With Deadpool & Wolverine breaking new ground as the first R-rated MCU movie, and with movies like Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 pushing the boundaries of what a PG-13 rating looks like, it might feel like kid-friendly Marvel movies are getting rarer. Yet Marvel has a vested interest in making its movies as kid-friendly as possible, if not to maximize the audience, then to ensure that the universe and stories its characters share remain coherent to all audiences. To this end, many scenes from MCU movies have been scrapped for being too gruesome or too dark.
Still, there are some Marvel movies that tread a thin line. All Marvel movies contain the “sci-fi violence” label, which typically means that bullets and gore are substituted by lasers and explosions. All of these movies feature particularly acrobatic fistfights with varying degrees of force, while shed blood is kept to a scrape or two. There are many, however, that either sit on the tamer side of PG-13, or have even earned a PG label for keeping darker themes to a minimum. With that in mind, these are the 15 Marvel movies most suitable for kids and family viewing.
15 The Avengers Is The Most Kid-Friendly Of All Avengers Movies
Rated PG-13 For Intense Sci-Fi Violence & Brief Suggestive Language
The Avengers marked a pivotal moment, helping to secure the MCU as the most successful cinematic franchise in history. Colorful characters and ample humor make this a must-see for fans of all ages. It also includes some of Loki’s most violent acts, as this is him at his most villainous. Most notable among these is the scene in which he uses a device to snatch a retinal scan from a party host. Though the act is obscured from view, the moment takes place from 38:45–39:15 on Disney+ and can be skipped without missing important details.
Another violent scene sees Hulk throw Loki around like a ragdoll at the 2:00:15–2:00:30 mark, though the Asgardian constitution of the villain is enough for him to survive the ordeal with just a few scratches. Though the death toll of New York’s citizens is not zero, none of the innocents are seen perishing at the hands of the Chitauri invaders thanks to the Avengers’ protection. The Chitauri, meanwhile, bleed black blood – though the climactic fight is not particularly bloody.
14 Spider-Man: Homecoming Is Peter Parker At His Most Innocent
Rated PG-13 For Sci-Fi Action Violence, Some Language, And Brief Suggestive Comments
The overall tone for Spider-Man: Homecoming focuses on the youthful nature of its main hero and, in doing so, sidesteps the more mature themes of other MCU installments like Iron Man or Black Panther.
Though the movie is not without brief adult references – it does, after all, center around the burden of being a teenager dealing with murderous supervillains – Spider-Man: Homecoming is the lightest of Tom Holland’s solo outings and one of the best Spider-Man movies ever made. Younger audiences should also feel a greater affinity with its main stars than their more mature MCU counterparts.
13 Spider-Man 2 Is The Lightest Of Sam Raimi’s Trilogy
Rated PG-13 For Stylized Action Violence
Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy helped set superhero movies on a new trajectory as it sidelined campy motifs for grittier and more realistic adaptations of comic book characters. This meant that Raimi – who is otherwise best known for his horror movies – did not hold back when it came to depicting violence and cerebral themes in Spider-Man – or at least, he did enough to warrant the PG-13 rating. Of the trilogy, however, Spider-Man 2 is the most tame, with it being the only one to earn a PG rating in the UK.
For one thing, Otto Octavius is a lot less terrifying than Green Goblin and Venom, as the otherwise extremely affable scientist falls victim to the violent nature of his mechanical arms. It is with these arms, however, that he gives Peter a significant beating in their final bout of the movie. A slightly steamy scene between Peter and MJ is also kept within the PG-13 remit, though the now-iconic upside-down kiss occurred in the first Spider-Man. Otherwise, Spider-Man 2 is a seminal story of heroism and an important installment in the history of superhero movies.
