If you read the the title, you may wonder what it means to be a Non-MCU work? Well, it could a Fox movie... it could be an animated series... it could be from BEFORE there was an MCU. So there are quite a bit of stuffs to pick a list from.
So... how about it?
Top 10 Non-MCU Works
Here we go...
Honorable Mention 1: Ghost Rider: So... yes, this movie. It is cheesy. There is plenty of awkward Nic Cage craziness. And some forced attempts at horror. And introduced us to Rebel Wilson. But overall, the movie is entertaining AND Peter Fonda makes a great Mephisto. I stand by this movie. Just... don't watch the sequel. Don't do it.
Honorable Mention 2: The New Mutants: New Mutants was wonderful. It really was. An attempt to make a superhero universe horror film. And it worked. It would've been on the list proper if it were a completed story. It was planned for a Trilogy. It was planned to have a HUGE X-Men villain. But due to the acquisition of 20th Century Fox by Disney, this ended up being the FINAL Fox Marvel movie instead. Unrealized potential is why it didn't make the list proper.
10: X-Men 2 X-Men United: The first X-Men movie was the catalyst for the modern superhero craze. But it was only finding its footing. The sequel, however, stood firm. A man plotline for the story, but seemlessly wove in the subplots. Starting from one of the best opening scenes I've ever seen. Sequels are usually worse. This one is one of the greatest examples of why that isn't always true.
9: The Punisher (2004): Frank Castle will show up more than once here. This time around, he have Thomas Jane at the titular character. Instead of killing his wife and kids, this time around JOHN TRAVOLTA has his entire family murdered. And a few hand to hand fight scene that are fun AND brutal. Not to mention this movie introduced me to the late great stand-up comedian John Pinette. And it was also shot in half the time of a normal action flick. That... is impressive.
8: Spider-Man 2: Tobey... Tobey... Tobey. Engaging story about Peter's PTSD... mixed with a plot revolving around a wonderfully written Doc Ock. Another example of the sequel being better. And... fixed an aesthetic issue I had with the first movie...... ever notice the buildings don't reflect like the should in the windows in the first movie? Yeah......
7: X-Men & Spider-Man Animated Series: So no, this isn't the same show. It is 2 different shows. But I put them together for a reason. Fox was on fire with 90s animated series. And these two had a unique formula... with multi episode arcs, like the comics and outfits ripped straight from the comics as well. They also belong together because they were part of the same animated universe. Comics came to life in these 2 shows.
6: Big Hero 6: Baymax is on this list. Yes, this is a kid-friendly adaption of a Marvel comic. And I... keep forgetting that. It could be because the comics are much less kid-friendly... and this movie is tons better. Unique. Smart. Cute. Makes me cry EVERY time.
5: X-Men Days of Future Past: This was a risky movie. Taking the original X-Men Trilogy and the First Class stories combine. Seemingly natural. Dynamic between the future dystopia and the old school feel. With a great story showing us how branching through time should work. This also had the first Quicksilver slo-mo scene, and THAT alone was a masterpiece.
4: Punisher (Netflix)(Bonus: Daredevil season 2): If I had finished this series yet, I would put it higher. But the fact it is HERE without it being done yet speaks volumes. The BEST live action version of Frank Castle in Jon Bernthal(like Matt Ryan is to DC's Constantine... no one else can play him now). Now... why include Season 3 of Daredevil? Specifically, that is when they debuted this Punisher. And the graveyard scene is by far one of the most emotional scenes Non-MCU or MCU combined(one of...).
3: Logan: The final outing for Hugh Jackman as Wolverine. It felt like a Clint Eastwood epic. Dark, gritty, sad, gory, fun. And it made me cry. Twice. Like a baby. So well written. With an unexpected villain... Logan's own health. And it is responsible to introducing Dafne Keen, the young actress who played Laura. One role is all it took to see she has a bright future(and now she has her own series on HBO called His Dark Materials). Hard R Rating... and it needed it. Logan finally got to be the feral beast we know and love.
2: Deadpool 1 & 2: If there was ever a labor of love in comicbook movies, it is Deadpool. Ryan Reynolds IS Wade Wilson. Even if you don't like comic book movies, this is Van Wilder in Spandex. Gory, funny, 4th Wall Breaking. And 2 DIFFERENT movies. Different writers... different crews. And somehow, it makes BOTH movies better. I don't know what else I can say about Deadpool that you can't hear from Ryan Reynolds himself... so... do that. And watch those movies. Unless you are a kid. Then no. These movies have a HARDER R than Logan. Yes... I mean it. Not for kiddos.
And the Number 1 Non-MCU Work...
(After that last one, WHAT could be better?!?!)
1: Spider-Man Into the Spider-Verse: From the people who brought us Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, this is a MASTERCLASS in animation. So much so... it won an Oscar for it. Beautiful colors, glitchy twitches that told the story, and speaking of story... it focuses on Miles Morales and not Peter Parker. Juggled a coming of age story with an origin story with a multiverse story. And... never dropped one of them. Introduced multiple versions of Spider-Man... making a unique origin for each, without throwing up all over Miles' story. Including voices from Nicholas Cage, Hailee Steinfeld, Jake Johnson, Mahershala Ali, Kathryn Hahn, Liev Schreiber, and a BREAKOUT performance from Shameik Moore... this is one of the BEST animated movies I've ever seen... and a surprise Oscar Issac alluding to his involvement with the sequel. It stands out. Watch it.
And there it is. The Top 10 Non-MCU Works.
Any you think I missed? What do think about the ones that made it? Comment and Share...... and above all else... watch them if you haven't.
Part 3 of many is down.
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