Every Marvel Cinematic Universe Movie Ranked Worst To Best
MCU bad isn't even bad.
Over the course of the last 17 years, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has emerged as the defining movie franchise of our times. Sure, individual releases stand out in that period, but the MCU has changed the cinematic landscape, both in influence and the reactions from Disney's competitors to find their own groove. Releasing 35 chapters of anything (without even accounting for the TV shows), is a stunning achievement that flies in the face of the repeated suggestions at various points since 2008 that the superhero bubble is always on the verge of implosion.
The MCU's movies represent an almighty amount of homework now, but they do tell a narrative tapestry, but each one needs to work on its own. And, while the overall quality is uniformly high (few are outright bad, and most are at least above-average), MCU movies can be broken into clear strata of quality, ranging from the sure-fire classics to comparative misfires.
How We Rank MCU Movies
Alex Leadbeater and Simon Gallagher have combined experience writing about movies and TV of over 25 years. While the question of quality is subjective, they combine their experience with objective metrics, critical consensus, and - crucially - audience expectation to rank Marvel's 35 movies. At the heart of every decision are simple questions: what makes a great comic book movie experience, what viewers expect, and pure entertainment value. It's not all about how good each movie is compared to Avengers: Endgame.
35 Iron Man 2 (2010)Your RatingIron Man 2 Release Date May 7, 2010All of Phase 1 displays signs of a studio struggling to find its edge, but nowhere do you feel the strain of the shared universe as much as with Iron Man 2. Primarily, Jon Favreau's sequel seems to exist to move Tony Stark backwards from where he was left by the two post-credits scenes of Iron Man and The Incredible Hulk - The Avengers plan changed and having Stark at the forefront of the team was no longer the starting status quo - which requires a lot of confused setup for the future, none of it very interesting.
34 Thor: The Dark World (2013)Your RatingThor: The Dark World Release Date November 8, 2013While it's often cited as an out-and-out bad film, Thor: The Dark World's real problem is that it's bland. The story is - like other low-ranking MCU sequels - multiple different threads all undernourished. The tone never embraces the full-on Kirby cosmic side to the extent the movie thinks yet neither passes as a knockabout comedy either. And there's so little ingenuity that its finale where all reality hangs in the balance is set in one square at the University of Greenwich
33 Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania (2023)Your RatingAnt-Man & the Wasp: Quantumania Release Date February 17, 2023After Ant-Man and The Wasp somewhat surprisingly outperformed the original, Marvel decided to go bigger, tying Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania into the then unnamed Multiverse Saga and using it as a de facto backdoor pilot for the hastily canceled Avengers: The Kang Dynasty. And while Jonathan Majors' Kang is a strong presence, it's ultimately quite difficult to care about the stakes in a sea of distracting CGI.
32 The Incredible Hulk (2008)Your RatingThe Incredible Hulk Release Date June 13, 2008It's not the worst MCU film, but The Incredible Hulk is undoubtedly the black sheep. And actually The Incredible Hulk is a solid piece of world-building bundled in an otherwise generic 2008 blockbuster. Louis Leterrier's direction is off the shelf, with high contrast, sweaty night-time scenes style du jour, and its story is any werewolf narrative turned action movie. Edward Norton may have had grander plans in mind, but The Incredible Hulk is lacking anything unique.
31 Ant-Man And The Wasp (2018)Your RatingAnt-Man and the Wasp Release Date July 6, 2018Ant-Man and the Wasp is the Marvel movie everybody who dislikes the MCU sight-unseen thinks Marvel movies are. It's an unimaginative stringing together of multiple random plot strands that never fully pay off (the third act involves six different sets of characters and yet they barely connect up), instead repeatedly falling back on the charisma of its leads for quick laughs. The result is the most out-and-out boring entry in the series, one that does very little with its characters and is instantly forgettable.
