All 34 MCU Movies Ranked Worst to Best
Note: These rankings are organized by tier as well to separate the groups - signaling a shift in the “grade” or quality of the project.
Tier 5: Turd Blossoms
34. THE INCREDIBLE HULK
Ahh, it's tough that we have to start the ranking of all the MCU movies with the black sheep of the universe. I say that because of the fact that I'd rather talk about the stronger additions to the franchise rather than weaker ones - and Incredible Hulk is weak. It's surprisingly dull and lacking in depth in the scenes in between the action. That action is actually not too shabby and one of the things saving this project from being rubbish, particularly the final showdown between Abomination and The Hulk. However, that's not enough o hide the elephant in the room that is the Edward Norton fiasco. As we all know by now, Norton had some issues with the studio and dropped out of his role as The Hulk for future movies before Mark Ruffalo took over the mantle. It makes the film stick out like a sore thumb in the franchise and it doesn't help that Norton isn't that great in the role either, surprisingly.
33. THE MARVELS
I got around to watching The Marvels once it became free since the trailers made it look horrible to pay money for. Unfortunately, I was generally right for the most part. The core trio is clearly having fun and trying they best to elevate a poor script but it just isn’t very good. I still have zero idea as to what the villains name is off the top of my head (just looked it up - it’s Dar-Benn??) which says a lot about a movie’s quality. The action scenes also could have use more of the body swapping that was advertised. I’m not trying to take a deuce on it but it there’s not much originality here making it worthwhile.
32. THOR: THE DARK WORLD
You could pretty much copy and paste what I wrote about The Marvels right here. It has the unmemorable villain, bland scenery and action sequences, and tells a story not worth telling. Even the best scene in the movie with Loki dying no longer has a lasting emotional impact now that we know now about his future. I can’t think of many other scenes or qualities it has to make it a valued addition to the MCU.
31. THOR
The Original Thor had much more going for it. they absolutely nail the casting with Chris Hemsworth. We get to see the most serious side of him as well in the origin story, which is refreshing considering they butcher his arc from 2019 on. Thor does get the show stolen from him by Loki-scene stealing introduction to the MCU but that is a good problem to have. The movie didn’t need to be more than it was and it suffices for the Norse God’s first entry in Marvel.
30. ETERNALS
Another Phase 4 film, another low ranking. These Phase 4 movies had the feel of Phase 1 thanks to the lofty amount of superheroes they needed to introduce for the Multiverse Saga. Like Phase 1, these origin stories have done a good job establishing the characters but forgot to make the stories less generic. Some of the villains are random alien creatures with basic powers that don't create very interesting fight scenes. It's another "they have the power to save the universe movie" and there aren't enough twists to that gimmick to make it worthy. On the bright side of things, the actual Eternals are well-cast and are balanced on screen for the most part. They and the gorgeous visuals make this worth a watch. Bonus note: I hope you guys didn't think MCU's first sex scene would be anything good, because it's as tame as it gets and contains very little chemistry.
29. CAPTAIN MARVEL
Remember how I mentioned the Incredible Hulk being dull earlier? Well, also Captain Marvel fits into that category. It's a very basic origin story that we've seen many times by now and it doesn't even have the charm or humor that the original ones did. That makes it kind of a chore to watch so that even Samuel L. Jackson can't save it. It's really great that they finally got a female-led superhero movie at this time and it was a box office and critical success, but the audience and I consider it underwhelming and half-assed. I don't only come here with negative, the Skrulls are fun and the "final showdown" we usually get only lasts a minute and it's a refreshing change of pace for the genre. Also, I'm taking points away for THAT being the cause of Fury's eyepatch all these years.
28. BLACK WIDOW
I feel pretty bad for Black Widow and Scarlett Johansson. The character has been sidelined in the Avengers for years and so when they finally get her a solo movie, she's dead. That feels disrespectful to add on top of the fact that she made a lot less money than she was supposed to due to the Disney Plus-only release. It was just hard to care about this one knowing it wouldn't have much impact on anything considering it was a prequel. What also makes it hard to care about Black Widow is the crappy CGI and horrible, horrible villains. But hey at least we got Yelena Bolova (Florence Pugh)! Plus, David Harbour as Red Guardian is hilarious, and the opening credits are really eerie but stand up among the best Marvel has to offer.
