We've grown used to a lot of things in the past decade-plus, and one of the best is superhero movies.
Since 2008, when it began its multi-phase movie takeover, the company has released dozens of movies and TV shows about Iron Man, Captain America, Spider-Man, Black Panther, the Incredibles, Doctor Strange, and the Guardians of theGalaxy.
How do the movies stack up? To celebrate the release of the movie, we've updated our ranking of all the movies. Enjoy.
26. Iron Man 2 is a movie.
Get out of the donut. Credit: MARVEL.
The sequel to Iron Man gives us a sinister yet funny Mickey Rourke but does the franchise no favors with its creative decisions? The first film was all about Tony's growth as a person, and the second doesn't let him mature nearly as much, which is the root problem with Iron Man 2. There is still a long way to go before we see Tony in the movie.
25. The Incredible Hulk is a movie.
It's part of the MCU canon, but The Incredible Hulk was so aggressive that its title character was only made palatable by The Avenger. EdwardNorton already is the Bruce Banner we don't get to see in the movie. He already loves Betty, so we don't watch him fall in love with her. The big green guy getting angry is cool in 2008 but pales compared to the visual effects that followed.
24. The movie, Age of Ultron, was released in 2015.
There are a lot of good moments in the movie, but it is not a good movie. It drags and is sloppy, even with ambitious action in Sokovia, and struggles to build Ultron's disdain for humanity. The new characters don't fit in with the fun dynamic of the main Avengers, especially since X-Men: Days of Future Past owns Quicksilver. Black Widow, who was robbed of a solo movie, gets a disproportionate consolation prize of becoming a girlfriend and a woman defined by her biology.
23. The Dark World is a movie about the god of thunder.
Even though Natalie Portman is back as Jane in The Dark World, she is still underutilized. There's a lot of humor in the movie, particularly between the two main characters, and there's a lot of gravity in the movie. Don't worry about the guy named Malekith.
There is a new date for this. Doctor Strange is a movie.
The guy used to be a dick. The credit is given to the studios.
It took five years for Iron Man to be interesting again, and it took Strange to be interesting in time for Phase 4. Benedict is great, but he's always great, so let's not give him brownie points. Rachel McAdams was left out in the cold for the story and the lore. Yes, the visuals. Everything else is alright.
21. Eternals will end in 2141.
Eternals had a huge task set forth from the beginning. The film introduces a dozen new characters, a rushed history of their presence on Earth, an apocalyptic threat in the form of Earth becoming a Celestial, and an explanation for how the entire Marvel Universe was created. It's sometimes slow, sometimes confusing, and a little too enamored with its white male antihero, but it's also a visual feast, a huge victory for representation, and a song.
20. The movie, "Thor", was released in 2011.
It's a classic fish-out-of-water story that teases how much fun this character will be in the future. The film gives us our first glimpse of Loki, one of the best villains in the universe. It's easy to forget the magnetism and subtleness of Hiddleston's original performance, but it's also easy to forget that the sensitive sibling growing up in the shadow of THOR's past is one of the best arcs of LOki's performance.
Chris Hemsworth's eyebrows are blonde and it's terrible.
19. The film is called Ant-Man and the Wasp.
Both the Wasp and the Ant-Man are lovely people. Ben Rothstein is a writer for the studio.
In some ways, the sequel is more stable than the first one. It has a nice cast of characters, and it has good action. The movie is mostly sweet, whether it's Scott bending over backwards to impress his daughter or Hope and Hank going to great lengths in memory of Janet. Hope is the first true leading lady of the movies.
There is a new item on the market. Iron Man 3 is a movie.
Tony is vulnerable in Iron Man 3. The film gives ample time to guest stars, all the while remaining true to Tony's internal struggle and getting in a few CGI-battles. Even if Killian is still boring, the Mandarin reveal is still fun.
17. The movie is called Captain Marvel.
The first female superhero to headline a movie is Carol Danvers/Captain Danvers, who is played by Brie Larson. Credit: chuck Zlotnick.