30 Avengers: Age Of Ultron (2015)Your RatingAvengers: Age of Ultron Release Date May 1, 2015Avengers: Age of Ultron remains the biggest disappointment in the MCU and very much the result of the infamous Marvel Creative Committee, who by most accounts were meddling with the film's direction to a damaging degree. On the other hand, many of its missteps have come to define the MCU going forward: comedy undercutting sincerity (see: Ultron's "children" line); slow scenes filling in for genuine character development (see: Hawkeye's farmhouse); and a disregard for the continuity (see: the mid-credits scene with a totally new Infinity Gauntlet),
29 Black Widow (2021)Your RatingBlack Widow Release Date July 9, 2021The decade-long wait for Scarlett Johannson to get her own solo movie, extended even further by the COVID-19 pandemic, wasn't worth it after all. Set directly following the mainline events of Captain America: Civil War, Black Widow could have effectively released in the early stages of MCU Phase 3 and been entirely unaltered as a movie or experience. But the problems with the Phase 4 starter as a movie aren't related to it coming after the outer-space death of its protagonist in Avengers: Endgame, but are more rooted in its uncharacteristically poor filmmaking, odd miscastings (chiefly Ray Winstone as Dreykov), and uneven editing.
28 Eternals (2021)Your RatingEternals Release Date November 5, 2021Fittingly, given how the comic inspirations for Eternals were created after Jack Kirby returned to Marvel Comics after his New Gods arc was cut short, there's a distinct sense of DC to MCU Phase 4's most experimental film. With Chloe Zhao at the helm, the result is bold, often exciting, but coming as the 26th entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe also confused. Fundamentally, while Marvel's weakest entries are undone by playing it too safe, Eternals finds itself overburdened by the restrictions the universe's well-worn formula imposes.
27 Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness (2022)Your RatingDoctor Strange In the Multiverse of Madness Release Date May 6, 2022A Sam Raimi multiverse Marvel movie implicitly promises a lot of things; horror-comedy tinges; weird and wacky universes; big, alt-take cameos. Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness delivers on all of these aspects, but in a lackluster manner. The Evil Dead stylings, outside of some nifty camera movements and a top-tier Bruce Campbell cameo, come across as window dressing.
Stephen Strange's sophomore adventure takes him to only two other universes for more than a second of screentime. And the much-lauded Illuminati cameos feel the strain of contract and COVID measures, most lacking depth within the narrative of the film or the wider MCU and existing mainly to deliver a gag done better by both Deadpool 2 and The Suicide Squad.
26 Thor: Love And Thunder (2022)Your RatingThor: Love and Thunder Release Date July 8, 2022Love and Thunder's high points are found in its redemptive story for Natalie Portman's Jane Foster, and the delightful comedy of her awkward transition into superheroism, as well as Christian Bale's incredible performance as Gorr the God Butcher. Even if this proves to be the last the MCU sees of Taika Waititi's brand of superhero moviemaking, Love and Thunder was a fair - and underrated - account of Marvel allowing a director to do mostly what they want. Yes, it has its flaws, but the low critical rating feels more like a reflection of a change in perception - and the willingness to accept that not every MCU movie needs a waterfall of hyperbole - than an actual drop in quality.
25 Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)Your RatingGuardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 Release Date May 5, 2017Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 has a lot going for it. It looks absolutely incredible and there's a cast of likable, offbeat heroes to provide a string of great moments. It's just a shame the movie doesn't have a proper story. The movie begins with the team on the run from Sovereign, then they're saved by Ego, then Ego reveals he's bad and they have to stop him. That's pretty much it, and it leaves a film with plenty of style but no momentum; once Ego arrives, everything grinds to a halt for 30 minutes where there's no direct threat. It highlights the problem Marvel has with first sequels, wanting pure character development but not knowing how to realize that beyond a string of scenes where characters explain how they feel.
24 Captain Marvel (2019)Your RatingCaptain Marvel Release Date March 6, 2019Operating as the MCU's first lore-heavy prequel, Captain Marvel does a good job of expanding the world. 1990s period details are mostly background (bar specific music choices), and the Marvel references are mostly organic and expand known ideas without contradicting (just don't ask Nick Fury how he lost his eye or where the name Avengers came from). And, of course, with clear connections to Avengers: Endgame (which Larson shot first), it exemplifies origin stories as dry runs for bigger adventures; Brie Larson is more Hemsworth than Evans (strong, promising, not fully there yet) but it doesn't matter because this functions as just one piece of a whole.
