MCU Films Ranked (so far)

37. Thor: Love and Thunder

I can’t think of a film where I was so viscerally frustrated when it ended like I was with Thor: Love and Thunder. Taika Waititi brought some humor in his first outing in the MCU, and I was excited to see what happened next. Unfortunately, it seems like Disney and Marvel trusted him too much. There seems to be no filter, so serious moments that need time to breathe end up punctuated by terrible humor instead of good humor. There was so much potential with Christian Bale and the return of Natalie Portman. Instead, it was just bad.

36. Iron Man 2

There was a time when I thought this would always be my least favorite film in the entire MCU. After it burst onto the scene in 2008, I loved what I saw in the first Iron Man film. Unfortunately, when I went to see this sequel in 2010, I hated it. It felt a lot like a Michael Bay movie. It still had character development, especially with the introduction of Natasha Romanoff and Tony’s descent into alcoholism. But a lot of other developments felt weak. Instead, it came across like it replaced the story with CGI. It tried to look too advanced for its time.

35. Thor: The Dark World

I know this is on the bottom of most people’s rankings. Obviously, it’s not the bottom of the barrel for me, but it’s still close to the bottom. This film was the justification for the rest to give Taika Waititi the reins to the Thor franchise. While that was a mixed result, it’s impossible to argue that a reset wasn’t needed. Thor just felt out of place with the rest of the MCU after this film. Christopher Eccleston felt wasted (a common theme among villains in the lesser MCU films). The romantic chemistry between Chris Hemsworth and Natalie Portman wasn’t there for this film. (That seems to be a common complaint of mine when it comes to Portman’s films.) Stellan Skarsgård ’s actions were hysterical though and that lifts it above the two lower films on my list.

34. Eternals

After three films that I purposely avoid unless someone else specifically asks for them, we’re finally getting into films that I find to be just there. I will admit to having a soft spot for Eternals because I took my son to see it in theaters as part of a double feature. It was part of a much-needed return to normalcy following the pandemic. There were things about it I liked. Kingo, Druig, Phastos and Makari were compelling characters that I want to see more in the MCU. Unfortunately, I didn’t care for any of the main characters on which the film decided to focus. A series of Special Presentations on Disney Plus introducing each character would’ve made it more enjoyable. When Harry Styles is one of the better parts of a film, you know it’s not good. Still, it’s the best version of the Justice League we’ve seen.

33. Thor

Can you tell I don’t like most of the Thor films? This was exactly what it needed to be in 2011 when it was released. It introduced a character to general audiences who might not be familiar with the God of Thunder. During phase one, this felt like a decent film. Over time, Marvel has just continuously delivered better films than this. The character is good. The film is enjoyable enough. They’ve just built better in the years since its release.

32. Incredible Hulk

Why can’t Marvel make a good Hulk film? They failed miserably with Ang Lee’s take that’s not directly connected to the MCU. This version was certainly superior to that but was a bit disappointing overall. Edward Norton actually did a solid job on screen. Unfortunately, creative differences behind the scenes (Norton is known to butt heads with studios, directors and producers) led to him being dismissed from the role after one outing. I saw this in theaters in 2008 and liked it well enough then but definitely thought of it as the weaker of the two MCU films released that year, even though I wasn’t aware they were building a cinematic universe until Robert Downey Jr. showed up in the final scene of this film. I’ve rewatched it a few times and still enjoy it when I see it. I just don’t go out of my way to put it in my rewatch rotation.

31. The Marvels

I don’t know what to say about this film. A writers’ strike followed by an actors’ strike made this film difficult to promote, so it had the deck stacked against it from the beginning. It was meant to be a sequel to the commercially successful Captain Marvel but came up very weak at the box office. Fatigue may have played a role but the real issue when I saw the film was how much the actors didn’t seem to want to be there. Iman Vellani stole the show as Kamala Khan as she was a delight in every scene she was in. However, Brie Larson and Teyonah Parris could not have looked more like they didn’t want to be there. It felt phoned in from both of them. I wanted to like this film. Unfortunately, it felt like only Vellani wanted the film to be liked. Maybe they should’ve gone with a true Captain Marvel 2 rather than a sequel/spinoff with more Marvels.

