhero Cinema
Audiences turn to superhero movies for spectacle. They want to see fantastical acts of heroism and world-ending stakes. However, sometimes these movies will offer amusing or symbolic takes on subject matter that's a little bit more mundane. After all, superheroes are just like the rest of us sometimes, whether that involves struggling to pay the rent like Peter Parker — or walking around in their birthday suit.
There have actually been quite a few Marvel and DC movies that have shown characters in the nude, whether it's full frontal or just a shot of someone's butt. It makes sense — those spandex suits can start to chafe over time, so the first thing anyone would want to do is get out of them once they're home and just let things breathe for a bit.
We've selected nude superhero moments that serve a genuine function, whether they're meant to symbolize a character's journey, showcase a particular film's sense of humor, or simply fulfill a studio's request. Above all else, these moments changed superhero cinema by showing that not everything in the genre has to be made for kids. These scenes may have influenced future comic book adaptations to push boundaries even further or just get people talking. And, considering the workouts actors go through in order to transform into superheroes, they may just want to show off every nook and cranny from time to time.
Doctor Manhattan in Watchmen
"Watchmen" is a vital text in the pantheon of superhero comics. Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons' groundbreaking series showed that these types of stories didn't have to be created exclusively for children, and the 2009 film directed by Zack Snyder kept true to that ethos. The R-rated DC film included ample amounts of adult activity, including Doctor Manhattan (Billy Crudup) parading around in the buff. This is true to the comic book version of the character, and in both instances, nudity is critical to understanding his journey to a god-like deity.
Doctor Manhattan undergoes an accident that turns him into the most powerful superhero ever, with abilities consisting of immortality, teleportation, and molecular manipulation. He can pretty much do whatever he wants, and as such, he's grown detached from humanity, as depicted in a scene where multiple copies of Manhattan have sex with Laurie Jupiter (Malin Åkerman) while yet another copy is occupied with work. Doctor Manhattan's nudity exemplifies how he no longer has consideration for human sensibilities. When he's required to wear clothes on television, that's when he's awkward.
"Watchmen" wasn't the first R-rated superhero movie, but it carries on the trajectory set forth by the comic. It deals with mature themes and graphic imagery. The fact it came out in 2009, just a year after the Marvel Cinematic Universe was born with "Iron Man," showed there was still a place for these kinds of adult stories within the genre.
Wade Wilson and Vanessa in Deadpool
"Deadpool" has carried the torch in showing there's a place for R-rated superhero movies in the marketplace. However, while Doctor Manhattan's nudity exemplifies his lack of humanity in "Watchmen," Wade Wilson's (Ryan Reynolds) story features a ton of butts and genitals, specifically because everyone is human with all the desires that come with that.
Wilson's unclothed butt is on full display in the film, along with plenty of other moments where characters bare all, from a strip club scene to Wade's girlfriend, Vanessa (Morena Baccarin), showing it all off while the two engage in intercourse. Similar to "Watchmen," these nude scenes set the film apart from the typical PG-13 fare of the genre. But "Deadpool" goes beyond that as arguably the most sex-positive superhero movie around.
The film's characters aren't ashamed of their bodies, and they enjoy having sex. It's a breath of fresh air, considering that Marvel movies tend to star some of the most beautiful actors on the planet, and you're lucky if two people share an open-mouth kiss. "Deadpool" goes all in, and it's not just the titular character who gets his jollies. One infamous scene has Vanessa take control in bed, showing both her and Wade having a good time. Ultimately, "Deadpool" breaks superhero ground by showing there's nothing wrong with engaging in sex and nudity merely for pleasure.
Wolverine in X-Men: Days of Future Past
From time to time, PG-13 superhero movies do get in on some of the nudity action, albeit in a more reserved manner. One example is found in "X-Men: Days of Future Past," where Wolverine's (Hugh Jackman) consciousness is sent to the past to prevent the Sentinels from wiping out mutants in the future. After Logan wakes up in a younger body that just enjoyed a night of passion with a woman, he gets out of bed, and the audience can see his butt on full display. The scene also bolsters fan theories that the film's opening pays homage to another time-travel movie, "The Terminator," where the titular cyborg appears in the buff upon going back in time.
