Every Movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Ranked

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is a testament to ambition. Each Marvel Studios film starting with Iron Man in 2008 can be viewed as a standalone entity, but if you take a step back, they are each a piece of a greater, more complex puzzle. The MCU is 'Star Wars' on HGH, and its strategy has set the tone for other studios to do the same. In grand, but not untrue terms, the MCU has forever changed the way studios make movies.

At its best, Marvel makes films that are lucrative and compelling—films that actually live up to the classic comics that inspired them. We’re decades removed from some truly terrible attempts at Captain America. More recently, with the help of advancements in technology, the MCU has made the Incredible Hulk look like a larger-than-life, skyscraper-destroying beast; they've had Iron Man cruising through the air blasting Black Sabbath; they've made a Doctor Strange movie that feels like you've eaten a bag of 'shrooms. Since 2008, we’ve been treated to 36 films that feel different while still belonging together. And there's still more where that came from.

The MCU's first three phases—The Infinity Saga—are in our rearview. We're now reaching the end of Phase Five and moving into Phase Six—the final phase of The Multiverse Saga. MCU doesn't have the peak cultural saturation it did in the 2010's, and the last five years have been a bumpy ride, creatively speaking. But there's been some positive signs of turnaround, and the real test will come on May 1, 2026, when Avengers: Doomsday debuts in theaters.

Here’s a ranking of the best (and the worst) of the universe Marvel Studios built.

36) Eternals (2021)

Director: Chloé Zhao
Starring: Gemma Chan, Richard Madden, Kumail Nanjiani, Lia McHugh, Brian Tyree Henry, Lauren Ridloff, Barry Keoghan, Don Lee, Kit Harington, Salma Hayek, Angelina Jolie

Telling its story over thousands of years, Eternals is about immortal alien beings who are enablers and witnesses to humanity's greatest and worst moments. It is difficult to relate to any of these characters, although that is largely by design; these are the types of beings who do more observing than actual doing.

Too slow and too long to maintain a MCU fan's interest (let alone a casual fan's), Eternals is an art house film masquerading as a superhero film, which, like many things in this movie, sounds a lot better on paper than it worked in practice. We all want a superhero film that treats us like adults. But when you do it with this level of SERIOUSNESS and IMPORTANCE, it smacks of pretension. This film also started an unfortunate MCU trend. It used to be that mid-credit and end-credit scenes foreshadowed important story arcs to come. In Eternals, we saw Eros, Pip the Troll, and the Ebony Blade. It's been four years, and we never got a followup to any of them. Will we see any of these characters ever again? The damning thing is at this point, we don't care. —Kevin Wong

35) Thor: Dark World (2013)

Director: Alan Taylor
Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Tom Hiddleston, Anthony Hopkins, Jaimie Alexander

When it comes to MCU films that have gotten the sequel treatment, Thor’s might have been the most underwhelming. The character is a shining star in the ensemble pieces, but in his own films, it gets outshined by his enemies. Keep it real: Loki’s the reason most of us sat through the first Thor film (and The Avengers, if we’re keeping it a buck), as Thor’s vibe is mostly “I’m the good son with good looks and my father’s hammer!” That’s not to say that Thor is a wack property, but compared to the heights the MCU has soared to, the Asgardian prince just can't hang.

In The Dark World, Thor has to team up with Loki to battle the Aether that the dark elf Malkeith unleashed. Thor's girl Jane Foster (Portman) becomes infected by the Aether, and all hell breaks loose. There's more substance in Dark World's end credits scene (featuring the Collector) than the movie proper. Maybe that’s why Portman balked at the third Thor film. Hell, maybe that’s part of the reason why Kenneth Branagh didn’t return to direct The Dark World. Whatever the case, it's safe to say that the Thor movies don't really have the range. —khal

34) The Incredible Hulk (2008)

Director: Louis Leterrier
Starring: Edward Norton, Liv Tyler, Tim Roth, William Hurt

A few short years after Ang Lee’s misguided superhero opera Hulk, Marvel Studios said “eff that” and rebooted the big green beast for a proper movie in the form of The Incredible Hulk. Featuring strong performances by Edward Norton (who was extremely underrated in this role), Liv Tyler, and William Hurt, Incredible Hulk jumps viewers right into the main story of Bruce Banner without any of the useless filler that clogs the other first entries in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The final battle between Hulk and Tim Roth’s scene-chewing, enjoyable Emil Blonsky/Abomination is still one of the best out of all of Marvel’s movies.

It’s a shame that the film is so overlooked as an integral piece of the MCU. It features an appearance by Tony Stark and several allusions to a greater Universe that have been forgotten since Mark Ruffalo donned Banner's lab coat for Avengers. The cast we had here could have carried the character into multiple sequels by now. —Justin Davis

33) Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023)

Director: Peyton Reed
Starring: Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Jonathan Majors, Kathryn Newton, David Dastmalchian, Katy O'Brian, William Jackson Harper, Bill Murray, Michelle Pfeiffer, Corey Stoll, Michael Douglas

The Infinity Saga showed the right way to roll out a franchise-wide villain. We saw glimpses of Thanos and his children over a long period of time, and when the Mad King finally showed up for an entire film, he won against impossible odds. Quantumania, on the other hand, is how you don't introduce a franchise-wide villain. You don't catch your first glimpse of him (or a variant of him) on a Disney+ TV show. And in his first film appearance, he doesn't get his ass handed to him by freaking Ant-Man of all people. The comedy relief of the MCU—the guy who shrinks and grows—can take down a Thanos-level threat with his family members? What sort of precedent does this set?

