There are some great alternatives to the Ball Drop this New Year’s Eve. When it comes to Marvel movies, we have some top selections for you.
Now you need to decide what type of Marvel fun you want. Do you want something that involves all the Avengers together, or would you prefer something that focuses on your favorite? The good news is we have five selections that cover all grounds, and it’s not all about the most well-known Avengers.
Iron Man 3
Let’s start with a Marvel movie that includes New Year’s Eve celebrations. One user on Reddit notes that if you start watching Iron Man 3 at exactly 11:55 p.m. on New Year’s Eve, you’ll celebrate their Ball Drop at the same time as our own!
Of course, it means that you’re watching it into the early hours of the morning, but it’s worth it. We’re still a little salty that Tony Stark had to sacrifice his life for the sake of the world in Avengers: Endgame. That’s not the way it was meant to be, but it is some amazing character development.
The third Iron Man is a great look into the way Tony developed after initially joining the Avengers and saving New York City in the first group movie. Tony’s suits and being Iron Man took over every aspect of his life, and he had to figure out how to balance it all.
Avengers: Endgame
There is another movie to watch where you can time the Tony Stark snap with New Year’s Eve. Now, Avengers: Endgame is a bit of a questionable one at first, but hear me out.
First, start by watching the movie at 9:29:30 p.m. Yes, this time exactly. This will mean that Tony’s snap that wipes out Thanos and the bad guys will happen when the ball drops at midnight. It’s a great way to see the New Year in.
Now, it means starting 2025 with Tony Stark’s death. I’m sure most people don’t want that, so you can stop the movie at that point. It’s actually quite poignant for the start of the New Year, though, as you end up marking fresh beginnings with a new phase of the MCU.
Guardians of the Galaxy
How about a little fun and dance when it comes to movies instead of the Ball Drop? The first Guardians of the Galaxy movie is the way to go. This brings some great 1980s tracks, and you’re sure to find yourself dancing away to them, not missing any of the performances happening in Times Square.
This movie brings us a team of superheroes that we didn’t think we needed at first. The Guardians are a ragtag team who aren’t even friends at first. They are setting each other up, in a way, and yet, they realize that they’re an odd family.
It’s a great way to start the New Year instead of the Ball Drop. Guardians of the Galaxy focuses on what family means and offers a fresh start for many of them, which is what the New Year tends to represent.
Spider-Man: No Way Home
How about another movie that brings in an element of fresh starts? Spider-Man: No Way Home picks up off the back of Avengers: Endgame. Many people are getting used to life after the Snap, but Peter Parker at least has his friends.
This movie sees Peter turn to Doctor Strange for help when there’s a clash of the multiverse. There are some fan-favorite moments, bringing together three worlds of Spider-Man together in one. That’s a lot of fun for the whole family.
While the ending is a bittersweet moment, it offers a chance of a fresh start for many people in the world. We also have hope that Marvel will fix the situation for Peter, but for now, it marks a new beginning in the way that the start of 2025 will.
Black Panther
Finally, let’s honor Chadwick Boseman by ending 2024 in style. It’s all about the first Black Panther movie, which marks the first Black superhero in his own movie in the MCU. It was a huge moment in 2018, and Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame made it clear that Marvel didn’t expect the movie to be as huge or as popular as it became.
I definitely think the first movie is the one to watch. The second is a great chance to honor Boseman with the rest of the actors, but it doesn’t feature Boseman due to his untimely death. This first movie puts him on our screens and shows what made T’Challa a great king.
The movie also offers a look at fresh beginnings, which has become a theme for this movie. T’Challa rules over Wakanda after the death of his father, while Killmonger figures out his own past and what he believes should be his.
If you have time after the Ball Drop, follow up with Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.