Description: Members of a covert government task force who regulate and police the extra-terrestrials living secretly on Earth.
Weapons of choice: Guns - lots of guns. They have a cool car also.
Back story: Not likely. All agents have their identities erased when they join the organisation.
As played by: Will Smith, Tommy Lee Jones.
What next? Men in Black 2 cost a reported $140 million, so don't hold your breath for Men in Black 3.
Description: Indestructible do-gooder dedicated to "Truth, Justice and the American Way".
Weapons of choice: You'll believe a man can fly.
Back story: Sent to Earth to escape the destruction of his home planet Krypton, Superman - real name Kal-El - was raised in Smallville as Clark Kent before heading to Metropolis to work on the Daily Planet newspaper.
As played by: Christopher Reeve.
What next? A new trilogy is in the offing, but the difficulty of casting "the Man of Steel" (Jude Law, Ashton Kutcher and Josh Hartnett have all turned it down) has thrown a spanner in the works.
Description: Fearless crime-fighter with the power to climb up buildings and spin webs. Rather like a spider, in fact.
Weapons of choice: All-purpose adhesive polymer ejaculated from wrists.
Back story: Spider-Man - real name Peter Parker - got his powers after being bitten by a radioactive arachnid. After the murder of his beloved Uncle Ben he decided to use them for good.
As played by: Tobey Maguire.
What next? Everyone's favourite silk-slinger finally returned in 2004 for Spider-Man 2. Expect the series to continue...
Description: Beer-guzzling, tank-driving Sheila who roams the Outback with her mutant kangaroo buddies.
Weapons of choice: Did we mention the tank?
Back story: The original British comic book didn't need one, but the film cooked up a silly subplot about an evil corporation controlling the world's water supply.
As played by: Lori Petty, who was cast after Emily Lloyd refused to shave her head for the part. Spice Girls Emma Bunton and Victoria Beckham were reportedly screen-tested.
What next? You must be joking.
Description: Mutant superheroes who use their incredible powers to protect humanity, despite being feared and spurned by humans.
Weapons of choice: Range from retractable claws (Wolverine) and extrasensory perception (Professor X) to an ability to control the weather (Storm), manipulate metal (Magneto) and shape-shift (Mystique).
Back story: Wolverine (real name Logan) has an endoskeleton made of the indestructible metal adamantium, the result of the military's attempt to turn mutants into soldiers.
As played by: Hugh Jackman, Ian McKellen, Halle Berry and Patrick Stewart. Alan Cumming made his debut in X-Men 2 as teleporting demon Nightcrawler.
What next? Bryan Singer is to write and direct X-Men 3 in 2006.