30. Iron Man 3

Oh look, a Shane Black film set at Christmas. That’s never happened previously. This film is a perfectly fine entry. Downey did a good job demonstrating Tony Stark’s PTSD following the Battle of New York. Sir Ben Kingsley steals the show as Trevor Slattery. It’s easy to believe he’s the Mandarin until it’s revealed he’s just an actor with an addiction issue. But it’s led to more appearances from him and I’m here for it. The Aldrich Killian reveal was weak but overall, it’s still better than Iron Man 2.

29. Ant-Man and the Wasp

This is a movie that has fluctuated in my rankings but is always in the bottom half. It works when watching in release order as it serves as a palate cleanser following the devastating ending to Avengers: Infinity War. However, on its own, it’s rather bland. It has its bright spots, like the introduction of Ghost and the crew saving Janet Van Dyne. But it doesn’t make me want to rush back and watch it. It’s not skippable, but it could be.

28. Black Widow

Scarlett Johansson finally got her long-awaited solo movie after appearing as a supporting character throughout the MCU since Iron Man 2. Her character was one of the most intriguing and she was the one who fans had been demanding get her own outing. Unfortunately, this film was plagued with some of the worst luck we’ve ever seen. The COVID-19 pandemic led to delays and then restrictions at the theater when it was finally released. Disney decided to release it on Disney Plus as a Premier Access title. This triggered a lawsuit from Johansson and a battle with then-Disney CEO Bob Chapek. This left a bad taste in a lot of fans' mouths before they ever saw the film. From there, the movie just felt underwhelming. Maybe it was the long wait. Maybe it was the fact it was set between Captain America: Civil War and Avengers: Infinity War despite the fact it was released after Avengers: Endgame, so everyone already knew Black Widow’s ultimate fate. The film just never fully delivered on the emotional impact many fans expected. Still, it introduced fun new characters like Yelena Bolova, Red Guardian and Countess Valentina Allegra de Fontaine. It’s a film that gave more to the future of the MCU than expected, but it’s still just kind of there.

27. Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania

Another film released post-Endgame that experienced a run of bad luck. Ant-Man films had mostly been the palate cleansers of the MCU to this point. However, Disney tried to make it the tentpole for a new phase in its shared universe. Unfortunately, VFX artists had been worked to the bone and many were pulled off this film to finish the previous entry in the MCU, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. That left many of the scenes not looking up to snuff when this film was released. There was also a legal issue surrounding this film. Jonathan Majors, who played the film’s villain, Kang the Conqueror, was arrested in a domestic violence incident. Disney kept their mouths shut until a verdict in the legal case was reached and quickly changed course. That makes this film less interesting to rewatch. Kang was expected to be a major villain for the Multiverse Saga, but the pivot leaves Kang only a part of this film and Loki. It doesn’t really match where Marvel is now headed, making the film feel directionless.

26. Dr. Strange in the Multiverse of Madness

I love Sam Raimi. I like horror. I wanted this to be better than it was. There’s a lot to love in this film. The introduction of incursions, Dr. Strange jumping through universes, and the connective tissue with Wanda Maximoff’s heel turn in WandaVision. Unfortunately, this film feels like another victim of pandemic restrictions. The Illuminati scene feels disjointed, and the revelation that none of the heroes filmed the scene together adds credence to that view. If this had been filmed ahead of the pandemic or after pandemic restrictions lifted, it would probably hit a lot harder.

25. Captain America: Brave New World

This is a film I was excited to see. I have been a big fan of Anthony Mackie as Falcon in the MCU and loved that they went the route of Steve Rogers passing the Captain America shield and moniker to Sam Wilson. I was excited for Falcon and the Winter Soldier, but the pandemic-era production issues hurt my initial impression of the series, although this film and Thunderbolts* helped improve that series’ reputation for me. Still, this is just a basic superhero film. None of it is bad but nothing stands out as good. Marvel spoiled the Red Hulk reveal, so I spent most of my first viewing waiting to see that happen. This is a case of Disney and Marvel executives giving away too much in the trailers for a film that was only okay from the beginning.

24. Guardians of the Galaxy: Volume 2

Who would’ve expected this film to have the most meaningful death in the MCU prior to Avengers: Endgame? James Gunn’s Space Avengers have proven to be one of the best trilogies in the entire MCU for standalone films, but the middle film comes across as the weakest of the three. The introduction of Ego the Living Planet is nice and we get to learn more about Peter Quill’s backstory. Plus, Yondu’s death may be the most poignant death in the entire MCU (given that Robert Downey Jr. is returning, even though he’s Dr. Doom instead of Iron Man.) At its core, the film explores the difference between being a father and truly being a dad.