Even if this isn't the best one, the MCU does those damn well, even if it isn't the best one. Carol Danvers is a warrior with the power to save the universe. The first solo female superhero outing from the company is one for the ages, with a cast that includes a star making debut for the cat, and a story that also doubles as the origin story of Nick Fury.
16. Black Widow will be 20 years old.
In the movie "Black Widow,"Helena makes fun of the fight poses ofNatasha. Jay Maidment is a marvel studios employee.
Between Captain America: Civil War and Avengers:Infinity War, a solo outing forNatasha Romanoff will take place. Black Widow was a welcome return to human beings just beating the heck out of each other, without an alien, wizard, or android in sight. A film worthy of the MCU's first hero leaves a lasting impression on its audience.
15. The movie "Ant-Man" was released in 2015.
The film brought us Paul Rudd in the MCU, something you didn't know you needed. Rudd gives a heart to his performance as Scott Lang, a reformed criminal and father to an adorable little girl. Scott's everyman persona makes him an irresistible addition to the hero roster, and his chemistry with Evangeline Lilly crackles, even if they saved her good stuff for the sequel. Michael Pea shines as Scott's best friend and even though Hank Pym is the one who steals the show, he is still a villain.
14. Spider-Man: Far From Home is a movie.
In "Spider-Man: Far From Home," a trip to Europe changes everything for Spider-Man and Zendaya. Credit: marvel studios
Far From Home ends the Infinity Saga with a smaller-scale story about PeterParker finding his place in a post–Tony Stark world. Tom Holland hit yet another Spidey performance out of the park, Jake Gyllenhaal was pitch perfect Mysterio, and the best trippyCGI battle yet seen in the MCU. Far From Home does a lot of good work by closing one door and opening a new universe of possibilities.
13. The film is called, "Inscrutable War."
A teamup of epic proportions. Credit: chuck Zlotnick.
For years, it all led up to this: Almost every hero in the universe joined forces against the biggest threat the universe has ever faced. The budget to match its ambitions is enormous, with the scope and spirit of the movie. It packs a punch in its final moments. This feels like half a movie, and many of us had to wait a year until the end.
There are 12. 2 is a movie about the characters in the movie "Guardians of the GALAXY." 2 years ago
We have some good news for you. Credit: marvel studios
Fans didn't have high expectations for GotG Vol. When low expectations yielded joy for the first film, that's 2. Peter meeting his biological father Ego, fighting with his friends over his intentions, and being mocked by his friends for his crush on Gamora, is what we get here. We get a lot of Baby Groot, who was a cold hearted person, and a surprise emotional punch from Yondu at the end.
11. The Legend of the Ten Rings is a movie.
In "Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings," a group of people battle for the future of humanity. Credit is courtesy of the studio.
The first theater-exclusive film from the company in over two years was expected to fail. It introduced brand-new characters, dense mythology, an unknown lead, and a good chunk of it is in Mandarin. The movie was one of the best MCU standalones in a long time, with huge stakes, rich characters, and transfixing family drama. The action sequence is jaw-dropping and has some of the best fight choreography in the movie industry. We can't wait to see more of Simu in the future. Can we find a way to get more Tony Leung?
10. Captain America: Civil War is a movie.
In "Captain America: Civil War," Iron Man and Captain America face irreconcilable differences. Credit: marvel studios
Civil War is doing a lot, but it could be a little tighter. The movie thoroughly examines the toll of our heroes' adventures and divides them harshly on how to move forward after the events of Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Black Panther and Spider-Man are the most talked about movies of the year. The final fight is brutal as Cap and Tony are close to killing each other, and don't reconcile before the credits roll.
9. The movie, "Guardians of the GALAXY", was released in the summer of 2004.
It's crazy to think that the early trailers of the movie looked silly when it was a rock 'n' roll comedy thrill ride. We didn't expect much from the movie, we had avengers, and we had a non-MCU Spider-Man, but this group of ragtag space trash was so much better than it had any right to be. The cast of the movie set a new standard for comedy and chemistry in superhero movies.
