All Marvel Cinematic Universe Movies Ranked

With ‘Avengers: Endgame’ in theaters, how do the 22 films of the MCU stack up?

Eleven years and twenty-two films. It’s crazy to think about. When you look back at some of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s early work, they look rather quaint compared to the epic *Avengers: Endgame. The first film of the series, Iron Man* (2008), was released to theaters when I was fifteen. I grew up with these movies, so it was exceptionally hard to sit down and rank them. I love them all — even the average ones. So, with a significant amount of difficulty:

22. Thor: The Dark World (2013)

The second installment of the Thor franchise, while a fun ride, is pretty forgettable. If there’s one thing this film gifted the MCU, it’s the creative overhaul of the Thor franchise, leading to the zany Thor: Ragnarok (2017). Its muted color palette and uneven tone don’t do it any favors. Tom Hiddleston, as Loki, seems to be the only person in this movie having any actual fun; Chris Hemsworth seems bored as Thor. The villain, Malekith, is a bland, motive-less object for Thor to punch, and is played with all the charisma of wet cardboard by Christopher Eccleston. Neither the humor nor the emotional beats always land in this film, and our hero never learns or changes. Loki is the standout of this movie. If you’re a Loki fan, you’ll find some enjoyment in The Dark World.

21. The Incredible Hulk (2008)

While not without its merits, The Incredible Hulk still doesn’t quite get the big green guy right. Edward Norton is miscast as Bruce Banner, and the film seems to just be going through the motions. There is some style to the proceedings and some fun action set pieces. With the exception of William Hurt returning to the screen recently as Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross, this movie has been forgotten by the larger MCU. It feels inessential, and would have been much better with Mark Ruffalo in the lead.

20. Iron Man 2 (2010)

Kevin Feige was clearly still learning how to build a cinematic universe properly in Iron Man 2, and it shows. To be fair, he’s the first to have attempted one, so there wasn’t any road map to follow here. Robert Downey, Jr. was born to play Tony Stark/Iron Man, which is the biggest strength of the film. The action set pieces seem too random and separate from the plot, and the second act of the film drags as Tony creates a new element to fix his blood poisoning. All in all, it’s an entertaining if uneven movie that doesn’t hold a candle to the best Marvel has to offer. At least it introduced us to Scarlett Johansson’s Black Widow.

19. Thor (2011)

Thor is one of those films that is a lot of fun to watch for the performances of Chris Hemsworth and Tom Hiddleston as mythic brothers Thor and Loki. The fish-out-of-water storyline creates some great opportunity for comedy, but the boring location of a small, New Mexico town hinders the film. Chris Hemsworth and Natalie Portman have little in the way of chemistry and only spend a few days together, so the emotional payoff at the end doesn’t really land. Kenneth Branaugh is a fine director, he just doesn’t have the material to work with here.

18. Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018)

This is where the ranking starts getting really hard, because I truly enjoy the middle half of this list. Ant-Man and the Wasp was in a better position than its predecessor, as director Peyton Reed wasn’t coming into the production midway through. Therefore, the direction is a little more sturdy here. It also is the first movie (co-)lead by a female. Hope Van Dyne/Wasp (Evangeline Lilly) is a great character. It’s a laugh-a-minute comedy, with some creative visuals and great action, but there are a few problems with it.

For one, the movie is simply weightless. The villains are little more than a minor annoyance to our heroes, and don’t evoke any growth from them. Then, there’s Scott Lang (Paul Rudd). In the first film, Scott was a capable, smart, yet flawed man that Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) chose to take his mantle. Yet, here, Scott is written as an unintelligent loser. Big laughs are imminent, but at the cost of the character.

17. Ant-Man (2015)

Both Ant-Man and it’s sequel have been released after Avengers films as small scale palette cleansers of sorts. For that purpose, they work well. Paul Rudd is great as Paul Rudd — I mean, Scott Lang, a criminal who, through the manipulation of Hank Pym takes on the Ant-Man mantle. It’s action-packed, funny, and heartfelt. The third act, taking place in a child’s bedroom, has some great visual gags and stylistic choices.

That being said, this is one of the biggest examples of the “Marvel formula” being evident. There are few risks being taken. It’s a great time and visually inventive, but predictable. It’s not a bad film, by any means, but it’s nothing spectacular either. I will note, however, that I saw it three times in the theater and the score by Christophe Beck is still my favorite in the MCU.

16. Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)

There’s a lot to like about this movie. Tom Holland is most definitely the best live-action Peter Parker we’ve seen thus far, and his Spider-Man is on point as well. Tony Stark is a welcome presence as Peter’s mentor, and it’s refreshing to have a high school setting in a Spider-Man movie — a real one, not one populated by thirty-year-olds. In the end, this is an enjoyable movie, with an excellent villain in The Vulture (Michael Keaton). But it’s still a character that we’ve seen before. The MCU had the opportunity to do something truly different and introduce Miles Morales, the protagonist of the excellent Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018). After what Sony did with that film, it’s hard to see Homecoming as anything more than average.

15. Doctor Strange (2016)

This is another film that sticks woefully close to Marvel’s formula. It’s basically Iron Man with magic instead of technology. However, director Scott Derrickson deserves major props for creating a new visual style for Marvel, as well as spearheading the magical corner of this universe. Visually, this is one of the strongest MCU offerings. The casting is perfect, and Tilda Swinton is a standout as The Ancient One, Strange’s mentor in the magical arts. Now that the basic origin story is out of the way, I can’t wait to see what Marvel does next with this character.

14. Avengers: Infinity War (2018)

This may be seen as blasphemy, and I’m aware that I am in the minority of people that were lukewarm on Infinity War. There’s still a lot of good in this movie, though. The character groupings are inspired, my favorite of which is Thor, Rocket Raccoon, and Groot. The action is well done, and the scope is massive, especially the third act battle sequence in Wakanda. Thanos is a great character, and this is his movie. His the best villain Marvel has had so far (barely edging out Killmonger of Black Panther), and is brought to life by Josh Brolin. The visuals used in creating Thanos through motion capture are in top form.

My issues with this movie come with its disjointed and unfocused storytelling. At times, this movie feels like a collection of scenes rather than a cohesive narrative. I don’t fault the filmmakers; they had to pull off a massive balancing act here. It works more often than it doesn’t, but it’s definitely uneven. The tragic final minutes of the film also ring hollow; we as an audience know these events will be reversed in the next installment. There was no good way to pull off the ending of this movie, and I commend the Russo brothers for doing what was a best case scenario. Infinity War just felt like too much set-up, not enough movie.

13. Iron Man 3 (2013)

The third movie in the Iron Man franchise is one of the most underrated films in the MCU. I’ll get this out of the way now: The Mandarin twist works, especially in the context of the film. The way Iron Man 3 moves Tony Stark forward is excellent, acknowledging the past but giving us glimpses into his future. He goes through real change in this movie, relying on his smarts to defeat both a physical villain and his own mental demons. Shane Black was a different voice in the MCU, and that rubbed a lot of people the wrong way.

Now, this film does have its faults. The way Tony just gets over his PTSD in a phone call with a child is an odd choice. His character arc is also undermined slightly by the third act, in which he relies on his suits to defeat the villain, but then comes to the conclusion he doesn’t need them. However, the positives of this movie far outweigh the negatives. Maybe give it a rewatch, IM3 haters.

12. The Avengers (2012)

The final movie in Phase One, which introduced the world to Thanos through a post credit scene, was an event upon its arrival. Unprecedented, this movie brought all four superheroes together for a team up that hadn’t been seen before. For that, it should be commended. It’s a lot of fun. Seeing these characters bicker with each other before teaming up to kick some alien ass is a good time. The third act of this movie is a comic book fan’s dream.

Loki is back as the villain, and as usual, Tom Hiddleston seems to be having a blast with the character. If only his plot wasn’t so nonsensical. He wanted to defeat the Avengers by…assembling them? He wanted to bring someone else’s army to Earth so he could rule it? Man, that trip through the wormhole must have really damaged his common sense. It’s a fun movie to watch from time to time, but it’s not the strongest Marvel has to offer.

11. Captain Marvel (2019)

After a severely lackluster marketing campaign, Captain Marvel proved to be a solid entry in the MCU. Brie Larson does exceptional work as Carol Danvers, and the supporting cast surrounding her imbues the movie with a lot of fun. The standouts are Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury (with glorious de-aging effects), Ben Mendelsohn as Talos, and of course, Goose the Cat. They all seem to be having a blast, especially Mendelsohn, who gets to finally break the typecasting he’s been subjected to recently. The 90s setting also allows for some fun cameos and pop culture references, as well as a killer selection of rock and pop songs from the era. I’ll be fair, a 90s set space adventure/buddy cop movie featuring Samuel L. Jackson and a cute cat is practically tailor-made for me.

10. Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)

Another underrated film in the MCU, Age of Ultron actually surpasses its predecessor in many ways. Director Joss Whedon balances the quieter character moments and the bombastic action sequences with more grace than he did in The Avengers, and the result is a film that gives its characters real growth. This film has some major repercussions for the MCU. It informs both Tony Stark and Steve Rogers’ arcs going forward, and lays groundwork that is built upon in many later installments. Whedon clearly doesn’t know what to do with Thor here, but that’s about it for my major gripes.

Ultron is a great villain, not despite, but because of his childish behavior. He’s the bratty teenager insistent on burning the world down just to spite Tony Stark, his “father.” James Spader, though motion capture and voice work, makes Ultron a memorable villain. The new additions to the team are all welcome, and the third act stakes are literally sky high. Age of Ultron is a movie I’ve revisited multiple times, and it always retains its entertainment value.

9. Iron Man (2008)

The movie that started it all is still one of Marvel’s best offerings. It introduced the world to Robert Downey Jr.’s iconic performance as Tony Stark/Iron Man, and set a new template not just for Marvel movies, but superhero movies in general. Jon Favreau’s assured direction gives the movie a classic feel, even with dated references to things like MySpace. Producer Kevin Feige took a gamble with this movie, and it payed off tenfold. Even with its flaws and dated elements, this is one of, if not the most influential blockbuster of the last two decades. There’s much more I could say about it, but that about sums it up.

8. Captain America: Civil War (2016)

There are some who argue that Civil War is more of an Avengers movie than a Captain America solo outing. Yet, Captain America is a captain, a leader, and this movie shows him undoubtedly in that element. There are a lot of characters, but Cap is at the forefront of it all. Civil War pays off the tension between Steve Rogers and Tony Stark that was first hinted upon in The Avengers, and it does it to tremendous effect. They are split in their political and ideological differences, neither of them completely right or wrong. This affords the film a nuance not seen in many Marvel films.

Civil War is a great Steve Rogers movie, and its ending has real ramifications. Some could say that the airport brawl not resulting in anyone’s death was a mistake, but in what world would the team be able to bounce back from that? A death would have been a major miscalculation, and the filmmakers were smart enough to know that. Once again, the villain of the movie has an unnecessarily complicated plan, but everything is pulled off with such aplomb that it’s hard to take real issue with any of the plot contrivances.

7. Black Panther (2018)

While this movie may not be my personal favorite in the MCU, it deserved its Best Picture nomination. Black Panther was a cultural milestone, and one of the biggest movies of the year. It was a huge step forward for diversity both in front of and behind the camera, and was an entertaining and emotional story to boot. Erik Killmonger (Michael B. Jordan) is one of the best villains in the MCU, bringing a real ethos to the proceedings and challenging T’Challa’s (Chadwick Boseman) perspectives.

What separates Black Panther from the rest of the Marvel films, besides its cast and crew, is its message. Director Ryan Coogler uses Marvel’s resources to tell a personal story that reflects our society and the injustices people face today. The third act has some shoddy visuals, more in line with a video game than a blockbuster film, but the emotional backbone is strong enough to hold the movie up. A smash with audiences and critics alike, a return to Wakanda is greatly anticipated.

6. Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)

Who would have known that provocateur filmmaker James Gunn would have taken one of Marvel’s most obscure and offbeat properties and turned it into one of their flagship franchises? Guardians of the Galaxy is a rousing, heartfelt, and funny film, and Gunn is the perfect choice to be behind the camera. A rag tag team of criminals which includes a talking raccoon and a sentient tree that can only speak one sentence shouldn’t work cinematically. Yet, it does, and to great effect.

Set to a bitchin’ soundtrack of classic rock and pop, Guardians of the Galaxy is a fast paced, crowd pleasing blockbuster with unique characters that will steal your heart, and if you’re not careful, your wallet. This film was a turning point for Marvel, fully branching out into the cosmic universe after the Thor films merely dabbled in it. It can be a tear jerker, especially in the third act, but it is undoubtedly fun — even if it doesn’t quite capitalize on its villain.

