Summary

• Prior to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, non-MCU Marvel movies often failed to capture the magic of the comics, leading Marvel to sell the movie rights to other production studios.
• Despite Disney's purchase of Marvel Entertainment, some film rights still belong to other studios, resulting in separate franchises like X-Men and Spider-Man outside the MCU.
• Many non-MCU Marvel movies, such as the Hulk and the original Spider-Man adaptations, are stylistically different from the MCU but remain watchable and enjoyable in their own right.

Well before the the official MCU timeline, non-MCU Marvel movies had an uneven track record that didn't always manage to capture the magic of the comics. After the commercial and critical failure of Howard the Duck, Marvel faced bankruptcy and chose to sell the movie rights to its most well-known properties, including the X-Men and The Fantastic Four, allowing several films featuring those characters to be developed by other production studios.

Marvel Entertainment was purchased by Disney in 2009. Despite that, the film rights to many Marvel characters still belonged to other studios. As a result, some of the biggest franchises, including the X-Men and Spider-Man film adaptations, exist entirely separate from Marvel Studios' MCU. The 2019 acquisition of 20th Century Fox by Disney meant that Fox's previous stories, most notably those including the X-Men and mutants, could be rebooted in the MCU. There is a long history of non-MCU Marvel movies that are stylistically different from the MCU, but many of them remain watchable. Here's every Marvel movie that isn't part of the MCU.

Captain America Serial Film & Return of Captain America (1944)

Marvel's Live Action Beginning

While Marvel Comics was still operating as Timely Comics, Republic's Captain America serial film, released in 1944, follows District Attorney Grant Gardner instead of the more well-known Steve Rogers. Gardner goes after Dr. Maldor after his secretary is kidnapped and prevents him from using a "Dynamic Vibrator" to unleash a toxic chemical, "Purple Death." The film is evidently a product of its time both in format and narrative approach, as it was a campy, low-budget serial with outdated tropes.

Captain America was also Republic's last serial superhero movie — with other notable releases being DC's Captain Marvel and Batman — and was re-released as Return of Captain America in 1953. The movie obviously doesn't hold up to more modern superhero spectacles, but it is still worth checking out for genre fans. If nothing else, it's an entertaining reminder of how far superheroes have come.

The Bill Bixby & Lou Ferrigno's Incredible Hulk Movies (1977–1990)

Bringing The Jade Giant To Life

One of the most successful non-MCU Marvel outings was the 1977 The Incredible Hulk TV show, starring Bill Bixby as David Banner and Lou Ferrigno as the Hulk. Banner's tragic story starts with a one-hour movie called The Incredible Hulk, followed by the more comedic The Return of The Incredible Hulk, 1988's The Incredible Hulk Returns (which also featured the first live-action version of Thor), 1989's The Trial of The Incredible Hulk, and 1990's tragic finale, The Death of The Incredible Hulk.

The movies and the show are known for capturing the pain of Hulk's duality, and their influence can even be felt throughout the Hulk's tumultuous MCU journey. Seeing Hulk done with makeup and no special effects may be jarring for those used to a larger Avenger, but there's an undeniable charm in Ferrigno's performance. While a product of their time, younger Marvel fans would do well to check out The Incredible Hulk movie and the ensuing series.

Columbia Pictures' Spider-Man 1977–1981

Spider-Man's Live-Action Debut

Although Spider-Man's earliest non-MCU Marvel movies are now mainly the target of memes, they were well-received at the time of their original release. Columbia Pictures demonstrated how visually stunning the young hero could be on the big screen in 1977 with practical effects and a real stunt-person web-slinging and wall-crawling. Nicholas Hammond starred in the 1977 film, as well as a TV show and two theatrical sequels, Spider-Man Strikes Back and Spider-Man: The Dragon's Challenge.

Spider-Man's first trilogy may not look serious by modern standards, but it holds up as a somewhat accurate adaptation of the tone of the comics from the silver and bronze ages of Marvel Comics. There's only so much that can be done with a hero as fantastical as Spider-Man, and the 1977 film does an entertaining job adapting his powers to the film making technology of the time. The visual fidelity may not be there, but the heart undeniably is.

Toei's Spider-Man (1978)

Spider-Man Goes International

Toei's Spider-Man released in 1978 concurrently with a popular TV show at the time. Shinji Tōdō played Takuya Yamashiro, a racer who came into with an alien spaceship called the Marveller. Garia, the last survivor of Planet Spider, gives Takuya his powers through a blood transfusion.

The incident also causes the evil Professor Monster to become Takuya's archenemy. The 1978 movie saw Spider-Man team up with Interpol Agent Jūzō Mamiya and transform the Marveller into a robot to fight a monster called Sea-Devil. Clearly, Toei's Spider-Man has almost nothing to do with Marvel Comics' original hero, but that doesn't mean the story isn't weirdly enjoyable, regardless.