The problem isn't really with Ant-Man, because this is an Ant-Man type movie, with all the silliness and tongue-in-cheek mayhem that implies. Rudd does a great job as the self-effacing, dry-humored superhero. But for all his good points, Ant-Man is not a tentpole kind of character, and laying the narrative responsibility on him to introduce Kang is too much to ask for. As it turns out, we won't be seeing much of Kang anymore. And perhaps from a story standpoint, that's for the best. —Kevin Wong

32) Doctor Strange (2016)

Director: Scott Derrickson
Starring: Benedict Cumberbatch, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Rachel McAdams, Mads Mikkelsen, Tilda Swinton

Kudos to Marvel for shoehorning the origin story of what appears to be one of the next big Avengers into this rushed insanity of a film. Strange is an arrogant POS doctor who ends up losing the use of his hands in a car accident. Through the mystic arts, he not only learns how to use his hands again, but he becomes a whole sorcerer.

What does he do with this power? Shows the entire world that the easiest way to defeat a trash Marvel villain is to use the Time Stone to trick him into replaying the same dumb sequence ad infinitum. Points for expanding the MCU to the world of magic, but ultimately not the most impactful franchise kickoff. Maybe next time. —khal

31) Thor: Love and Thunder (2022)

Director: Taika Waititi
Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Christian Bale, Tessa Thompson, Jaimie Alexander, Taika Waititi, Russell Crowe, Natalie Portman

With Thor: Ragnarok, Taika Watiti breathed new life into a floundering Thor franchise. He figured out what no one before him had—that Chris Hemsworth had really good comedic timing. Ragnarok performed well—so well in fact, that Marvel signed Watiti to direct the next Thor movie. And unfortunately, that turned out to be a miscalculation.

Look, I like Thor: Love and Thunder more than most people. But even I knew that structurally, it is a mess—a ridiculous film that on one hand indulges stupidity and shenanigans, and on the other hand, leans into a dark plot about a god killer and death by cancer. You have Russell Crowe playing Zeus as an overweight, lazy degenerate. You have Thor doing perfect split kicks mid-air. You have two magical goats screaming. You get the impression that Watiti wanted to make the most meme-able, gif-able movie in history. And perhaps he did, but at a cost to quality. —Kevin Wong

30) Captain America: Brave New World (2025)

Director: Julius Onah
Starring: Anthony Mackie, Danny Ramirez, Shira Haas, Carl Lumbly, Xosha Roquemore, Giancarlo Esposito, Liv Tyler, Tim Blake Nelson, Harrison Ford

A new Captain America at the helm. An old, familiar threat. Brave New World doesn't swing for the fences—it stays in its lane to deliver a competent, if pedestrian political action thriller. As many characters in the MCU have stated, it is difficult to fill Steve Rogers' shoes. But it's damn near impossible for Sam Wilson to do it within the confines of a story like this one.

And another thing. Can Marvel's PR agents stop spoiling the movies in the trailers and the advertisements prior to release? They did this with the surprise Hulk appearance in Thor: Ragnarok. And they do it again with the appearance of Red Hulk in Brave New World. I guess selling tickets takes precedence over storytelling. —Kevin Wong

29) Captain Marvel (2019)

Director(s): Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck

Starring: Brie Larson, Samuel L. Jackson, Ben Mendelsohn, Djimon Hounsou, Lee Pace, Lashana Lynch, Gemma Chan, Annette Bening, Clark Gregg, Jude Law

While Ant-Man and the Wasp was the first film in the MCU to feature a female character in the title, Brie Larson's Captain Marvel was the first film to be led solely by a female character. And it was...fine? Taking us back to the '90s, Marvel proved that they could shoehorn a character into its cinematic universe; Carol Danvers is not only [spoiler alert] the reason Nick Fury chose the name "Avengers" for his superhero initiative, but this was also the official first time the Tesseract was introduced into the MCU.

While not a bad film—Ben Mendelsohn saves much of this film's downtime—Captain Marvel definitely had its flaws. Nick Fury didn't need to be this funny. The filmmakers didn't need to draw out the obvious Kree reveal. And there were a number of times when this film was hyper-cheesy (really dropping "I'm Just A Girl" during her big fight scene? C'mon, fam). And although this film was a solid introduction to the Captain Marvel character, she wasn't used to her full potential in Endgame anyway. That's for an entirely different blurb, though. —khal

28) Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)

Director: Joss Whedon
Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Mark Ruffalo, Jeremy Renner, Elizabeth Olsen, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, James Spader

Age of Ultron found itself in the difficult position of being both a follow-up to an extremely successful, well-executed movie (The Avengers) and a transitional bridge, a two-plus hours film primarily meant to connect one phase of the Marvel Cinematic Universe to the next. If those two things sound like they’re in conflict with each other, and that trying to do both at the same time would result in a pretty bad movie, you’re right! Ultron is the MCU at its worst: bloated, borderline incoherent, and pointless. Age of Ultron centers around a battle with Ultron, an all-powerful robot villain created by Tony Stark himself. There’s some interesting commentary on the hubris of superheroes here, but it’s mostly wasted on a movie that’s never able to convince its audience that it’s worth watching.

