Love it or hate it, nobody who wants to participate in pop culture can ignore the Marvel Cinematic Universe. As the internet and the streaming boom continue to divide the entertainment industry into smaller niche fragments, superhero tentpole movies are the closest thing we still have to a monoculture. That cultural dominance has allowed Marvel Studios to rope an increasingly large percentage of Hollywood’s A-list actors (and quite a few of its best directors) into its ever-expanding universe.
Years of billion dollar box office receipts and endless discourse about its stranglehold on the film industry make it easy to forget what a risky proposition the MCU was when it launched with “Iron Man” in 2008. Superhero movies without Batman, Superman, or Spider-Man were considered box office gambles at the time, and many entertainment industry observers doubted that audiences would continue to show up for so many interlocking films without getting fatigued. On top of all that, the entire project was launched with an action movie directed by the guy from “Swingers” whose leading man had suffered quite a bit of damage to his reputation.
But you know how the rest of the story goes. Even if Marvel’s cultural relevance has declined ever-so-slightly from the days of the biggest “Avengers” movies, Kevin Feige and his team have built a machine that’s constantly refueling with new stars and characters. The fact that we can take Marvel’s consistent profits for granted is a testament to its success — the company has completed its transition from a rebellious outsider to an established institutional player.
Ranking all of the movies in the MCU is a daunting task. Not only are there a ton of them — and we’re not even going to try to wade into the Disney+ shows — the interconnected story that they tell can make it difficult to compare them as standalone films. Still, the cream tends to rise to the top. From massive crossover events like “Avengers: Endgame” to “smaller” (an extremely relative term in this context) works from elite directors like Ryan Coogler and James Gunn, there are definitely some great Marvel movies that stand out from the crowd. Keep reading for our updating ranking of the best films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
With editorial contributions by Alison Foreman and Kate Erbland.
Who fights who (and for what): The Eternals, ultra-powerful beings who have apparently lived on Earth this whole time and condoned all kinds of suffering, decide to surface and fight the Deviants, their ancient enemies.
Good to watch if you liked: Trailers for this exact movie — if that.
Worth revisiting for: Brian Tyree Henry
Who fights who (and for what): Scott, Hope, Janet, and Hank join the creatures of the Quantum Realm in the fight against Kang the Conquerer (Jonathan Majors).
Good to watch if you liked: Only the CGI parts of the MCU.
Worth revisiting for: Watch this space? “Quantumania” is recent (and bad) enough that its larger purpose has yet to be revealed…if it exists.
Who fights who (and for what): On the run from the government after being transformed into the Hulk, Bruce Banner faces off against Russian operative Emil Blonsky, who undergoes an experimental procedure to match the monster within Banner.
Good to watch if you liked: “Halloween” sequels that have been rewritten as non-canon, Edward Norton, and Tim Roth’s appearances in “She-Hulk: Attorney at Law.”
Worth revisiting for: Comparing Norton’s somber portrayal of Banner to the dorkier performance from Mark Ruffalo, appreciating its attempts to add a bit more grit to the MCU, and recognizing that the franchise’s black sheep is perfectly okay compared to some of the latter, more canon installments.
Who fights who (and for what): The Asgardians fight the Dark Elves, who want to attack the Nine Realms with the Aether (the Reality Stone) — which happens to have entered the body of one Dr. Jane Foster (Natalie Portman).
Good to watch if you liked: Only the Asgard parts of “Thor.”
Worth revisiting for: The unexpected “Endgame” resonance, the Chris O’Dowd cameo, Darcy (Kat Dennings) calling Mjolnir “Mew-mew.”
Who fights who (and for what): After injuring his hand in a car crash, conceited doctor Stephen Strange winds up in the tutelage of the powerful wizard the Ancient One, becoming the only person capable of preventing the rise of Dark Dimension entity Dormammu.
Good to watch if you liked: Rachel McAdams (don’t expect her to do much though), “Constantine,” and Benedict Cumberbatch’s “Sherlock” series.
Worth revisiting for: The gravity spinning special effects, Benedict Wong’s first appearance as one of the MCU’s most beloved recurring players, and Cumberbatch’s double act by playing both Strange and Dormammu.
Who fights who (and for what): The gang is back together, this time fighting Ultron (James Spader), Tony’s AI which learns too quickly and decides to destroy humanity.
Good to watch if you liked: The first Avengers, any movie in which robots try to outsmart humans.
Worth revisiting for: The party scene first and foremost (maybe without the “Prima nocta” joke), and surprisingly a lot of groundwork for the Infinity Stones’ arc.
