The 20 best films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe

The MCU began all the way back in 2008 with its very first film, Iron Man . Robert Downey Jr. made a long-awaited career comeback by taking on the role of Tony Stark, the billionaire who creates the high-tech suit that helps him save the world. Downey Jr. was perfectly cast as the charming but arrogant Stark, and would continue to play him over the next ten years in several other films. Its strong story and characters help it remain a fan favorite to this day. 

The Avengers was the very first ensemble film in the MCU, and sees Nick Fury assemble a team of heroes to take down the tyrannical Loki. That team is made up of Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, Black Widow, Hulk, and Hawkeye. This was the first time audiences had the chance to see these famous characters interact with and fight alongside each other. It remains one of the best team-up movies of the entire series, and is pure comic book goodness. 

One of the most beloved films in the entire MCU is Guardians of the Galaxy. The film follows a group of criminals —Star-Lord, Gamora, Drax, Rocket, and Groot — forced to band together to save the galaxy from the evil Ronan. Before the film’s release, these characters were widely unknown to those who hadn’t read the Marvel comics. However, the film’s mix of heart, action, irreverence, and humor was a winning recipe, and even won over superhero cynics.

Black Panther was a groundbreaking film in terms of representation and culture, being the first MCU film to be led by a Black superhero and ensemble cast. It is set in the fictional advanced nation of Wakanda, where King T’Challa inherits the throne after his father’s death. The film’s Afrofuturism aesthetic is a unique celebration of African culture, separating it from other MCU films. It was also the first superhero movie nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars.

Spider-Man: No Way Home was the movie event of 2021, with extreme secrecy and hype surrounding its release. Now that the world knows that Peter Parker is Spider-Man, Peter goes to Doctor Strange for help to reverse the reveal of his identity. However, when a spell goes wrong, the multiverse breaks open, and people from other worlds start to appear. The film is packed with effective cameos and nostalgic fan service for all fans of Spider-Man, no matter what era.

Avengers: Endgame is the epic conclusion to Marvel’s Infinity Saga, marking the end of an era. Following the events of Avengers: Infinity War, half of the population has been wiped out of existence by Thanos. The remaining Avengers must band together and use time travel in order to restore balance and reverse Thanos’s actions. It is a huge film in every sense of the word, especially with its three-hour runtime, and the perfect farewell to the original Avengers of the MCU.

Director Taika Waititi breathed new life into the world of Thor and Asgard with Thor: Ragnarok. The film sees Thor team up with Hulk, Valkyrie, and Loki to take down his villainous sister, Hela, the goddess of death. Waiti injects the film with plenty of humor and silliness, making it feel very different from the previous two Thor films. Thor becomes a more comedic character, and there are many fun new additions, such as Korg, who is made of rocks and voiced by Waititi. 

The third Captain America film sees Steve Rogers and Tony Stark at odds with each other after a government legislation causes a rift between them. The law limits the actions of superheroes, which Tony is in favor of, in order to stop more cities from being destroyed. However, Steve believes they cannot rely on the government to protect the world. It’s a superhero team-up of massive proportions on either side and introduces Tom Holland’s Spider-Man and Chadwick Boseman’s Black Panther. 

Avengers: Infinity War sees the team of heroes face their biggest threat yet in the form of Thanos, the Mad Titan. Thanos is on a mission to collect all of the Infinity Stones, which will allow him to fulfill his diabolical plan of wiping out half of the universe. The Avengers and their allies must assemble in order to stop him. The film is often regarded as Marvel’s best by many fans, thanks to the huge number of characters and epic moments that lead to a shocking climax.

Paul Rudd appeared as Scott Lang for the first time in 2015’s Ant-Man. In the film, Scott, a thief, gets access to a suit that allows him to shrink to the size of an ant. Enlisted by Dr. Hank Pym, Scott must use his suit for good and to save the world. The film features some of the most inventive action seen in the MCU, thanks to its size-swapping protagonist and the scenarios he finds himself in, whether that’s in the shower or on a toy train set. It makes for clever and comedic small-scale fun. 

