black panther

Superhero movies are all the rage right now, and rightfully so.  But, there is a lot of fighting and violence in there as well.  Which can be confusing and a bit scary for some younger viewers.  There are many movies within the Marvel Cinematic Universe and you might be wondering what is appropriate for which age groups.  We are here to give you our thoughts on this.  That said, your child may be more mature than others and able to handle more, so please keep that in mind when reading through this post.  As I said, the major theme in most of the movies is violence.   It may be a bit cartoonish and isn’t gory.  But beware of this when you’re picking a movie for your child to watch.

Ages 7 – 10

The movies we recommend in this age bracket include:

  • Ant-Man
  • Guardians of the Galaxy 1 and 2
  • Thor: Ragnarok
  • Spider-Man: Homecoming
  • Iron Man
  • Thor
  • Doctor Strange

Why exactly?  Ant-Man, for example, is very lighthearted and perfect for younger kids.  There are some more mature themes, but your kids won’t understand them. This can be said about Thor: Ragnarok as well.  Kids won’t recognize the irony in the story-line, so it’s a safe one for them to watch.  The Guardians of the Galaxy movies are two movies that don’t take themselves too seriously, so they’re perfect for younger kids.  Spider-Man: Homecoming gives us Spider-Man’s origin story, which is a classic coming of age theme that everyone should see at least once. Doctor Strange is good for kids because of the magical powers that he gets.  Some may think that Thor is a bit too much for kids, but you will be surprised at its uplifting message.

Ages 10 – 13

  • The Avengers
  • Captain America: The First Avenger
  • Black Panther
  • Avengers: Age of Ultron
  • Iron Man 2 and 3

There are a lot of Avenger movies in this category. Both Avengers movies listed are not recommended for kids under 10 because of the intensity of the action. Also, watch out for this one if your child is a little bit sensitive as it could cause some issues for them (and you).  Captain America might be a bit disturbing given its historical context related to World War 2 and the Nazi.  But teachers will love it for it for that exact reason.  The Iron Man movies focus a bit more on the dark side of life, but kids who are closer to 12 or 13 will likely enjoy it.  Black Panther is arguably the best Marvel movie.  That said, kids aren’t likely to truly understand the themes of black identity and the type of violence being portrayed in the movie.  Because of the action-packed intensity of the movie, kids will likely enjoy this, even if they miss the deeper meaning.

Ages 13 and Up

  • The Incredible Hulk
  • Captain America: The Winter Soldier
  • Captain America: Civil War
  • Thor: The Dark World

Kids will love The Hulk for the same reason that parents aren’t big fans.  The Hulk solves every problem by smashing it apart.  Hmmm.. Maybe this is a lesson for all of us?  That said, Hulk is very violent by nature, so this one isn’t recommended for younger children.  Both Captain America movies listed may be a little complicated for smaller children.  Hence why we are recommending this in the 13 + category.  Last, but not least, the battle scenes in Thor are enormous and overwhelming.  Again – this one is recommended for older children.

Marvel Civil War

All of these movies are great in their own right.  Being able to recognize which movie is appropriate for your child at what age, can be challenging.  Of course, you need to watch the movie first, but understanding how that’s going to affect your child is for the work of a child psychologist.  Take that in mind when you’re reading this and wondering why we think Black Panther is ok for a 10-year-old.  Kids will love the superhero aspect of these films, regardless, so at some point, they will want to start watching them.