5. Thor: Ragnarok (2017)

After two lackluster movies, Marvel did an overhaul of Thor’s character and hired Taika Waititi to direct the third installment. The resulting film not only gives the Thor franchise a “most improved” award, but is one of Marvel’s best offerings. A zany, hilarious, candy-colored space adventure featuring Mark Ruffalo’s Bruce Banner/Hulk, Thor: Ragnarok takes everything previously established in the Thor movies and tosses it out the window in the first twenty minutes. Then, it has a hell of a lot of fun.

Chris Hemsworth finally feels comfortable in the character, not losing the regal elements when they’re needed, but also getting to let his hair down (or chop it off entirely). He is surrounded by one of Marvel’s best supporting casts, including Cate Blanchett (Hela), Tessa Thompson (Valkyrie), Karl Urban (Skurge), and cinematic treasure Jeff Goldblum (The Grandmaster). Memorable set pieces abound, and while the film loses some emotional gravitas among the spectacle and humor, it stands out among the rest of the MCU as something truly special.

4. Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)

If you haven’t figured it out yet, I really like the Captain America series. He’s my favorite comic book character, and Chris Evans is the perfect actor to embody Steve Rogers. He gets a true chance to shine in The Winter Soldier, a film that was Marvel’s first big step away from their formula, and the first sequel that expanded the hero’s journey in a meaningful way. Set in modern times, Winter Soldier explores Steve Rogers finding his place in a world that has moved on without him.

This is the Russo Brothers’ first collaboration with Marvel Studios, and its no wonder that Kevin Feige handed them the golden key to the Avengers mansion. What they do here is tremendous, staging fantastic action sequences, but never taking their eyes off of what matters: the characters. Chris Evans and Scarlett Johansson (Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow) have incredible chemistry, and their friendship sells this movie. Then again, Anthony Mackie (Sam Wilson/Falcon) and Chris Evans have great chemistry too. Maybe Chris Evans just has great chemistry with everybody. Regardless, The Winter Soldier is top tier Marvel.

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

While most sequels go bigger and bolder, James Gunn takes the Guardians of the Galaxy and thrusts them into a small, intimate story that explores familial relationships. Vol. 2 takes everything that worked in the first film, and expands upon it, doubling down on the humor, the colorful sets, and the emotional journey of its central “family.” Gunn made the decision to set his sequel shortly after the events of the first Guardians film, thus creating a movie about how they grew together. The resulting film is simply wonderful.

The MVP of Vol. 2 is Yondu (Michael Rooker), Peter Quill’s (Chris Pratt) mentor and the man who raised him. Revelations are made about Yondu that give the daring and beautiful third act a huge emotional payoff. It is one of the most emotionally resonant films in the MCU, and its clear that Gunn has a deep love for these characters. I am so happy that he’ll be back for Vol. 3.

2. Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)

Until very recently, The First Avenger would have been number one on this list. I have always loved Captain America. As a small person, I always related to Steve Rogers wanting to do more but being told he couldn’t, until the day he could. He’s good for the sake of good, and the very definition of a hero. The biggest super power Steve Rogers has isn’t his immense strength, but his heart of gold. Joe Johnston’s movie exhibits this perfectly.

There are those who hate that Captain America takes down most of Hydra’s bases in the course of a montage, and I can understand that. But what’s important in this movie isn’t the action — its the character of Steve Rogers. The filmmakers develop his relationships with his fellow soldiers, his love interest, and his friends, only to pull the rug out from under him in the gut-wrenching final minutes of the film. It’s a beautiful ending, and one that has put a great character arc for Steve into motion. I’ve been waiting for eight years to see the payoff, which is why the next film takes the top spot in my ranking:

1. Avengers: Endgame (2019)

What is there to say about this movie except: wow. I won’t spoil anything here, I promise. All I will tell you is that Avengers: Endgame wraps up the Infinity Saga, and specifically the arcs of Captain America and Iron Man perfectly. I couldn’t have asked for a better film. It’s light on action for the first two acts, only because it’s so focused on its characters. Steve Rogers finally gets the love he deserves in an Avengers movie, and it is spectacular.

Endgame is emotionally overwhelming, a great culmination of 22 films. It’s a definitive end, unlike anything Marvel has done before before. Any faults I could nitpick about are minor compared to what this movie does in terms of its characters. The Russos have created the essential Marvel movie. I can’t wait to revisit this one.

What are your favorite Marvel Cinematic Universe films?