Case in point: The movie hinges on the climactic destruction of Sokovia, a made-up European city. It’s nice that director Joss Whedon responded to the criticism of the collateral damage done in The Avengers, but the fictional city (and the blatantly placed scenes of civilians evacuating) only hinder the audience’s ability to buy into Ultron’s stakes. And without intense, immediately obvious stakes, Marvel movies often devolve into wayward, too-long action set pieces. Whedon was more or less pushed into hiding by the negative reception of Ultron, and while I don’t condone cyberbullying, I can’t blame anyone for hating this movie. —Andrew Gruttadaro

27) Iron Man 2 (2010)

Director: Jon Favreau
Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Mickey Rourke, Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, Sam Rockwell, Samuel L. Jackson

While Iron Man 2 did a lot to help shape the MCU as we know it, this film is certainly one of the weaker sequels in the series. Most of that was due to Marvel trying to do too much.

Introducing Black Widow and giving Nick Fury a full role was a nice touch, as well as Don Cheadle assuming the War Machine mantle from Terrence Howard. Hell, the idea of Mickey Rourke as Whiplash was cool, but it felt weird to have him saddled as a co-villain alongside Rockwell's Justin Hammer. And sure, the final act featured Iron Man and War Machine going ham against a bunch of droids, but that shit is hella forgettable in the grand scheme of things. If Marvel had focused more on one of these threats instead of forcing both of them into the mix, we might have received a better sequel. —khal

26) Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022)

Director: Sam Raimi
Starring: Benedict Cumberbatch, Elizabeth Olsen, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Benedict Wong, Xochitl Gomez, Michael Stuhlbarg, Rachel McAdams

This was one of the first films that demanded the audience "did its homework" —not only by watching the movies, but also watching the Marvel TV shows on Disney Plus. You didn't have to watch WandaVision to enjoy this movie, but it sure helped.

Director Sam Raimi (Evil Dead, Army of Darkness, Drag Me To Hell) has the self-aware, visceral, visually distinctive vision to do this story justice. And he succeeds in spades; Strange vs. Wanda Maximoff is a match made in MCU heaven. This movie isn't afraid to play fast and loose with the audience's expectations. We're introduced to Mr Fantastic and Charles Xavier, and then minutes later, they're both dead, thanks to Wanda. Strange controls an undead version of himself at the film's climax. This is a comic book movie, with a huge emphasis on "comic book." So many superhero movies try to escape or rise above their humble roots. This movie indulged them, to its benefit. —Kevin Wong

25) Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018)

Director: Peyton Reed
Starring: Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Michael Peña, Walton Goggins, Bobby Cannavale, Judy Greer, Tip "T.I." Harris, David Dastmalchian, Hannah John-Kamen, Abby Ryder Fortson, Randall Park, Michelle Pfeiffer, Laurence Fishburne, Michael Douglas

The Ant-Man films get a bad rap. They aren’t bad at all; part of their lower rankings are based on how good the rest of these films are. Also, they are a lot of fun. Paul Rudd’s comedic timing is key; he has the grounded vibes of a dad who wants to do right by his family while also doing right by the universe at-large. All of that said, Ant-Man and the Wasp is a bit hit-or-miss. On the one hand, it’s dope to see Evangeline Lilly shine as the first female Marvel character to get her own film.

The problem? The film surrounding her doesn’t seem to get how important that distinction is. She’s there and is central to the plot, but Wasp still feels a step or two behind, no matter how much better of a superhero she is. Incorporating Ghost into this film was a nice touch, but compared to the real big bad, she ends up being the lone anti-hero in this sea of insanity. That said, the film still packs loads of action and comedy, and it found the best way to incorporate Thanos’ snap into its mid-credits scene. —khal

24) The Marvels (2023)

Director: Nia DaCosta
Starring: Brie Larson, Teyonah Parris, Iman Vellani, Zawe Ashton, Gary Lewis, Park Seo-joon, Zenobia Shroff, Mohan Kapur,Saagar Shaikh, Samuel L. Jackson

The lowest-grossing, least commercially successful MCU movie is actually pretty fun, which underlines how The Marvels was a victim of circumstance and poor promotion. Brie Larson was still experiencing residual resentment from the culture wars that nearly sunk Captain Marvel. There were rumors–some confirmed–of creative disagreements between DaCosta and the powers that be. And Kamala Khan—the third 'Marvel' of the trio, was relatively unknown; only viewers who watched Ms. Marvel on Disney+ would understand who she was and why she mattered.