27. THOR: LOVE AND THUNDER
If there's a movie that best demonstrates what having too much of a good thing looks like, it's Thor: Love and Thunder. Taika Waititi took everything from Ragnarok and then cranked it up to 11. He clearly gave his cast lots of opportunity for improv and it comes across as more forced and cringey than witty and clever like the previous one. Even the effortless charm of Natalie Portman's return with her at her best can't even deliver the humor they were aiming for. The film actually does better when it's not trying to be funny every second, as pretty much any content with Christian Bale's Gorr is creepy joy. He's pretty developed for not getting nearly enough screen time and is hands down the best thing Thor: Love and Thunder has to offer.
26. ANT-MAN AND THE WASP: QUANTUMANIA
Tier 4: Plucky D-Listers
25. CAPTAIN AMERICA: FIRST AVENGER
The gap between 26 and 25 is quite large so don’t get thinking that Captain America’s anywhere close to the hot mess that Ant-Man 3. That’s what the tiers are for! As is going to be a recurring theme, Marvel nails the lead casting here with Chris Evans fitting the role like a glove. He has great chemistry with love interest Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell) that adds the emotional weight missing from the tier above. Red Skull is also such an iconic villain that they had to bring him back a few years down the line. I just wish that the CGI on skinny Steve Rogers was better.
24. SPIDERMAN: FAR FROM HOME
Next, we have a movie that's been overshadowed by its final scene more than any other movie here. Spiderman: Far From Home's post-credit scene is the best one yet and still shocking to this day considering (spoiler ahead) that Spiderman's identity has never been public on the big screen. It created such a great cliffhanger that it was all people (me included) ended up talking about after it came out. That's disappointing because Far From Home is a really good Spiderman movie. The illusion sequences are super trippy and there wasn't any CGI to complain about! Not only that, MJ and Peter's relationship gets more attention which leads to one of the best high school relationship portrayals I've seen thanks to their cute awkwardness.
23. DOCTOR STRANGE
The original Doctor Strange was one of the more unique entries into the universe with all the magic and mystic arts involved. It's a good thing it stands out in that aspect, as it's essentially a carbon copy of Iron Man's character and origin story. I mean they're both rich, white assholes who only care about themselves and their work until an accident sparks them into changing their passion. While it's never a bad thing to be compared to the best character Marvel has presented, it does feel very familiar. Nonetheless, the visuals that result from the powers being used are really cool if you ignore the one-dimensional nature of the villain, Kaecillius. It's better than the sequel but it's still a middling movie.
22. IRON MAN 2
21. ANT-MAN AND WASP
I'll say this, the Ant-Man movies do their job as light-hearted palette cleansers for Marvel. Quantunmania is thankfully gonna be a different tone with some actual life-and-death situations it appears, but let's not forget what came before it. Not many people take the first two Ant-Man movies seriously and while that's understandable, they're actually pretty good! One of the benefits of having the Ant-Man name is the lack of expectations that surround it so it's hard to disappoint anyone. Evangeline Lily finally gets to step into the spotlight as the Wasp and everyone in the cast looks like they're enjoying themselves. We also get a repeat of the Luis flashback sequence from the first one and it's just as funny. No complaints here, just some harmless fun. Besides that spooky credits scene...
Tier 3: Midgard Mid
19. DOCTOR STRANGE IN THE MULTIVERSE OF M(I)DNESS
I apologize for the pun above but I couldn’t help it. The follow-up doctor Strange outing was a victim of WILD expectations. With the multiverse confirmed, fans spread so many rumors and theories of who could appear that anything they were given was going to underwhelm. I actually thought they did an admirable job, with the Illumnati scene being a real highlight and shock with all the fun cameos dying immediately. Sure they may have been wasted but it truly showed how powerful Wanda is. Not only that, they had so much content to get through that this could have taken away from the central plot which had already been rushed. Overall, this is why I personally like this more than the first due to the unpredictability of it.
20. AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON
It's hard to label Avengers: Age of Ultron as the worst Avengers team-up...but it is. I don't think anyone here is gonna argue this. The bar is just so high and Age of Ultron ultimately isn't that memorable or important in the grand scheme of things. When the villain is a robot and not a person it becomes more challenging to get invested. That's not to say Ultron isn't interesting, he's just the least developed and that's okay. This film also has the weird Hulk-Natasha romance while also killing off a huge character they JUST introduced for some dumb reason. Joss Whedon really made some questionable calls to add to the unnecessary quips enforced throughout the movie. But hey, we get Scarlet Witch and the classic lifting the hammer contest in this one.
