The Avengers is quite possibly the greatest team-up movie ever made. With its mix of humor and action, the movie created tens of millions of new Marvel fans and was part of the biggest movie series ever. That is if you count all the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) phases.
With The Avengers arc well into phase 4 of the MCU, you might be looking for movies like Avengers that will knock your socks off with the battles, action, and suspense.
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18. The Mask, Prime Video (1994)
When you think about The Avengers, you’re probably thinking of some kick-butt action superheroes that save the world, not Jim Carrey doing wacky things on screen. But if you’re a fan of the MCU and want something more light-hearted, then The Mask is for you.
The 1994 comedy film is also considered a superhero film directed by Chuck Russell and produced by Bob Engleman. It’s the first installment of the Mask franchise, which has two films, a TV series that lasted 3 seasons, and a slew of comics that the movies are based on.
The story follows Jim Carrey who plays a bank clerk, Stanley Ipkiss, who is incredibly insecure as he’s frequently ridiculed by everyone except for his coworker and best friend, Charlie Schumaker.
However, when Stanley possesses a strange mysterious mask, a whole new side of him comes out that’s confident and charming. It’s an incredible movie that is truly entertaining everyone should watch it at least once in their life. With a decent rating of 6.9 on IMDb, this is one of the best movies like Avengers.
17. The Crow, Paramount (1994)
Superhero movies don’t have to just be that, a superhero movie with the same cliches and premise. There is a wide variety of superheroes in the media world, and The Crow is one of the best examples of this.
This 1994 superhero movie is also in the supernatural genre and was directed by Alex Proyas and based on the limited comic book series sharing the same name in 1989 by James O’Barr.
Starring Brandon Lee, which was also his final film appearance, this is one of the best movies like Avengers that brings out a whole new side of superheroes. Eric Draven, played by Lee, is a musician who is resurrected from the dead to seek vengeance against the gang who murdered him and his fiancee, all while being pursued by a sympathetic police officer.
It’s gothic, it’s spooky, and it’s a beautiful reimagining of the superhero genre, and with a 7.5 IMDb rating, it’s one of the better examples.
16. Fast Color, Max (2018)
One of the more recent films is this 2018 superhero drama, Fast Color, which was directed by Julia Hart and stars Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Lorraine Toussaint, Saniyya Sidney, Christopher Denham, and David Stratharin.
A television series is said to be in development based on this film at Amazon Studios with Viola Davis’ JuVee Productions, and with a decent 6.1 IMDb rating, it sure has the fan base to support it.
The film is set in the future American Midwest where it has not rained in eight years. Ruth is a homeless wanderer whose seizures trigger supernatural earthquakes. But once her abilities are discovered, she’s on the run after years of hiding.
And unfortunately, after years of having abandoned her family, the only place she has left to hide is home. It’s empowering and original, one of the best superhero movies that will make you see the genre in a whole new light.
15. Big Hero 6, Disney+ (2014)
Another movie you might not think about when considering movies like Avengers, but Big Hero 6 is not only a phenomenal movie for all ages, but one that changes the idea of superhero movies.
Created by Walt Disney Studios, this 2014 superhero film is loosely based on the Marvel Comics team of the same name created by Man of Action. It was directed by Don Hall and Chris Williams and stars the voices of Ryan Potter, Scott Adsit, Daniel Henney, and many more.
The story follows Hiro Hamada, a young robotics prodigy, and Bayman, his late brother Tadashi’s healthcare-provider robot. They, along with some college peers, form a superhero team to combat a masked villain responsible for Tadashi’s death.
It’s heartbreaking, loveable, and creative, and as it’s directly inspired by MCU, it’s one of the best movies like Avengers that you can watch. With a 7.8 rating on IMDb, this is one movie you need to have on your watch list.
14. V for Vendetta, Max and Netflix (2005)
The first on the list here isn’t a superhero movie, however, one could argue that it still is. Not all heroes wear capes, as they say, and this hero wears a mask.
V for Vendetta is a 2005 dystopian political action film directed by James McTeigue as his feature directorial debut and is based on the 1988-89 DC Vertigo Comics carrying the same title by Alan Moore, David Lloyd, and Tony Weare. While DC is a superhero world, V for Vendetta doesn’t have the same feel.
The film is set in the future where a fascist totalitarian regime has subjugated the UK and centers on V, an anarchist and masked freedom fighter who attempts to ignite a revolution through elaborate terrorist acts.
Evey Hammond, portrayed by Natalie Portman, is a young woman caught up in V’s mission, while Stephen Rea portrays a detective leading a desperate quest to stop V. It’s thought-provoking, entertaining, and perfect for those who want movies like Avengers but with something a bit more edgy.
13. Watchmen, Max (2009)
After that quick jump away from superhero movies, we’re back once again. The 2009 superhero film is based on the 1986-87 limited DC Comic series sharing the same name by Dave Gibbons and Alan Moore.