So there's a lot of blame to go around. But you know who deserves none of the blame? Iman Vellani who plays Kamala Khan, that's who. Vellani is phenomenal in her role, and we hope that when Marvel takes a step back and plans their next phases, they don't throw the baby out with the bathwater. Kamala Khan absolutely deserves to be included in whatever mutant or Young Avengers storyline they have moving forward. Imagine her, Cassie Lang, and Kate Bishop as the leaders of a new team. The possibilities write themselves. Overall, the impact of The Marvels on the larger MCU is minor, although it sets up a crucial building block for any X-Men involvement down the line. —Kevin Wong

23) Black Widow (2021)

Director: Cate Shortland
Starring: Scarlett Johansson, Florence Pugh, David Harbour, O-T Fagbenle, Olga Kurylenko, William Hurt, Ray Winstone, Rachel Weisz

Black Widow had so many factors working against it. Narratively, it was a non-starter. Natasha died in Endgame, which took the stakes out of everything; how concerned could we be about a character's safety when we already know the character is irretrievably dead? Black Widow was the sort of solo project that would have fit much better in Phase 2 or Phase 3—when the character was alive, thriving, and still had something to lose. Then, the COVID-19 pandemic shut down movie theaters, and Black Widow debuted on Disney+. Talk about bad timing.

It's unfortunate, because the film itself is actually quite good, and it hones in on the more grounded, 'realistic' world of Marvel's spies and super soldiers, without resorting to aliens or multiversal shenanigans to sustain the narrative. It also introduces us to Yelena (Florence Pugh), another Black Widow assassin who's genuinely witty, funny, and full of life. She's the best new character to debut post-Endgame, and after her appearances in Hawkeye and Thunderbolts*, we're looking forward to seeing more of her. —Kevin Wong

22) Iron Man 3 (2013)

Director: Shane Black
Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Guy Pearce, Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle

Canon-stickler comic book nerds will tell you Iron Man 3 is trash and to them I say—get over it. It must be a slap in the face to see one of Tony Stark's most seminal villains reduced to a punch-line of a fakeout twist, I understand. But don't be a saltine and let that obstruct the truth: this is easily one of Marvel's best. No shots at Jon Favreau for his directorial efforts on the first two Iron Man films, but Shane Black brings a distinctness and purity of vision/personal brand to IM3 that's lacking in other Marvel films. The Iron Man suit might get the least screen time out of any other appearance, but that's because Black and co-writer Drew Pearce's script is too busy delving into what makes Tony Stark—the man and the character—tick.

But it's not just tone and a definitive statement on Tony Stark that this movie coasts on. When the suit does come out, it's for a set piece that's well worth the wait. The assault on Tony's crib and the airplane rescue are amazing, to say nothing of the batshit climax with suits flying and exploding left and right. If you're sleeping on this one, revisit it. It's Tony Stark's finest hour and easily one of Marvel's. —Frazier Tharpe

21) Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022)

Director: Ryan Coogler
Starring: Letitia Wright, Lupita Nyong'o, Danai Gurira, Winston Duke, Florence Kasumba, Dominique Thorne, Michaela Coel, Mabel Cadena, Tenoch Huerta Mejía, Martin Freeman, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Angela Bassett

Chadwick Boseman passed away in 2020, and up until the announcement of his death, no one, outside of his immediate inner circle, knew he was sick. Neither did Ryan Coogler, who had finished writing the script for Black Panther II and was planning at least two sequels with Boseman in the role of T'Challa.

Boseman's death necessitated a complete revamp of the planned movie, in which T'Challa, just like his actor, dies unexpectedly, and Wakanda must recover and stand strong after the loss of its king. There were elements of Coogler's original plans in this film, such as Wakanda's discovery of a vibranium-infused Mayan culture under the sea. But Boseman's death loomed so large over the film, that it was difficult for anything else to matter. At least the movie concluded with a beautiful twist; T'Challa's legacy will continue when his son, raised in secret, comes of age. —Kevin Wong

20) Deadpool & Wolverine (2024)

Director: Shawn Levy
Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, Emma Corrin, Morena Baccarin, Rob Delaney, Leslie Uggams, Aaron Stanford, Matthew Macfadyen

Like Daredevil: Born Again and Spider-Man: No Way Home, Deadpool & Wolverine requires that you go outside the MCU ecosystem to feel its full impact. In the case of this film, it requires quite a bit of backtracking – not just to Deadpool and Deadpool 2, but to the early '00s run of X-Men films as well.

With all that under your belt – plus a healthy knowledge of Hollywood inside baseball and gossip – this is a fantastic, hilarious film. But it's hard to know what a new MCU fan, who walks into this movie cold, would think of it. It's more of a metacommentary on superhero movies than a superhero movie in its own right. Considering that Deadpool's entire gimmick is breaking through the fourth wall, that's sort of fitting. This is a fun diversion—a goodbye to a bygone era—rather than the start to a new era. —Kevin Wong

19) Thunderbolts* (2025)

Director: Jake Schreier
Starring: Florence Pugh, Sebastian Stan, Wyatt Russell, Olga Kurylenko, Lewis Pullman, Geraldine Viswanathan, Chris Bauer, Wendell Pierce, David Harbour, Hannah John-Kamen, Julia Louis-Dreyfus

Marked for death by the government, the Thunderbolts team are a troupe of misfits and rejects pulled from the dark corners of the MCU: Yelena Belova (Black Widow), Bucky Barnes (Winter Soldier), Ava Starr (Ghost), Antonia Dreykov (Taskmaster), and Alexi Shostakov (Red Guardian). It starts in gritty fashion, with three of them (plus a dazed and confused guy named Bob) trying to escape a death trap. These are some of the most enjoyable (and funniest) sequences in the movie, especially when they attempt to escape up a long, vertical shaft with no climbing equipment.