12 Guardians Of The Galaxy Has A Lot Of Heart
Rated PG-13 For Sci-Fi Action Violence And Language
Like every MCU film, Guardians of the Galaxy can feature some intense action sequences, but the actual violence present isn’t too bad. It’s a hilarious movie with nonstop jokes all the way through. Some of them are aimed strictly towards an older demographic, but will definitely go over the heads of younger kids. There is some language throughout, but nothing that goes too far in vulgarity.
Guardians of the Galaxy can be an emotional roller-coaster for the whole family, showing how a group of completely different beings can come together to be something greater. The found family aspect of the film is its beating heart, and the cast is extremely likable. Kids will love Groot and Rocket.
11 Spider-Man: Far From Home Is An Eventful Trip Abroad
Rated PG-13 For Sci-Fi Action Violence, Some Language, And Brief Suggestive Comments
Spider-Man: Far From Home is about the same level of intensity as Spider-Man: Homecoming. It’s the first Spider-Man film to be set outside of New York, giving it that feeling of being abroad as Peter Parker struggles to have a fun vacation while being a superhero. There are some intense action scenes, though, with one that includes a Zombie version of Iron Man that could scare some younger kids.
There is some suggestive content throughout as it deals with various problems that teenagers go through. The themes of becoming your own person and discovering who you are will ring true to anyone and the characters are all charming in their own ways.
10 Fantastic Four Is All About Marvel’s Original Family
Rated PG-13 For Sequences Of Intense Action And Some Suggestive Content
Fantastic Four came out in 2005, and like most superhero films of the mid-2000’s, there is some edgy humor to be found throughout. There is not much here that isn’t suitable for younger kids, but Jessica Alba is in her underwear during the bridge scene after she is no longer invisible. That’s about as bad as it gets for Fantastic Four.
Like the comics that came before it, Fantastic Four is all about a group of people that find themselves coming together after an accident completely changed all their lives. They may fight and argue, but they are a family. Some fun action sequences are sprinkled throughout, but nothing that is too intense compared to other films in the superhero genre.
9 Thor Has Fantasy-Oriented Action
Rated PG-13 For Intense Sequences Of Sci-Fi Action Violence
Unlike films like the Iron Man or Captain America films, Thor is much more fantasy oriented, which means the action sequences aren’t typically as intense. Of course, there are moments of violence throughout, but most of it is done with Thor’s hammer, resulting in action sequences that are more fun than are intense. Thor is all about finding worth in oneself, which could be a key takeaway for most viewers.
There is some adult humor throughout, but nothing that isn’t suitable for almost everyone. There is a romantic plot that runs through the entire film between Thor and Jane, but it is sweet, showing the two of them really care about each other. The comic-relief in this movie is mostly appropriate all the way through.
8 Captain Marvel Has A Great Message And Tame Action Sequences
Rated PG-13 For Sci-Fi Violence And Brief Suggestive Language
Captain Marvel is an origin story chronicling the genesis of one of the MCU’s most powerful heroes. Despite this, Carol Danvers’ powers center around energy blasts (rather than a rocket-spewing iron suit, for instance) and so the violence portrayed in Captain Marvel is far from explicit. Enemies are thrown around by Danvers’ energy blasts, but not disintegrated or dismembered, while the alien weaponry used against her barely leaves a scratch on the eponymous hero.
The movie’s main motifs promote self-actualization, independence, and tolerance. While Goose the Flerken is an adorable ginger cat for the majority of the movie, scenes in which eldritch tentacles spew from the pocket realm in his stomach may be slightly scary for younger viewers, though it is framed as distinctly comedic. The near-destruction of Earth at the hands of Ronan, meanwhile, is cut short by Danvers making quick work of his ships, constituting a sequence of explosions with no gruesome deaths depicted. Captain Marvel also includes some mild language throughout.
7 The Marvels Has A Shorter Runtime And Colorful Action Sequences
Rated PG-13 For Violence And Brief Language
The continuation of Captain Marvel’s story includes much of the same as its predecessor, with its three main stars using light-based powers that look more like a means to incapacitate rather than kill.
