Entertainment

28 Marvel Actors’ Movies On Netflix That 'Avengers' Fans Need To Stream ASAP

by Taylor Ferber

2019 is about to be a major year for MCU — in fact, probably the biggest for the studio yet. After this year's Avengers: Infinity War and Ant-Man and the Wasp releases, Marvel fans have to hang tight for more films until next year (such as Captain Marvel and Spider-Man: Far From Home). On the bright side, IMAX's major Marvel 10th Anniversary festival is around the corner for fans to relive their favorites on the big screen. And of course, there's a ton of Marvel actors' movies to stream on Netflix to hold fans over and see their favorite MCU characters in a whole new light.

At the moment, there are some Marvel films on the streaming service, including Thor: Ragnarok, Doctor Strange, and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. But part of the fun of the MCU-verse is falling in love with the characters and the actors themselves. Fans can watch Mark Ruffalo (who played The Hulk) fall for his childhood sweetheart in lighthearted rom-com 13 Going on 30. They can see Chadwick Boseman channel legendary MLB star Jackie Robinson before he was Black Panther in 42. Avengers stars Jeremy Renner and Elizabeth Olsen even reunited for 2017's thriller Wind River, which is also on Netflix.

Given how massive MCU and its characters are, fans may forget the actors' careers and roles outside Marvel. (A handful, including Samuel L. Jackson, Josh Brolin, Benedict Cumberbatch, Robert Downey Jr., and Jeremy Renner, have even been nominated for Oscars.) Watching these actors outside of their iconic superhero roles can be just as enjoyable.

1. Playing It Cool (2014)

In this rom-com, Chris Evans swaps the Captain America suit for a T-shirt and zip-up hoodie to channel the everyday man. He plays a screenwriter who hopelessly falls in love with a woman (played Michelle Monaghan) who's already engaged. And Falcon himself (Anthony Mackie) also makes an appearance.

3. Before We Go (2014)

Not only does Evans star in this dramatic romance, but he took his talents off-screen to direct it as well. In the film, Evans plays opposite Alice Eve as two strangers whose lives are altered after a chance meeting in New York City's Grand Central. Evans delivers romantic lines like, "We love who we love." In addition, his performance is totally swoon-worthy.

4. Just Friends (2005)

In this must-see romantic comedy, Reynolds plays a formerly overweight teenager turned big-shot record label executive who winds up back in his New Jersey hometown fighting for the girl of his dreams. With Anna Faris as his kooky pop star client and so many quotable lines, this Christmas-themed flick is one to watch all year long.

5. Adventureland (2009)

When a recent college grad (Jesse Eisenberg) can't take his anticipated trip to Europe in the Summer of 1987, he instead takes a lame summer job at a local amusement park where he falls for a colleague (Kristen Stewart). Reynolds plays the park's eccentric maintenance man in the comedy, which also has hilarious cameos by duo Kristen Wiig and Bill Hader.

6. Woman in Gold (2015)

Based on the true story of elderly Jewish woman Maria Altmann (played by Helen Mirren), Reynolds plays lawyer Randy Schoeberg in this historical drama. After Maria's family treasures are seized by the Nazis in World War II, she fights to get them back and restore their legacy with the help of young Randy in a strenuous legal battle.

7. The Voices (2014)

Although this thriller/horror film strays from most of Reynolds' work, it still has a hint of comedy he's known for intact. In the film, he stars as a peculiar factory worker who fights thoughts from his talking cat persuading him to be a killer with his dog's input to be an innocent, normal man.

8. Guess Who (2005)

In this romantic comedy, Zoe Saldana plays a smitten woman who brings her white boyfriend (Ashton Kutcher) home to her black family and her intimidating father (Bernie Mac). While his possible, future in-laws are celebrating their 25th wedding anniversary, Simon (Kutcher) attempts redeeming himself after his terribly awkward first impression.

9. The Imitation Game (2014)

Benedict Cumberbatch scored an Oscar nomination for his outstanding role in this historical drama. In it, he plays mathematical genius Alan Turing who's recruited by a British intelligence agency to decipher Nazi codes in 1939. After making major strides and achievements, he's sent to prison after authorities learn he's gay.

10. The Fifth Estate (2013)

In this thriller based on true events, Cumberbatch plays WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange and the early days of the controversial website. He teams up with a colleague (Daniel Brühl) and gains access to the biggest cache of confidential documents in U.S. history.

11. Sing (2016)

Scarlett Johansson stripped away Black Widow's costume and weapons for this animated musical about aspiring musicians bringing music back in a singing competition. In the film, she stars as porcupine punk Ash alongside Matthew McConaughey, Reese Witherspoon, Seth MacFarlane, and more. And yes, Johansson does her own singing in the film.