Zack Snyder directed this movie and stars Malin Akerman, Billy Crudup, Matthew Goode, Carla Gugino, and more. Watchmen centers on a dark and dystopian deconstruction of the superhero genre and is set in an alternate history in the year 1985 at the height of the Cold War.
A group of mostly retired superheroes investigate the murder of one of their own before uncovering an elaborate and deadly conspiracy, while their moral limitations are challenged by the complex nature of the circumstances.
12. Enola Holmes, Netflix (2020)
A personal favorite of mine is Enola Holmes and one I had to add. Is this a superhero movie? No, but it does focus on an empowering character that helps save the day, so it’s close enough in my opinion. If you want a movie like Avengers but don’t care about the true superhero genre, then Enola Holmes is the way to go.
The 2020 mystery film stars Millie Bobby Brown as the titular character, the teenage sister of the already famous Victorian-era detective, Sherlock Holmes (played by Henry Cavill).
Directed by Harry Bradbeer, the movie is an adaptation of the first novel in The Enola Holmes Mysteries by Nancy Springer and follows Enola Holmes who discovers her mother is missing and is on the search to find her, becoming a super-slueth who can outwit even her brother and unravels a dangerous conspiracy.
We love seeing a strong female character who can even outsmart one of the smartest solvers in the world, a truly amazing film for those who enjoy seeing Blackwidow or Scarlet Witch kick-butt.
11. The Incredibles, Disney+ (2004)
What about the ultimate superhero film? The Avengers set out to save the galaxy and create such a hilarious dynamic between each character. What about the Incredibles? Their family is hilarious, supportive, unique, and has the world in the palm of their hands.
The Incredibles is a 2004 animated superhero movie by Pixar and is one of the best-animated movies in Pixar’s lineup. The movie stars voice from Craig T. Nelson, Holly Hunter, Sarah Voxwell, Samuel L. Jackson, and more.
The story follows a family that leads a quiet suburban life but is secretly a family of undercover superheroes who are forced into action to save the world. Doesn’t this sound a bit familiar? Several characters in the MCU are just trying to lead a normal life, but all are forced into the Avengers to protect the world from destruction.
10. Oceans 8, Peacock (2018)
One of the best movies like Avengers is Ocean’s Eight, a 2018 heist comedy film directed by Gary Ross. The film is a spin-off from Steven Soderbergh’s Ocean’s series, as well as the fourth installment of it.
The film has an ensemble cast including Sandra Bullock, Cate Blanchett, Anne Hathaway, Mindy Kaling, Sarah Paulson, Rihanna, and Helena Bonham Carter and follows a group of women led by Debbie Ocean, the sister of Danny Ocean, who plan a sophisticated heist at the annual Met Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.
It’s an empowering piece that showcases women at the frontlines once again and is truly remarkable for the ones who enjoy seeing women take charge as leads.
9. Sky High, Disney+ (2005)
Think about the Avengers at a young age, exploring their unique powers amongst the rest. The competition, the embarrassment, and the overall school experience that they might have to deal with. Take that and make it a movie in 2005.
Sky High is a superhero comedy film directed by Mike Mitchell and written by the Kim Possible creators, Bob Schooley and Mark McCorkle. The film stars Kelly Preston, Michael Angarano, Danielle Panabaker, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, and Kurt Russell.
The story follows Will Stronghold, the son of two superheroes who is enrolled in an airborne high school for teenage superheroes where his powers kick in. He not only must deal with a growing distance from his old friends and get the girl of his dreams, but deal with a threat from a mysterious supervillain. Sky High has a 6.3 IMDb rating and is one of the best movies like Avengers that has a teenage spin.
8. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, Paramount (2023)
One of the most recent movies on the list, the 2023 superhero film is based on the long-running franchise, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, which was created by Peter Laird and Kevin Eastman.
This is one of the many renditions of the story and is considered a reboot by Jeff Rowe. The film stars several amazing voices from Micah Abbey, Shamon Brown Jr. Nicolas Cantu, and Brady Noon as the four Tutles, and follows the group as they go on a hunt for a mysterious crime syndicate and face an army of mutants.
With themes that focus on family, conformity, and acceptance, this is a great film to put on your watch list that is like the Avengers. It’s incredibly entertaining, has a beautiful art and animation style, and comes from the great minds of Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg, and Rowe.
7. The Old Gaurd, Netflix (2020)
The Old Guard is one movie like Avengers that keeps the action going. The 2020 superhero film directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood is based on the comic book sharing the same name by Greg Rucka.
The film stars Charlize Theron, Kiki Layne, Matthias Schoenaerts, Marwan Kenzari, Luca Marinelli, Harry Melling, Veronica Ngo and Chiwetel Ejiofar. The story follows a covert team of immortal mercenaries who are suddenly exposed and must now fight to keep their identity a secret as an unexpected new member is discovered.
