Captain America’s screen presence is expanding with Captain America: Brave New World. The film marks the fourth Captain America film installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the first film to feature Anthony Mackie as the titular hero.
While Captain America experienced a resurgence with the MCU, the character has been appearing in films since 1944. He stands apart from other heroes with his patriotic story and World War II roots, which allow his stories to be entwined with politics rather than just superhero action and make for great film and TV premises. This guide will tell you where to watch the best Captain America movies and TV shows, ranked from the best based on film and show quality, on platforms like Disney+ and more!
Captain America: Civil War
Captain America: Civil War is the best Captain America movie in the MCU and overall. The film is a mixture of a superhero movie and a political thriller as it sees the Avengers torn apart by the Sokovia Accords. With the UN seeking control of the Avengers, the heroes split between allegiance to Iron Man (Robert Downey, Jr.) and Captain America (Chris Evans), with tensions sparking a civil war. It sets itself apart from other films with stunning action sequences, phenomenal performances, and thought-provoking themes on government, power, and loyalty.
Captain America: The Winter Soldier
Captain America always shines when mixed with a hint of espionage, which is why Captain America: The Winter Soldier works so well. The film follows Captain America as he tries to adjust to modern living and teams up with new allies, Sam Wilson/Falcon (Mackie) and Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson), to uncover a large Hydra conspiracy and fight the Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan). Between its complex Hydra conspiracy, top-notch action sequence, and edge-of-your-seat suspense, Captain America: The Winter Soldier is easily one of the most exciting and entertaining Captain America films.
Agent Carter
Agent Carter is a refreshing and creative Captain America spinoff series. Taking place after Captain America’s disappearance, it centers on Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell), who is determined to carry on his legacy as she serves as a secret agent for the Strategic Scientific Reserve (SSR) while secretly working with Howard Stark (Dominic Cooper) to solve a weapons conspiracy. Agent Carter is a thrilling and well-made superhero spy series that delves deeper into Marvel lore. Most importantly, it allows Carter to be seen as a hero and person in her own right rather than as an extension of Captain America.
Captain America: The First Avenger
Captain America: The First Avenger tells the origin story of Captain America. It explores his roots as Steve Rogers, a frail young man whose determination to serve in World War II earned him a spot in the experimental Super Soldier program. With his newfound power, he becomes America’s hero as he takes on the Nazis, which have combined forces with Hydra. Captain America: The First Avenger was action-packed and nostalgic, while its underdog tale was deeply inspiring, though its origin story premise slightly restrained it.
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier miniseries is a lead-in to Captain America: Brave New World. The series follows Falcon as he struggles to embrace the mantle of Captain America while probing a terrorist group known as The Flag Smashers with the Winter Soldier. It’s suspenseful, politically resonant, and delves deeper into two of the MCU’s major heroes. However, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier struggles with pacing and suffers a bit from serving as a buildup to another movie rather than standing on its own.
Captain America: Brave New World
Captain America: Brave New World centers on Wilson as he officially assumes the role of Captain America and tentatively begins working with Thaddeus Ross (Harrison Ford). However, he soon finds himself in an international conspiracy and must uncover who is behind an attack on the U.S. President. Like other Captain America movies, it delivers on the political thriller aspect, offering suspense, action, strong visuals, and political commentary. Wilson shines as Captain America, but the film is primarily entertainment value and doesn’t go as deep as other movies in the series.
Captain America (1979)
Captain America (1979) is a made-for-TV movie that follows Steve Rogers (Reb Browne), who develops superhuman abilities after being injected with the experimental FLAG serum. With his newfound power, he begins fighting bad guys and crafting his superhero persona as Captain America. Captain America is a relatively low-budget, tedious film by today's standards. However, it’s not a bad superhero movie for the time, offering perks like its campy tone, catchy theme song, and Captain America’s motorcycle that make it a gem for longtime fans of the hero.
Where to watch the best Captain America movies and TV shows streaming online
Check out our list below to find out where to watch the best Captain America movies and shows online in the U.S.!
