MCU Movie Rankings / Thoughts

[Troo]

Rankings.. ughh

 

Having seen a number of the debates and disagreeing with some know narcissists, it made sense to go take a look at popular opinion. 

I was curious to see where my preference might diverge. (if the word narcissist above triggered you it wasn't meant to, but.. )

 

22 connected movies climaxed with Avengers: Endgame. That is just crazy.

 

I'd really like to pick a favorite and realize I might be able to pick five or six or twelve. (Dang it's a big list!) Thor, Guardians of the Galaxy, Captain America, Ant-Man, Black Panther, Captain Marvel, Black Widow, Iron Man, Spider-Man, Avengers, Deadpool, holy crap that's a lot of awesomeness.

 

That said; Edward Norton's 2008 'The Incredible Hulk' is on the list below, so there may be some.. I don't want to say 'stinkers', let's go with 'less than hoped for'.

 

Rotten Tomatoes Editorial (link) (that would have been a great rickroll but I didn't).

1. Black Panther (2018)
2. Avengers: Endgame (2019)
3. Iron Man (2008)
4. Thor: Ragnarok (2017)
5. Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)
6. Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
7. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021)
8. Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
9. Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019)
10. Marvel's the Avengers (2012)
11. Captain America: Civil War (2016)
12. Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)
13. Doctor Strange (2016)
14. Ant-Man and The Wasp (2018)
15. Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
16. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)
17. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022)
18. Ant-Man (2015)
19. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023)
20. Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)
21. Captain Marvel (2019)
22. Black Widow (2021)
23. Iron Man 3 (2013)
24. Deadpool & Wolverine (2024)
25. Thor (2011)
26. Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)
27. Iron Man 2 (2010)
28. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022)
29. The Incredible Hulk (2008)
30. Thor: The Dark World (2013)
31. Thor: Love and Thunder (2022)
32. The Marvels (2023)
33. Captain America: Brave New World (2025)
34. Eternals (2021)
35. Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania (2023)

 

Phases of the MCU movies:

 

Spoiler

Phase One

• Iron Man (2008),
• The Incredible Hulk (2008),
• Iron Man 2 (2010),
• Thor (2011),
• Captain America: The First Avenger (2011),
• The Avengers (2012)

 

Phase Two

• Iron Man 3 (2013),
• Thor: The Dark World (2013),
• Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014),
• Guardians of the Galaxy (2014),
• Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015),
• Ant-Man (2015)

 

Phase Three

• Captain America: Civil War (2016)
• Doctor Strange (2016),
• Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017),
• Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017),
• Thor: Ragnarok (2017),
• Black Panther (2018),
• Avengers: Infinity War (2018),
• Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018),
• Captain Marvel (2019),
• Avengers: Endgame (2019),
• Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019)

 

Phase Four

• Black Widow (2021),
• Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021),
• Eternals (2021),
• Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021),
• Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022),
• Thor: Love and Thunder (2022),
• Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022)

 

Phase Five

• Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023),
• Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023),
• The Marvels (2023),
• Deadpool & Wolverine (2024),
• Captain America: Brave New World (2025),
• Thunderbolts* (2025)

 

Phase Six

• The Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025),
• Avengers: Doomsday (2026),
• untitled fourth Spider-Man film (2026),
• Masters of the Universe (2026),
• Avengers: Secret Wars (2027)

 

Another List: https://screenrant.com/marvel-movies-mcu-ranked-best-worst/

 

Spoiler

1. Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)
2. The Avengers (2012)
3. Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
4. Captain America: Civil War (2016)
5. Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
6. Avengers: Endgame (2019)
7. Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023)
8. Guardians Of The Galaxy (2014)
9. Black Panther (2018)
10. Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019)
11. Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)
12. Iron Man (2008)
13. Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)
14. Deadpool & Wolverine (2024)
15. The Marvels (2023)
16. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022)  
17. Thor: Ragnarok (2017)
18. Doctor Strange (2016)
19. Iron Man 3 (2013)
20. Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings (2021)
21. Thor (2011)
22. Ant-Man (2015)
23. Captain America: Brave New World (2025)
24. Captain Marvel (2019)
25. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)

 

 

Edited March 3 by Troo

[Troo]

Work in progress and in no particular order.

•     Thor: Ragnarok (2017)
•     Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
•     Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)
•     Avengers: Endgame (2019)
•     Black Panther (2018)
•     Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019)
•     Deadpool & Wolverine (2024)
•     Iron Man (2008)
•     Captain Marvel (2019)
•     Ant-Man (2015)

Ant-Man knocked Black Widow out of the top 10. Could easily list multiple Captain America, Spider-Man, Iron Man, Avengers, Guardians, Thor, etc. movies.

[Ghost]

2 hours ago, Troo said:

Work in progress and in no particular order.

•     Thor: Ragnarok (2017)
•     Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
•     Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)
•     Avengers: Endgame (2019)
•     Black Panther (2018)
•     Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019)
•     Deadpool & Wolverine (2024)
•     Iron Man (2008)
•     Captain Marvel (2019)
•     Ant-Man (2015)

Ant-Man knocked Black Widow out of the top 10. Could easily list multiple Captain America, Spider-Man, Iron Man, Avengers, Guardians, Thor, etc. movies.

Sorry, a little confused.

Is this your 10 favorite?

[Troo]

@Ghost That's the way I'm leaning,.. while not committing. I went with picking one of each franchise rather than say multiple Captain Americas.