By the end of the movie, they're facing a more supernatural threat. But rather than devolving into a Big Dumb CGI Fight, Thunderbolts goes for a resolution that's a little more cerebral, with some no-so-subtle commentary on the stigmas around mental health. The movie is, in a word, solid, and rankings-wise, it lands squarely in the middle of the pack. —Kevin Wong

18) Thor (2011)

Director: Kenneth Branagh
Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Anthony Hopkins, Tom Hiddleston

Thor is basically the story of what happens when you disobey a trash parent. Odin ordered his son to not beef with the Frost Giants, so what does this blockhead do? He beefs with the Frost Giants. Odin strips Thor of his godly powers, and the rest of the film is dedicated to Thor trying to prove to Natalie Portman’s Jane Foster that he really is a deity who really needs to get this magical hammer. All the while falling for her, of course.

Tom Hiddleston absolutely nails the role of Loki, and the film ultimately wins when it shows just how big of a heart Thor has (and by highlighting how much of a dick Loki is), even if it contains a little too much sappy romance. —khal

17) Ant-Man (2015)

Director: Peyton Reed
Starring: Paul Rudd, Michael Douglas, Corey Stoll, Evangeline Lilly, T.I., Michael Peña

Perhaps the best thing about Ant-Man is how separate it feels from the MCU. The origin story of Scott Lang, who is recruited by Dr. Hank Pym to become Ant-Man and stop Darren Cross (Corey Stoll) from abusing some super dangerous technology, is more or less a Marvelized version of Ocean’s Eleven. It’s literally a heist movie starring a guy who can shrink himself.

That’s fun as hell—especially because Michael Peña is a freaking comedic genius. But the loose connective tissue between Ant-Man and the rest of the Marvel squad is also what inhibits it. Even with an appearance in Civil War, Paul Rudd feels like a weird fit—he doesn’t exactly sell the ex-con look, and the MCU already has enough irreverent jokesters. In the larger context of the MCU, Ant-Man is fun, but feels borderline unnecessary. That may change as things progress, but until it does, this movie is going to settle into the middle of the MCU pack in terms of quality. —Andrew Gruttadaro

16) Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2 (2017)

Director: James Gunn
Starring: Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper, Dave Bautista, Lee Pace

Guardians of the Galaxy was a specific kind of weird: quirky and offbeat, with a trace of genuine sadness. For Vol. 2, Gunn ramps up all of those elements... especially, surprisingly, that last one. Every hero broods in between saving the world, but feelings of inner despair and loneliness have never felt quite as palpable as they do here. Vol. 2 is a lot busier and scattered than the relatively streamlined original.

But in the years in between these films, the MCU has only gotten more serialized. To that effect, Vol. 2 maintains its predecessor's feeling of being a welcome breath of fresh air. There were no overt hints at Infinity War, even though everyone knew the Guardians would take part. Any mention of Thanos is organic in reference to Gamora and Nebula. Every one of the five(!!!) post-credit scenes is mostly a punchline, and if there is a nod to the future, it’s one that concerns Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 3 primarily. But Vol. 2 made me crack up and genuinely care about the emotions of a gun-toting raccoon as voiced by Bradley Cooper, and all without thinking of future movie tickets to purchase. Score one for the standalones. —Frazier Tharpe

15) Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)

Director: Jon Watts
Starring: Tom Holland, Zendaya, Benedict Cumberbatch, Jacob Batalon, Jon Favreau, Jamie Foxx, Willem Dafoe, Alfred Molina, Benedict Wong, Tony Revolori, Marisa Tomei, Andrew Garfield, Tobey Maguire

I'm of two minds concerning this film. On one hand, it's an incredible, symbolic celebration, uniting the three live-action Spider-Man franchises under a single, cohesive plot. The action is great. The jokes land (for the most part). The climax is a tearjerker. On the other hand, it's a big dollop of pandering fan service that relies on nostalgia to carry it over the finish line. It's high stakes in a way that feels ridiculous. We're expected to believe that the multiverse will collapse thanks to a poorly granted wish by Stephen Strange? Surely, there are better, more creative ways to get a plot going.