18. CAPTAIN AMERICA: WINTER SOLDIER
We've officially reached the point where some of these rankings could get a little controversial and I totally respect that. Lots of fans are passionate about how great of a political action movie this one is. I 100% agree with it being great. Still, just being great doesn't mean that much when you're next to the powerhouses below. Here's my thing, I really don't like the Nick Fury fake-out death as it lessens the stakes of Marvel deaths in general so from here on it's even harder to believe anything's permanent anymore. It's an issue they still have thanks to time travel and the multiverse that I think this movie started. One thing I do like (even love), is the elevator scene that's so awesome they remixed it in Endgame. It's such a great showcase of Steve's skills and it consists of some of the best fight choreography that Marvel has done.
17. ANT-MAN
Seriously. I put Ant-Man above guardians 3 and winter soldier??? That's right. Paul Rudd is perfectly cast as a caring and goofy father who has made bad decisions in the past. He has endless charm along with his misfit buddies who bring some fun levity to the movie. Even if Yellowjacket wasn't the most original or inspired choice to be the first adversary of Scott Lang, he does his job enough considering this is more of a showcase for Ant-Man's character. He also gets to be a part of one of the more ingenious fight scenes with the whole Thomas the Train sequence. We also get to go to the quantum Realm for the first time in a tease of what's to come.
16. GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 3
Full disclosure: I was misty-eyed three times during this movie. I can’t say that about any other movie here and is something James Gunn should be proud of. It’s not always easy to say goodbye to such a beloved group of weirdos but they absolutely stuck the landing. Guardians 3 doesn’t have as much humor as the first two nor the soundtrack quality but it makes up for it with the emotional depth. Rocket’s traumatic backstory was genuinely tear-jerking and affecting. He truly is the heart of the team. It’s a fitting send off to the misfits in a Return of the Jedi type of manner.
15. THE AVENGERS
This movie was a huge gamble at the time. That's pretty hard to fathom right now given how much money they've made and the number of franchises that have tried emulating its success. Yet, a lot of people questioned it and were silenced when it was a critical and audience hit with 91% on Rotten Tomatoes and $1.5 Billion grossed at the box office. Against all odds, Earth's Mightiest Heroes teamed up for the first time in a highly entertaining effort against fan-favorite, Loki. The banter between the heroes is hilarious and delivered some classic one-liners (Genius, playboy, billionaire, philanthropist you know I'm referring to you). I do wish though that Hawkeye wasn't mind controlled for really his first full outing and that the Chitari weren't so lame, but beyond that this a great success that shouldn't be forgotten so many years later.
Tier 2: Super Soliders
14. BLACK PANTHER
For a film that got nominated for best picture at the Oscars, you would think that this would be a lot higher. However, they use different standards and metrics when making their decisions than I do. Black Panther does such a great job of introducing us to the world of Wakanda, from the beautiful scenery, their special language, and the colorful apparel. This is all accompanied by a Grammy-winning soundtrack and score as well. Black Panther also hosts one of the best villains in Killmonger (Michael B. Jordan) thanks to his understandable motives that if filmed from his point of view could make him look like the hero instead. I can boast about this movie more but you're probably wondering why it's not higher so I'll get to that now. The third act is weirdly not nearly on par with the rest of the movie due to the bad CGI in the panther fight and the simple battle of the soldiers that go on simultaneously.
13. SHANG-CHI
Shang-Chi is in the same boat that Black Panther is in. They both immerse us in the culture of the protagonist and they're awesome for it. Both movies have leads that are calm and charismatic, but not the best parts of their own movie. Yes, I'm referring to the villains usurping them in the entertainment and development category. Shang-Chi and Black Panther also have overstuffed third-act messes that bring down the grounded nature that came before it. That's why it was really easy to couple these together. What just barely separates this from black Panther is the fantastically choreographed bus scene early on in the movie. I can't imagine how long that took to film but it is very quick and intricate and in my opinion, it's the best scene of either movie (save, for maybe Killmonger's ancestor's speech).
12. DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE
This writer here is a massive fan of Deadpool, so the inclusion of his character in the MCU was met with some skepticism. I still had sky-high expectations with Hugh Jackman involved and somehow they were met. It is just as hysterical and fourth-wall breaking as the other two movies while maintaining its heart. The soundtrack is once again great, making comical use of classics like “Bye, Bye, Bye” and “Like a Prayer.” Although, as awesome as it is to see the comic-accurate Wolverine suit, it’s hard to not feel as though his perfect send-off in Logan is undone here.
11. SPIDERMAN: HOMECOMING
We've finally gotten to the best of the best, and the begins with Marvel's most popular property. They couldn't even wait 5 years to get another Spiderman movie out there but I'm happy they did. Homecoming gives us a more modern and fresh take on the character, mainly thanks to Robert Downey Jr.'s presence and the gadgets he gives to Peter Parker. We also don't have to sit through yet another origin story that everyone and their mother knows by now. Not only that, but the love interest and villain for this movie in Liz and Vulture, respectively, are the first times we get to see live-action iterations of their character and they're a hoot (especially Michael Keaton). All of those factors and more make this worthy of a reboot and I haven't even spoken about the titular character himself yet. Tom Holland fits the role so well no matter what your view is on who the best Spiderman is and the movie oozes with youth thanks to it.
10. BLACK PANTHER: WAKANDA FOREVER
Could this be recency bias? Possibly. But Black Panther: Wakanda Forever was such an emotional journey that the original was not for me so I don't care right now. Chadwick Boseman's unfortunate passing obviously shifted some plans but Ryan Coogler and co. do an admirable job treating such a fragile subject with grace. The tributes to Chadwick in the movie aren't done cheaply and elicited tears out of yours truly. As sad as his passing was, it does open up space for previously underused characters to shine in his absence. In particular, I mean Ramonda (Angela Bassett), Nakia (Lupita Nyong'O), and Shuri (Letitia Wright), especially show out. I haven't even mentioned the Namor's Avatar-like community of the Telokans which is even more stunning than Wakanda. Juggling two different groups of people is hard. It's even harder when you have to include Everett Ross's unnecessary storyline that only adds to an already long runtime.
Infinity Tier
9. IRON MAN
The one that started it all. Not many would've predicted what followed but the rest is history. Rumor has it there wasn't an actual screenplay when they were filming. That sounds like a disaster waiting but somehow Iron Man went on to be great. None of this would've been possible without the best casting job the MCU has done. Of course, I'm referring to the man who literally is Tony Stark: Robert Downey Jr. He manages to be effortlessly charismatic with the right amount of arrogance to come across as someone to root for and relate to. They don't take any huge swings with this one but the personal rivalry seemed more appropriate than some cluster**** that many of the movies have turned into at the end. It's also endlessly quotable which helps.
8. AVENGERS: ENDGAME
It wouldn’t be a stretch to say that this was the most anticipated movie of all-time leading up to its release, even surpassing The Force Awakens buzz. Fortunately, it pretty much delivers on all fronts. For a 3 hour movie, there is a lot of unpack here. Of course, Tony’s sacrifice is the perfect end to his 11 year arc. The same goes for Cap finally getting that dance he’s craved for so long. Speaking of Cap, the dude lifted Mjolnr in epic fashion much to the applause of my theater. Soon after he does that, we get to see the spectacle that was the final battle with every hero we’ve come to love. The fan service may have been over the top at times but the was the culmination of a the Infinity Saga - isn’t that what we wanted?
7. IRON MAN 3
This is hands down going to be the hottest take on here. You either love the Mandarin twist or you hate it. This is gonna sound weird but I really don't mind it. Yes, the Mandarin is a staple in the comics and isn't white, but it was a very clever subverting of expectations that made you realize you didn't know exactly how this was gonna go. And yes, Ben Kingsley's "portrayal" of him was menacing and would've been great to see fully fleshed out, but Alrich Killian's turn wasn't too harmful. Plus, it doesn't hurt that Trevor Slattery is a goofball. We haven't mentioned Tony Stark yet. His PTSD and anxiety since the Battle of New York is one of my favorite character arcs that he goes through. This is a very slept-on movie and it fully deserves to be top 10 and maybe even a little higher.
