Ranking the MCU (Revised)
The universe is expanding and we’ve finally dipped out toes into the multiverse. And before Thor: Love and Thunder hit theaters tomorrow, I had to review my MCU rankings. (Also check out the review video here or below)
Ranking the Marvel Cinematic Universe has gotten quite complicated over the last two years. It used to single franchise and the Avengers, but now you TV shows, standalone movies and what-not.
I used to be able to do a ranking after every new movie, but then I decided I needed a better strategy. I needed to watch some movies again, to see how my opinions might’ve changed over the years.
That’s why I decided to do my rankings at least once or maybe twice a year. And I think I also have to split the movies and the TV shows from now. Ms Marvel recently debuted and I love it so far, but I’m still not sure where it ranks, all I can say is Loki is my favourite show so far.
Back to the movies, the MCU has grown into one of the biggest if not the biggest franchises over the last 14+ years and there is no stopping them now.
The latest films in the franchise have broken numerous box office records, something that was unseen during the pandemic. You might think the MCU might slow, but after 28 movies it’s still going strong.
The funny thing is that phase four have the franchise consists of one of its best movies and also one of its worse. After Avengers: Endgame there was no knowing where the series might head to next, but now we know the multiverse is one of the answers.
Spider-Man: No Way Home and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse breathed new life into the franchise and made me excited about what might come next. And then came Morbius trying to piggyback off of Spider-Man, fortunately it wasn’t Morbin’ Time.
Marvel still has a lot of stories to tell and I’m excited to see what the future holds, especially with Thor: Love and Thunder coming out next month.
So here’s how the phase 4 moviesrank among the other films in the franchise:
28. The Incredible Hulk
The Hulk is well-loved character. The CGI in this film was really realistic, but that is the memorable part of the movie. It just does not hold up with the other MCU films. Edward Norton was great as the Bruce Banner, but Mark Ruffalo has been the best recast ever. Honestly, the only reason I remember parts of the movie is because of What If series.
27. Thor: The Dark World
This is another movie that broke records or it was more like a broken record. It is like a repeat of other fantasy films, it had no real substance. The greatest part of the film was Tom Hiddleston as Loki, definitely a scene stealer. It’s one of the franchises weakest links. Easy to forget with a villain that most people can’t even remember, thank goodness Taika Waititi made Thor relevant again.
26. Eternals
I appreciate the Eternals for telling a story that has nothing to do with the Avengers, but that doesn’t mean it stands out. It has amazing visuals and some fun characters (plus an exciting post credits scene). I’m excited to see how the characters will future in the future of the MCU, but for now it’s not a movie I’d re-watch soon, unless I have an MCU marathon.
25. Iron Man 2
Robert Downey Jr is hands down the best casting choice Marvel Studios has ever made. Unfortunately Iron Man 2 falls flat on its face. The only memorable part of the movie was Tony’s drinking problem and the Scarlett Johansson making her debut as Black Widow.
24. Thor
This is an origin movie that is memorable, but not particularly great. Chris Hemsworth and Tom Hiddleston were still unknown actors when the movie came out, but they did an amazing job translating the movie onto the big screen. It was pretty boring, but I appreciate it for bringing a fantasy edge to the MCU.
23. Captain Marvel
The MCU’s first female solo movie is a fun addition to the bigger interconnected universe, but it simply does not live up to most of its predecessors. Some fans were not happy about the overall story and changes made to their favourite comic book characters. But the film was a hit for others and it was awesome to see a powerful heroine join the ranks of Thor, Iron Man, Hulk and Black Panther.
22. Iron Man 3
The only reason this movie is so low is because of the Mandarin let down (thankfully that was fixed). People were looking forward to seeing Ben Kingsley as one of the best Iron Man villains from the comics, but Marvel let them down. The overall story was enjoyable, but the actual villain was forgettable. As always RDJ was awesome.
21. Black Widow
Natasha getting her own film was something we’d been waiting for and it delivered, except for Taskmaster. I was so excited to his debut and I wasn’t mad that they gender-swopped the character, but they ruined it completely. I hope Taskmaster gets redeemed, also the movie had another forgettable generic villain. Thankfully we got to meet the Red Guardian and Yelena.
20. Captain America: The First Avenger
Captain America and everything he stands for served as a great way to introduce the fans to World War 2. Chris Evans completely embodies the character. The film was a great origin story and an awesome war story. The biggest let-down of the movie was not giving Red Skull more, character development, but luckily Infinity War kind of fixed that.
19. Ant-Man and The Wasp
The Ant-Man sequel gives us our first look at The Wasp and it gives the MCU another badass heroine for little girls to look up to. It also gives us a better look at the Quantum Realm, which will hopefully play a bigger role in future in future MCU movies. Paul Rudd is once again his charming self.
