The Best Non-MCU Marvel Movies You Can Stream Right Now

While the brand has lost some of its luster in recent years, the average person still associates Marvel movies with the MCU, the cinematic universe that brought us everything from Iron Man to The Thunderbolts. But the MCU wasn’t born until 2008, and there were plenty of Marvel films created before that. And even after that, there have been more films made outside of the MCU umbrella than you can shake an Infinity Gauntlet at.

Sure, some of them are awful, like Madame Web (which featured seriously phoned-in performances) and Morbius (which only managed to entertain thanks to the “It’s Morbin’ time!” memes). But more often than you might think, these films are better than almost any superhero film created by Disney. Go thwip up some popcorn, True Believers, and keep reading to discover the best non-MCU Marvel movies you can stream right now!

8

Spider-Man

Long before the MCU was ever a twinkle in an executive’s eye, Sam Raimi created an iconic trilogy of Spider-Man films. The first Spider-Man quickly won over general audiences thanks to Raimi’s stylistic direction and the sheer charisma of his actors. Tobey Maguire is arguably still the ultimate Spider-Man, and his portrayal of the character was infused with the perfect amount of witty humor and heartfelt empathy. Similarly, Kirsten Dunst dazzles as girl-next-door Mary Jane, easily winning over the audience and the hero at the same time.

Of course, a superhero film is only as good as its villain. And Willem Dafoe manages to exude pure menace with every single line delivery, a feat that is that much more impressive considering how much time he spends in the world’s goofiest costume. Throw in outstanding performances from supporting actors like J.K. Simmons and some hilariously quotable dialogue, and you have an early superhero movie that is still just as riveting now as it was decades ago.

7

Blade 2

As of this writing, fans are still awaiting the MCU Blade movie that was announced over half a decade ago. Part of the problem with creating that film (which was even referenced in Deadpool & Wolverine) is that it’s seemingly impossible to top Wesley Snipes’ portrayal of the character in the original Blade movies. And while his first film as everyone’s favorite Daywalker still rocks, the best of Snipes’ superhero trilogy remains Blade 2.

That’s because Blade 2 has a secret weapon: it was directed by horror legend Guillermo del Toro. He gives this sophomore film a style and verve that is missing to this day from most superhero movies. Plus, the cast is stuffed with great performers: returning actors Wesley Snipes and Kris Kristofferson are joined by the likes of Hellboy star Ron Perlman, The Boondock Saints star Norman Reedus, and Ip Man star Donnie Yen. All that talent plus del Toro’s creative vision adds up to what is still the ultimate R-rated superhero film (sorry, Deadpool). If you didn’t love it the first time, this is definitely a

Marvel movie that deserves a second chance.

6

X2: X-Men United

The first X-Men movie did the impossible by appealing to general audiences and comics nerds alike. However, like many superhero movies, it was held back by being a kind of origin movie in which much of the screen time is spent helping audience surrogate Rogue learn more about the heroic X-Men and the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants. Fortunately, X2: X-Men United hits the ground running with a plot that pits our favorite characters against nefarious government forces.

This movie introduces us to more of Wolverine’s murky origin while forcing the X-Men into an unhappy alliance with Magneto. It also raises the stakes, showcasing how easily mutants can kill the president and just how willing humans like William Stryker are to destroy all mutant life on the planet. In addition to the crunchy plot and unforgettable action scenes, we also get best-in-class performances from Hugh Jackman, Ian McKellen, Patrick Stewart, and so many other actors.

Come for Succession star Brian Cox’s fierce scenery-chewing and stay for Alan Cumming’s charming and heartwarming line deliveries.

5

X-Men: Days of Future Past

X-Men: First Class gave us a superhero prequel that deepened our understanding of both Professor X and Magneto by showing the origin of both their deep friendship and their bitter rivalry. The one bad thing about that film, really, is that it seemingly closed the door on future X-Men films starring the original cast. But X-Men: Days of Future Past blew that door wide open with a story in which the original X-Men actors portray their future selves trying to survive a dystopian apocalypse (not to be confused with the big blue guy) where they are relentlessly hunted by Sentinels.

Their solution is to psychically send the consciousness of future Wolverine into his younger body so that he can keep the Sentinels from ever being created. Mostly, this is an excuse to have Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine getting into misadventures with James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, and other members of the First Class cast. With the help of newcomers like Evan Peters’ Quicksilver (who gets a truly show-stopping slo-mo action scene), these mutants do their best to save the future in a movie that blends real and fictional history into a terrific (and time-wimey) tale.

