There's no question that the biggest movie heading to theaters this week is Captain Marvel, the Marvel Cinematic Universe's first female-led superhero movie. Set in 1995, Captain Marvel follows the story of Carol Danvers (Brie Larson), a U.S. Air Force fighter pilot who joins Starforce, an elite military team run by the Kree, an alien race. Waiting this long for a Marvel superhero movie to finally revolve around a female lead has been agony. But thankfully, there are movies on Netflix like Captain Marvel to tide us over this week, or to just get us revved up for its release.
As Earth is caught in the middle of a galactic war between the Kree and the Skrull, Carol returns to her home planet to learn more about her past and revisit her identity. Since the end of Avengers: Infinity War, fans of the franchise have been guessing that Captain Marvel is the best bet for defeating Thanos and undoing his dusting snap, which must mean she's pretty powerful. And fans have to be hoping that she'll get her own run of sequels and crossover appearances, but for now, we wait.
But in the meantime, the following movies are all streaming on Netflix, and be they about women in the military, have powerful female leads, feature animal sidekicks, or directly feed into the Captain Marvel storyline, they all have something in common with the upcoming movie that you might enjoy.
1. The Last Jedi
Daisy Ridley's Rey is a Jedi for a new era, and watching her discover the Force and become a hero isn't just exciting, but reminiscent of Carol Danvers' own trajectory. Plucked from obscurity to become the hero that we all need, Rey and Captain Marvel have a lot in common.
2. V For Vendetta
V for Vendetta's Evey (Natalie Portman) goes through quite the transformation throughout the 2005 film, which was based on the graphic novel by Alan Moore. From nervous rule-follower to revolutionary, Evey fights to make the world a better place, despite what those in power would put her through.
3. Serenity
Serenity brought closure to the rabid fans of the single-season FOX series Firefly, which followed a group of ragtag space travelers in the future. The awesome female members of the crew included Kaylee (Jewel Staite), an expert mechanic; Zoë (Gina Torres) a former soldier; Inara (Morena Baccarin) a courtesan; and River (Summer Glau) a psychic genius whose serious power is slowly revealed over the course of the movie.
4. Thor: Ragnarok
If you're going to revisit any of the Marvel Cinematic Universe films, best pick the one that's total fun: Thor: Ragnarok. Not only does this Thor sequel offer the most laughs, but it brought us the awesome Valkyrie, played by Tessa Thompson, who had better appear in Avengers: Endgame when it comes out in April.
5. Avengers: Infinity War
And if you need to catch up on exactly why the MCU needs Captain Marvel to come save the day, Avengers: Infinity War is still streaming on Netflix. Captain America, Iron Man, Black Panther, and the rest of the gang are here for your brushing up needs.
6-7. Kill Bill Volume 1 & Volume 2
The ultimate tale of female revenge, the Kill Bill movies star Uma Thurman as Beatrix Kiddo, a former assassin on an epic quest to take out the former colleagues who wronged her.
8. Close
The original girl with the dragon tattoo, Noomi Rapace, stars in this Netflix original, directed by Vicky Jewsen, about a military security expert named Sam responsible for acting as bodyguard to a naive heiress. But when all hell breaks loose, instead of treating her charge like a victim, Sam teachers her how to fight back and protect herself.
9. Aeon Flux
Charlize Theron stars in this sci-fi action thriller about an intergalactic war in the future that drives a woman to find out the truth about the world, and her past. Directed by Karyn Kusama, Aeon Flux is based on the animated television series of the same name.
10. Mulan
Much like Captain Marvel, Mulan is a butt-kicking warrior, and also much like Captain Marvel, Mulan has an animal sidekick. Mushu the dragon may be a little more loud-mouthed than Goose the orange cat, but they're both pretty cute.
11. A Wrinkle in Time
Based on the novel of the same name by Madeleine L'Engle and directed by Ava DuVernay, A Wrinkle in Time follows Meg Murry (Storm Reid) on a quest through time and space to find her missing father. Meg starts out the film an anxious outcast, but learns the incredible power of believing in your own self-worth.
And if all else fails, just buy another ticket to see Captain Marvel again. That's one way to help ensure that she gets a sequel.
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