Best Marvel Movies: all the MCU films ranked
Not all heroes wear capes — we’ve watched and ranked all 34 of them.
Watching the entire run of 34 MCU movies, from Iron Man to Deadpool & Wolverine, would take over two and a half days, so you’ll need a long weekend to tackle the complete adventures of Stark, Rogers, Romanoff, Banner and superfriends. And yet, it would be far from time wasted.
While the MCU may have dipped in quality of late, it’s still by far the most successful film franchise, grossing a cool $30.8 billion. And recent efforts such as Guardians Vol. 3 and Deadpool & Wolverine are thoroughly enjoyable works. As Marvel’s Phase 5 draws to a close, you can be sure that we’ll update this list with the incoming antihero Avengers-esque Thunderbolts and Captain America: New World Order, both due in 2025.
Until then, if you’re looking to consolidate your bingeing to the very best the MCU has to offer, you’ve come to the right place, as we rank the entirety of the MCU’s movies. Oh, and here’s your warning of massive spoilers beforehand. Excelsior!
34. Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023)
Ant-Man turns super shrunk in this plodding romp as the tiny titular hero and his family get sucked into the Quantum Realm. Sadly, despite the potential for mind and multiverse-bending special effects, Quantumania just looks cheaply made, with shoddy CGI and very apparent green screening. With allegations of severely under-resourced VFX and visual artists being pulled to work on other Marvel IPs, the Quantum Realm looks sadly uninspired, while the lazy script is entirely predictable.
33. Thor: The Dark World (2013)
Thor’s second adventure showcases more of the Norse lore surrounding the God of Thunder, even though it’s frankly a by-the-numbers affair, with a dreary plot, so-so script, meandering action, and a wasted villain in the guise of Dark Elf Malekith. Still, the fish out of water gags raise a few chuckles — Thor takes the Tube is a neat touch, while Hemsworth and Hiddleston’s joint charisma is on fine Asgardian form.
32. Eternals (2021)
Eternals introduces a brand new superteam boasting a star-studded lineup, including Richard Madden, Angelina Jolie and Barry Keoghan, though it doesn’t quite stick the superhero landing. Despite some decent action scenes, notably those of Lauren Ridloff’s Makkari — cinema’s other red speedster — the Eternals doesn’t quite carve out a striking IP beyond its generic formula. Even with the presence of those planet-dwarfing Celestials, the film never quite jumps off the screen, relegating itself instantly forgettable once the credits roll.
31. Thor: Love and Thunder (2022)
After the epic and comic majesty of Thor: Ragnarok, Love and Thunder tragically flies too close to the sun. Director Taika Waititi dials up the fun in this one, but things get overly silly, with goat and ex–axe jokes that stay way past their welcome and a plot that lacks drama and agency. Biggest foul? A criminally underused villain in the form of Christian Bale’s Gorr the God Butcher, who swears vengeance on all deities following the tragic loss of his daughter, putting Thor and all godkind in immortal peril.
30. The Incredible Hulk (2008)
We’ve had some very different incarnations of the not-so-jolly green giant, and Edward Norton’s solo outing as the Hulk has the makings of a decent action movie, even if it’s guilty of playing it safe in most respects. The MCU’s second film perhaps relies too much on the gamma radiation-fuelled fisticuffs of the Hulk and Tim Roth’s Abomination, when at times, the pace maybe should have slowed for a breather so we’re more invested in deeper, less smashy character moments.
29. The Marvels (2023)
The Marvels cleverly entangles three leads: Carol Danvers, Monica Rambeau and Kamala Khan in a teleporting-bodyswap romp across the galaxy, as Captain Marvel’s sins come back to exact vengeance on her and her world. Our three leads’ power-shift dynamics play in fresh and unexpected ways, elevating the film, if only at least visually. However, it’s Iman Vellani’s fantastic fangirl energy as Kamala Khan that adds some much-needed infectious energy to this sequel.
28. Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018)
Releasing mere months after Infinity War, Ant-Man and the Wasp served as little more than a palate-cleanser following IW’s apocalyptically destructive events. As such, it feels less weighty and dramatic. There’s some decent action scenes with inventive uses of the shrinking Pym particles, plus the addition of Hannah John-Kamen’s Ghost makes for a tricky villain to take down. But even with Evangeline Lilly finally donning the Wasp suit, there’s little character drama and a somewhat lackluster story, so you’re in danger of forgetting all about it when the screen fades to black.
