8. Sandman, Spider-Man 3 (2007)

CHARACTER STUDY Originally created as a Marvel Comics superhero, escaped convict Flint Marko (played here by Thomas Hayden Church) falls into a sand-filled particle accelerator, and discovers that he has the ability to shape-shift his newly granular body.

INNOVATION To create the Sandman, experiments were done using 12 different types of sand, and the results mimicked on a computer to create the trippy visual effects. In a scene where Spider-Man punches through Sandman's chest, professional kickboxer Baxter Humby — who was born without a right hand — took Spider-Man's place, helping to create the effect of punching straight through the Sandman's solar plexus. Oof!