Superhero team-ups, legendary end of the world battles, and high-stakes adventures, Marvel redefined superhero movies when they released The Avengers in 2012. With its unique sense of humour, larger than life sets, and brilliant camaraderie between some of the biggest actors in Hollywood, The Avengers gave viewers a superhero universe like never before.
While nothing will ever compare to the same kind of excitement and entertainment that The Avengers bring to their fans, there are a number of movies that do come close to delivering the same kind of thrills. Here’s a list of 10 superhero movie series that you might enjoy if you loved watching The Avengers. We’re skipping over the Avengers sequels here, chances are, if you’ve seen The Avengers, those are already at the top of your list.
*Fair warning: This guide dives into spoilers from across the Marvel and DC universes, so read on only if you don’t mind a few reveals.
X-Men (2000)
Long before the Avengers assembled on screen, Marvel’s mutants were already leading the charge with 2000’s X-Men, a film that kickstarted the modern superhero era. While it doesn’t belong in the MCU, the movie’s mix of team dynamics, superpowers, and clashing egos laid the groundwork for the team dynamics we’d later see perfected in The Avengers, sort of like a prototype for the bigger superhero ensembles to come.
Most modern-day superhero movies like Avengers: Endgame or The Fantastic 4: First Steps hinge on massive, world-ending stakes. But if you miss superhero movies that are more grounded and keep the conflict more contained and personal, X-Men is the perfect throwback. Just don’t go in expecting the all-out chaos of Infinity War or the wisecracking humour of Guardians of the Galaxy.
Superman (2025)
James Gunn’s Superman may sound like a solo superhero outing at first, but don’t let the title fool you. As the inaugural film of the DCU, Superman lays the groundwork for several new and returning superheroes, which of course, means the movie is flooded with friendly superhero alliances. The Justice Gang brings the colour, energy, and chaos of a full superhero team-up, with Superman at the centre, but never standing entirely alone.
Longtime DC fans who are used to a more serious, brooding tone like you’d find in Man of Steel or Zack Snyder’s Justice League may find Superman’s bright, funny, and energetic tone a radical shift from DC’s usual dark and gritty worlds. But Gunn’s signature mix of irreverent humour, heartfelt character beats, and team-driven chaos will hit right at home for fans of his earlier Marvel works like Guardians of the Galaxy and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.3. For longtime comic book loyalists who’ve followed Clark Kent for decades, to dog lovers who’ll find Krypto’s antics irresistible, and casual viewers who are just looking for fun, this is a heartfelt blockbuster with team-up energy.
The Incredibles (2004)
Pixar’s The Incredibles proved that animated superhero films could rival live-action superhero films in both scale and emotional depth. Following the Parr family, a clan of undercover superheroes forced into suburban normalcy, the movie blends high-stakes superhero action with the heartfelt dynamics of family life.
On one hand, you get dazzling set pieces and superheroes with unique powers and on the other, you get deeply relatable struggles: parents juggling responsibilities, kids trying to fit in, and a family trying to come together as a team. It’s equal parts family dramedy and superhero blockbuster falling in the same category as Spy Kids and Fantastic 4. Pixar’s vibrant animation and heartfelt storytelling make this the perfect introduction to superheroes for younger audiences, while still offering plenty to entertain adults.
Suicide Squad (2016)
If you find yourself rooting for the wrong side in superhero films, check out Suicide Squad. The movie takes the superhero team-up formula and flips it on its head by giving viewers Harley Quinn, Deadshot, and Captain Boomerang, a team of ragtag antiheroes who are called in to take on dangerous missions for the government when all else fails.
Suicide Squad thrives on extremities. It’s chaotic, colourful, and unapologetically adult, and is cut from the same cloth as Deadpool and Guardians of the Galaxy, blending morally grey characters with over the top action. It’s perfect for those who enjoy messy, irreverent adventures, but if you’re looking for a neat, conventional hero story, Spider-Man No Way Home or The Fantastic 4: First Steps is a safer way to go.
The Fantastic 4: First Steps (2025)
The Fantastic 4: First Steps marks Marvel’s first family, The Fantastic Four’s entry into the MCU. As the inaugural film of Phase Six, The Fantastic 4: First Steps does a great job of setting the stage for what’s to come, while hinting at Reed Richards taking the lead as the new head of the Avengers.
The retro-futuristic setup gives Marvel a much-needed reset after the Avengers fatigue. Not to mention, the movie brings to the screen the comic’s most formidable villain, Galactus. If you’re in the mood for a classic superhero team-up full of heart, humour, and high-stakes action, you can’t go wrong with The Fantastic 4: First Steps. With a quasi-found-family set-up, the Fantastic Four superheroes work together a lot better than the heroes in Avengers, so if you’re after the same clashing egos, sharp banter of The Avengers you might enjoy Guardians of the Galaxy or Suicide Squad a lot more. In terms of their camaraderie, The Fantastic Four team is a lot more wholesome, and at par with the Parr family in The Incredibles.
Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)
Spidey not being part of The Avengers was always a funny aside, until Tony Stark made him an official MCU recruit. But the biggest team up of Spidey’s life comes in Spider-Man: No Way Home when Tom Holland’s Spider-Man joins forces with Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield’s Spider-Men to take down a lineup of villains across the multiverses. No Way Home does the same for Spider-Man fans as The Avengers did for Marvel fans, delivering a jaw-dropping crossover superhero team up that stands as the ultimate fan pay-off. It’s filled with nostalgic call-backs to iconic scenes, and characters from all the films that came before it, packed with action, and humour that keeps the multiverse chaos feeling fun and fast-paced. For veteran fans it’s the ultimate fan-service, but if you’re stepping into the Spider-verse for the first time, this is the absolute worst entry point given that it holds the weight of about two decades worth of backstory. As a new watcher, the origin movies like Spider-Man, The Amazing Spider-Man, and Spider-Man: Homecoming are the best starting points, with Spider-Man: Homecoming being the best pick for fans of The Avengers, given that it’s the only version that’s a part of the MCU.
Justice League: Zack Snyder's Cut (2021)
Justice League: Zack Snyder’s Cut isn’t just a director’s cut, it’s an entirely different film. Running at four hours, it restores the darker tone, fleshes out characters like Cyborg and The Flash, and gives villains a lot more weight. If The Avengers was Marvel’s bright, quippy crossover, Justice League: Zack Snyder’s Cut is its moodier DC cousin—brooding, mythic, and operatic in scale falling in line with Marvel’s later entries like Avengers: Infinity War.
For die-hard DC fans who love their superhero films with grit, sweeping visuals, and apocalyptic stakes, this is a definitive watch. But if you found the light hearted camaraderie and quippy superheroes in The Avengers more your speed, Zack Snyder’s Justice League may feel overly long, self serious, and unrelenting in tone. If you’re looking for a lighter DC superhero outing that feels more up to speed with Marvel’s tone and vibe, James Gunn’s Superman is worth considering.
Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
If The Avengers proved Marvel’s ability to deliver a blockbuster with Earth’s mightiest heroes, Guardians of the Galaxy showed they could do the same with a ragtag group of cosmic misfits. Star-Lord, Gamora, Rocket, Drax, and Groot aren’t exactly your traditional superheroes; they’re outlaws, assassins, and oddballs, but together they form one of Marvel’s most charming and unlikely teams.
Blending vibrant, larger than life set-pieces of the cosmos with one of the best soundtracks any superhero movie has seen, Guardians of the Galaxy is a pure cinematic treat. It’s Marvel at its weirdest, funniest, and most experimental superhero outing, and one that delivers on par with The Avengers in terms of team dynamics, even if the superheroes couldn’t be more different. It’s the perfect follow up for fans of The Avengers, and a great entry point into Marvel for new fans given that it’s a completely new storyline, and doesn’t need much studying to keep up with.
Thunderbolts* (2025)
Marvel’s Thunderbolts* arrives with all the swagger of being marketed as the new Avengers. But don’t come in expecting capes, clean cut heroes, or noble speeches. Instead you get a wildly entertaining, roughed up team made up of Yelena Belova, the Winter Soldier, Red Guardian, Taskmaster, and more. It’s the closest the MCU has come to pulling off a Suicide Squad style antihero romp.
It’s sarcastic, chaotic, messy, and has ties with Natasha Romanoff and The Winter Soldier making it a new but comfortingly familiar chapter for Marvel fans. Also the movie delivers an epic superhero showdown in the heart of New York City giving a nod to the iconic Battle of New York from The Avengers. If you enjoy antihero arcs like Deadpool or Suicide Squad, Thunderbolts* is a must-watch; but if you’re looking for more traditional, clean-cut superhero team-ups, you’d be better served with The Fantastic 4: First Steps or The Incredibles.
Captain America: Civil War (2016)
Captain America: Civil War might as well be part of the Avengers franchise. If you loved the banter and ego clashes between superheroes in The Avengers, it all comes to a boiling point here, culminating in the epic Cap vs Iron Man showdown that reshapes the dynamics of Earth’s mightiest heroes and sets the stage for the Infinity War saga.
Civil War is a must-watch for Marvel fans who care about the personal stakes behind each superhero, it’s Marvel at its most human. At the same time, it stands apart from previous Captain America films with its scale, intensity, and ensemble-driven storytelling which makes it feel more like a full-fledged Avengers adventure, and less like a solo Cap outing. That said, with all its references and Easter eggs, this isn’t the right pick for viewers looking for a standalone superhero movie. If you want something you can jump into without any prior context, check out Superman, X-Men, or Suicide Squad.