Who fights who (and for what): Thor, Valkyrie, and Jane (now also Thor) must stop Gorr (Christian Bale) who wants to kill all gods.
Good to watch if you liked: “Ragnarok,” but thought it was too sharp and focused.
Worth revisiting for: Hemsworth’s daughter India joining the MCU, Russell Crowe having an absolute ball, and more Korg.
Who fights who (and for what): Ghost a.k.a. Ava Starr seeks revenge on Hank Pym for an experiment that killed her parents and left her in a life-threatening state.
Good to watch if you liked: The secrets hinted at in “Ant-Man,” anything with Michelle Pfeiffer, and revenge plots.
Worth revisiting for: Pfeiffer and Walton Goggins, plus Hope Van Dyne’s ponytail.
Who fights who (and for what): Doctor Strange and his fellow sorcerers try to stop Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) as she tears through space and time to hunt America Chavez (Xochitl Gomez) and ultimately find her long-lost children.
Good to watch if you liked: Sam Raimi’s artistry, albeit a watered-down, Disneyfied version — and the villainous underbelly hinted at in “WandaVision.”
Worth revisiting for: The wild cameos (and how they end), plus Olsen untethered.
Who fights who (and for what): Russian scientist Ivan Vanko (Mickey Rourke) has a bone to pick with the Stark family, so he designs his own competing metal suit to face off with a physically deteriorating Tony.
Good to watch if you liked: The Monaco Grand Prix, disquieting celebrity cameos, villains that feel like diet versions of other villains.
Worth revisiting for: Ivan saying “not my bird.”
Who fights who (and for what): In a maddeningly overdue standalone adventure for Black Widow, the eponymous KGB killer-turned-Avenger reunites with her adopted family of assassins (David Harbour, Rachel Weisz, and Florence Pugh) and is forced to confront the darkness in her past referenced but rarely seen in past MCU outings.
Good to watch if you liked: David Harbour in “Violent Night,” the sisterly bond between Gamora and Nebula in the “Guardians” series, and the “Bourne” franchise.
Worth revisiting for: Scarlett Johansson getting her victory lap with a crackling supporting cast particularly well-suited to comedy.
Who fights who (and for what): Still reeling from the death of her beloved brother T’Challa, princess Shuri is forced to protect Wakanda from the mysterious threat of Namor and the underwater nation of Talokan.
Good to watch if you liked: The original “Black Panther,” seeing Lupita Nyong’o actually starring in films, and Rihanna.
Worth revisiting for: Angela Bassett’s Oscar-nominated performance as the grieving Queen Ramonda, Tenoch Huerta Mejía’s star-making turn as the alluring and dangerous Namor, and the incredibly touching tribute to the late Chadwick Boseman.
Who fights who (and for what): After the events of “The Avengers,” Tony Stark struggles with PTSD as he goes up against a mysterious terrorist known as “The Mandarin.”
Good to watch if you liked: Shane Black and Robert Downey Jr.’s previous collaboration “Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, the previous two “Iron Man” movies, and Christmas.
Worth revisiting for: The incredibly funny script, the controversial but daring third-act twist, and Pepper’s first real moment of badassery.
Who fights who (and for what): A lot of Peter Parkers and a Doctor Strange face down previous Spider-Man villains to save them from dying in their respective universes. But ultimately this movie is about a kid trying to get into college and taking things too far.
Good to watch if you liked: Sam Raimi and Marc Webb’s Spider-Man movies, particularly Andrew Garfield’s Peter Parker and Willem Dafoe’s Green Goblin.
Worth revisiting for: Two-decades worth of on-screen Spidey nostalgia.
Who fights who (and for what): It’s Ant-Man’s movie, but the central conflict is driven by Hank Pym (Michael Douglas), executing a longstanding plan to avenge his research and save the precious Pym particle from sociopath protégé Darren Cross (Corey Stoll).
Good to watch if you liked: “Ant-Man” is one of those MCU movies that excels because it’s actually only pretending to be a superhero movie; at its core it’s a heist, and a delightful one at that. Scott’s crew evokes the efficiency and humor of Steven Soderberg’s Ocean’s films, bolstered by spy-movie tech shenanigans. So watch if you loved “Spy Kids.”
Worth revisiting for: A tight, compelling, hilarious origin story — and under two hours, which now feels unthinkable.
Who fights who (and for what): A space warrior with amnesia (Brie Larson) crash lands on Earth and uncovers her identity as U.S. Air Force pilot Carol Danvers/Captain Marvel in a nonlinear battle between two alien races — Kree and Skrulls — with the help of a much younger Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), pre-eye patch.