27. Thor (2011)
Thor’s inaugural adventure banished him to Earth to live as a mortal man sans his sparky powers and mighty hammer, Mjölnir. Even if time hasn’t been kind to this movie’s lack of breathtaking action, Asgard looks great, and we’re graced with one of the finest MCU villains in trickster demigod Loki. If anything, it’s the antics on Earth that are a bit more plodding, but Thor’s fall from grace and subsequent reclaiming of his thundery powers is uplifting.
26. Captain Marvel (2019)
After a freak accident, test pilot Carol Danvers is imbued with the power of the Tesseract. The “our hero got a case of the ol’ amnesia“ trope might not be the most original in the MCU’s pantheon, but it’s a fun cosmic 90s trip (get your dad to explain what Blockbuster was) with likable characters, notably Ben Mendelsohn’s shapeshifting Skrull Talos and a much de-aged and de-patched Nick Fury. Plus, seeing Brie Larson kick all shades of alien hide with her literal arm canons as one of the strongest Avengers never gets old.
25. Iron Man 2 (2010)
The second adventure for our favourite tinman with a heart treads many story beats and characters, making it a bit of a hot mess, but there’s still lots to enjoy in Iron Man 2. Suitcase suit. Check. Black Widow introduction. Check. Justin Hammer stealing the show. Double check. Plus, there’s a neat final battle scene against baddie Ivan Vanko and his armoured drones that doesn’t outstay its welcome, allowing our iron men to show off their piloting skills in all their metal-busting, oil-splashing glory.
24. Black Widow (2021)
The timing was strange for Natasha Romanoff’s solo outing, as the former Red Room assassin sadly sacrificed herself in Infinity War in exchange for the Soul Stone. Still, it’s an enjoyable window to her past, as she reunites with her former cover family, including David Harbour (having the time of his life as a past-his-prime Red Guardian) to track down her infamously evil former employer. While Scarlett Johansson proves a solid and dependable lead, it’s Florence Pugh’s Yelena who provides an excellent foil to Natasha, giving her sibling lots of sass to bounce off. The old-school spy antics are enjoyable, and dealing with a whole unit of KGB assassins will always prove intimidating, even if the stunts get a little too bombastic during the final showdown.
23. Doctor Strange (2016)
Psychedelic, weird, and wonderful, Doctor Strange introduces magic and mysticism into the MCU. Featuring some trippy visuals as the Sorcerer Supreme bounces between realities, the magical and dimension-warping spell-offs are genuinely creative for a franchise often overly focused on phasers and fisticuffs. After a car accident ruins his career as a surgeon, Dr. Stephen Strange embarks on a journey to the East to rediscover himself and finds a way to unlock his inner sorcery, which is better than the sandals and baggy pants gap year travellers find themselves in. The magical stunts are innovative and visually inventive, and even Strange’s final battle refreshingly doesn’t end in a CGI slugfest. Oh, and expect to fall in love with a cape.
22. Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
After witnessing some world-ending stakes in previous MCU adventures, it’s novel to see ol’ webhead swinging around his home turf of Queens in Homecoming. Here, our friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man is well, being a friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man, whether offering directions to grannies or foiling bike thieves. With the Battle of New York leaving Joe public to play clean up, it’s Adrian Toomes’s Vulture who takes it upon himself to prey on the abandoned alien tech, unless Spidey can put a stop to his winged pilfering. Tom Holland is perfectly cast as plucky nice guy Peter Parker, while the film breezes along at a nice pace with some well-choreographed action scenes and scene-stealing side characters. Finally, Michael Keaton is inspired casting as doting father but deadly fiend Vulture.
21. Ant-Man (2015)
After Hank Pym discovers a miraculous miniaturisation particle, he enlists the help of petty thief Scott Lang to don the Ant-Man suit and stop Darren Cross, aka Yellowjacket, an evil suit wanting to replicate the Pym particle for nefarious reasons. Superheroes meet Honey, I Shrunk the Kids might have sounded a ridiculous notion, but Ant-Man leans into the absurd with this tongue-in-cheek adventure. Watch as the climactic fight takes place over a Thomas the Tank Engine set, with another brawl inside a briefcase with an iPhone belting out The Cure. Aided by a decent list of side characters and a solid script, Ant-Man is a lot of little fun.
