The 10 Best Marvel Animated Movies Of All Time

Animation is an ideal medium for adapting comic books — after all, both comics and cartoons, broken down to their purest elements, are a series of illustrations that tell a story. Fans of Marvel Comics and its pen-and-paper pantheon of heroes like Captain America, Iron Man, Spider-Man, and the Hulk have been enjoying their animated adventures on television for decades, ever since the premiere of the syndicated series "The Marvel Super-Heroes" in 1966.

Perhaps surprisingly, the first animated feature film based on a Marvel comic book was not released until 1980, and a true wave of animated Marvel movies didn't rise until the mid-2000s. Since then, there have been several notable Marvel animated films, including multiple winners of the best animated feature Academy Award.

Marvel's animated films cannot be easily pinned down, spanning superhero smash-'em-ups, a gothic horror tale about the lord of vampires, and the family-friendly adventures of a roly-poly healthcare robot. While all Marvel animated films have their strengths, the ones listed below have been regarded by critics and fans as, to borrow the Hulk's catchphrase, the strongest ones there are. Determined by an aggregate score of Rotten Tomatoes and IMDb ratings, here are the 10 best Marvel animated films of all time.

Even the most diehard Marvel Zombies may be surprised to learn that the first Marvel animated feature didn't star Spider-Man or Captain America, but rather the lord of the vampires: Dracula. Released in 1980, "Dracula: Sovereign of the Damned" was animated by Toei, the studio that went on to produce the anime classics "Sailor Moon" and "One Piece." "Dracula: Sovereign of the Damned" is an adaptation of Gene Colan and Marv Wolfman's cult classic comic series "The Tomb of Dracula," which brought Bram Stoker's iconic villain into the swinging 1970s.

In "Sovereign of the Damned," Dracula incurs the wrath of the devil himself by falling in love with Domini, a mortal woman slated to become Satan's bride by an evil cult. Dracula and Domini miraculously conceive a son, Janus, who becomes a surprising player in the battle between heaven and hell. Meanwhile, a trio of vampire hunters — Quincy Harker, Rachel Van Helsing, and Frank Drake, another of Dracula's living descendants — plot to destroy the immortal bloodsucker once and for all.

Featuring gothic melodrama, an exploding wheelchair, and the unforgettable sight of Dracula eating a hamburger, "Dracula: Sovereign of the Damned" is a bloody good time.

• Cast: Ryō Ishihara, Hiroko Suzuki, Kazuyuki Sogabe
• Director: Minoru Okazaki
• Rating: N/A
• Runtime: 91 minutes
• Where to watch: N/A

"The Ultimates" comic series by Mark Millar and Bryan Hitch was a groundbreaking (if extremely controversial) re-imagining of the Avengers, bringing the beloved superhero team that originated in 1963 into the 21^st century with sizzling cinematic style. And while "The Ultimates" served as a blueprint for the 2012 "Avengers" live-action blockbuster, 2006's "Ultimate Avengers: The Movie" is a more direct and faithful adaptation of the story.

"Ultimate Avengers: The Movie" begins in 1945, with Captain America's last stand against the Third Reich, which has been infiltrated by the shapeshifting aliens known as the Chitauri. His body frozen at the bottom of the ocean for decades, Captain America is found and resuscitated by SHIELD. He assembles a team composed of Black Widow, Iron Man, Giant-Man, Wasp, and Thor, but Bruce Banner's desperation to recreate Captain America's super soldier serum may unleash a threat greater than the Chitauri.

The animated feature sands off the more jagged edges in "The Ultimates" — Ultimate Hulk is less aggressively sexual, and Wasp and Ant-Man's marriage is merely strained, not physically abusive – while bringing the dramatic visuals to life in an action-packed adventure.

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• Cast: Justin Gross, Grey DeLisle, Michael Massee
• Director: Curt Geda, Steven E. Gordon, Bob Richardson
• Rating: PG-13
• Runtime: 72 minutes
• Where to watch: DVD/Blu-ray

Most of the films on this list center on the terrestrial adventures of our favorite superheroes, but "Planet Hulk" reaches for the stars — literally. Based on the popular 2006-2007 Marvel Comics storyline of the same name by writer Greg Pak and artists Carlo Pagulayan and Aaron Lopresti, 2010's "Planet Hulk" has the jade giant trading his tattered purple pants for a sword and a pair of sandals.

The film begins with Iron Man banishing Hulk from the Earth due to his destructive rampages. Hulk's space shuttle crashes on the alien world of Sakaar (also memorably depicted in "Thor: Ragnarok"), and he is soon enslaved by the imperial forces of the diabolical Red King. The Hulk becomes a gladiator, joining other imprisoned "Warbound" aliens Miek and Korg, but soon he's fighting for more than his own freedom — he may just be the "Sakaarson" prophesized to save the entire world. That is, if he can get past the Red King's powerful and beautiful lieutenant, Caiera.