Good to watch if you liked: “Power Rangers,” other shiny ’90s sci-fi.
Worth revisiting for: Jackson and Larson’s undeniable buddy cop chemistry, and Goose the Flerken coughing up the Tesseract.
Who fights who (and for what): Following a public relations disaster, the Avengers devolve into conflict over international oversight of their operations, while terrorist Zemo plots behind the scenes.
Good to watch if you liked: The original “Avengers,” since this is basically the third film in that series, the Russo’s other films, “Godzilla vs. Kong” and other big versus crossovers.
Worth revisiting for: Chadwick Boseman’s incredible first impression as Prince T’Challa, The big airport clash, and Daniel Bruhl as one of the franchise’s most memorable villains.
Who fights who (and for what): Following their first adventure, the Guardians of the Galaxy help leader Peter Quill track down his parentage, leading them to Ego — a living planet with a hidden agenda.
Good to watch if you liked: Kurt Russell’s ‘80s film work, the first “Guardians,” and movies and TV shows about daddy issues.
Worth revisiting for: Karen Gillan and Zoe Saldana’s beautifully complicated performances as sisters/enemies Nebula and Gamora, the brilliant comedic duo of Dave Bautista and Pom Klementieff as Drax and Mantis, and a surprisingly emotional storyline about family and fatherhood.
Who fights who (and for what): After a strange, himbo-like god-man (Will Poulter as the long-teased Adam Warlock) wrecks havoc on the Guardians and their new homebase of Knowhere, Rocket Raccoon is grievously injured. As the rest of his found family attempt to save him, they’re forced to reckon with his horrifying history and heartbreaking backstory, all leading up to a major battles – for hearts, for minds, for souls – with the super-evil High Evolutionary (MCU newbie Chukwudi Iwuji).
Good to watch if you liked: The film closes out the “Guardians of the Galaxy” trilogy, so it’s definitely one for Marvel completists, but its plot – which doesn’t involve any of the other Avengers and doesn’t require extensive MCU knowledge – is also a good one for fans who really only like the Guardians, James Gunn, and their special brand of intergalactic weirdo. Also: animal rights activists.
Worth revisiting for: The rarest of Marvel elements: actual closure.
Who fights who (and for what): On the surface, Spider-Man (Tom Holland) teams up with Mysterio (Jake Gyllenhaal) to fight Elementals from the multiverse. But in reality, Mysterio is former Stark Industries employee Quentin Beck, using Peter to gain control of the late Tony Stark’s Robert Downey Jr.) empire and technology.
Good to watch if you liked: “Far From Home” delights in its setting, like any self-respecting action movie shot even partially in Europe should. If you loved the adolescent romance of “Homecoming,” this movie only amplifies it, and if you like Weird Jake Gyllenhaal (“Okja,” “The Sack Lunch Bunch”), he reigns free.
Worth revisiting for: Tom Holland and Zendaya being adorable, knowing the truth about Nick Fury, and the growing picture of the multiverse.
Who fights who (and for what): Earth’s mightiest heroes band together again to stop Thanos (“Who?”) as he aims to collect all the Infinity Stones and use them to half the population of the entire universe — except for Ant-Man and Captain Marvel, but stay tuned…
Good to watch if you liked: Fun and new Avenger combinations, Carrie Coon in crazy makeup, Thanos’s chin (which definitely doesn’t resemble anything else), and despair.
Worth revisiting for: Even though it’s half of a whole, “Infinity War” is expertly paced, with sky-high stakes and plenty of laugh-out-loud moments. Rewatching this film will always recall that immense theatrical hype and shock, and now you don’t have to wait a year to see what happens next.
Who fights who (and for what): A ragtag group of criminals in the faraway Andromeda Galaxy are forced to band together after obtaining a relic sought by the Kree warlord Ronan the Accuser, and form a dysfunctional found family in the process.
Good to watch if you liked: Weirdo space opera classic “Farscape,” Chris Pratt’s performance in “Parks and Recreation,” and the music of the late ‘60s and early ‘70s.
Worth revisiting for: Dave Bautista’s hilarious and committed performance as Drax, the banging soundtrack (“Hooked on a feeling! I’m high on believing”), and the tear-jerking “We are Groot” scene.
Who fights who (and for what): Tony Stark takes on his own kidnappers when the American weapons dealer/smart-mouthed playboy builds a robot suit to escape a compound in Afghanistan, and unwittingly sets the Avengers Initiative in motion.
Good to watch if you liked: “Batman Begins,” “Transformers,” and the entertainment landscape forever changing as we knew it.
Worth revisiting for: Robert Downey Jr.’s impeccable snark — aged to perfection — and the nostalgia factor.