It feels big and epic by obligation rather than by necessity. Spider-Man is the most popular character in the MCU, but that's not because he saves the world; it's because he's relatable, and it's because he's the "friendly, neighborhood superhero" that focuses on street-level stories. If every story is about a doomsday plot device that threatens the universe's stability, it numbs the audience to smaller, more intimate narratives. This is a movie you might remember as better than it actually was. The hype at the time was huge. But four years on, the movie has to stand on its own merits, and it doesn't always manage that. —Kevin Wong

14) Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)

Director: Joe Johnston
Starring: Chris Evans, Hugo Weaving, Samuel L. Jackson, Hayley Atwell, Sebastian Stan

Captain America’s sequels may get all of the love, but his first movie is a delightfully enjoyable period piece that reimagines what the basic origin story can be. Captain America: The First Avenger won’t win any awards for having a memorable villain (try as Hugo Weaving might, his Red Skull just isn't that good) or a deep plot, but it succeeds in having a whole lot of heart. Staying true to its time period, and plucking dialogue straight out of a Golden Age Marvel comic book, The First Avenger revels in its cheesiness and serves as the introduction that Captain America sorely needed in Marvel's Universe.

Chris Evans starts his role in the MCU as Steve Rogers, a scrawny dork who becomes the titular hero after being dosed with the Super Soldier Serum. As Cap teams with his merry band of troops (and his trusty shield) to take down the Nazis’ laser-gun carrying Hydra division, the movie effectively introduces the Universe’s big bads in one fell swoop. The Winter Soldier and Civil War got to play around with Cap’s politics and his morality, but The First Avenger lets us enjoy him at his unfiltered best—as a true-to-the-page symbol of heroism that the Marvel Cinematic Universe needed. —Justin Davis

13) Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021)

Director: Destin Daniel Cretton
Starring: Simu Liu, Awkwafina, Meng'er Zhang, Fala Chen, Florian Munteanu, Benedict Wong, Yuen Wah, Michelle Yeoh, Ben Kingsley, Tony Leung

The post-Endgame run of MCU films has been hit-and-miss, but Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings was among the best of them. It built an entire, elaborate mythology behind the notorious Ten Rings organization. And it retroactively improved one of the MCU's divisive films—Iron Man 3—with a clever cameo from a familiar face.

In the comics, Shang-Chi is a master of martial arts, and the movie does its titular hero justice, taking inspiration from Jackie Chan films like Police Story for its choreography. The bus fight, with its long cuts and slapstick visual humor, sets a high bar; the CGI-centric setpieces of the other MCU films look cartoonish by comparison. But the movie also told a great story that's distinctly Asian American—about negotiating the expectations of two cultures, and of healing generational trauma. Shang-Chi will return in the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday. We cannot wait. —Kevin Wong

12) Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)

Director: Jon Watts
Starring: Tom Holland, Zendaya, Michael Keaton, Marisa Tomei

Did we really need another Spider-Man movie in 2017? Probably not—but when Marvel was given the chance to mix up their universe with one of the most consistently rad heroes in their canon, they weren’t about to pass up the opportunity.

It is inessential saga-wise. But Spider-Man: Homecoming is a total joy from start to finish, an exuberant actioner made by Marvel at the height of their Phase 3 confidence. Tom Holland is high-key the best Spidey to hit screen since ever, and Michael Keaton’s blue collar swagger makes Vulture one of the MCU’s strongest villains. The fact that Donald Glover’s presence helps establish Miles Morales’ existence in the universe would be enough to rank this decently on the list—it’s just a bonus that Homecoming happens to be a fucking blast. —Aubrey Page

11) Thor: Ragnarok (2017)

Director: Taika Waititi
Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Cate Blanchett, Tom Hiddleston, Mark Ruffalo, Tessa Thompson, Jeff Goldblum

Besides the one-and-done Incredible Hulk loosie, Thor was Marvel’s proverbial black sheep. If it wasn’t for its connective tissue to the cosmic corners of the MCU—along with introducing viewers to the Infinity Stones—the franchise was well on its way to being the most skippable. That all changed with the release of Thor: Ragnarok, which not only course-corrected the series but also produced one of the genre’s most enjoyable films. Gone were the drab backdrops and dry dialogue, in their place were vibrant scenery and quick wit that repositioned the God of Thunder as a truly striking character.

The shift in tone was as much a credit to director Taika Waititi’s creative vision as it was the addition of Hulk, which essentially saved the film from being just another paint-by-numbers solo swan song and transformed it into an epic buddy film in space. It was like when Ghostface shared top billing with Raekwon on 1996’s Ironman (the album, not the movie). The pairing just worked and you’d much rather see them together than apart. Despite Ragnarok’s immense death toll, the real tragedy was that it was the third Thor movie and not the first. —Anslem Samuel Rocque

10) Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019)

Director: Jon Watts
Starring: Tom Holland, Samuel L. Jackson, Zendaya, Cobie Smulders, Jon Favreau, J. B. Smoove, Jacob Batalon, Martin Starr, Marisa Tomei, Jake Gyllenhaal

The union of Sony Pictures and Marvel Studios struck pay dirt with 2017's Spider-Man: Homecoming. Following that up was going to be tough, and yet somehow Marvel and Sony not only made a better Spider-Man film, but with Spider-Man: Far From Home, they crafted one of the best films in the MCU. The first film after Endgame, Far From Home had to tackle a lot of ground. It dealt with the question about what happened to those who disappeared after Thanos' snap early on, and it also showed how the world mourned the loss of Tony Stark.

