Every time a new Marvel movie is released, it’s pretty much guaranteed to make roughly a zillion dollars. A significant chunk of those ticket sales is kids who want to see their favorite superheroes kicking butt. But while all the films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe have the same PG-13 rating, some are more appropriate for younger viewers than others. The least kid-friendly Marvel movies feature more violence, more mature themes, and more potentially scary moments.
We’ve broken down what to expect if you’re planning to stream one with the family, to help make sure you avoid the least kid-friendly Marvel movies until yours are old enough to experience them. And fair warning, some light spoilers are ahead!
Black Widow
Black Widow’s origin story is pretty dark for a Marvel film. Kids might be disturbed by shots of a young Natasha being forcibly separated from her family. There are also some very frank discussions in the film about what exactly Natasha, Yelena, and other young women have been horrifically subjected to as part of their training in the creepy Red Room.
The Incredible Hulk
Kids love the Hulk, as evidenced by all the toys/merch/birthday parties that go green for him. But not all of the Hulk’s MCU appearances are child appropriate. His introductory film, The Incredible Hulk, features a little too much blood and gore for younger viewers. The darker tone may be related to the fact that it’s the only Marvel movie where Bruce Banner isn’t played by Mark Ruffalo. Instead, Ed Norton got the job (before eventually being replaced over creative differences).
Doctor Strange
Before he was a superhero, Doctor Strange was a surgeon. This flick includes some bloody scenes both in and out of the hospital, plus a scary car crash. Kids might also be out of their depth trying to follow along with all the rules of black magic and sorcery.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
Even the adults may find this one a little too scary. If the grief-mad Scarlett Witch doesn’t send scared kiddos running to the next room, a zombie Doctor Strange just might do it.
Captain America: Winter Soldier
Cap’s first foray into the MCU earned a spot on our list of most kid-friendly Marvel films, but the follow-up takes a much darker turn. There are shootings, stabbings, and swear words throughout, plus some possibly disturbing references to human experimentation.
Captain America: Civil War
As the name might suggest, there is a lot of fighting in Civil War. Beyond the level of violence typically seen in the MCU, the movie goes a bit further: there are multiple scenes of torture and even a suicide bombing, making this one for older kiddos only.
Eternals
This movie has a huge ensemble cast, including Gemma Chan, Salma Hayek, Angelina Jolie, and Richard Madden. All those stars need their screen time, running Eternals up to about two hours and forty minutes. If that bloated run time isn’t enough reason to skip it for kids, a brief sex scene and some scary monsters probably are.
Spider-Man: No Way Home
Remember when we mentioned spoilers way back at the top of this article? Here’s another reminder! Spider-Man: No Way Home features all the bombs, blasts, and bloody fight scenes typical of the MCU, but what puts this film over the edge of kid-friendliness just might be the heartbreaking death of Aunt May.
Avengers: Age of Ultron
Ultron is one of the scarier villains in the whole MCU, and he raises the level of chaos and destruction seen on screen. We’re talking about huge battles, mass killings, and even the destruction of an entire city. Not the best for little ones.
Avengers: Infinity War
A lot of people die in Infinity War—as in roughly half the planet. Thanos’s snap makes Infinity War a pretty dark film, but even before that, there are multiple scenes of torture and killing. We see Loki choked to death on screen and Spider-Man turned to dust, to name just a few of the dearly departed, which is why this made our list of least kid-friendly Marvel movies.
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