Also featuring a guest appearance by cult-favorite hero Beta Ray Bill, "Planet Hulk" is an exciting departure from the conventional Earth-bound superhero story. Blasting off into the realm of pulpy science fiction, "Planet Hulk," is, well, a smash.

• Cast: Rick D. Wasserman, Lisa Ann Beley, Mark Hildreth
• Director: Sam Liu
• Rating: PG-13
• Runtime: 81 minutes
• Where to watch: DVD/Blu-ray

Several years before 2016's "Doctor Strange" introduced the Sorcerer Supreme to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, 2007's "Doctor Strange" animated feature presented audiences with a brisk and colorful primer on the good doctor. Stephen Strange is a brilliant but arrogant surgeon, who has been emotionally closed off to his patients since the death of his sister April. After an unexpected supernatural encounter leads to a car accident, Doctor Strange awakens to find that his hands have been gravely injured.

Following the advice of a mysterious man named Wong, Stephen seeks treatment in Tibet and becomes a sorcerer-in-training under the spiritual guidance of the powerful Ancient One. But while Stephen begins to pursue enlightenment, another magic user, Mordo, turns away from it, embracing violence in his mission to defeat creatures from the Dark Dimension.

It all leads to a startling confrontation with the demonic Dormammu, with the fates of Stephen's former patients at stake. The animation in "Doctor Strange" brings some wonderfully ghoulish monsters to life — beware the evil flying mouths — while at the same delivering a plot that probes deep into the psyche of a troubled hero seeking redemption.

• Cast: Bryce Johnson, Paul Nakauchi, Kevin Michael Richardson
• Director: Jay Oliva, Dick Sebast, Patrick Archibald
• Rating: PG-13
• Runtime: 76 minutes
• Where to watch: DVD/Blu-ray

"Ultimate Avengers 2: Rise of The Panther," the same-year sequel to "Ultimate Avengers: The Movie," pushes the series in a bold new direction — all the way to Wakanda, home of the Black Panther. While the Avengers struggle to recover from the events of the first film, the Chitauri continue their ruthless pursuit of power on Earth, killing Wakanda's king T'Chaka in the process. T'Chaka's son, T'Challa, assumes the throne and the superpowered mantle of the Black Panther, but he refuses the Avengers' aid when he discovers that Captain America fought — and failed to kill — the Chitauri's leader in World War II.

The film features plenty of surprises for fans of the Avengers comics and films, including a brand-new romance for Captain America and a shocking sacrifice from one of the team's biggest heroes. "Ultimate Avengers 2: Rise of The Panther" also makes great use of the animated medium in its action scenes, with the Avengers meting out brutal justice to the shapeshifting, blue-blooded alien villains.

• Cast: Justin Gross, Grey DeLisle, Michael Massee
• Director: Will Meugniot, Dick Sebast, Bob Richardson
• Rating: PG-13
• Runtime: 73 minutes
• Where to watch: DVD/Blu-ray

In the long and storied history of adapting comic books to animation, most heroes appear on the page before the screen. But there are notable exceptions, including DC Comics' antiheroine Harley Quinn, who first appeared in "Batman: The Animated Series," and X-23, a clone of Wolverine introduced in an episode of "X-Men: Evolution." Both of those original characters were later incorporated into the mainstream comic lines, laying down the path for the teen heroes who make their debut in 2008's "Next Avengers: Heroes of Tomorrow."

This feature imagines a dark future where the Avengers are slain by the megalomaniacal AI Ultron and his robot forces. Luckily, Iron Man rescues the heroes' children, raising them in a secret underground base for several years. These superpowered teenagers become the Next Avengers: James Rogers (son of Captain America and Black Widow), Azari (son of Storm and Black Panther), Henry Pym Jr. (son of Ant-Man and the Wasp), and Torunn Thorsdottir (daughter of Thor and Sif). Can they save the world and live up to their parents' mighty legacy?

An entertaining romp for younger Marvel fans, "Next Avengers: Heroes of Tomorrow" has left its own legacy: Two years after this film's release, the Next Avengers made their comic debut in 2010's "Avengers" (vol. 4) #1.

• Cast: Noah Crawford, Brenna O'Brien, Aidan Drummond
• Director: Jay Oliva
• Rating: PG
• Runtime: 78 minutes
• Where to watch: DVD/Blu-ray

A visionary, kaleidoscopic triumph of animation, 2018's "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse" isn't just one of the best animated Marvel movies, it's considered one of the best superhero movies ever made, point blank. The first animated film to star Spider-Man, "Into the Spider-Verse" is a love letter to the wall-crawling superhero, whose history spans over six decades and includes countless incarnations across comic books, television shows, live-action films, and even ice cream bars (really).

"Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse" is both an excellent entry point for audiences and an origin story for the new friendly neighborhood Spider-Man: Miles Morales. Bitten by a radioactive spider, young Miles gains superpowers similar to his universe's Peter Parker, but he witnesses the hero's tragic death at the hands of the villain Kingpin. Miles soon has a new mentor in the form of Peter B. Parker, a world-weary Spider-Man from another universe; joining forces with other dimensionally-displaced Spider-people, the heroes try to stop Kingpin before he tears their worlds apart.

"Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse" is a stunning example of comic art come to life, one that mixes and matches 2-D and CGI animation with visuals inspired by anime, film noir, and even "Looney Tunes." Winner of best animated feature at the 91^st Academy Awards, "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse" is rivaled only by its sequel, "Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse."

• Cast: Shameik Moore, Jake Johnson, Hailee Steinfeld
• Director: Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey, Rodney Rothman
• Rating: PG
• Runtime: 117 minutes
• Where to watch: DVD/Blu-ray

The 2023 sequel to "Into the Spider-Verse" and the middle film in a trilogy set to conclude with the upcoming "Beyond the Spider-Verse," "Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse" is a mind-blowing acceleration of the first film's kinetic energy and visual charm.

Returning to Miles Morales months after he saved the world, the film shows him embracing the mantle of Spider-Man but struggling in his personal life. Miles reconnects with his interdimensional crush, Gwen Stacy, who introduces him to the Spider-Society, an organization of Spider-people charged with protecting the multiverse. A conflict with Spider-Society leader Miguel O'Hara, however, has cataclysmic consequences for Miles and his family.

"Across the Spider-Verse" is a thrill ride brimming with action, humor, and Easter eggs galore — right until the very last shocking moment. Viewers waiting for the third and final film in this groundbreaking trilogy will want to watch "Across the Spider-Verse" again and again to make sure they don't miss a single Spider-second.

• Cast: Shameik Moore, Hailee Steinfeld, Brian Tyree Henry
• Director: Kemp Powers, Justin K. Thompson, Joaquim Dos Santos
• Rating: PG
• Runtime: 140 minutes
• Where to watch: Netflix

Many of the animated films on this list tackle important subjects such as teamwork, grief, love, and redemption. The 2009 feature "Hulk Vs." seeks to answer one of the most pressing questions in the comic book world: "Who could beat the Hulk in a fight?"

"Hulk Vs." actually gives viewers two back-breaking brawls for the price of one, combining the two shorter features "Hulk vs. Wolverine" and "Hulk vs. Thor" into one mega movie melee. In "Hulk vs. Thor," the trickster god Loki brings Hulk to Asgard to tangle with his brother, the mighty Thor, but things go awry when Loki's magic separates the rampaging Hulk from his alter ego, Bruce Banner. In "Hulk vs. Wolverine," Weapon X sends Wolverine to capture the Hulk, but the two antiheroes will have to work together to defeat the combined might of Sabretooth, Lady Deathstrike, Omega Red, and Deadpool.

Produced in cooperation with Madhouse, the Japanese studio behind "Ninja Scroll" and "One-Punch Man," "Hulk Vs." earns its PG-13 rating with highly stylized (and extremely bloody) action sequences perfect for hardcore Marvel fans.

• Cast: Fred Tatasciore, Bryce Johnson, Steve Blum
• Director: Frank Puar and Sam Liu
• Rating: PG-13
• Runtime: 82 minutes
• Where to watch: DVD/Blu-ray

The number six may be in the title, but 2014's "Big Hero 6" holds a significant number of firsts: It's the first Walt Disney animated film to star Marvel Comics characters, the first fully CGI-animated Marvel film, and the first Marvel-based film to win the Academy Award for best animated feature.

"Big Hero 6" is a bright and charismatic re-imagining of the obscure Marvel superhero team (created by Steven T. Seagle and Duncan Rouleau) who starred in a self-titled miniseries in 1998. Set in the futuristic fictional city of San Fransokyo, "Big Hero 6" follows Hiro Hamada, a brilliant but disaffected teenager who comes into the possession of Baymax, a healthcare robot created by his late brother, Tadashi. Teaming up with Tadashi's friends, the imaginatively named Go-Go Tomago, Wasabi, Honey Lemon, and Frederick Frederickson IV, Hiro and Baymax set out to save their city from the masked villain Yokai.

The rare Marvel film to completely eclipse its comic book origins, "Big Hero 6" spawned a successful media franchise with multiple spin-offs. The first was a sequel television series that aired from 2017-2021 and featured most of the returning voice cast. The team's cuddly mascot Baymax (voiced with sweet, droll perfection by Scott Adsit) later starred in two series of short animated episodes, "Baymax Dreams" in 2018 and "Baymax!" in 2022.

• Cast: Scott Adsit, Ryan Potter, Daniel Henney
• Director: Don Hall and Chris Williams
• Rating: PG
• Runtime: 102 minutes
• Where to watch: Disney+