It also set-up Peter Parker as Stark 2.0; sure, he's still in high school, but there's no better heir to the Stark throne than Parker. With Samuel L. Jackson as the primary tether to the MCU, we aren't force-fed this Stark/Parker relationship that was prevalent in Homecoming, allowing Tom Holland to truly shine as a maturing Peter and a more confident Spider-Man. Zendaya's MJ is given more screen time, and seeing her stretching out, giving MJ intriguing quirks, was also exciting. Kudos also go to Jake Gyllenhaal, who took up the Mysterio mantle and added so much to what could have been a B-character. Closing out Marvel's Phase Three was a Herculean task that Holland and company more than lived up to. —khal

9) The Avengers (2012)

Director: Joss Whedon
Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Jeremy Renner, Tom Hiddleston

At the time of its release, this was the film Marvel fans were waiting for. For decades, Marvel staged. these mega-events on the pages of its comic books—drawing its biggest characters into one major, apocalyptic conflict. But this was something we hadn’t yet seen happen in the movies. To close out the first phase of their Cinematic Universe, Marvel Studios gracefully join the major figures from their first run of properties, uniting Captain America alongside Iron Man, Hulk, Thor, Black Widow, and Hawkeye.

Sadly, the first big chunk of the film follows the usual “we gotta get this crew of people who don’t really like each other together” plotline. It also doesn’t help that, while the main villain Loki is a boss in his role, the plot ends up amounting to “we need to stop this light in the sky.” It wouldn’t be a shock if you slept through most of the beginning, but things really pick up during the “Battle of New York.” Seeing Hulk wreck shop throughout NYC is worth the price of admission. —khal

8) Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023)

Director: James Gunn

Starring: Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldaña, Dave Bautista, Karen Gillan, Pom Klementieff, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper, Will Poulter, Sean Gunn, Chukwudi Iwuji, Linda Cardellini, Nathan Fillion, Sylvester Stallone

Here it is: the best post-Endgame MCU movie, by a considerable margin. Before moving over to DC, James Gunn returned to write and direct the final film in the Guardians trilogy. And wow, what a ride this film was. We couldn't have asked for a better farewell to this rag-tag band of malcontents.

Guardians 3 has all the hallmarks of a great Gunn film—on-point humor, on-point needle drops ("No Sleep Till Brooklyn" during the single shot fight scene is perfect cinema), and a beating heart at the center of it. This is a movie that makes you cry when it's over. And the tears are earned; none of the heroes had to die for them, which is what everyone expected. Imagine that: subverting expectations by having everyone survive. Now that's something special. —Kevin Wong

7) Captain America: Civil War (2016)

Director: Anthony and Joe Russo
Starring: Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson, Sebastian Stan, Anthony Mackie, Don Cheadle, Jeremy Renner, Chadwick Boseman, Paul Bettany, Tom Holland

While Civil War will be remembered more for introducing Spider-Man and the Black Panther into the MCU, it’s deeper than that. This is the film that severed the bond between Cap and Iron Man, primarily due to the Sokovia Accords, which were put in place after the events of Age of Ultron to regulate all of that damn superhero-ing going on. With each Avenger choosing a side, as well as a still-brainwashed Winter Soldier wreaking havoc in the world, we are treated to one epic battle between all of the heroes we’re supposed to be cheering for.

And while this film still suffered from bringing in a villain barely anyone can name, it did succeed at proving that, while not an "Avengers" film in name, that Marvel knows how to tie their many strands together into one massive, mega-powered blow-out. —khal

6) Iron Man (2008)

Director: Jon Favreau
Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Terrence Howard, Jeff Bridges

It’s weird to think the Marvel Cinematic Universe didn't exist until 2008. Then along came Iron Man, starring a sassy Robert Downey Jr. at the beginning of his career renaissance, and the future of comic-book cinema was changed forever. With Tony Stark, a billionaire playboy and witty genius, Iron Man cements the Marvel superhero trope of “great man gets into a bind and then decides to help people.” But in 2008, this formula, and Marvel movies in general, were new and exciting. Iron Man was a great mix of action and comic book nerdery, and its huge dollop of RDJ charm went a long way.

The 'building the suit' setpieces, where Stark experiences growing pains becoming Iron Man, are the best parts of the movie—learning how to fly properly, making sure his suit is both sturdy and fresh (hence the fire engine red) and even showing a bit of his emotional side to personal assistant/love interest Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow). Iron Man was a movie that everyone could enjoy. It was a glimmer of the promise that the MCU held and continues to pay forward. —Kerensa Cadenas

5) Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)

Director: James Gunn
Starring: Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper, Dave Bautista, Lee Pace

With Guardians of the Galaxy, Marvel proved that their Cinematic Universe had room for B-level heroes. Because keep it real: You expect epic drama from Captain America and Iron Man, but who really thought that a ragtag bunch of space characters could hang with the all-stars? And who knew that superheroes sounded best backed by an '80s-tinged soundtrack?