The movie’s main villain, Dar-Benn, is where the darkest elements of the movie come into play, though her Universal Weapon – a hammer – is solely used for energy blasts and cosmic manipulation. The Marvels is also more judicious with profanity than its predecessor and helps to nullify any fear of Flerkens by featuring them in one of the movie’s funniest scenes.
6 Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania Is Almost Cartoonish
Rated PG-13 For Sci-Fi Action Violence And Language
The final scenes in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania can be pretty intense, but are so steeped in sci-fi tropes that they border on pure animation. Much of the violence involves lasers, alien-like beings, and giant, hyper-intelligent ants.
While the giant head and tiny body of MODOK can be off-putting (even for adults), he is quickly established as yet another font of comic relief in a largely comedic movie whose laughs tend to counteract its heavier moments. A final brawl between Ant-Man and Kang at the end of the movie is quite fraught and may require some caution.
5 Ant-Man Is One Of The MCU’s Funniest Installments
Rated PG-13 For Sci-Fi Action Violence
As one of the MCU’s funniest movies, Ant-Man is especially light in the depiction of violence and death. One of the more gruesome scenes depicts a scientist being turned into a blob of goo – a scene that is both brief and casual. Ant-Man also uses some profanity, though it is far from gratuitous.
Otherwise, fist fights take place in full-body suits, with next to no depictions of blood or other severe injuries. The pervasive lightheartedness of Ant-Man, meanwhile, makes for perfect family viewing, with plenty of cross-generational humor making this one of the MCU’s most playful installments.
4 Fantastic Four: Rise Of The Silver Surfer Is PG-Friendly Throughout
Rated PG For Action Violence, Mild Language, And Innuendo
The innuendos of Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer are indicative of the era in which it was made, but are far from obvious. The Fantastic Four sequel may be among the most critically panned superhero movies, but it is still plenty of fun for younger audiences and warranted a lower age certificate than its predecessor.
One of the scarier elements includes the big bad, Galactus, which in this adaptation takes the form of a giant, toothy space cloud (something that disappointed leagues of Marvel fans). Otherwise, the movie merits its low PG rating.
3 Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse Is Beautiful Throughout
Rated PG For Animated Action Violence, Thematic Elements, And Mild Language
The beautiful animation of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and its sequel is both indicative of its accessible age rating and ample reason for audiences of all ages to catch what is one of Sony’s best attempts at a Spider-Man movie.
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse gets a little more thematically heavy by not shying away from the death of Miles Morales’ uncle as he is shot and killed with Miles as a witness. This is not overly violent, however, and acts as a turning point for Miles’ heroic coming-of-age story. Otherwise, the movie is fun, heartfelt, and replete with cross-generational humor.
2 Big Hero Six Is Animated Fun For The Whole Family
Rated PG For Action And Peril, Some Ruder Humor, And Thematic Elements
Like the Spider-Verse films, Big Hero 6 is one of the best movies that the whole family can enjoy together. It focuses a lot on found family and trying to find one’s place in the world. Being animated, the action scenes aren’t overwhelming in their intensity. All kids will love Baymax, the lovable inflatable robot that becomes a superhero.
There are some heavy emotional moments throughout that involve the family of the protagonist, Hiro, but it still retains all its charm and humor. And Baymax is appealing enough that he will have brand power with younger viewers even beyond the story here.
1 Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse Is Made For Family Viewing
Rated PG For Animated Action Violence, Some Language, And Thematic Elements
The second of what is sure to be the most kid-friendly Marvel movie trilogy in history, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, is heaviest when dealing with the destruction of entire universes, but otherwise carries all the same family-friendly benefits of its predecessor.
It is arguably even funnier, however, with its main villain being played for laughs at the start and its overly severe antihero, Miguel O’Hara, being undercut by his impossibly charismatic and hilarious co-stars. Deep and heartfelt themes of family and familial love, meanwhile, make this about as family-friendly as any Marvel movie can be.