[Techwright]

Looking through that list, there's not a single movie in the first three phases that I'd not watch again, and that includes the often maligned ones.  I do have a list of ones I consider weak, but my reasons are different from others, so I'll not start an argument by listing them.   I did a personal sort, and about 11 of those original 22 films,  half of them, I consider great.  A couple of the remaining ones have increased status in my eyes after multiple re-watchings when I can better soak in the details and nuances.

 

Half of Phase 4 I'll not touch.  That right there is telling, but its shaping up for the same opinion of Phase 5.  Of those two phases I only think of one film as great, and a second as nearly-great.  Still waiting to see Thunderbolts, though.

 

Phase 6...wait...Masters of the Universe?? In the MCU?

 

[Troo]

1 hour ago, Techwright said:

Phase 6...wait...Masters of the Universe?? In the MCU?

 

Just slipped that in to see who's paying attention.

[Trike]

On 3/2/2025 at 3:51 PM, Troo said:

Work in progress and in no particular order.

•     Thor: Ragnarok (2017)
•     Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
•     Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)
•     Avengers: Endgame (2019)
•     Black Panther (2018)
•     Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019)
•     Deadpool & Wolverine (2024)
•     Iron Man (2008)
•     Captain Marvel (2019)
•     Ant-Man (2015)

Ant-Man knocked Black Widow out of the top 10. Could easily list multiple Captain America, Spider-Man, Iron Man, Avengers, Guardians, Thor, etc. movies.

As you said up top I can’t really pick a favorite MCU movie. It’s easier to list the few I don’t like: Iron Man 3, Quantumania, Eternals. People really seem to hate Thor 2 and The Marvels but I think they’re both solid films. The fact they managed to achieve such a high level of quality over so many movies is beyond impressive.

 

My wife was out of town last weekend so I did an MCU binge. 11.5 hours of Marvel (skipped the credits).

 

Captain America: The Winter Soldier 2:16 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Captain America: Civil War 2:27 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thor: Ragnarok 2:10 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Avengers: Infinity War 2:29 ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Avengers: Endgame 3:01 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

 

If forced to make a top 10, I’m going to go with the movies I’ve rewatched the most times. But it’s kind of like Jenga - they’re so interconnected it’s hard to choose just one.

 

1. Thor: Ragnarok

2. Captain America: The Winter Soldier 

3. Avengers: Endgame

4. Iron Man

5. Doctor Strange

6. Captain America: Civil War

7. The Avengers 

8. Spider-Man: Homecoming

9. Guardians of the Galaxy vol. 2

10. Shang-Chi 

 

The fact there are multiple terrific trilogies within the MCU is pretty amazing given all the moving parts. Captain America, Spider-Man, GotG, Avengers… quality across the board.

[Ghost]

I just can’t go along with Troos crazy rules about 1 in a series

 

No particular order, however Infinity War is most definitely my favorite MCU movie

 

1. Avengers: Infinity War 

2. Cap America: Winter Soldier

2. Dr Strange : Multiverse of Madness

2. The Incredible Hulk

2. Guardians of The Galaxy

2. Antman: Quantumania 

2. Cap America: Civil War

2. Iron Man

2. The Avengers

2. Spider-Man: Homecoming

 

Now I also loved Deadpool & Wolverine, but I don’t consider it a part of the Avengers MCU.

 

I really wanted to include the 1st Captain Marvel movie, but I think it would probably come in at #11

 

 

[Troo]

1 hour ago, Ghost said:

The Incredible Hulk

 

I'm going to have to watch this again.

[Mopery]

Saw this, and thought about this thread...

 

https://movieweb.com/marvel-movies-live-action-1970s-1980s/

[BrandX]

6 hours ago, Ghost said:

I just can’t go along with Troos crazy rules about 1 in a series

 

No particular order, however Infinity War is most definitely my favorite MCU movie

 

1. Avengers: Infinity War 

2. Cap America: Winter Soldier

2. Dr Strange : Multiverse of Madness

2. The Incredible Hulk

2. Guardians of The Galaxy

2. Antman: Quantumania 

2. Cap America: Civil War

2. Iron Man

2. The Avengers

2. Spider-Man: Homecoming

 

Now I also loved Deadpool & Wolverine, but I don’t consider it a part of the Avengers MCU.

 

I really wanted to include the 1st Captain Marvel movie, but I think it would probably come in at #11

 

 

 

I can understand that.  Part of me really wishes they kept the FOX and SONY verses out of the MCU.  I loved Spider-Man NWH, but I hate them mixing in the old movies from other studios into the narrative.

[Troo]

1 hour ago, Mopery said:

Saw this, and thought about this thread...

 

https://movieweb.com/marvel-movies-live-action-1970s-1980s/

 

We are soooooooo spoiled.

[Trike]

3 hours ago, Mopery said:

Saw this, and thought about this thread...

 

https://movieweb.com/marvel-movies-live-action-1970s-1980s/

A few years ago my wife and I were watching a movie about shopgirls in 1950s Sydney — hang on, IMDBing… ah, Ladies In Black, it’s good — and one of the girls is Angourie Rice who plays Betty Brant in the Spider-Man movies. Their boss is an older guy who looked super familiar so I looked him up and it’s Nicholas Hammond! The original Spider-Man from the 1970s TV series, with an Aussie accent. They let Lou Ferrigno be in Incredible Hulk but not Hammond in Spider-Man? Boo.