Who fights who (and for what): After proving himself unworthy of his power, Asgardian prince Thor is stripped of his goldy gifts and banished to Earth, where he must grow into the hero needed to take on his scheming brother Loki.
Good to watch if you liked: Norse mythology, John Carpenter’s “Starman,” and fantasy politics.
Worth revisiting for: The chemistry between Chris Hemsworth and Natalie Portman, Tom Hiddleston’s devilish performance, and enjoyable fish-out-of-water antics.
Who fights who (and for what): In the big conclusion to Phase 1 of the MCU, Iron Man, Thor, Captain America, Hulk, Black Widow, and Hawkeye come together to face an alien invasion brought on by Thor’s brother Loki
Good to watch if you liked: Joss Whedon’s TV shows (thorny territory, we know), the original “Avengers” comic books, and shawarma.
Worth revisiting for: Seeing all of the OG Marvel heroes bounce off of each other, Mark Ruffalo’s adorable Bruce Banner, and the satisfying 30-minute finale.
Who fights who (and for what): Shang-Chi (Simu Liu) teams up with the rest of his family against father Wenwu (Tony Leung) who wants to unlock the Dark Gate to find his lost love — but it is actually a trap set by the Dweller in Darkness, whom the villagers of spirit city Ta Lo fear and fight.
Good to watch if you liked: MCU movies with more combat action than CGI — but the final battle doubles down on VFX.
Worth revisiting for: All the fight scenes, family drama (especially between Shang-Chi and his sister), and Trevor Slattery (Ben Kingsley).
Who fights who (and for what): Teenage Peter Parker balances school, family, and friends with his duties as New York City’s Spider-Man, putting him in the crosshairs of career criminal Adrian Toomes, or the Vulture.
Good to watch if you liked: Teen superhero shows like “Smallville,” coming-of-age classics like “Pretty in Pink,” and your high school trip to Washington D.C.
Worth revisiting for: The lighthearted adolescent comedy, Tom Holland’s effortless charm as Peter, and the nail-biting tense car ride scene between him and Michael Keaton.
Who fights who (and for what): After getting trapped as a gladiator in the garbage planet of the Grandmaster, Thor must escape in time to prevent his sister Hela from initiating Ragnarok and destroying his home of Asgard.
Good to watch if you liked: Taika Waititi’s indie movies, Mark Ruffalo’s Hulk in prior MCU films, and ‘80s sci-fi fantasy flicks.
Worth revisiting for: Seeing Chris Hemsworth get to flex his comedy chops, Tessa Thompson’s badass Valkyrie, and Cate Blanchett chewing the scenery as Hela.
Who fights who (and for what): Steve Rogers uncovers a conspiracy within the spy agency S.H.I.E.L.D, but is forced to fight his long-lost best friend Bucky Barnes in the process.
Good to watch if you liked: 1970s political thrillers, the “Bourne” films, and every film Anthony and Joe Russo have directed since.
Worth revisiting for: Great action scenes, Scarlett Johansson’s supporting turn as Black Widow, and Robert Redford as one of the main villains.
Who fights who (and for what): Following the devastating ending of “Infinity War,” what remains of the Avengers band together to fight Thanos and reverse the damage done by the Titan warlord.
Good to watch if you liked: The 21 MCU films that came before it, time travel storylines, and epic crossover events.
Worth revisiting for: The satisfying ending to multiple character arcs, a slew of enjoyable call-backs/nostalgic shenanigans, and one truly epic finale.
Who fights who (and for what): Kind-hearted but scrawny Steve Rogers enlists in the army during World War II. Following the injection of an experimental super serum, he leads the campaign against the Nazis to the doorstep of the Red Skull.
Good to watch if you liked: Chris Evans as Johnny Storm in the “Fantastic Four” films, rousing World War II flicks, and director Joe Johnston’s ‘90s classic “The Rocketeer.”
Worth revisiting for: Evans’ pitch-perfect portrayal of the heroic captain, great supporting turns from Hayley Atwell and Sebastian Stan, and the original song from Alan Menken.
Who fights who (and for what): Wakandan Prince T’Challa assumes the throne of his extraordinary and technologically advanced African kingdom following the death of his father, but must fight to keep it when his long-lost cousin Killmonger plots a return to power.
Good to watch if you liked: Ryan Coogler’s “Creed,” jet-setting political thrillers, and the late great Chadwick Boseman’s terrific acting talents.
Worth revisiting for: The wonderful supporting cast, the Kendrick Lamar-curated original soundtrack, and the Oscar-winning production and costume design.
