Superhero movies have become a really intrinsic part of popular culture in this modern day and age. Marvel superheroes have in many ways become the gold standard that a lot of people aspire to, but a lot of people don’t know that there are quite a few amazing animated movies that Marvel Studios tends to put out on a more or less regular basis as well. In fact, Marvel might just be putting out some of the best new cartoon movies out there right now. This list is going to give you a glimpse into what is currently worth checking out.
#1 Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse
You would be hard pressed to find an animated Marvel movie that’s better than this one. This movie is a straight up work of art, and it managed to pay homage to a lot of different eras as well. If you’re a Spider-Man fan (and let’s face it, who isn’t?) you should really check this movie out
There’s a lot to love about this movie too. From the unique comic book style animation to the amazing story, you will have no trouble at all getting through this movie and feeling truly entertained at the end. What’s more is that the movie has a killer soundtrack with songs from the likes of Kendrick Lamar. There is a sequel to this movie coming out later this year so you should prepare for it by watching this one and seeing what potential the next film could bring to the franchise.
#2 Big Hero 6
A lot of people don’t know this but Big Hero 6 is actually a Marvel movie! The characters in the film were first introduced in Marvel comics, and while this might not be a marvel move in the traditional sense it still fits into the canon. The movie is thoroughly heart warming and it also manages to show you a lot of promise in its handling of painful subjects such as the death of a loved one. Whether you are watching it for yourself as an adult or you need something to keep your kids distracted, this movie will be an excellent option for you to look into.
#3 Planet Hulk
If there is one complaint that we have about the live action Marvel franchise, it’s that it failed to give us a great solo Hulk movie. The Hulk is an excellent character, one that shows the depths of the human psyche. This animated flick manages to do some justice to the character by adapting one of the most popular arcs in the comics. While we will still hold out hope for a live action Hulk movie, there is still a lot that you can gain from watching this cartoon movie because it has a surprising amount of narrative depth to it.
#4 Ultimate Avengers
In 2012, Marvel Studios managed to successfully culminate its series of films into a team up film known as the Avengers. It was a remarkable feat, especially when you consider just how amazing the movie ended up being despite a lot of expectations to the contrary, but it was a long time coming. Back in 2006, a movie like that would have been inconceivable which is why Marvel focused on making a cartoon version which it called Ultimate Avengers. This is a pretty solid movie and fans of the Marvel franchise will be able to thoroughly enjoy it, especially because it is a bit more faithful to the comics than the live action films ended up being.
#5 Thor: Tales of Asgard
Marvel Animated Features was the main outlet for Marvel’s video production before Marvel Studios was set up. This movie was released a couple of weeks before the live action Thor film, and it serves to set up a lot of the mythology that viewers might have gotten used to by this point. You see Thor with his iconic helmet, something that would have looked downright silly in the live action movie but fits into the animated vibe of this film.
#6 Doctor Strange: The Sorcerer Supreme
With the sequel to the Doctor Strange film coming out, setting up the multiverse along the way, it’s high time that you watch this film to prepare for it. Doctor Strange is a widely loved character, one that got pushed to the wayside with Marvel focusing so much on Spider-Man and the X-Men along with the Fantastic Four. This movie is great for the whole family too, so you shouldn’t hesitate to start watching it with your kids on a Saturday night. It also has a great story that is surprisingly effective at showing people why this character has managed to stay popular for so long.
#7 The Invincible Iron Man
A lot of people didn’t like how Marvel dealt with the Mandarin in the live action movies. Iron Man’s arch enemy was reduced to a bumbling buffoon, and many would say that this was downright disrespectful for such a menacing character. If you want a taste of what the Mandarin originally was, this film will help you get it. It served as a primer for the live action Iron Man movie and it has a lot of the iconic humor that helped set Iron Man apart from his contemporaries.
#8 Iron Man and Captain America: Heroes United
Iron Man and Captain America are a highly underrated duo in our opinion. They tend to play off of each other really well, and serve as foils to one another. This movie is all about Captain America teaming up with Iron Man to fight the Red Skull, a classic story if there ever was one. It shows off the amazing dynamic between the two heroes and how they both take different paths to achieve basically the same goal.