Much of the props for this film comes down to Chris Pratt’s portrayal of Star-Lord, one of the best smart-ass everyman heroes in comic lore. Pratt was perfect, because while the Guardians’ target demo might be more attracted to the movie's many multi-hued space creatures (including a tree that could move and a talking raccoon), Pratt showed that he was leading man material. And sure, you could argue that Marvel could put their stamp on any drivel in 2014 and fans would eat it up, but director James Gunn found a way to make lesser-known characters fresh while playing within the massive sandbox that is the MCU. What started out as a way to introduce space travel into the universe turned into a certified banger, and one of the greatest films in this collection to date. —khal

4) Black Panther (2018)

Director: Ryan Coogler
Starring: Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong'o, Danai Gurira

The biggest, blackest superhero epic to hit the Marvel Cinematic Universe broke all kinds of records, and for good reason. Sure, that black AF cast brought out all of the aunties and regular degular non-Marvel heads to the theaters, but the actual film made people give a shit about T’Challa, the King of Wakanda, along with his sister Shuri, his main squeeze Nakia, and other assorted Wakandan legends.

It didn’t advance much in the MCU, but highlighted how well Ryan Coogler could adapt his keen eye for beauty and depth into a fantastic superhero epic. Black Panther’s all of our aspirations rolled into one fierce hero, and Killmonger is without a doubt a top tier Marvel villain. This is a magnificent movie from beginning to end. —khal

3) Avengers: Endgame (2019)

Director(s): Anthony and Joe Russo
Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Don Cheadle, Paul Rudd, Brie Larson, Karen Gillan, Danai Gurira, Benedict Wong, Jon Favreau, Bradley Cooper, Gwyneth Paltrow, Josh Brolin

Ah, Endgame. The culmination of the first decade in Marvel's Cinematic Universe, and the final chapter in the Infinity Saga. Over three hours in length, with an entire "time heist" in the middle, there was a lot riding on Endgame. It had to resolve the damage Thanos's Snap caused to the universe, which in and of itself was a major task. One of the core four (Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, and the Hulk) would have to fall, and part of the fun (and fright) of viewing this film was seeing how everything shook out. Was it a bit too fan service-y? Sure. But it was earned, especially after the numerous gut-punches audiences received at the tail end of Infinity War. Scenes like all of the fallen heroes emerging through Strange portals was epic, as were any battle scene involving Captain America or Black Panthert.

Rewriting the "laws" of time travel didn't sit right with many, and there were a number of questions people had as the final moments of the film ticked away. It was also a bit too "funny" throughout, and some of the scenes during the mid-film time heist (including traveling back to Thor: Dark World and the '70s dragged a bit). But ultimately, Endgame more than lived up to its title. Checkmate. —khal

2) Avengers: Infinity War (2018)

Director: Anthony and Joe Russo
Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Chris Evans, Josh Brolin, Chris Pratt, Mark Ruffalo, Zoe Saldana

Ten years of Marvel’s Cinematic Universe hinged on Marvel Studios getting Thanos and Infinity War right. Needless to say, it sticks the landing. Josh Brolin turns in a fine performance as the Mad Titan, Thanos, making many sympathize with his devious plan to eradicate 50% of the universe. It’s almost as if Marvel Studios heard all of the talk about their weak-sauce big bads and put everything they needed to into Thanos.

The film’s intense, punching you in the gut VERY early into the run time, and continuing to kick you even in the post-credits scene. Even with that nod to what’s in store, you’re still left leaving the theater drained, confused, and at times, frustrated. It’s the long-awaited tentpole movie we needed, and even though we know that all of the pain suffered in this film could (should?) be rectified in the next Avengers movie, the fact that Marvel took it there, leaving movie-goers distraught, is a testament to the power of Thanos. All hail the Mad Titan. —khal

1) Captain America: Winter Soldier (2014)

Director: Anthony and Joe Russo
Starring: Chris Evans, Samuel L. Jackson, Scarlett Johansson, Sebastian Stan, Anthony Mackie, Robert Redford

While the solo MCU projects have been of varying tones and quality, the Captain America films are always the biggest and most epic of them all. With The First Avenger, we got a sprawling origin story-turned-World War II period piece that brought the Captain America story to life. The third film in the series, Civil War, pulled out all of the stops and brought a number of your favorite characters (as well as some long-awaited ones) into the mix without feeling too heavy-handed.

But Winter Soldier? Not only is it hands down the best Captain America film that has been made, but it is the best thing to come out of the MCU. The story finds Captain America not trusting what S.H.I.E.L.D. is shoveling, and he has reason to after his boy (and the architect of the Avengers) Nick Fury is taken out. While on the run with secrets about who’s really running S.H.I.E.L.D., Cap is pursued by The Winter Soldier, an assassin from Cap’s past who has been brainwashed into taking out numerous targets for years.

The battle sequences are phenomenal, but it’s the overall pacing of the film that really wins. For a movie that clocks in at 136 minutes, it never feels dull. The chemistry between a still-acclimating Cap and Black Widow feels genuine, even if they don’t totally trust each other. The introduction of Falcon is solid, with Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) comfortably sliding into his role as Cap’s ride-or-die. And while this is more of a solo film, the ripples touch all corners of the MCU. S.H.I.E.L.D.’s demise is very real; it confirms the worst of Cap's fears, and it interrogates his understanding it means to be a superhero in the modern world. Watching Winter Soldier, you find yourself asking why all Marvel movies can’t be like this one. —khal