What age is The Marvels appropriate for?

The Marvels is rated PG-13 and PopcornCheck recommends it for ages 10+, based on reading the actual screenplay. The film contains multiple intense action sequences — including Dar-Benn stripping the atmosphere from the planet Tarnax killing thousands, a deeply unsettling moment where Monica is trapped inside a closing space-time tear, and a final energy-absorption sequence where the fate of reality is at stake — which may be too overwhelming or frightening for children under 10.

Does The Marvels have swearing or bad language?

The Marvels has Moderate language. Characters say 'hell' five times, 'damn' three times, 'shit' twice, 'crap' once, and 'sucks' once

Is The Marvels violent?

The Marvels has Moderate violence. Carol Danvers fights Kree soldiers on the planet Tarnax using energy blasts and hand-to-hand combat — action-movie style with no graphic injury shown

Is The Marvels scary for children?

The Marvels has Moderate scary scenes. Dar-Benn strips the atmosphere from the planet Tarnax in a visually dramatic and genuinely scary sequence — the scale of destruction and implied mass death make this the film's most frightening moment

Is The Marvels OK for Kids?

Name: The Marvels
Director: Nia DaCosta
Genre: Science Fiction, Adventure, Action
Released: 2023
Duration: 105 min
Cast: Brie Larson, Teyonah Parris, Iman Vellani, Samuel L. Jackson, Zawe Ashton

Science FictionAdventureAction

10+

PG-13⭐ 5.5 / 102023 · 1h 45m

Nia DaCosta

Where to Watch

United States

Stream

Rent

Rent or Buy on Amazon

Streaming data by JustWatch

What's In It

Based on the actual screenplay

🗡️Violence

Mild▼

Moments in the script, mildest → most intense

Cartoon / Comedic

Action & Peril

Injuries & Death Shown

Graphic & Disturbing

Carol Danvers fights Kree soldiers on the planet Tarnax using energy blasts and hand-to-hand combat — action-movie style with no graphic injury shown
Dar-Benn attacks Aladnean citizens with her Universal Weapon, causing large-scale destruction to the environment and buildings around them
Multiple extended space battle sequences feature missile fire and ship-to-ship combat with explosions throughout
Carol and Dar-Benn engage in a prolonged final confrontation combining energy powers and physical combat — the film's most intense fight scene
Dar-Benn uses her power to strip the atmosphere from planets including Tarnax, an act shown to cause mass death on a planetary scale though not depicted graphically
Goose the Flerken (a cat-like alien) absorbs multiple people whole into its mouth as a transportation method — played for humor but visually surprising
A space elevator sequence places multiple characters in physical danger during a large-scale evacuation under fire
Violence throughout is action-movie in tone — no blood, gore, or prolonged suffering is depicted; consequences of mass destruction are implied rather than shown in graphic detail

💬Language

Moderate▼

Moments in the script, mildest → most intense

Mild Words

(damn, hell)

Moderate

(ass, b**ch)

Strong

(sh*t)

Extreme

(f**k)

Characters say 'hell' five times, 'da**' three times, 's**t' twice, 'cr*p' once, and 'sucks' once
'S**t' is the strongest language used and appears twice — this is the only word that crosses into strong profanity territory
No f-words, c-words, or slurs are detected in the extraction
Overall language is in line with a standard PG-13 Marvel film with one moderate uptick from the two uses of 's**t'

👻Scary Scenes

Extreme▼

Moments in the script, mildest → most intense

Mildly Tense

Startling Moments

Genuinely Scary

Deeply Disturbing

Dar-Benn strips the atmosphere from the planet Tarnax in a visually dramatic and genuinely scary sequence — the scale of destruction and implied mass death make this the film's most frightening moment
Monica becomes trapped on the wrong side of a closing space-time tear while Carol watches helplessly — a deeply disturbing and emotionally intense scene that may upset younger viewers
Goose the Flerken suddenly reveals a mass of tentacles erupting from its mouth — a startling visual that functions as a mild jump-scare despite its comedic context
The S.A.B.E.R. space station evacuation creates genuine tension as the crew races against time with limited escape pods
A jump-point malfunction causes surging energy and people being involuntarily teleported, which is disorienting and tense
Multiple sequences of planetary attacks and a reality-tearing singularity add sustained tension across the film's second and third acts
Most scary sequences are resolved through the heroes' intervention, though Monica's fate at the end is left unresolved in a way that may linger with younger viewers