23 Captain America: Brave New World (2025)Your RatingCaptain America: Brave New World Release Date February 14, 2025The first true legacy MCU movie replaces Chris Evans' pitch-perfect Steve Rogers with Anthony Mackie's Sam Wilson as Captain America for a geopoltical sham of a plot that makes way for something more personal and weirdly closely tied to The Incredible Hulk. The Red Hulk parts are great, but were spoiled too far in advance, and the Sam/Joaquin dynamic isn't as strong as Steve/Sam was. Still, the action is good, the plot most gripping, and the Red Hulk-starring climax is a genuine riot. It won't be remembered as a great, but it's certainly still good.
22 Ant-Man (2015)Your RatingAnt-Man Release Date July 14, 2015Ant-Man was the first in a new type of Marvel origin film. Here was a character becoming a superhero in a world where the Avengers already exist, where namedrops and cameos were de rigor, and the formula was down to a tee. But this was also a movie where the production limitations (Edgar Wright was infamously fired three months before production began, replaced by Peyton Reed) and the high hit-rate of said formula made for safe choices. The result is pretty much the definition of the most middling Marvel film, overall competent but with little ambition, and where the character would only truly shine when part of the wider ensemble.
21 Thor (2011)Your RatingThor Release Date May 6, 2011Chris Hemsworth wasn't as out-of-the-gate perfect as Thor compared to Evans' Cap or RDJ's Tony Stark, but the sillier Earth-side of the story allows him to ease into the role. On the other side, Tom Hiddleston is a revelation as Loki, who's never been more complicated than here, and the supporting cast like Anthony Hopkins as Odin is inspired. Rewatching this surprise hit back now, it's evident how much the sequels miss how Kenneth Branagh pretty much nailed the balance between comedy and sincerity first time out.
20 Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings (2021)Your RatingShang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings Release Date September 1, 2021It may be the second movie in MCU Phase 4 (and sixth release counting the Disney+ shows), but Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings feels very much like old-school Marvel. There's that care paid to a lesser-known character in a singular story that hearkens back to the wins of Marvel's Phase 1 before the formula became overly prescriptive and shared universe requirements started to dominate the storytelling. That comes with all the discussed positives and negatives (the action is tailored to kung-fu stylings, yet the finale inevitably falls into a suffocating CGI kaiju fight) but having ten years of refinement ultimately serves as a tone and scale reset Marvel desperately needed.
19 Iron Man 3 (2013)Your RatingIron Man 3PG-13
Release Date May 3, 2013Iron Man 3 is far and away the most underrated movie in the MCU. Coming off The Avengers and returning straight to standalone stories with the odd nod to Thor and Captain America was a tricky ask, but Marvel went for broke with what will likely be the last Robert Downey, Jr-led outing. It's a Shane Black movie through and through, from the stylish ephemera - framing narration, Christmas setting - to more fundamental aspects - the wry humor, the focus on buddy-cop escapades - and doesn't fall into many of the Marvel formula pitfalls that later movies would (the Whedon influence was yet to sink in). Plainly, Iron Man 3 has one of the most distinct personalities in the series (even more so than Guardians of the Galaxy).
18 Doctor Strange (2016)Your RatingDoctor Strange Release Date October 25, 2016It's easy to be glib about Doctor Strange. An origin story for an arrogant, sarcastic, rich man with a goatee who suffers a life-changing injury but directly through that discovers new powers - on paper it transplants Iron Man's formula to Stephen Strange to a tee. Yet this is a wholly unique film that simply uses the tropes to tell a much more offbeat story than Marvel was used to. Benedict Cumberbatch is easy casting but gives his all, as do the often underutilized cast, while the humor that waylaid many Phase 3 movies is worked into the character beats more organically than most.
17 Thor: Ragnarok (2017)Your RatingThor: Ragnarok Release Date November 3, 2017Thor: Ragnarok is the epitome of Marvel fun. It's an entertaining but flippant movie, one that prioritizes in-the-moment laughs over anything of greater weight; its subtext - how colonizers hide their dark pasts - is given brief mention before being relegated to background references. Being from Taika Waititi, the jokes have slightly more edge than standard Marvel, but he arguably didn't go far enough. What he did nail was the Kirby references, that give Ragnarok one of the most distinctive looks in the MCU, and it's clear how much fun both Hemsworth and Hiddleston had here.
