Before The Avengers, Samuel L. Jackson & Scarlett Johansson Teamed Up in a Forgotten Superhero Movie From a Comic Book Legend

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It’s hard to imagine the Marvel Cinematic Universe without Nick Fury, played by Samuel L. Jackson, and Natasha Romanoff, played by Scarlett Johansson. Jackson first appeared as Fury in a brief scene after the credits of Iron Man, instantly hinting at the idea of a connected universe of superheroes – something audiences hadn’t seen before. Johansson joined the cast two years later in Iron Man 2, quickly making Black Widow a key character in the larger story. Over the years, both actors became central figures in what became the biggest movie franchise ever made, appearing in many MCU films. They’ve become so well-known for these roles that fans now strongly associate them with the characters themselves.

Many fans may not remember, but Samuel L. Jackson and Scarlett Johansson actually starred in a superhero movie together before joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In December 2008, around the time The Dark Knight was becoming a huge success, they appeared together in The Spirit, a movie based on the classic newspaper comic. Interestingly, The Spirit was the only film directed solely by Frank Miller, who had previously co-directed the popular Sin City and built up a lot of positive attention. Despite having a well-known director and a strong cast, The Spirit didn’t live up to expectations.

Why No One Talks About The Spirit Nowadays

Released on Christmas Day in 2008, The Spirit faced tough competition from popular award-winning movies and family films. It earned just $6.4 million in its first four days, placing ninth in the box office rankings. Unfortunately, without positive reviews to boost its performance, the film only made a total of $19.8 million domestically and $38.4 million worldwide. Considering its $60 million production budget and marketing costs, The Spirit is considered a major box office failure. Critics were equally harsh, giving it a 14% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes (based on 114 reviews, with an average score of 3.6/10) and a Metacritic score of 30/100. Audiences weren’t much kinder, giving it a C- CinemaScore, which is a very poor rating for a widely released film.

The main problem with the movie The Spirit stems from Frank Miller trying to use the same visual style he perfected in Sin City on a story that didn’t fit it. The original comic worked because its hero was a relatable, flawed man whose strength came from his honesty and willingness to help others. Miller’s film, however, replaced this with the dark, over-the-top style of Sin City, making it feel like a weak copy of his own work instead of a true adaptation of the source material.

Even the lead actors in The Spirit faced criticism because the movie wasn’t well-made. Samuel L. Jackson’s portrayal of The Octopus, for example, was seen by many as overly silly, though some fans now appreciate his energetic performance as a rare bright spot. Scarlett Johansson, playing Silken Floss, demonstrated strong comedic skills that were overlooked due to the film’s overall problems.

Honestly, the best thing about the movie was how it looked. The cinematography was really impressive, using this bold, high-contrast style. But all that technical skill felt…empty. Critics (and I agree) felt like it was a case of style over substance. It seemed like the director, tackling a huge $60 million movie for the first time on their own, was trying to do too much without the kind of guiding hand someone like Robert Rodriguez would have provided. Rodriguez really knew how to keep things moving and exciting in Sin City, and this movie just lacked that energy and focus.

The Spirit is available to stream on Prime Video. 

Do you think The Spirit deserves another look, or are the criticisms of its flaws justified? Share your thoughts in the comments and join the discussion in the ComicBook Forum!

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2026-04-04 19:15