20. Deadpool & Wolverine (2024)
A huge self-referential nod to Marvel films past and present, D&W brings back the buddy action genre replete with a colossal amount of cameos, as Deadpool seeks out fellow immortal Wolverine for some multiverse-saving. While that’s about as deep as the story goes, we do get Hugh Jackman once again acting his socks off as a Logan who’s haunted by previous misdeeds. Some of the action may be overly long and inconsequential, but the whole film is an Easter Egg-filled pinata for Marvel fans who’ve stuck with the franchise through its heady highs and rock-bottom lows.
19. Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)
The Avengers’ second assignment might not hit the heady heights of their first, but many characters get their moment to shine, even if some of the Joss Whedon-penned dialogue hasn’t aged particularly well. Still, the fight scenes look great as the team takes on deadly rogue AI Ultron and the Maximoff twins. We’re also huge fans of the party scene that includes hammer-lifting rivalry, while the farm scene lets these characters breathe and be more fleshed out. It might hold the title as the weakest Avengers adventure, but there’s more than enough at the buffet to be satisfied.
18. Guardians of the Galaxy: Volume 2 (2017)
Marvel’s cosmic defenders are back in this darker sequel as we delve into Peter Quill’s origins. The story and surprises can’t quite rival Volume 1’s fresh originality, but we get to examine these characters on a deeper level and once again surmise that it’s all about the family you choose (particularly if the choice is a sentient baby tree or your evil, eons-old planet dad). It still tugs at the heartstrings though, and those without vibranium hearts will be blubbing over a box of tissues by the end.
17. Iron Man 3 (2013)
Iron Man 3 borrows much from underrated thriller Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (both helmed by Shane Black), this time showing Tony Stark coming to terms with his own mortality following the Battle of New York. After a terrorist nearly kills Happy Hogan, Stark calls out the Mandarin and stumbles on a coup to take over the United States. With Robert Downey Jr. as lead spouting some electric dialogue, IM3 makes for a solid threequel that’s buoyed by brilliant action setpieces, notably a thrilling midair rescue amidst a disintegrating Air Force One. It gets a little messy toward the end, and not everyone’s a fan of Trevor Slattery’s unceremonious unmasking of the (now fake) Mandarin, but the script zings, and RDJ has never felt more at home playing this beloved genius billionaire playboy philanthropist.
16. Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019)
This Spidey sequel takes us from the mean streets of Queens to a whistlestop tour of Europe. Tom Holland reprises his role as the most relatable Avenger, who’s just a kid wanting to enjoy his vacation and engineer ways to sit next to high-school crush MJ. Sadly, great power, great responsibility etc etc, as another world-ending terror threatens to end the world and his romance chances. Far From Home is that rare sequel that somehow improves on its predecessor, with excellent action sequences, including a final face-off atop London’s Tower Bridge. Plus, Jake Gyllenhall gives such a captivating performance as the “supposed” hero Mysterio that the audience (myself included) is almost fooled by his good guy routine until the mask drops.
15. Captain America: Civil War (2016)
Less an all-out civil war and more a skirmish, the third Captain America pits the Avengers against one another thanks to the introduction of the Sokovia Accords, following a tragedy that unfolds under our heroes’ watch. Moreover, Chris Evans and Robert Downey Jr get far more pathos to work with here, as they’re wrestling with their own demons and recent events. There’s so many moving parts here, such as Baron Zemo’s masterplan and the debut of not one but two major Avengers. It largely works, even if not everyone has their motivations regarding the Accords fully fleshed out. Plus, that airport scene doesn’t so much as raise the bar for superhero action but uppercuts it into the stratosphere.
14. Black Panther (2018)
Ryan Coogler’s Black Panther unveils the technological utopia of the African nation Wakanda. The late Chadwick Boseman plays King T’Challa, who dons the Black Panther mantle as the country’s protector. However, there’s another player gunning for his seat — his own cousin, Eric Killmonger, whose father was offed by T’Challa’s dad years ago. Black Panther is instantly elevated by the charisma of its ensemble cast, notably a noble Boseman, Michael B. Jordan having a rip-roaring time as the villainous Kilmonger and a scene-stealing Andy Serkis. Chadwick also plays off his onscreen sibling superbly with Leticia Wright’s Princess Shuri. Even if the climactic showdown turns into more videogame fare, Wakanda is gorgeous, while the thematic machinations of liberty, cooperation and oppression run deep in this excellent standalone film.
13. Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)
Some of the action might not light up the screen, but Chris Evans’ performance as he transforms from wilful weakling to the star-spangled and ripped Captain America is an underdog tale for the ages. Director Joe Johnston was the perfect foil for The First Avenger, recreating that 50s silver age cinema ambiance just as he did with 1991’s The Rocketeer. It’s also Cap’s repartee with fellow Allied Agent Carter that’s touching yet tragic when he awakens more than 50 years later in our time despite having a date — arguably the world’s first recorded ghosting.
12. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022)
Wanda Maximoff goes scorched earth, tearing the multiverse a new one as she tries to reunite with her sons, created through magic after her Chaos powers created a whole new reality in a small town (there’s a fair bit to catch up on if you’re new). Eventually finding herself and the Sorcerer Supreme on opposing sides, it’s up to Strange to stop the Scarlet Witch before she unravels the multiversal fabric holding reality in place. Grotesque, dark and full of classic nods to Sam Raimi’s CV, this dimension-hopping cat-and-mouse chase is full of energetic performances, and the multiverse cameos do not disappoint.
11. Iron Man (2008)
A silly notion now in hindsight, but the MCU’s first movie was a major risk for the franchise, particularly as Jon Favreau lobbied Marvel to cast RDJ, an actor who had fallen from everyone’s good books as leading man material. However, Iron Man had no business working as well as it did, with its zippy script, wonderful chemistry in its leads and superb suits that hold up even by today’s Mark 50 fashions. Plus, seeing him trial and evolve his suits never fails to entertain. The end third is sadly wrecked by Jeff Bridges’ nonsensical villainy as Warmonger, forcing the inevitable CGI kerfuffle. Despite this, Iron Man puts its best armoured foot forward despite propelling a fairly unknown character into the limelight and creating a blueprint for the MCU’s enduring success.
10. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021)
Those brought up on a diet of Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan action will eat Shang-Chi right up. The gorgeous wuxia fight choreography makes for some of the most inventive dustups in any Marvel film, and seeing likable protagonist Shang-Chi slide across bus roofs and go toe to toe with masked assassins harkens back to the Jackie Chan stuntman era. Marvel’s casting of Tony Leung is another highlight — an actor whose charisma flash-fires the big screen as the tragic father figure fighting to reclaim his lost love by using ten powerful and mystical bracelets. Part martial arts feature, part dissection on Asian attitudes to familial expectations and duty, Shang-Chi offers up a superhero origin story with real heart and soul.
9. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022)
Wakanda Forever dealt with the late, great Chadwick Bose’s sad passing respectfully by deftly dealing with death and one’s legacy. It’s also chockful of tense battles, including a silent spear-off between Dora Milaje badass Okoye and the watery blue Talokans. It’s Princess Shuri who’s thrust into Wakandan leadership here, as she must save her people and somehow acquire the legendary Black Panther powers. There’s also a powerhouse performance from Angela Basset’s Queen Ramonda, whose commanding presence is enough to make you kneel and swear fealty to her. Finally, Namor brings a real menace as a villain and king who’s only trying to protect his tribe from interlopers.
8. Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)
The events of Far From Home come to roost, requiring Spidey to cross webbed palms with Doctor Strange for a memory spell that goes awry, causing multiple villains to cross into his reality. Thankfully, he’s got help in the form of previous webheads Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield. It’s a scintillating movie, especially since they share screen time with the likes of Willem Dafoe and Alfred Molina as classic Spidey big bads. And while previous wallcrawlers have touched upon the subject, NWH goes hard on the hero’s responsibility of sacrifice to protect those he loves. It’s a surprisingly emotional story that resets much of the current trilogy, leaving the character’s status open-ended for future webbings.
7. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023)
Vol. 3 puts the loveable rogue Rocket front and centre of his own origin story, the product of cruel genetic experiments under the watch of the High Evolutionary, who’s on a mad quest to create the perfect species, bringing him on a collision course with the Guardians. Of course, RR’s flashbacks are utterly heartbreaking, while James Gunn is the absolute auteur in bringing this disparate band of misfits together as a dysfunctional family. Volume 3 is an emotional swansong that gives our heroes the gratifying sendoff they deserve, and it’s utterly wild how these once-obscure characters have stolen our hearts.