6. Hellboy, Netflix (2004)
While there was a new one in 2019, there’s no question that the best one was in 2004. Hellboy is a fictional superhero created by Mike Mignola and appeared in San Diego Comic-Con Comics #2 in 1993, and has since appeared in various eponymous miniseries, one-shots, and intercompany crossovers.
The character was then adapted into three live-action feature films, with the first two starring Ron Perlman, and the most recent as David Harbour.
The 2004 film follows the demon-turned-investigator named Hellboy who works with the secret Bureau of Paranormal Research and Defense to suppress paranormal threats, but a resurrected sorcerer seeks to make Hellboy fulfill his destiny by triggering the apocalypse. It’s full of action and is an incredibly unique experience for the superhero genre.
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5. Power Rangers, Prime Video (2017)
If a group of teenagers teaming up to battle the big bad as giant robots gets your juices flowing, then Power Rangers should top your watchlist. We’d argue even more than any Transformers movie because let’s be honest, these are usually disappointing.
On IMDb, it earned a 5.9, which is lower than we expected. However, the premise for this movie is very much like The Avengers and it doesn’t actually watch as a 5.9-rated movie would. We can see why it received this rating as the acting is sometimes over-the-top and the creators didn’t really cater to fans of the TV series.
Mainly, we noticed that as compared to the TV show, the movie does actually take itself and its premise seriously. However, for someone wanting movies like Avengers with teenagers and robots, Power Rangers ticks the boxes.
4. Predators, Max (2010)
You might be thinking what have Predators got to do with The Avengers? On the surface it is hard to compare this alien abduction meets Battle Royale, yet if you look beyond that, Predators is very much a similar story.
In the 2010 Predators, a bunch of mercenaries from around Earth are dropped on an alien planet and hunted by, you guessed it, predators. Effectively, this makes this movie a team-up versus big bad evil very much like The Avengers. To top it off, each of the mercenaries from around the world have combat skills, which are like superpowers. For example, being a great sniper is no different from Marvel’s Hawkeye.
Predator also has a sci-fi bag of tricks, including special armor, which heightens detection (like Spider-Man). Superhuman strength is also shown (like Thor) along with super agility to move through trees and leap further than humans. Lastly, advanced technology permits a variety of flexible, tactical options (similar to Iron Man). And best of all, the 2010 Predators is a pretty good action flick earning a 6.4 on IMDb.
3. Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Prime Video (2015)
Marvel fans will roll their eyes at this but there are huge similarities between The Avengers and The Force Awakens. From legacy characters meeting young heroes to saving a planet, these two movies share a similar action suspense and yet heart-warming feel.
For example, in The Avengers you have a band of heroes coming together to save Earth from destruction. In The Force Awakens, the heroes head to Starkiller Base to stop it from blowing up the Republic. There’s no doubt that The Avengers is a better movie than The Force Awakens and a much better start to a series.
However, if you’re looking for a movie where heroes save the day, big visual effects, and interesting characters, this Star Wars film is one of our top movies like Avengers. If you need further convincing, Star Wars: The Force Awakens earned a 7.8 on IMDb.
2. X-Men: Apocalypse, Prime Video (2016)
It might be cheating a little to include another Marvel series on this list, but X-Men: Apocalypse is too perfect to miss out on. It has a 6.9 rating on IMDb, which also shows its promise.
The X-Men franchise, like The Avengers, are comic book superheroes, but with a golden age feel. In X-Men: Apocalypse, our band of mutant superheroes defend humanity from a big bad who wants to rebuild Earth around mutants, not humans. This is an Avengers classic, or it at least sounds like it.
The big difference with the X-Men is that they try to operate in secrecy, unlike The Avengers. This secrecy is to keep their powers hidden so that people don’t get scared – yet at the same time, they defend humanity. So if you want The Avengers meet clandestine operations with that classic comic feel, X-Men: Apocalypse is perfect.
1. Zack Snyder’s Justice League, Max (2021)
The HBO Max release of Zack Snyder’s Justice League finally gave DC Comics fans a movie that could compete with The Avengers. For anyone who has watched Joss Whedon’s theatrical version of Justice League, please know, that Zach Snyder’s cut is a longer, more rounded, and fully-formed story.
Justice League is top on our list of movies like Avengers because it features an expansive team of superheroes that must team up to save the Earth. The movie includes a battle against Superman, conflict within the team, massive invasions, and a big bad, who is trying to impress an even bigger bad behind the scenes.
It literally is a 1:1 match-up on the story arc. The only real difference is that Zach Snyder’s Justice League is darker in tone and that it features Batman and Co. It earned an 8.1 on IMDb, which is another reason why it fell to number one.
As you can see, if you are a fan of The Avengers and at a loss for similar suspense, these movies can help you rediscover why you fell in love with this type of heroic action movie in the first place. While the Marvel Cinematic Universe is hard to top, we know you’ll enjoy these top five movies like Avengers and all they have to offer. Plus, fear not, because Marvel is always working on their next film, so another superhero movie in the MCU is probably in production already.
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