16 Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022)Your RatingThor: Ragnarok Release Date November 3, 2017On reflection, it's fair to say that Black Panther: Wakanda Forever was one of the MCU's most anticipated movies of all, given a near-impossible mission to not only follow the financial and critical success of its predecessor, but also to hold up a mirror to the collective grief at Chadwick Boseman's death. Ryan Coogler's sequel could have been a mournful eulogy to the MCU's T'Challa, putting aside a broader story for the sake of careful reflection and the issue of legacy, but Coogler aimed bigger. Wakanda Forever is not only a reflection of loss, but also a claws-out superhero event that packs in all-out war alongside a tender, deeply personal story.
Lady Gaga teamed up with Andy Samberg for a surprise medley of Lonely Island hits on Saturday Night Liveâ??sĂ SNL 50: The HomecomingĂ concert.
Read more >> : Cick here
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Brie Larson was left speechless during her appearance on BBC's Saturday Kitchen.
Read more >> : Cick here
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
The latest Marvel blockbuster â?? starring Anthony Mackie and Harrison Ford â?? has drawn backlash from all political corners. But a film this bland doesnâ??t warrant such hand-wringing
Read more >> : Cick here
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Khloe Kardashian revealed that sometimes famous men will hit on her and older sister Kim Kardashian at the same time while as she spilled secrets on her dating life
Read more >> : Cick here
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
John Lennon believed in rock n' roll as a concept. Even later in his career, he typically listened to older music. He once revealed his favourite rock song.
Read more >> : Cick here
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Former NFL coach Bill Belichick has revealed what exactly went wrong for the Kansas City Chiefs and Andy Reid at the Super Bowl.
As far as Belichick is concerned, Chiefs coach Reid
Read more >> : Cick here
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
The Substance star has been married three times
Read more >> : Cick here
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
DANNY Dyer might have shocked EastEnders fans when he quit playing miserable landlord Mick Carter, but this is the best decision heâs ever made. The actor has now risen from the Albert SquareâŚ
Read more >> : Cick here
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
A woman who alleged she was sexually assaulted as a 13-year-old by Jay-Z and Sean âDiddyâ Combs has voluntarily withdrawn her lawsuit.
Read more >> : Cick here
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Actress Han Ji-min shared her heartfelt thoughts as "Love Scout" came to an end
Read more >> : Cick here
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Twitter (X), Inc. was an American social media company based in San Francisco, California, which operated and was named for its flagship social media network prior to its rebrand as X. In addition to Twitter, the company previously operated the Vine short video app and Periscope livestreaming service
Twitter (X) is one of the most popular social media platforms, with over 619 million monthly active users worldwide. One of the most exciting features of Twitter (X) is the ability to see what topics are trending in real-time. Twitter trends are a fascinating way to stay up to date on what people are talking about on the platform, and they can also be a valuable tool for businesses and individuals to stay relevant and informed. In this article, we will discuss Twitter (X) trends, how they work, and how you can use them to your advantage.
What are Twitter (X) Worldwide Trends?
Twitter (X) Worldwide trends are a list of topics that are currently being talked about on the platform and also world. The topics on this list change in real-time and are based on the volume of tweets using a particular hashtag or keyword. Twitter (X) Worldwide trends can be localized to a Worldwide country or region or can be global, depending on the topic's popularity.
How Do Twitter (X) Worldwide Trends Work?
Twitter (X) Worldwide trends are generated by an algorithm that analyzes the volume of tweets using a particular hashtag or keyword. When the algorithm detects a sudden increase in tweets using a specific hashtag or keyword, it considers that topic to be trending.
Once a topic is identified as trending, it is added to the list of Twitter (X) Worldwide trends. The topics on this list are ranked based on their popularity, with the most popular topics appearing at the top of the list.
Twitter (X) Worldwide trends can be filtered by location or category, allowing users to see what topics are trending in their area or in a particular industry. Additionally, users can click on a trending topic to see all of the tweets using that hashtag or keyword.