Post Endgame, the quality of Marvel films slightly faltered. However, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings marked a welcome return for the studio. The film follows Shaun, a valet driver hunted by his father and the mysterious Ten Rings organisation after leaving them behind years ago. Shang-Chi introduces martial arts into the MCU, with sleek and meticulous choreography, while combining fantastical elements that make for a mythical adventure. 

Everybody’s favourite group of ragtag space heroes return in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. The film sees the Guardians meet Ego, a celestial being who claims to be Peter’s father. However, they soon discover Ego’s sinister side. Vol. 2 takes all the ingredients that made the first film so great and builds on them, humanizing villains like Nebula and Yondu, and introducing new characters like Mantis. Character development, laughs, and heart are in abundance here. 

Chris Hemsworth wielded the hammer of Mjölnir for the first time in 2011’s Thor , playing the God of Thunder in his introduction to the MCU. In the film, Thor is exiled by his father, the King of Asgard, to live on Earth with mortals. There, he meets scientist Jane Foster. The plot makes for a fun and action-packed fish-out-of-water story, and Hemsworth proves he was born to play the role. Tom Hiddleston also appears as Loki for the first time, which is a role he continues to play to this day. 

One of the MCU’s most prominent characters, Steve Rogers, is introduced in the war film Captain America: The First Avenger . The film rewrites history, and sees Steve Rogers play a prominent role against the Nazis during World War II after being injected with a super serum. With the perfect mix of pulpy action and retro vibes, it makes for one of the best MCU origin stories. The film also introduces Haley Atwell’s Peggy Carter and Sebastian Stan’s Bucky Barnes.

After Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield previously played the iconic role of Spider-Man, Tom Holland followed suit as the MCU’s Peter Parker in Spider-Man: Homecoming . After being given his super suit by Tony Stark, Peter must balance his responsibilities as Spider-Man and being an ordinary high school student. The film captures Peter’s youthful persona, working as both a fun high school movie and a superhero romp. It co-stars Zendaya and Michael Keaton. 

Thunderbolts* is essentially the anti-Avengers, and it sees a team of antiheroes forced to work together and confront the darkest corners of their past. The team is made up of Yelena Boleva, Bucky Barnes, Red Guardian, Ghost, John Walker, Taskmaster, and the mysterious Bob. Thunderbolts* is Marvel’s darkest and most mature film to date, dealing with themes of depression, regret,  and isolation. It is surprisingly emotional and effective, led by a stellar Florence Pugh. 

In this final chapter of their trilogy, the Guardians of the Galaxy reunite one last time. Still dealing with the loss of Gamora, Peter and the Guardians face the psychopathic High Evolutionary, who has kidnapped Rocket and is conducting inhumane experiments on him. While retaining these characters' signature humor and fun, the film goes to some heavy places and makes for quite the tear-jerker for those who love the Guardians. In a way, they have become family to us, too.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier is a bigger and bolder sequel, featuring plenty of action, espionage, and thrills. The film sees Steve Rogers team up with Natasha Romanoff and Sam Wilson (in his first outing as Falcon) to take down an assassin known as The Winter Soldier. However, Steve is shocked when he learns the assassin is his former friend, Bucky Barnes. The Winter Soldier is the first MCU film to be directed by Anthony and Joe Russo, who are now Marvel veterans.

Paul Rudd returns as Scott Lang in Ant-Man and the Wasp , this time with Evangeline Lilly’s Hope van Dyne as the titular Wasp by his side. Despite being on house arrest for siding with Steve Rogers in Captain America: Civil War, Scott must balance his superhero duties with being a dad. He is sent on a new mission by Hank Pym, which sees him team up with Hope. The film delivers pocket-sized action and laughs balanced alongside intriguing character arcs. 

In 2020, Chadwick Boseman, who played T’Challa in Black Panther, tragically passed away at the age of 43. It seemed that a sequel would be impossible, or even in poor taste. However, director Ryan Coogler managed to craft a moving tribute to Boseman that also works as a continuation of T’Challa’s legacy. After the death of their King, the women of Wakanda band together to protect their nation from an intervening threat. Boseman’s presence is felt in every frame.