23. Captain Marvel

I need to preface this entry by saying that I’ve never been a fan of the Captain Marvel character. I just don’t care. It doesn’t matter if it’s Mar-vell, Monica Rambeau, Carol Danvers, Genesis-Vell or any others. It just doesn’t pique my interest. Still, this is a good film to introduce the character ahead of Avengers: Endgame. She’s an integral part of that story and needed her own film, so viewers would know who she is when she shows up there. Am I rushing out to rewatch this film a lot? No. Is that due to the film? No, it’s due to my lack of interest in the character. I bet those that love the character have this film higher because it’s a really good entry overall.

22. Dr. Strange

Have you ever watched Iron Man on LSD? That’s essentially what the filmmakers asked when they presented the Dr. Strange film. It features a renowned actor, sporting a mustache, as he is gifted in his chosen field and increasingly arrogant until the tables are turned against him. Then, he grows a heart and starts being a hero. That’s the story of Iron Man, except this time he’s a doctor instead of a scientist and he chooses to learn more about sorcery. I enjoyed the film as an introduction of the Stephen Strange character. But there are better first films in the MCU.

21. Ant-Man

If Dr. Strange is Iron Man on LSD, then Ant-Man is tiny Iron Man. Paul Rudd shines as the thief who becomes a reluctant superhero. But his connection to Hank Pym is very similar to the scientific advancements made by first Howard and then Tony Stark. Of course, Scott Lang is punished rather than celebrated, but he’s still an incredibly smart individual using a suit powered by technology to save the day. The smaller scale still makes it a lot of fun.

20. Spider-Man: Far From Home

The middle of the three Spider-Man films currently released in the MCU was the weakest of the bunch. Still, it proved to be a satisfying epilogue to the Infinity Saga as a whole. Peter and his friends dealt with their experience disappearing for five years due to the blip. Meanwhile, Peter was also dealing with his grief following the death of Tony Stark during the battle to defeat Thanos. There’s trauma and there’s growth. Of course, there’s a pretty obvious villain, even if you don’t know comic lore and obvious bad decisions from Spider-Man. It works and it looks like it’s going to set up a decent Skrull story, unfortunately we didn’t get that last part.

19. Deadpool & Wolverine

Deadpool finally joins the MCU with the third film in his trilogy and he brings Wolverine with him. In terms of advancing the MCU, this does almost nothing. A lot of it is nostalgia bait, but it’s fun nostalgia bait. This film lands almost every joke it attempts. That’s hard to do in the best of comedies. Plus, it’s exactly what you need Deadpool to be. His schtick doesn’t work well anchoring most MCU films, so you either need to keep it semi-separated like this or you have to leave him in small doses (which is best for Ryan Reynolds in general). Still, if you can’t enjoy yourself watching this, I really don’t know how to help you.

18. Avengers: Age of Ultron

Matthew Carroll of the Marvel Cinematic Universe podcast has dubbed this film “Weekend at Ultron’s” and he’s correct. This film has a lot going for it but still underdelivers. It gives a proper introduction to the Maximoff twins and gives us a reason for Bruce Banner to leave the planet to explain why he doesn’t appear again until Thor: Ragnarok. It also demonstrates some excellent camaraderie between the Avengers as they continue to grow as a team. And it demonstrates their flaws, especially those of Tony Stark and Bruce Banner when it comes to hubris. The real problem comes with how quickly Ultron is dispensed. There are times he is a Thanos-level threat, but here he’s treated almost as inconsequential as Justin Hammer when he’s defeated. They should’ve brought him back sooner than VisionQuest.

17. Fantastic Four: First Steps

The most recent MCU film released at the time of this article, it’s easily the best Fantastic Four film we’ve ever received. Skipping how the Fantastic Four got their powers was a good decision. This allows the film to jump right into the story rather than get bogged down in backstory. The Fantastic Four are celebrities in the comics, so it makes sense that they are celebrities in their own world. Plus, it helps build the Multiverse Saga by having them set in a different universe and make their way to MCU-prime (or Earth 616 as they said in some of the other films).