💕Romance

Moderate▼

Moments in the script, mildest → most intense

Crushes & Holding Hands

Kissing & Dating

Suggestive

Sexual Content

Prince Yan of the planet Aladna expresses romantic interest in Carol through an elaborate singing and dancing sequence — entirely chaste and played largely for comedy
Carol has a marriage of convenience arrangement on Aladna with diplomatic undertones — no physical intimacy is shown or implied beyond the comedic premise
Kamala Khan's hero-worship of Captain Marvel gradually develops into a genuine emotional connection — portrayed as admiration and found-family rather than romantic
No kissing, sexual content, nudity, or sexual innuendo is present in the extraction

🍺Substances

Very Mild▼

Moments in the script, mildest → most intense

Mentioned in Passing

Shown Casually

Featured Prominently

Glorified or Abused

A brief reference to hot sauce packets occurs in a kitchen scene — the only substance-related content in the film
No alcohol, drug use, or smoking is depicted or featured in any scene
No substance use is glorified or shown negatively — it is entirely absent as a theme

⚡Stimulation

Moderate▼

Moments in the script, mildest → most intense

Gently Engaging

Exciting

Intense

Overwhelming

An extended space battle sequence with multiple ships, missiles, and rapid explosions represents the film's most overwhelming stretch of sensory content — loud, fast-edited, and sustained
The final sequence in which Monica absorbs and releases world-breaking energy to close the tear is visually and emotionally intense, with rapid cuts and high-stakes urgency
The S.A.B.E.R. evacuation sequence — with Flerkens swallowing crew members and Fury coordinating escapes — combines chaos, humor, and danger at a fast pace
A training montage with Kamala, Carol, and Monica learning to coordinate their swapping powers is exciting and energetic but not overwhelming
A musical banquet sequence on Aladna featuring choreographed singing and dancing offers a fun, high-energy contrast that provides genuine relief from the action
The film's frequent power-swapping mechanic means the pacing rarely settles — children who are sensory-sensitive may find the cumulative intensity of back-to-back sequences tiring

The Marvels — Heads Up for Parents

Despite the film's relatively light and humorous tone, the sequence in which Dar-Benn strips the atmosphere from the inhabited planet Tarnax — implying the deaths of thousands of people — carries a weight that may catch parents of younger children off guard; it is the film's darkest moment and sits in contrast to the comedy of scenes like the Aladna musical sequence that surrounds it.

About The Marvels

The Marvels follows Carol Danvers (Captain Marvel), Kamala Khan (Ms. Marvel), and Monica Rambeau as their superpowers become mysteriously entangled, causing them to swap places whenever they use them. Together they must stop the Kree villain Dar-Benn, who is tearing apart the atmospheres of entire planets to restore her homeworld, while also navigating their complicated shared history. The tone blends superhero action with humor, heart, and a surprising musical sequence, making it one of the lighter entries in the Marvel universe.

👨‍👧

Best watched together

Children under 12 will benefit from a parent present to contextualise Dar-Benn's planetary destruction and Monica's fate inside the closing tear, as well as to discuss the morally complex revelation of Carol's past as the Annihilator — confident 12-and-overs can watch alone

Family Takeaways from The Marvels

What it gets right

✓Kamala's Pakistani Muslim family is portrayed with warmth and specificity — Muneeba's encouragement, Yusuf and Aamir's support, and the use of Urdu language and family prayer all treat Islamic and South Asian identity as a source of strength rather than a punchline
✓The film handles intergenerational trauma thoughtfully — Kamala learning about Carol's destructive past as the Annihilator mirrors real conversations families have about the complicated histories of people they admire, and the story models how to hold that complexity with grace

The Marvels Cultural & Values Guide

Cultural & Values Guide

Values & Themes

●LGBTQ themes

Kamala Khan's character includes subtle queer coding that has been noted by critics and audiences. The film also features diverse representation that acknowledges LGBTQ identity within the Marvel universe.

Community Notes

Some Muslim community reviewers noted that while Kamala's faith and culture are represented positively, the marriage-of-convenience storyline on Aladna involving Carol may feel tonally at odds with the film's otherwise respectful treatment of commitment and family values

Cast:Brie LarsonTeyonah ParrisIman VellaniSamuel L. JacksonZawe Ashton