10 Best Vanessa Kirby Movies You Should Watch Before Fantastic Four Releases

Vanessa Kirby is all set to appear in The Fantastic Four: First Steps, and while she looks like a perfect fit for Sue Storm, this isn’t her first time shining on screen. She’s already showcased her acting chops in several incredible projects before joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Now, there’s a good chance you might not be familiar with all her work, but if you’re curious and want to dive deeper into her filmography, here’s a list of the 10 best Vanessa Kirby movies you need to check out before Fantastic Four: First Steps hits theaters.

10. Napoleon (2023)

• Release Date- November 22, 2023 
• Cast- Vanessa Kirby, Joaquin Phoenix, Anna Mawn, Tahar Rahim, Jannis Niewöhner, Rupert Everett, Edouard Philipponnat, Matthew Needham
• Rotten Tomatoes/IMDb Rating- 58%/6.3
• Director-  Ridley Scott

If you’re a fan of historical dramas and have a decent grasp of world history, Napoleon is a film that will both impress and disappoint you. The movie explores the life of Napoleon Bonaparte, highlighting his political and military achievements that have cemented his place in history. At the same time, it delves deeply into his complex relationship with Joséphine de Beauharnais, portrayed by Vanessa Kirby—also known as Empress Joséphine.

While the film does a solid job of portraying Napoleon’s grand persona, it stumbles quite a bit when it comes to historical accuracy, which is one of the main reasons it received mixed reactions from viewers. While this is not one of the best movies featuring Vanessa Kirby, it’s a decent watch.

9. Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw (2019)

• Release Date- August 2, 2019
• Cast- Jason Statham, Dwayne Johnson, Idris Elba, Vanessa Kirby, Eiza González, Roman Reigns, Ryan Reynolds, Helen Mirren
• Rotten Tomatoes/IMDb Rating- 67%/6.5
• Director- David Leitch

From one of the longest-running franchises in the world, Fast & Furious, comes a spinoff that outshines the main series in recent years, Hobbs & Shaw. The plot is fairly straightforward: the world is once again on the brink of disaster, and sworn frenemies Hobbs and Deckard Shaw must team up to stop it. Vanessa Kirby steps in as Hattie Shaw, Deckard’s sister, and while she’s not the lead, her performance stands out. She brings both grit and charisma to the role, making her one of the more memorable parts of the film.

8. The World to Come (2020)

• Release Date- September 6, 2020
• Cast- Vanessa Kirby, Katherine Waterston, Christopher Abbott, Casey Affleck, Karina Ziana Gherasim, Daniel Blumberg, Andreea Vasile
• Rotten Tomatoes/IMDb Rating- 74%/6.4
• Director- Mona Fastvold

The World to Come is one of Vanessa Kirby’s underrated gems. Set in 19th-century America, the film follows the quiet yet emotional journey of two women—Abigail (Katherine Waterston) and Tallie (Vanessa Kirby)—who form a deep and unexpected bond. Both stuck in unfulfilling marriages, they find solace and a powerful connection in each other.

It’s a tender and unconventional love story that dives into themes of loneliness, longing, and identity. If you’re in the mood for something emotionally rich and a bit off the beaten path, this one’s definitely worth your time.

7. Queen and Country (2014)

• Release Date- January 7, 2014
• Cast- Callum Turner, Vanessa Kirby, David Thewlis, Richard E. Grant, Caleb Landry Jones, Tamsin Egerton, Pat Shortt, Brian F O’Byrne
• Rotten Tomatoes/IMDb Rating- 76%/6.2
• Director- Brian F O’Byrne

Queen and Country takes us back to the era of the Korean War and serves as a sequel to Hope and Glory (1987), picking up almost a decade after the original film’s events. In this installment, we follow Bill Rohan as he gets drafted into the military. But instead of embracing the discipline of army life, Bill and his friend Percy spend their time chasing fun and mischief during basic training. Vanessa Kirby plays Bill’s sister, who ends up developing a romantic relationship with Percy. While her role isn’t the central focus, her performance stands out and is often regarded as one of her finest to date.

6. Kill Command (2016)

• Release Date-  May 13, 2016 
• Cast- Vanessa Kirby, Thure Lindhardt, David Ajala, Osi Okerafor, Bentley Kalu, Tom McKay, Mike Noble, Kelly Gough
• Rotten Tomatoes/IMDb Rating- 75%/5.7
• Director- Steven Gomez

Kill Command might be a low-budget and relatively unknown movie, but that doesn’t mean it’s not worth your time. Set in a futuristic sci-fi world, the film follows a group of soldiers sent to a remote island for a training exercise against an AI opponent, but things quickly go south. The AI goes rogue and begins using lethal force, picking the soldiers off one by one, turning what was supposed to be a simulation into a deadly fight for survival.

