When you think about Marvel movies, romance isn’t usually the first thing that comes to mind. There are explosions, superheroes, and someone inevitably dying. And while there are romantic subplots, they are rarely the center of the story (except when they actually are).
And yet, that doesn’t mean they’re not date movies! Sure, there are a lot of Marvel movies out there right now, so it can be hard to tell which ones are for the more casual fan and which are deep canon fan service movies. But don’t worry, that’s where we come in.
The following movies are all great date movies on their own, with accessible plots and human drama that has emotional turns sure to get your love interest in cuddle mode. Or not. But still, these are great movies. So, without further ado, let’s start with the easiest one to get into on a first date.
Captain America: The First Avenger
Marvel Phase One classic The First Avenger is a table setter of sorts for the Marvel Universe. It provides the origin story for one of the MCU’s most important characters. It’s also Marvel’s first period piece, set sometime in the first half of the 1940s.
Captain America aka Steve Rogers is one of the more relatable characters in the MCU if only because he started as a scrawny nobody who becomes one of the most powerful superheroes in the world, with some help from his friends, that is. It also lays out Rogers’ personality and principles. He’s a smart, tactical, brave and stubborn. He also really cares about what he’s doing. He doesn’t decide to become a superhero for the glory or fame, but to be a force of good in the world.
What about romance? We got that too. Peggy Carter falls in love with Rogers and its rewarding to watch their love grow under the backdrop of the war and the superserum. It also pays off in some future movies where Rogers goes back in time to finish that dance with Carter. If your romantic-minded partner can’t get into this one then should you be with them in the first place?
Captain Marvel
I don’t want anyone to think Captain Marvel was picked because it stars Brie Larson, but as anyone who reads this site knows we all love Larson very much. This is a good date movie because it almost exists as sort of an aside to all that heavy and important Marvel storytelling.
Not to say there isn’t anything canon or important in the movie. There’s plenty of that, but it’s also the story a nice reprieve from all the macho superhero posturing from all of the male Marvel tentpoles. That doesn’t mean there’s a lacking of any action: Captain Marvel, or Vers, has some of the best anti-gravity fight scenes around. It’s also the story of a flawed fighter pilot who gets her DNA mutated in a weird accident. She has to quickly adjust to having powers while taking on an enemy (skrulls) that can shapeshift and remain pretty well hidden. The emotional backstory of this one is also pretty strong, and Larson does a great job of letting the cracks in her character show through.
It’s not just another superhero romp by any means, and it’s a great entry point into the Marvel universe if you’ve somehow managed to avoid them all these years due to the lack of female representation. More good news: Larson will be back as Captain Marvel in The Marvels, which releases on July 28.
Spider-Man: Homecoming
If you have no reference for Spider-Man movies then this is a good one to start with, especially when you have to watch with your superhero-hating partner. What makes this one so special is Tom Holland’s portrayal of 15-year-old Peter Parker and how he just wants to be a teenager and fall in love, but instead has to deal with the fact that he has superpowers now.
There’s also the accessibility. We can all relate to those annoying high school years – the awkwardness, the longing. Parker has to deal with all that as well as the added bonus of having to save the world. Parker’s love interest in this movie is Liz Allan (Laura Harrier).Parker knows he could probably win Allan over by just revealing he’s Spider-Man, but he can’t do that so he has to rely on his charm. It does make for a pretty interesting dynamic, however, with Parker knowing he could get her but can’t.
There’s obviously so much more, including Zendaya as MJ (so you know where that’s going) and Michael Keaton as The Vulture. As an added bonus, if your partner likes this one then No Way Home is an easy sell. And that movie is a bonafide classic, but maybe not as love interest-y.
Ant-Man and The Wasp
This is maybe the easiest choice on the list. Ant-Man (Paul Rudd) and The Wasp (Evangeline Lilly) both play superheroes that can shrink to microscopic sizes at will. It’s another movie that’s an easy entry into the Marvel world without needing to know much backstory.
At its heart, the movie is about family and second chances. It’s also just eye candy. Some of the scenes where everyday objects are manipulated and enlarged or shrunk are really fun to look at. This is a sequel, and if you’re wondering why that’s not on this list it’s because this one takes everything that’s great about the original and makes it better.
Still not convinced? The two are also a couple and share some pretty amazing chemistry both when they’re kicking butt as well as just hanging out one-on-one. The couple has a backstory of dating before and in the movie you get to see them rekindle that romance. This is basically as close as you’re going to get to a rom-com from the Marvel Universe, so honestly if your partner wants romance this is the one to pick. They get all the gushy stuff and you can get all the close encounter action scenes you’ll ever need. That’s what we call a win-win situation for everyone involved.
Iron Man 3
For three movies, Iron Man danced around the pretty explosive chemistry between Tony Stark (Robert downey Jr.) and Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow). At the heart of the Iron Man story is Tony’s love affair with his suit. It’s the thing he spends the most time on and the thing he probably loves the most in the world, or is it? Potts and Stark have always had that on again off again will they/ won’t they energy but this is the movie where you see it finally play out. Where you see just how important Potts is to Tony and what he’ll do to ensure her safety. He also has an engagement ring ready to go.
Iron Man 3 also has a lot of fun with the whole “damsel in distress” trope and kind of flips it on its head. Pepper starts out as Tony’s assistant but their relationship grows throughout the course of the movies. In the ultimate “I love you” moment, Tony even makes a suit for Pepper to make sure she stays safe. Their love story is actually one of the few in the Marvel universe that has a happy ending, with kids and everything! Oh, and their daughter is adorable.
Thor: Ragnarok
Any way you look at it, Ragnarok is just a fun time. Does Thor: Love and Thunder have a bigger love story? Sure, but it’s also not a good movie. This is the first Thor movie that actually felt fun and not just box checking to move the rest of the universe forward.
Ragnarok is a character study of what happens when someone is told they’re a God their whole life and then they’re forced to confront a potentially different reality. It’s also hilarious, with Thor’s Chris Hemsworth able to pull off some lighthearted physical humor that’s rarely seen in movies like this – ones that sometimes take themselves too seriously.
As for themes, this is another one about reconciling with past mistakes and tragedies and being forced to walk a path that you might not necessarily want to walk. It’s also about the importance of home and family. Finally, it’s a buddy movie. Thor gets to cavort around with Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson), the Grandmaster (Jeff Goldblum) and of course the rock golem Korg (played by director Taika Waititi). Fun times all around.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
The sequel to Guardians of the Galaxy is here and not the original because this one really delves into the family aspect of where Star-Lord (Chris Pratt) came from. It has a great father-son interpersonal story that acts as the narrative engine for the movie. There’s also Star-Lord’s romantic interest in Gamora (Zoe Saldaña), which doesn’t hurt anything and feels pretty genuine. What really works is Pratt’s ability to play the space orphan who meets his dad but not delve into the overly sentimental or saccharin side of things.
Oh and let’s not forget about Baby Groot (or teenage Groot in the end credits scene). The whole movie is like a nice hug from friends with intermittent action scenes. If you’re looking for a good date movie with some heart, you can’t really go wrong with this one.