12. Kodachrome (2017)

In this moving Netflix original, Elizabeth Olsen plays a woman who helps a dying man (Ed Harris) reunite with his estranged son (Jason Sudeikis) to embark on a road trip to develop his final rolls of Kodachrome film.

13. Wind River (2017)

Olsen reunites with her Avengers co-star Jeremy Renner in this mystery/drama. In it, she plays an FBI agent who joins forces with a wildlife officer (Renner) to investigate the death and rape of a young woman, only to find themselves in danger.

14. The Immigrant (2013)

In this drama, Renner plays a performing illusionist who falls for an immigrant woman (Marion Cotillard), who's forced into prostitution after her sister is quarantined at Ellis Island.

15. Spotlight (2015)

In this Oscar-winning crime drama, Ruffalo plays one of few Boston Globe reporters who helped expose a cover-up within the Roman Catholic Church in 2001. Based on a true story, the riveting, yet chilling, film is one Netflix users can't miss.

16. 13 Going on 30 (2004)

In this beloved rom-com, Ruffalo seriously turns up the charm. He plays the childhood sweetheart of a girl (Jennifer Garner) who magically appears in the future in her 30-year-old body.

17. Rumor Has It... (2005)

Mark Ruffalo definitely had a solid streak of '00s rom-coms and no one was mad at it. In Rumor Has It... a woman (Jennifer Aniston) learns her family's ties to the movie The Graduate, when accidentally getting intimate with a man (Kevin Costner) who was also once with her mother and grandmother. Ruffalo plays her helpless and devoted boyfriend.

18. Reservation Road (2007)

In this gripping crime drama, Ruffalo plays a law associate who speeds away after hitting and killing a young boy, who's father (Joaquin Phoenix) embarks on a relentless path to justice.

19. Milk (2008)

This Oscar-winning movie tells the true story of Harvey Milk (played by Sean Penn), America's first openly gay politician, who was horrifically assassinated in 1978. In the film, Josh Brolin plays Dan White, Harvey Milk's murderer.

20. Unchained: The Untold Story (2016)

Adrenaline junkies will appreciate this documentary tracing the rise of the extreme sport freestyle motocross. In a different role for the Oscar-nominated actor, Josh Brolin is the sole narrator of the film.

21. The Legacy of a Whitetail Dear Hunter (2018)

In this adventure-comedy, Brolin plays a man who is famous for hunting deer and stars in hunting videos. He attempts to bond with his son by planning a special episode around their weekend together.

22. Message From the King (2016)

Before he was the triumphant T'Challa in Black Panther, Boseman played a Cape Town native on a hunt to avenge his sister's murder in Message From the King. Like Black Panther, it's packed with lots of action.

23. 42 (2013)

42 displays Boseman's acting range, as he channels iconic MLB star Jackie Robinson. The sports/bio film highlights Robinson's career and racial integration in the business in the 1940's.

24. High-Rise (2015)

In this dystopian drama, Tom Hiddleston stars as a doctor living in a luxury building in the 1970's. Residents of the building, equipped with technological advances, rarely emerge into the outside world until building functions fail and chaos ensues.

25. The Hateful Eight (2015)

Directed by Quentin Tarantino, The Hateful Eight brings together an epic ensemble cast who play eight strangers who seeking refuge from a blizzard after the Civil War. Samuel L. Jackson stars as Major Marquis Warren, a bounty hunter and man claiming to be a sheriff.

25. Lakeview Terrace (2008)

In this thriller, a young couple (Patrick Wilson and Kerry Washington) sets out for a life of bliss when moving into their California dream home. However, their neighbor, an uptight LAPD cop (Jackson), disapproves of their interracial relationship and becomes a little too watchful of their lives.

26. I Love You, Man (2009)

Paul Rudd stars alongside Jason Segel in this bromantic comedy about a man in desperate need of male friends, particularly a best man, before his big wedding day.

27. The Fundamentals of Caring (2016)

In a different, perhaps more vulnerable performance for the actor, Rudd plays a writer who retires after personal tragedy strikes his life and leads him to become a caregiver for a disabled teen. The two embark on a road trip and change perspectives on life in this inspirational drama.

28. Wet Hot American Summer (2001)

In a true blast from the past and cult classic, Rudd stars alongside Amy Poehler, Elizabeth Banks, and more, as summer camp counselors in 1981. The satire follows the group of teens, their interactions, and coming-of-age events as camp comes to an end. Rudd is in the rebooted 2015 series First Day of Camp and 2017's 10 Years Later, both on Netflix.

Get streaming, MCU fans. There's tons on deck before the release of Avengers 4 and even more epic Marvel films.