The Marvel Cinematic Universe has taken the world by storm since the release of 2008’s Iron Man, producing over two dozen movies that have been highly acclaimed for their enjoyable stories and larger-than-life characters. While all of the Marvel movies have proven incredibly popular, there is bound to be a difference in quality between the different titles. That’s why we’ve decided to take on the challenging task and rank all the Marvel movies from worst to best. Keep reading and find out where your favorites placed on this list.
Rank #23: The Incredible Hulk (2008)
The Incredible Hulk is a movie that’s often forgotten when it comes to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, yet it was the movie that followed Iron Man, setting the tone for Marvel movies becoming the success they are today. Unfortunately, this movie has significantly aged and has earned its spot at the bottom of the pile. While there are still some great moments throughout The Incredible Hulk, it has been severely overshadowed by both the MCU releases that followed and the modern-day Hulk portrayal by Mark Ruffalo.
Rank #22: Thor: The Dark World (2013)
Thor: The Dark World is unfortunately another movie that’s been completely overshadowed by the successes of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. This is especially true with Chris Hemsworth’s Thor, who received a much better portrayal in the three movies released after The Dark World. That said, this movie does have some shining moments, such as great action sequences, a brilliant portrayal of Loki by Tom Hiddleston, and some memorable twists, yet still remains as one of the weaker entries to the MCU.
Rank #21: Iron Man 2 (2010)
Arguably one of the harshest victims of the MCU’s successful efforts, Iron Man 2 has been almost completely overshadowed by its predecessor Iron Man. This is mainly due to Iron Man 2 being pretty unoriginal, as well as introducing what turned out to be some poorly developed side characters for the purpose of developing already established characters. Despite this, Iron Man 2 doesn’t completely lack redeeming qualities, largely thanks to memorable action sequences and some genuinely humorous scenes.
Rank #20: Captain Marvel (2019)
Brie Larson’s portrayal of the powerful hero Captain Marvel will go down in history, however, the movie itself doesn’t really have any standout qualities that warrant it a higher spot on this list. Strictly conformist of the formula in MCU movies, this movie is entertaining and enjoyable yet falls short in providing a memorable amount of ideas. The story isn’t engaging either, and unfortunately, this movie fails to really capture anything that made Marvel stand out as a studio.
Rank #19: Deadpool 2 (2018)
Although not part of the MCU, Deadpool 2 is still an incredibly entertaining addition to the Marvel universe. The action sequences are enthralling and Ryan Reynolds gives an absolutely brilliant performance as the wise-cracking antihero. Despite its unique take on the superhero genre, the story of Deadpool 2 fails to hold up, simply due to its reliance on too many existing cliches. It also doesn’t feel incredibly unique in comparison to many of the other popular Marvel films, which is why it’s taken a place lower on the list.
Rank #18: Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018)
Coming after IW and Infinity War, Ant-Man and The Wasp was the first direct sequel to one of the MCU movies, creating a fresh feeling to the universe. This movie features some of the best action sequences of the MCU, and the combination of both Ant-Man and The Wasp’s powers creating some amazing visuals. However, the main issue with this movie is that it moves a bit too quickly and fails to really give a unique take on the superhero genre.
Rank #17: Thor (2011)
The game-changer for the MCU, Thor showed the studio’s ability to make an iconic character popular on-screen and develop a universe that’s larger than just a single hero. Chris Hemsworth’s portrayal of Thor is highly entertaining and the setting of Asgard is well-done, but the movie fails to really capture the magic of the other Marvel movies. It moves a bit too quickly and changes tones frequently, while the villains lack the presence of modern-day antagonists like Thanos.
Rank #16: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)
The sequel to the 2014 hit movie Guardians of the Galaxy delivers more of the same, yet it fails to really capture the magic of its predecessor. The characters are mostly the same and the story lacks any significant developments, yet most of the characters are still given a substantial amount of room for growth. This is one of those Marvel movies that you can watch multiple times, as you’ll never get tired of the unique visuals, soundtrack, and memorable moments throughout the movie.
Rank #15: Ant-Man (2015)
Ant-Man is by far one of the best movies to come out of the Marvel universe, with Paul Rudd delivering a brilliantly humorous performance throughout. While the story may be simple, it keeps you engaged and entertained, mainly thanks to over-the-top action scenes and memorable characters. This movie really helped breathe new life into the MCU and showed that Marvel was willing to take risks, while also creating great moments of contrast to the movies previously released.
Rank #14: Spider-Man Homecoming (2017)
Tom Holland’s portrayal of the iconic character Spider-Man was a breath of fresh air in the MCU, introducing a new side of a character previously portrayed. Spider-Man Homecoming provides a lightweight innocence and humorous tone, while also staying true to the character’s roots in a fantastic way. The story is also highly enjoyable, while Michael Keaton’s Vulture is broadly considered to be one of the best villains in the MCU.
Rank #13: Black Panther (2018)
The game-changer and the movie responsible for solidifying Marvel’s success, Black Panther is certainly one of the best movies that the studio has released. Chadwick Boseman gives a great performance as the titular hero and the African-inspired setting looks absolutely gorgeous. Black Panther also features some truly amazing action scenes, while the larger story of the movie really helps the main character’s arc in further MCU movies.
Rank #12: Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
The movie that surprised us all. Guardians of the Galaxy was the movie that helped solidify Marvel and the MCU’s success, as it was completely unexpected and something completely different than we’ve ever seen before. It features great comedic timing, a stellar soundtrack, and some truly original visuals, making it one of the most enjoyable movies in Marvel’s catalogue. It’s a movie that still carries a lot of influence over modern Marvel movies, and rightfully so.
Rank #11: Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)
The Winter Soldier is a movie that many believe started the ‘political thriller’ era of the MCU. This movie is just as much of a political drama as it is an action movie, and it features some truly thought-provoking moments. Chris Evans gives another great performance as the titular character and the movie is successful in giving the hero a much more dynamic character arc than the previous two movies.
Rank #10: Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)
Avengers: Age of Ultron was a great addition to the Marvel universe and was just as big and action-filled as the first movie. While it does lack the originality of its predecessor, it does provide a darker and more sinister tone to the overall universe, allowing for many intriguing possibilities for the future of the MCU. The movie also includes great moments from each of the characters, while introducing the incredibly likable character of Vision.
Rank #9: Doctor Strange (2016)
Doctor Strange was an incredibly daring move from Marvel, as it featured the introduction of magic and sorcery into the MCU. This movie is wonderfully paced, has fantastic visuals and introduces some interesting ideas to the superhero genre. Benedict Cumberbatch does a great job of portraying the character, while the movie features a surprisingly thoughtful story with much more depth than typically seen in superhero movies.
Rank #8: Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019)
One of the most underrated Marvel movies of all time, Spider-Man Far From Home was a perfect conclusion to the long running series. Tom Holland gives his best performance as Spider-Man, while the story takes an interesting turn when it starts to heavily integrate the larger MCU universe into the plot. The visuals are stunning and the action scenes are some of the best we’ve seen, while the story punches above its weight with a surprisingly smart narrative.
Rank #7: Captain America: Civil War (2016)
Captain America: Civil War is the movie responsible for changing the superhero genre forever. It introduced one of the most iconic moments in the MCU, while also introducing some incredibly memorable characters such as Black Panther and Spider-Man. It’s also incredibly well-written and includes some very impressive action sequences that are still highly praised to this day.
