7 Highest-Rated Marvel Movies to Watch Before ‘Fantastic Four: First Steps’

7 Highest-Rated Marvel Movies to Watch Before ‘Fantastic Four: First Steps’
Image credit: Paramount Pictures, Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, Sony Pictures Releasing

Marvel’s new Fantastic Four movie has already made its first steps towards overwhelming success days before the premiere, so there’s still time to catch up with some other superhero hits of the past years.

The future is looking brighter for Marvel now that Fantastic Four: First Steps is coming to theatres alongside a bunch of raving reviews from critics, which is a solid upgrade after a series of box office and critical failures from the superhero studio.

Starring Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn and Ebon Moss-Bachrach, the movie has just secured an impressive score of 86% on Rotten Tomatoes, becoming one of Marvel’s highest-rated flicks even before its theatrical premiere on July 25.

If you already have a ticket reserved for this Friday, but have no idea what to watch in the meantime, here are some great options in case you also missed Marvel’s best era.

‘Iron Man’ (2008)

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  • On Rotten Tomatoes, Iron Man holds scores of 94% and 91% from critics and viewers
  • On IMDb, the movie is rated 7.9/10

The movie that started it all for the MCU, Iron Man follows Robert Downey Jr.'s billionaire investor Tony Stark who, after being kidnapped and blackmailed into building a high-technological weapon, creates a powerful suit that helps him escape.

Later realising that his creations might be used for wrong causes, Tony becomes Iron Man to fight those who threaten the world with his technologies.

The film not only redefined the superhero genre, but also revived Downey Jr.’s career that was stuck in stagnation for years before that.

‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’ (2023)

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The last instalment in the James Gunn-directed hit franchise, the movie follows the team of misfits as they embark on their last quest to save the universe.

As Rocket’s mysterious past resurfaces, the other team members have to overcome some major losses and deal with personal growth.

However, they are also forced to risk it all for the last mission, the failure of which will inevitably lead to the end of the Guardians as a team.

‘Avengers Assemble’ (2012)

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  • On Rotten Tomatoes, Avengers Assemble keeps a score of 91% from both critics and viewers
  • On IMDb, the movie’s rating is 8.0/10

Marvel’s first ever attempt to unite its essential characters, the movie unfolds its storyline amidst an unprecedented threat from Loki and the Chitauri army, with Nick Fury deciding to bring together Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, Hulk, Black Widow and Hawkeye to form the Avengers.

Even though they have to clash at first, the superheroes eventually team up to protect New York City and the entire Earth from yet another disaster.

‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ (2014)

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  • On Rotten Tomatoes, Guardians of the Galaxy has a score of 92% from both critics and audiences
  • On IMDb, the movie is rated 8.0/10

The first chapter in James Gunn’s retro-themed superhero franchise, the movie sees the beginning of the Guardians of the Galaxy as the group of very unlikely heroes that get together to stop a villain from using an Infinity Stone.

Starring Chris Pratt as space adventurer Peter Quill, Guardians of the Galaxy is a fun adventure that finds Quill in the midst of his own dangerous drama that forces him into an unwilling truce with a raccoon, a tree and two aliens.

‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ (2021)

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  • On Rotten Tomatoes, Spider-Man: No Way Home holds scores of 93% and 97% from critics and viewers
  • On IMDb, the movie rates 8.2/10

In the new Spider-Man reboot’s third movie, a pure chaos unfolds when Peter Parker’s identity is revealed and he has no other choice but to ask for help from Doctor Strange, making it all even worse when all villains and other Spider-Men from different universes are brought back.

As Peter struggles to come to terms with some major personal losses, he has to team up with other Spider-Men to fight the triple group of villains and save the planet.

‘Avengers: Infinity War’ (2018)

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  • On Rotten Tomatoes, Avengers: Infinity War holds scores of 85% and 92% from critics and audiences
  • On IMDb, the movie’s rating is 8.4/10

Continuing with the Avengers’ mission to save the Earth, the movie now follows the superheroes’ attempts to stop Thanos, an intergalactic warlord who seeks ways to find all the Infinity Stones and destroy half of the world.

As the Avengers prepare for the battle that will be much more than everything they’ve ever seen before, the team also has to be ready for some major losses, a plot twist that makes Avengers: Infinity War’s finale all the way more disheartening.

‘Avengers: Endgame’ (2019)

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  • On Rotten Tomatoes, Avengers: Endgame keeps scores of 94% and 90% from critics and viewers
  • On IMDb, the movie is rated 8.4/10

One of the highest-grossing movies of all time, Avengers: Endgame picks the story up where Avengers: Infinity War left it, with the superheroes reeling from the consequences of Thanos’ snap.

In the meantime, they’re trying to come up with a plan on how to undo all the devastation, eventually settling with an idea to travel in time and retrieve all the Infinity Stones.

However, there’s no place for a happy ending there anyway, with the movie signalling the definite closure for Marvel’s key characters like Captain America and Iron Man.

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Ruairi O'Connor (Orpheus) From: The Sandman

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