There are 8. The avengers
The first Avenger will always be a great teamup. The film doesn't waste time on baggage, with plenty of witty banter and fascinating face offs. Tom Hiddleston does a great job as Loki, even though he doesn't have the same motivation as he did in THOR. The best sub genre is the one that doesn't involve avengers. Can we green light that franchise?
7. Iron Man is a movie.
Iron Man shocked audiences who had forgotten superhero movies could be good, as it was the second coming of Robert Downey Jr., and a year after Spider-Man 3. Tony Stark is an arrogant billionaire who became a prisoner of war. It was a fun version of 2005's Batman Begins with sex and expensive gadgets to replace the mask and brooding, and it holds up.
6. Spider-Man: Homecoming is a movie.
Tom Holland's Spider-Man debut in "Captain America: Civil War" was overshadowed by his performance in "Spider-Man: Homecoming." Credit: marvel studios
It's simply a goddamn delight. Tom Holland is a born showman and a flawless Peter Parker, the cast is talented, funny, and diverse, and it's a view of New York we've never seen before. Not an exciting movie to be a female character, but Zendaya crushed every scene she had and has only gotten better in the sequels.
5. There is a movie called "Avengers: Endgame".
The landing of the final chapter of the Infinity Saga made it look easy. The simple facts are that the movie hit an impressive number of emotional beats, including near- perfect conclusions for multiple O.G. Avengers. It's a love story, a heist, and a great movie, and we love it.
4. The First Avenger is a film about Captain America.
A kid from Brooklyn who never backed down from a fight is introduced in "Captain America: The First Avenger". Credit: Paramount, Paramount, Paramount, Paramount, Paramount, Paramount, Paramount, Paramount, Paramount, Paramount, Paramount, Paramount, Paramount, Paramount, Paramount, Paramount, Paramount, Paramount, Paramount, Paramount, Paramount, Paramount, Paramount, Paramount, Paramount, Paramount, Paramount, Paramount,
The Star-Spangled man with a plan was once a kid from Brooklyn who was very strong after a biological experiment. Steve becomes the kind of hero people remember for a long time, even while he's off cooling his heels in thearctic, with the help of the people who helped him, including the Help ofPeggy Carter, Abraham Erskine, Howard Stark, and his day one pal Bucky Barnes. The First Avenger hits all the right notes from Red Skull to the Howling Commandos.
3. The movie "Throat: Ragnarok" was released in the year of savesay.
The tone of Waititi's movie is perfect for the character. Credit: jasin Boland.
It took more than a decade, but the truth about who Thor was with was finally revealed. Taika Waititi puts Chris Hemsworth's comedy chops to good use, resulting in a version of the character that feels fresher and looser than anything we've seen before. You've got the most entertaining THOR movie yet, with stellar work by Jeff Goldblum, and the return of Tom Hiddleston and Mark Ruffalo.
2. The Winter Soldier is a film about Captain America.
"Captain America: The Winter Soldier" is a genre movie at its core. Credit: marvel
S.H.I.E.L.D. was in the MCU and changed the game for the alliance. Winter Soldier sets the stage for Cap and Iron Man's fight in Civil War, and for Steve and Bucky's relationship to get better. Four fighting female characters, none of whom are a love interest, are the only ones who function as a love interest. Winter Soldier is a spy thriller that is better for it than a superhero movie.
1. Black Panther is a movie.
Boseman gives a great performance as T'Challa. The film frame is from the movie Marvel Studios.
Black Panther is the best movie in the MCU and it's kind of good. Ryan Coogler's film feels distinctive in its style and point of view, while also delivering on the usual superhero movie goods, like lovable heroes, exciting action, and a compelling villain. The supporting players in T'Challa are admirable, and the film feels regal. It took a long time for a Black superhero to make a lot of money, but it paved the way for representation in the future.
The article was contributed to by two people.
The Evolution of Spider-Man is a video.