Dr. Strange (1978)

Dr. Strange was a 1978 feature-length TV pilot for CBS starring Peter Hooten that served as an origin story for the Sorcerer Supreme in a story that unfortunately never saw the full light of day. Unlike the contemporary series The Incredible Hulk, and despite Stan Lee's involvement as a consultant, Dr. Strange wasn't picked up by CBS. The non-MCU Marvel movie had the potential to be a cheesy but fun take on the Sorcerer Supreme.

It's disappointing that audiences won't ever get to see Strange's on-screen evolution. Hooten's Strange may have become a cult classic, much like Ferrigno's Hulk or other Marvel properties of the era. Fortunately, full-length feature has been released on VHS, DVD, and Blu-Ray several times over the years for those curious to check it out. However, it has not made the leap to streaming.

Captain America 1979–1990

The Early Adventures Of Steve Rogers

Captain America's first three movies are among the cheesiest of all the non-MCU Marvel movies. 1979's Captain America and Captain America II: Death Too Soon follow a motorcycle-riding version of Steve Rogers, who gets his superhero identity and powers from his father. 1990's Captain America is a bit more comic-accurate, with Steve Rogers being frozen and thawed, a deformed Red Skull wanting to destroy the United States with a nuclear bomb, and a Captain America costume that is a little bit too accurate for its own good.

Like most Marvel movies from the era, Captain America's pre-MCU movies are a product of their time. However, that doesn't mean they aren't worth revisiting. While they don't hold up to the spectacle of the MCU, there's undeniable charm, and the way Steve rides with his shield on the front of his motorcycle is a visual that's still used in comics and movies today.

Howard the Duck (1986)

A Planned Animated Movie Goes Live-Action

Howard the Duck is a 1986 science-fiction comedy based on Marvel's irreverent anthropomorphic duck. Though intended as an animated film, it became live-action due to a contractual obligation. Unfortunately, Howard the Duck was a critical and commercial failure, despite starring Back to the Future's Lea Thompson as Beverly Switzler and Chip Zien voicing Howard.

Critics and audiences mostly disliked the film's bizarre story and humor, and as a result, Howard the Duck has often been included in "worst movies of all time" lists. Howard the Duck has since appeared in MCU projects including the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise and What If...?. Time has been kind to the character, allowing his bizarre debut film to be viewed as entertainingly strange instead of just plain too odd to watch.

The Punisher Movies 1989–2008

Three Takes On Frank Castle

Just like Marvel Comics' anti-hero, live-action adaptations of the Punisher have been some of the most brutal non-MCU Marvel films. Action movie icon Dolph Lundgren starred as Frank Castle in 1989's The Punisher. Lundgren didn't wear Castle's classic costume but fought the Yakuza to defend the children of the mob he used to torment.

Thomas Jane starred in 2004's The Punisher, seeking revenge for his family's murders caused by John Travolta's Howard Saint. Lastly, Ray Stevenson starred in 2008's The Punisher: War Zone, with Dominic West as the most accurate live-action depiction of Jigsaw to date. Jane later reprised the role for a 2012 fan film, The Punisher: Dirty Laundry. Frank is currently in the MCU, portrayed by Jon Bernthal

Fantastic Four (1994)

A Strange Story

Like the failed Captain America and Doctor Strange movies, the first non-MCU Fantastic Four movie wasn't made with the same ambition as Marvel's recent blockbusters. 1994's Fantastic Four was allegedly never supposed to be released, only being developed as a way to keep the characters' film rights from expiring. Unaware of this, the cast witnessed promotion for the film canceled, with the producers even intending to erase every copy of the final product.

Fortunately, this non-MCU movie still exists as a unique part of Marvel film history, but its low budget and bare-bones story are enough to confirm why it was never intended to be a "real" Marvel film. However, theFantastic Four does do a surprisingly good job mixing the heroes' inherent campiness with family dynamics. The movie can be streamed in its entirety on YouTube.

Generation X (1996)

An Overlooked X-Men Project With Flaws

Based on the eponymous mutant team of the 1990s, Generation X is perhaps one of the most overlooked of the early non-MCU Marvel movies. Jubilee serves as the movie's main protagonist, with Emma Frost as the mentor figure and Doctor Russel Tresh as the villain. Other mutants include Banshee, M, Mondo, Skin, Buff, and Refrax.

The movie shares some similarities with Fox's X-Men franchise regarding its basic themes of mutant exclusion. It also has strong parallels to 2020's The New Mutants, as it follows a team of teenage students who begin to familiarize themselves with their powers while at the Xavier School for Gifted Youngsters. The visuals leave a lot to be desired, but it's clear the the core ideas of what makes X-Men work are there.