16. Captain America: Civil War

It’s Avengers 2.5. This is the third and final film in the Captain America trilogy featuring Steve Rogers. Truthfully, it’s not that much of a solo outing. After the Avengers mess up and cause a lot of collateral damage, they break up over the Sokovia Accords with Steve Rogers on one side and Tony Stark on the other. Both make excellent points. Tony is right that the Avengers (and especially him) need oversight. Steve is right that the Avengers being under government control can lead to them being used against innocent people. (Seriously look around at history). The film gives an excellent look at that dichotomy and how they are both right and both wrong. Plus, it gives proper MCU introductions to both Black Panther and Spider-Man. It’s a very strong outing.

15. Spider-Man: No Way Home

The third standalone Spider-Man film in the MCU is a weird mix of nostalgia bait and advancing the overall plot of the MCU. It brings in the major villains from both Tobey Maguire’s and Andrew Garfield’s Spider-Man films while bringing in the actors as well. However, it sets up Tom Holland’s Spider-Man to be his own person going forward in the MCU. Holland’s Spider-Man had been too tied to Iron Man prior to this film. He can now grow as a character thanks to what was done here.

14. Thor: Ragnarok

It’s the best Thor movie, the only good Thor movie, the best Hulk movie and the best Dr. Strange movie we’ve gotten in the MCU. After the struggles of the first two Thor films, Taika Waititi was handed the reins to make the series less dour. Fortunately, Marvel seemed to give him a filter for this film that they forgot for Thor: Love and Thunder. The humor works here as serious moments are allowed to breathe. Plus, the line “he’s a friend from work,” may be one of the funniest lines delivered in the entire MCU.

13. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings

2021 was a weird time. Coming out of COVID restrictions, films were usually only in theaters for about 30 days. Marvel had a backlog of films due to movies that should’ve been released in 2020 having to be delayed. This created a weird schism where it was easy for Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings to get lost. It was the first film in Phase 4 to feature a completely new character. It was set up nicely as something that looked completely different from the rest of the MCU while perfectly fitting in the MCU. So far, Marvel has failed to capitalize on this film. Hopefully, they do more after Avengers: Secret Wars.

12. Captain America: The First Avenger

The first period piece of the MCU, Captain America: The First Avenger introduces Steve Rogers way back during World War II. The vast majority of the film is set in the 1940s and shows how “a 90 pound asthmatic” can become the greatest superhero of the time: steroids. Kidding, but the supersoldier serum helps give physical strength to the heroic heart Rogers already has. It hits many typical notes from World War II while revealing Red Skull and Hydra as a villain so bad the Nazis are their allies. The film teaches honor, heroism and self-sacrifice, keenly setting up a way for Steve Rogers to appear in the 2010s without appearing 70 years older.

11. Spider-Man: Homecoming

Spider-Man gets his first solo outing in the MCU, and fans finally get an entire film set with him in high school. It shows the importance of his Aunt May, introduces his rivalry with Flash Thompson and gives him a mentor in Tony Stark/Iron Man along with a close friend in Ned and the introduction of a different kind of MJ. It’s a strong outing to make this Spider-Man feel more like the early Spider-Man from the comics. There are two flaws that hold this film back. The villain, Vulture, is the father of a girl named Liz who Peter is dating. Much like previous Spider-Man iterations, the villain has a contrived connection to him. Also, the villain is truly angry at Iron Man rather than Spider-Man. The other issue is Iron Man’s tech in the suit made him feel like Iron Lad with a Spider-Man overlay rather than Spider-Man. But these are small in the grand scheme as John Watts told the story well.

10. Guardians of the Galaxy

This film was the true make or break point for the MCU. Marvel had found a way to build a decent shared universe through the first Avengers film and some follow-ups with the original crew. But the universe needed to expand and what better way to expand than the far reaches of space. Guardians of the Galaxy is like the Cosmic Avengers if they were also just screw-ups and malcontents. If this film had failed, it would’ve hampered the MCU’s growth. Instead, James Gunn delivered an excellent first film for a team that allowed the MCU to become the juggernaut of the 2010s.

9. Iron Man

The first MCU film released remains in the Top 10. This film had to be a success for us to ever get the shared universe we now know, love and adore. Jon Favreau took a chance on Robert Downey Jr. after multiple stints in prison, and it paid off with one of the best comic book movies ever. Iron Man was considered a B- or C-list superhero when this film was announced. Instead he becomes one of the major players, if not THE major player of the MCU between 2008 and 2019. His impact could be felt in films past his character’s death and we all have this film to thank.

