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Watch: Everything you didn't know about 'Mystery Men,' the superhero comedy starring Ben Stiller

This obscure comic-based flick was a fully functioning comedy and a superhero adventure at the same time.

By SYFY WIRE Staff

Twenty-five years ago, comic book movies and superhero films weren't exactly commonplace. While Blade proved that even lesser-known Marvel heroes could headline a movie, Mystery Men arguably laid the groundwork for the MCU as we know it. That's because this obscure comic-based flick was a fully functioning comedy and a superhero adventure at the same time.

SYFY WIRE's Everything You Didn't Know is taking a deep dive into Mystery Men — which is now streaming on Peacock — including the title that spawned it, Flaming Carrot Comics. Only some of Bob Burden's characters made it into the film, while the Flaming Carrot himself failed to make the cut. However, Burden co-wrote the film and even came up with the concept of Kel Mitchell's Invisible Boy as a joke at a Hollywood party.

Mystery Men's ensemble had an impressive lineup that included Ben Stiller, William H. Macy, Janeane Garofalo, Hank Azaria, Geoffrey Rush, Paul Reubens, Eddie Izzard, Lena Olin, and even Greg Kinnear as the Superman-like Captain Amazing. Dane Cook and director Michael Bay have cameo appearances, which we are helpfully pointing out. But the film's actual director, Kinka Usher, never helmed another movie after this.

RELATED: Why is ‘Shrek’ so enduring? Remind yourself now, it's streaming on Peacock!

Although Shrek seems to get all of the credit, it's actually Mystery Men that introduced the world to the cinematic glory of Smash Mouth's "All Star." That’s why the Mystery Men are in the music video for that song! Unfortunately, that wasn't enough to make Mystery Men a box-office hit. But more than two decades later, we think its legacy is secure.

For more Mystery Men details, check out the full video!

And then watch the 1999 film in full on Peacock.