4

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

While they work with Disney to bring Tom Holland’s MCU adventures to life, Sony never lost the rights to make Spider-Man movies. Mostly, that has resulted in some forgettable dreck like Morbius and Madame Web, but it also gave us one of the best Marvel movies ever made. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse continues the tale of Miles Morales, a Spider-Man fan who has to take up his hero’s mantle after the real deal dies. Previously, he stopped the Kingpin from possibly destroying all of reality, but he might have actually caused more harm than good. And this ambitious sequel explores what happens to him and his friends when an entire multiverse is on the line.

This sequel is one of those rare superhero movies that works on every level. It’s relatively effective as a standalone adventure (though that cliffhanger gets me every time), and it works as both a killer action movie and a coming-of-age story for its young protagonist. Plus, the chemistry between Miles Morales and Gwen Stacy is just too cute! Aside from her, most of the different heroes are often thrown into the film simply for comic relief, but they all offer unique insights into what it means to mask up and save the city. Throw in some breathtaking animation and quotable quips worthy of the webhead, and you have a film that’s arguably one of the best Spider-Man films ever made.

3

Venom

Venom is a movie that really shouldn’t work. To this day, it seems insane to make a movie about Spider-Man’s greatest villain (sorry, Green Goblin) without including Spidey himself. Nonetheless, Venom works surprisingly well (one of the best woman-directed films on streaming), and that’s mostly thanks to the tireless performance of Tom Hardy as the titular antihero. He’s great as a relentless journalist who has lost everything, and the movie gets a lot of mileage out of him being the straight man to the raw and raunchy comedy of his symbiote.

More so than classic Marvel comics, Venom plays up the fact that the symbiote that turns Eddie Brock into an edgy killer has a mind and personality of its own. As such, he and his host often bicker like old marrieds, and their contentious relationship keeps things lively even when the story (one involving exposing the evils of a corrupt CEO) is dragging. The result is a superhero film that’s great for those who just want to turn their brains off and have fun.

Nothing wrong with turning off your brain. Just make sure Venom doesn’t eat it when your back is turned!

2

X-Men: First Class

After the disappointing third X-Men film, 20th Century Fox decided to revive the franchise with X-Men: First Class. This is a prequel film focusing on how young Charles Xavier (James McAvoy) and Magneto (Michael Fassbender) were once bros who tried to unite mutant kind before they were bitterly divided by ideology. In this respect, the movie is quite effective: McAvoy and Fassbender have a great chemistry that sells them as best friends, and their interactions (both sweet and bittersweet) help deepen our understanding of Xavier and Magneto’s tiff in the original X-Men films.

Most of the cast of this film is solid. Sure, January Jones is out of her element as Emma Frost, and Kevin Bacon is mostly there to deliver over-the-top villain speeches. But Rose Byrne gives Moira MacTaggert an edge of sexy steel, while Nicholas Hoult proves that Beast is the beating heart of the team. The true revelation of this film is Jennifer Lawrence, though, who effectively catapulted her performance as young Mystique into a career as one of Hollywood’s most reliable leading ladies.

1

Spider-Man 2

Movie sequels often disappoint, and that goes double for superhero films. That’s why Spider-Man 2 was so exciting: director Sam Raimi took everything fans loved about the first film and simply gave us more of it. That meant more mustache-twirling supervillainy, this time courtesy of Alfred Molina’s Doctor Octopus. And that meant more crunchy melodrama between Peter Parker and Mary Jane, the girl he loves but can seemingly never have. Most of all, though, we get more scenes proving that Raimi fundamentally understands what a good superhero movie needs.

Sure, there’s plenty of action, and Raimi’s deft hand helps transform a standard action trope (hero stops runaway train) into one filled with breathless excitement. But what is magical is the next few moments, in which Peter realizes he has lost his mask, only for the grateful citizens he has saved to give it back and pledge to never tell anyone Spider-Man’s secret identity. In a genre now filled mostly with CGI-slop action scenes, Raimi delivers a profound reminder that heroes are meant to help the helpless rather than throw punches.

It’s what makes them human. And the moving humanity on display in Spider-Man 2 makes it the gold standard of live-action superhero cinema.

Disney+ remains the definitive home of the MCU. But the streamer is also host to some of the best non-MCU Marvel movies ever made, and they’re just a click away!