8. Avengers

After five solo films featuring superheroes, it was time for the original six to form the superteam. It’s clear they are almost all at odds with each other and have to find a way to put their differences aside to work toward a common goal. It’s a basic plot that worked well in their first team-up movie. Unfortunately, it’s a plot that’s been rehashed a few times in Avengers films and even in other team-up films not featuring the Avengers. It was a simple story that worked.

7. Thunderbolts*

While the MCU has struggled to find its footing in its shared universe post-Endgame, this is an example of what happens when they hit it out of the park. This look at loneliness and depression is filled with dark humor and personal growth. It brings back beloved and hated characters from several other properties. Bucky Barnes is set up to be the one we want to support, but by the end of the film, almost everyone involved has gotten us on their side. It introduces a new character in Bob/Sentry/Void, as well as bringing back characters from Black Widow and Ant-Man and the Wasp. The only character who some may struggle to understand is US Agent since he was introduced in the television series Falcon and the Winter Soldier rather than an MCU film.

6. Guardians of the Galaxy: Volume 3

James Gunn knows how to deliver doesn’t he? In the third and final outing for the original Guardians of the Galaxy, the Cosmic Avengers are still looking to recover after losing Gamora while also learning more about the struggles that created the Rocket Raccoon who became a member of the team. Despite no one dying, the film’s themes of found family, empathy and past trauma touch every aspect of the film delivering one of the strongest outings from any group of Marvel characters. Add in the introduction of Adam Warlock and Star Lord seemingly finding peace and the film delivers on all counts. Plus, it has the first F-bomb in the MCU. That was necessary with Deadpool and Wolverine on the horizon afterward.

5. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

Another film focusing on serious themes, this one tackles loss and grief. Written and filmed in the wake of actor Chadwick Boseman’s death, it wasn’t clear where the story would go with the man who played the titular Black Panther no longer there. Instead, director Ryan Coogler worked in an excellent tribute to his fallen friend while reworking the story to lift up his family and friends. Shuri taking over as Black Panther while M’Baku taking over as King of Wakanda allows both to expand and grow as characters. Plus, the introduction of Namor the Submariner gives a righteous villain which is something at which Black Panther films excel. The plot is very similar to Avatar: The Way of Water, but it’s a much better film.

4. Avengers: Endgame

Few movie series have been able to stick the landing for a shared universe of storytelling like this one did. An ambitious endeavor that started back in 2008 with Iron Man comes full circle as the Avengers go back in time to save their lost loved ones and then take out the universe-ending level threat who beat them in the previous Avengers film. It wraps up 11 years of storytelling and would’ve served as a nice finale had Marvel not decided to continue the shared universe of films. Still, it could’ve easily failed but instead it delivered at the most important time.

3. Black Panther

Black Panther was introduced in Captain America: Civil War before getting his own solo movie. This allowed the audience to become familiar with him so they could be excited for his first solo outing. As the first Black character to get a solo series, this was an excellent opportunity to highlight diversity and representation and grow the overall universe. It had to be good and the film found a way to deliver. Ryan Coogler showed the directing and screenwriting chops that would eventually lead to him winning a Best Original Screenplay Oscar years later. The cast nailed every aspect of the film, setting everything up for greatness.

2. Avengers: Infinity War

Obviously this had to be near the top of the list. Much like how Empire Strikes Back shines because of its storytelling setting up completion in a sequel, so does Infinity War. The bad guy has to win this, so the good guys can look to be challenged in the next film. It’s excellent storytelling because of how it makes the good guys feel defeated before giving viewers hope and joy. The Avengers were fractured in Civil War and it gives Thanos everything he needs to complete his mission. It also sets up how they know they can’t win without each other pushing us toward Endgame.

1. Captain America: The Winter Soldier

Was there ever any doubt about which film would top this list? Captain America: The Winter Soldier is the only MCU film that you could remove completely from the MCU and stand it on its own and people would love it. (Although, you would have to remove the Captain America branding for that to work.) The suspenseful spy thriller tells amazing stories of espionage, corruption, inside jobs and a hostile takeover of a government agency. The only problem is it was much better when it was fiction rather than the fact it became years after the film’s release.