Vanessa Kirby plays a cyborg programmer who assists the soldiers in figuring out what went wrong with the AI. While the film may be a bit dry in terms of overall acting, Kirby stands out with a performance that keeps the audience engaged throughout.

5. Pieces of a Woman (2020)

• Release Date- January 7, 2021
• Cast- Vanessa Kirby, Shia LaBeouf, Sarah Snook, Molly Parker, Ellen Burstyn, Iliza Shlesinger, Vanessa Smythe, Benny Safdie, Jimmie Fails
• Rotten Tomatoes/IMDb Rating-76%/7
• Director- Kornél Mundruczó

If you’re in the mood to cry yourself to sleep, Pieces of a Woman is the movie handcrafted just for you. While it mostly flew under the radar and got lost in Netflix’s vast catalog, in my opinion, it’s one of the most gripping and heart-wrenching dramas out there.

The film stars Vanessa Kirby in a powerful lead role as a woman who loses her newborn baby after a home birth, and it follows the emotional aftermath of the tragedy, not just for her, but for the entire family. The emotional depth this movie delivers is unmatched by almost any other Netflix Original I’ve seen, and it’s worth a watch.

4. Mr. Jones (2019)

• Release Date- October 25, 2019
• Cast- Peter Sarsgaard, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Mawle, Celyn Jones,Krzysztof Pieczynski, Marcin Czarnik, Michalina Olszańska, Beata Poźniak
• Rotten Tomatoes/IMDb Rating- 86%/6.9
• Director- Agnieszka Holland

Another underrated movie featuring Vanessa Kirby, Mr. Jones takes us back to the Soviet Union in the 1930s, where a journalist uncovers the horrifying truth about the Ukrainian famine. Determined to expose the reality, he sets out to bring the information to light—but his pursuit of truth quickly meets dangerous resistance, especially from those who want to maintain a polished image. Vanessa Kirby plays Ada Brooks, a British journalist who aids Jones in finding evidence. While the film might not be perfect, the gripping performances from the cast make it worth watching.

3. Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning (2023)

• Release Date- July 12, 2023
• Cast- Hayley Atwell, Rebecca Ferguson, Vanessa Kirby, Tom Cruise, Pom Klementieff, Esai Morales, Yennis Cheung, Shea Whigham, Ving Rhames, Indira Varma
• Rotten Tomatoes/IMDb Rating- 96%/7.6
• Director- Christopher McQuarrie

Mission: Impossible is easily one of the most beloved franchises the world has ever seen, and Vanessa Kirby had the chance to be a part of it. She appeared as Alanna Mitsopolis, a.k.a. the White Widow, in Mission: Impossible – Fallout and reprised her role in Dead Reckoning. While her role in the latest installment wasn’t front and center, her character still plays a key part in the overarching story. With the franchise wrapping up this year with Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, Kirby’s contribution remains a memorable piece of the saga.

2. ‘Mission: Impossible – Fallout (2018)

• Release Date- July 27, 2018
• Cast- Tom Cruise, Rebecca Ferguson, Simon Pegg, Henry Cavill, Ving Rhames, Vanessa 8%Kirby, Michelle Monaghan, Sean Harris, Angela Bassett, Alec Baldwin
• Rotten Tomatoes/IMDb Rating- 98%/7.7
• Director- Christopher McQuarrie

Mission: Impossible – Fallout might just be the most action-packed and celebrated entry in the entire franchise. The movie follows a high-stakes mission where a terrorist organization is planning nuclear attacks in three major cities across the globe. Ethan Hunt and his team must join forces with various intelligence agencies to stop the catastrophe in time. Vanessa Kirby joins the action as Alanna Mitsopolis, a.k.a. the White Widow—an underground arms dealer who becomes a key player in Ethan’s plan to prevent the bombings.

1. The Dresser (2015)

• Release Date- October 13, 2015
• Cast- Anthony Hopkins, Ian McKellen, Vanessa Kirby, Emily Watson, Edward Fox, Sarah Lancashire, Ian Conningham, Matthew Cottle, Helen Bradbury
• Rotten Tomatoes/IMDb Rating- 100%/6.7
• Director- Richard Eyre

The Dresser takes us back to the World War II era, where a Shakespearean theatre company is struggling to survive under the leadership of a tyrannical man known only as “Sir.” This movie, adapted from an earlier version released in 1993, played a key role in helping Vanessa Kirby gain early recognition in film. In The Dresser, Kirby appears as Irene—a young and passionate actress who, during their tours, becomes one of the victims of Sir’s inappropriate advances.