6. Thor: Ragnarok (2017)
Thor’s third outing marks a course correction as we sidestep from the Shakespearean melodrama that pervaded the last two installments. Instead, director Taika Wahtiki leans into the goofiness and humour of the Marvel cosmic universe. It’s a gamble that pays off massively, no doubt thanks to Chris Hemsworth’s deadpan delivery and masterful comic timing, plus set designs directly inspired by legendary comic artist Jack Kirby. Hela has taken over Asguard, and it’s up to Hulk, Thor, Loki and newcomer Valkyrie to usurp her throne before she unleashes war and chaos on the other realms. The offbeat and irreverent humour works extremely well considering the source material, while Hemsworth and even Jeff Goldblum get to hone their funny bones.
5. Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
In many ways, GotG was an even riskier proposition than Iron Man, as the characters who formed this cosmic team were a barely known property even in the comic books. They were a far cry from the original Guardians, which debuted all the way back in 1969. This ragtag bunch of space avengers may squabble among themselves, but when it’s up to them to stop a mad war criminal from laying waste to the galaxy, you know they’ll answer the call. Hilarious, action-packed and a surprising tearjerker, director James Gunn has made us helpless simps for a team that includes a god-hybrid, a tree, a green cyborg, a dance-shy brute and a trash panda.
4. Avengers Assemble (2012)
Uniting five disparate heroes feels like a cliché these days, but back in 2012, no one thought Marvel could pull it off, even with well-received solo efforts. However, it redefined team superhero capers for the foreseeable, with blistering action, top-notch gravitas from all the main players and a sprinkle of humour in the right places. There’s plenty of fist-pump moments too, from Banner’s “I’m always angry” reveal to Loki’s ragdoll-inspired comeuppance. However, the film never forgets that our Avengers share human sensibilities and foibles — the script is full of neat, unexpected interactions and zingers as they play off on one another. Avengers Assemble is an absolute triumph that’s ludicrously entertaining from curtain-up til the now-trademark post-credits scene. Shawarma, anyone?
3: Avengers: Endgame (2019)
Since Stark’s first hammer strike on his first legendary armour, it’s all been leading up to this. After the events of Infinity War left the universe a hell of a lot emptier and dustier, our surviving heroes must band together to reverse the damage Thanos inflicted. It’s arguably one of the most ambitious projects committed to cinema, with nearly 40 Avengers and side characters (and the rest) teaming up for the climactic Battle of Earth that never fails to send chills through entire audiences.
If we’re nitpicking, the pacing takes a hit into the second act, which needs to weave in the time heist subplot before the finale. Still, we’ve grown to love these characters for more than a decade, so we’re undeniably invested, making every death a gut punch. Oh, and it’s also bursting with fan-favourite moments: Cap being worthy, Tony’s endgame play, and that portals scene. Oh, to see this at the cinema for the first time, just one more time…
2. Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)
When you witness Cap power-kick a hijacker off the side of a ship, you know this isn’t the same goody two-shoes Steve Rogers from WW2 your gran told you about. No, this spy thriller is deftly grounded in the cloak and dagger of the modern day, so there’s no lasers, or magic powers or gamma radiation-powered superhumans coming to save the day — all Rogers has is his wit and his will (plus all that super strength). After a shocking attack on Nick Fury, Cap is forced to go rogue to uncover a deadly conspiracy involving an old enemy. The Winter Soldier makes for extremely tense viewing, as we don’t know who to trust, besides Black Widow and newcomer Sam Wilson (Falcon), who both share excellent chemistry with Rogers. Every action scene is thrillingly choreographed, and the final fight is legitimately hair-raising, as there’s parallels with today’s AI machinations and Dr Zola’s naughty list-predicting algorithm.
1. Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
Marvel goes all out at the beginning of the end for the Infinity Saga by [checks notes] putting its big bad Thanos front and center as its lead protagonist. It makes perfect sense — creating an empathetic villain whose motivations are justified, even if his methods are twisted. Of course, it helps when you have Josh Brolin providing real gravitas with his acting chops, while the CGI and face cap are doing wonders morphing him into the haunted yet uncompromising Thanos. Infinity War may bring around two dozen mainline heroes on the lineup card, but you’re suddenly acutely aware that any one of them can be killed off, making the action that much more perilous and high-stakes. At the film’s end, you’re reeling from the showdown in Wakanda and Titan. We’ll never see a finger click in the same way again. Full of unrelenting action, humour, and most importantly, heart, Infinity War is an astonishing success for Team Marvel.
Matt Ng