The idea of an R-rated Wolverine movie was something that had enticed fans for a while. In fact, 2013's "The Wolverine" had an extended home release cut that leaned more into the R rating with stronger profanity and gore. That version, combined with the brief nudity in "Days of Future Past," almost felt like Fox was testing the waters for a genuine R-rated Wolverine film, which we would eventually get with 2017's "Logan."
"Logan" is seen as a high watermark for the superhero genre, so there was definitely something to the idea of exploring a darker film for a character who had previously been relegated to PG-13 fare. The final solo Wolverine movie even ups the nudity ante by featuring a scene where a woman briefly shows her breasts. That scene, combined with the film's overall violence and language, ensured "Logan" would earn its R rating in more ways than one.
Hulk in Thor: Ragnarok
It's a bit of a running joke that all of Bruce Banner's (Mark Ruffalo) clothes tear off when he transforms into Hulk, except his pants. However, viewers finally get to see Hulk in the buff (somewhat) in "Thor: Ragnarok" when the green guy shows his butt. It's primarily played for laughs, as "Ragnarok" is among the more comedic Marvel movies. However, it also subtly offers fans greater insight into Hulk's psyche.
The "Ragnarok" scene in question sees Hulk getting out of a hot tub and baring all in front of Thor (Chris Hemsworth). It shows that Hulk is now in control, with Bruce Banner having been pushed to the sidelines for years. It's safe to say Hulk doesn't have the same hang-ups as his human counterpart, likely due in part to his having been isolated for so long. Hulk simply doesn't care for such things as modesty, and being such a prominent gladiator on Sakaar, he's probably gotten used to being in the buff even if other people are present.
"Ragnarok" serves as one last hurrah for the MCU's original version of Hulk. This incarnation of the hero largely goes away after losing to Thanos (Josh Brolin) in "Avengers: Infinity War." In "Avengers: Endgame," we mostly see Professor Hulk, where the most positive characteristics of Hulk and Bruce Banner have merged. Walking around nude encapsulates Hulk's almost childlike nature, where all he cares about is smashing and fighting. We don't know if Smart Hulk will be the version to stick around from here on out, but at least "Ragnarok" audiences got to see a solid interpretation of the classic Hulk, buttocks and all.
Alice Cable in Swamp Thing
While critical analysis of sex scenes is worth having, especially when it comes to ensuring actors are safe and comfortable while shooting them, if social media had been around in the 1980s, the discussion would have almost certainly been less nuanced. Back then, films were far more likely to contain gratuitous nudity than scenes that were vital to the story. That includes 1982's "Swamp Thing."
Prior to "Swamp Thing's" release, the only live-action DC movie adaptations were based on Superman and Batman and were obviously designed for children. But "Swamp Thing" represented a different kind of comic book story. It was more adult, and the big-screen adaptation's nudity exemplified that. One scene many people likely remember is when Alice Cable (Adrienne Barbeau) wades naked in a swamp. More of her body could be seen in the European release of the film, but Americans still saw the profile of her breast. It helped differentiate the film from others at the time, proving these stories could still appeal to adults — even if the nudity wasn't really there in service of the overall plot.
In the DVD commentary for "Swamp Thing," director Wes Craven said nudity wasn't just more readily permitted at the time — it was encouraged. "It was always, like, the solution to everything was to have a nude scene," Craven recalled. "So Adrienne did agree to do that, with my vow that it would only be used in Europe." "Swamp Thing" shows how nude scenes in Hollywood's superhero projects go way back. It's not some new thing more recent films have done in attempts to be edgy. Hopefully, these movies and others show filmmakers how nudity and superheroes can still go hand-in-hand.