18. Avengers: Age of Ultron
Fans of the franchise were excited to see Ultron make his way to the silver screen and James Spader’s voice certainly did him justice. The movie looked great on paper; unfortunately it did not come out that great on screen. It was still awesome to see all the Avengers assemble again. The Ultron from the What If proved that the character can be a really big thorn in the side of Earth’s Mightiest heroes.
17. Ant-Man
One of the most obscure film’s Marvel Studios has ever made and it was definitely a success in my opinion. Paul Rudd brought different kind of comedy to the MCU and it turned out to be one of the movies we never knew we needed.
16. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
James Gunn took his weird space opera to another part of the universe and it was hilarious. Seeing a planet take the role of a villain was just something spectacular, unfortunately it was not as good as the original. I salute Gunn for sticking to his guns and giving us something that’s unique to these characters.
15. Doctor Strange
Fans wishes came true and we finally saw Benedict Cumberbatch as the Sorceror Supreme. The film was a typical superhero story, but it was executed perfectly. The film was the perfect mix of action, psychedelic sequences and humour.
14. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
One of the best movies to debut in phase 4 was definitely worth the hype, I think. It didn’t fully deliver on the multiverse aspect, but it was definitely filled with a world of madness. It was more of Scarlet Witch movie than a Doctor Strange film. The debate of who the strongest Avenger is was finally settled and we got to see some really cameos.
13. Iron Man
The film that started it all, the origin of all the Avengers Initiative and it is a true story of redemption. This is a hard film to place, because it is hands down one of the greatest, and it ended up paving the way for even greater movies.
12. Spider-Man: Homecoming
Spidey finally met up with the other guys and now he got to take in his place in the MCU. This is the best Spidey film since Spider-Man 2 and Tom Holland embodies both the titular character and his alter-ego.
11. Guardians of the Galaxy
This is the space opera movie the superhero genre needed. It proved that aliens and humans interacting can be quite funny. James Gunn most probably inspired a new generation of filmmakers with this movie. It was ground-breaking and really funny.
10. Spider-Man: Far From Home
It’s no secret that Spider-Man is my favourite all-time superhero, and that’s probably because I find Peter Parker so relatable. The newest movie in the franchise gives us a side of Spidey we have been waiting for and the villain is pretty good too. It’s hands down the best Spider-Man movie to me.
9. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
Marvel’s first martial arts movie is definitely one of my favourites. The fight scenes alone got it into my top 10. It’s not just another generic superhero flick, it actually has a compelling villain. It has a story that might hit close to home for some. The final act might have been filled with too much CGI, but it was fun to watch.
8. Black Panther
Black Panther gave fans the opportunity to experience Africa in a way they never did before. Us who grew up in the Motherland love how the continent was represented in the movie, especially after that Namibian easter egg. Black Panther started a superhero revolution and I cannot wait to see what is next. The passing of Chadwick Boseman still hits hard, but I can’t wait to see how his legacy is carried forward.
7. Avengers
This is the movie that got most people hooked to the MCU. It proved that an interconnected movie universe was possible and it can be awesome at the same time. Seeing our favourite childhood characters join forces was just awesome! It was also the first MCU movie I got to see at the cinema, so it will always be special to me.
6. Captain America: Civil War
This movie changed the way we see our heroes and it proved they are just humans after all. Pitting the heroes against each other was the perfect way to make sure the MCU will be changed forever. Civil War was the perfect push the genre needed to make sure it lasts for years.
5. Avengers: Endgame
Endgame changes everything we have known about the MCU and makes it better. The movie shows all characters at their lowest point and proves why they are heroes. This story wraps up everything that the studio has been building towards. It ended an era, but also opened the door for new things to come.
4. Thor: Ragnarok
The reinvention of the god of thunder was much needed. Thor was always the serious Avenger, but things changed a little in 2017. Ragnarok gave Chris Hemsworth a reason to shine and in a funny way. Teaming up with Hulk was the best way forward and Taika Waititi is one of the best directors ever. This is probably the Marvel I’ve rewatched the most.
3. Spider-Man: No Way Home
I know people say Spider-Man 2 is the best Spidey movie, but in my opinion this is the best. It’s not only one of the best MCU movies, but also one of the things to come from Sony. The movie went beyond what I expected. I read all the rumours before the movie came out and I’m glad most of them were true. We got to see three of our favourite webslingers team up and that’s something I’ll never forget.
2. Avengers: Infinity War
The movie that brought together the Avengers, the Guardians and all the other MCU characters is really something spectacular. It proved how interconnected these films really are, but not all characters got their chance to shine. The films ending was also a big shocker, but it is nonetheless one of the best in the MCU. The movie has been ten years in the making and it was worth the wait. It gave us one of the best movie villains since Loki’s fourth or fifth demise.
1. Captain America: Winter Soldier
This movie redefined the superhero genre and it proved that it can be more than just heroes and villains fighting. The story and each character fit perfectly into the setting and this is one movie that can be watched over and over again. It’s a political thriller at its best. The Russo proved worthy of everything Marvel, even Mjolnir.