6. THOR: RAGNAROK
Easily the best Thor movie of the four is Thor: Ragnarok. At the time of the release of Thor's fourth outing, this felt like a breath of fresh air. It's still fantastic, but the sequel has shown that too much of one thing can be a bad thing and allowed this movie to lose some of its spark?? over time. That one thing is, of course, Taika Waititi. But I'm not talking about that film, I'm talking about Ragnarok and the brilliance brings to his first Marvel directorial effort. His style is so unique that it reinvented the Thor character that was starting to feel stale. It's a very colorful and funny movie that completely contrasts the previous two's cinematography and tone. It's a laugh-a-minute type of picture that doesn't take itself too seriously so it's understandable if it's not really your cup of tea. Although it should be in this case!
5. GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 1
This has to easily be one of the most surprising success stories to ever come out of Marvel comics. These guys were D-List heroes that included a talking tree and a raccoon. Yet, they grossed $770 million at the box office and never looked back. I think that was due to the relatable nature of a ragtag group of misfits. Obviously, that's not the only reason it was such a success as James Gunn and co. managed to craft a story with so much charm it was almost impossible not to like. Everyone is perfectly cast here and the chemistry between the group is effortless. And of course, I can't leave out the best part of these movies. The soundtrack. Gunn clearly put a lot of effort into compiling a list of songs that best captures the nostalgia of the 80s. I want to put this into the top 5 personally, but Ronan the Accuser is a boring, underwhelming villain and the dance-off ending is a little too silly even for me.
4. SPIDERMAN: NO WAY HOME
At #2 we have the movie that is home (haha pun unintended) to possibly the worst-kept secret in Hollywood history. That is, of course, the inclusion of Andrew Garfield and Tobey Maguire's Spidermen in the movie. Somehow though, the "surprise" worked almost flawlessly and their returns were not wasted. If you want nostalgia, this is the place to get it. It's littered with winks to the audience and callbacks that really rewards the audience for their superfan natures. While not all the jokes land here, this a very funny film that impressively doesn't take away from the serious nature of the big moments. Yes, it's not as gimmicky as it appears and genuinely has some touching moments in such a wild movie. This would be #1 if it didn't waste a couple of returning enemies and had a better way of breaking the multiverse.
3. CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR
Captain America: Civil War had more characters to juggle than any other previous films which led to some hesitation from viewers on how they would balance it all. Well, the answer is that they would do it mighty admirable. Essentially Avengers 2.5, this movie has a lot to offer. It would be hard to talk about this movie without the airport sequence that was all over the marketing as it is one of the most impressive set pieces that Marvel has offered. Seeing Giant-Man, Black Panther, AND Spiderman make their introductions here was thrilling even if there were essentially zero stakes in a fight with superheroes besides Rhodey's paralysis. Luckily, what came after gets really heated when we see the iconic Iron Man vs. Bucky and Cap battle. The reveal that Bucky killed Tony's parents and that Cap knew about it was a devastating and chilling moment that preceded it that made it hard to take sides. Best Cap movie.
2. GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 2
Many people liked the first Guardians movie more than this one. Totallyyy cool. However, I have something to say about that. In almost every facet, this film just surpasses the other. The soundtrack somehow is even better with fewer basic songs on it. Ego is one of the best villains we've ever had in the universe. Furthermore, there's also way more emotion and heart thanks to the familial focus this time! The only thing I'd knock it for is the fact that the guardians are pretty split up for most of the movie which is definitely where the first one thrives. However, this leads to more character development for underappreciated people like Yondu, Nebula, and even characters like Kraglin. Also, you have to be a monster to not love Baby Groot on center stage in the opening title sequence dancing to "Mr. Blue Sky."
AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR
34 movies and 16 years later we have arrived at the 1 spot. No surprises here folks, sorry. Widely regarded as the best MCU film put out to date - I can't argue it. I f***ing love this movie for everything it's worth. My favorite thing about it is the fact that it's one of the only times in superhero history that the heroes LOSE. I mean what a gasp-inducing moment the snap is. My theater was eerily silent when taking it in and tears were shed when Peter bit the dust (haha okay pun intended this time). Not many Marvel moments really get you like that as by now people know what to expect with these pictures. Thank God Thanos set out to change all that. The Mad Titan that had been teased since 2012 and lives up to the hype as this unstoppable psychopath. Everyone gets time to shine in this one while we also get to see characters interact in that we've never seen to this point. It seriously would be nitpicky to come up ith flaws for Infinity War. Thanks for reading the list and if you wanna debate then reach out to me!
