The Marvel Cinematic Universe kicked off in 2008, and in the intervening years has become one of the biggest movie franchises of all time. Some of the movies have been genuinely great, while others have been… questionable. These ten are the best the franchise has to offer.
Iron Man
Iron Man kicked the franchise off in 2008 with a bang. Robert Downey Jr.’s impeccable Tony Stark is the perfect blend of witty, overconfident, and empathetic to make him one of the most compelling superheroes to ever grace the big screen.
The Avengers
The Avengers took the entirety of the work Marvel did in its first phase and paid it off in a big way. Seeing heroes like Thor, The Hulk, and Black Widow all team up to face off against the charming rogue Loki (Tom Hiddleston) was a rare treat and showed what the shared universe format was capable of.
Captain America: The Winter Soldier
The second Captain America film is a spy thriller wearing a superhero outfit. It’s a gripping, tense film that takes itself seriously in all the right ways. Chris Evans taps into a deep well as the morally uncompromising “Man of Yesterday” who grapples with an ethically murky American government.
Guardians of the Galaxy
Peter Quill and his gang of plucky outlaws save the galaxy while jamming out to 70s rock music. This joyous movie is a celebration of everything weird and wild in Marvel’s psychedelic outer space setting. The previously unheard-of Guardians quickly became fan favorites thanks to this excellent movie.
Captain America: Civil War
Captain America movies just bring it consistently. Civil War is as much an Avengers movie as a Cap movie, bringing Iron Man, Black Widow, The Vision, and numerous other major characters into the action. Cap is still the center of attention here, as is his friendship with former villain Bucky Barnes.
Spider-Man: Homecoming
Tom Holland knows how to be Spider-Man. This excellent film reimagines Peter Parker as a protégé to Tony Stark, an interesting wrinkle on the character that serves this modern-day reinterpretation well. Web-slinging, high-flying action and high school drama make this a genuinely enjoyable slice of the Spider-Man mythos.
Thor: Ragnarok
The third Thor film finally let the God of Thunder cut loose. A free-wheeling script and the comedic timing of director Taika Waititi come together to make this the best Thor film and a high-water mark for the entire MCU.
Avengers: Infinity War
Infinity War is an apocalyptic film in the best possible way. It somehow perfectly captures the larger-than-life feeling of comic book crossover events. This movie is so big that it should collapse under the weight of its far-ranging narrative and dozens of important, named characters. Somehow, it all just works.
Read More: 10 Star Wars “Rules” the Franchise has Abandoned
Avengers: Endgame
Endgame takes the bombast and gravitas of Infinity War and turns it all up a notch. The surviving Avengers hatch a plan to thwart Thanos by using a combination of time travel, magical stones, and some good, old-fashioned beatdowns. It’s a satisfying narrative conclusion to ten years of interconnected filmmaking.
Read More: The 10 Best Video Games Based on Movies
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
The best of the post-Endgame batch of MCU films is Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, James Gunn’s swan song to the franchise. While Gunn rockets off to DC to make a new Superman movie, Guardians 3 gives us one last stellar ride with the band of misfits before kissing them goodbye with tears in its eyes and a smile on its face.
Read More: 10 Ways ‘Star Wars’ Is Different Now that Disney Owns It
