Is 'Avengers: Infinity War' Safe for Kids?

04/26/2018 12:11 pm EDT

Millions of Marvel fans all over the world are getting set to see Avengers: Infinity War when it finally releases in theaters tonight. There are still a lot of big questions surrounding the film - and not all of them have to do with big twists and spoilers.

For parents in particular, the question of whether or not Infinity War is suitable for kids on the younger side of age (say 6 - 10), is a legitimate one. Marvel Studios has teased that this will be the darkest and most intense chapter of the Marvel Cinematic Universe yet, and what that translates to in terms of rating and viewing experience is still very unclear.

Officially, Avengers: Infinity War is "Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi violence and action throughout, language and some crude references." The IMDb parental guide adds the following:

"Like most MCU films, there is a balance between humorous and dramatic moments but Infinity War does have a darker tone, similar to The Winter Soldier and Civil War."

"Violence & Gore," as well as "Frightening & Intense Scenes" are all labeled "moderate," while "Sex & Nudity" and "Profanity" are both labeled "Mild." There is now "Alcohol, Drugs & Smoking."

Having seen the film for ourselves (read our Spoiler-Free Review), we can pass on the following advisement for parents:

• While Avengers: Infinity War is on par with films like Winter Soldier and Civil War in terms of intensity, the alien villains (Thanos, The Black Order, The Outriders) are scarier and more nightmarish than anything in those previous films.
• There are some pretty dark scenes of torture and murder featuring scary alien creatures that may induce nightmares in younger kids.
• There are quite a few intense superhero death scenes that may upset some kids.

Overall, there is nothing in Avengers: Infinity War that's bad enough to issue any kind of avoidance warning to parents - they just need to be aware that this is a movie that will be an intense experience for all Marvel fans, and probably more so for kids. The Empire Strikes Back comparisons are very fitting - so take that as you will.

Avengers: Infinity War releases on April 27. Other upcoming Marvel Cinematic Universe movies include Ant-Man and the Wasp on July 6, Captain Marvel on March 8, 2019, the fourth Avengersmovie on May 3, 2019, the sequel to Spider-Man: Homecoming on July 5, 2019, and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 in 2020.

Disclosure: ComicBook is owned by CBS Interactive, a division of Paramount. Sign up for Paramount+ by clicking here.