Every Marvel Movie To Date, Ranked

Rocket in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
(Image credit: Marvel Studios)

Growing and expanding since 2008, Marvel Studios has managed to create the most successful franchises of all time. Year after year they manage to release hit movie after hit movie, and it doesn't look like they will be slowing down any time soon. We are now at a point where we are seeing three new superhero movies released every year, and what's incredible is that they continue to surprise and bring something new to the table. With the release of Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3 there are now 32 films in canon – and a question with a constantly shifting answer is "Which MCU release is the best of all?"

Well, I've done my part in answering that question. I've taken a look back at the entirety of the big screen Marvel Cinematic Universe and as you will see below I've ranked them from worst to best – highlighting their greatest strengths and their biggest weaknesses. Read on and see where the various films place.

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania Ant-Man giant

(Image credit: Marvel Studios)

32. Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania

Peyton Reed's Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania is a significant swing-and-miss. As the first film of Phase 5, the blockbuster was released in a position to get audiences excited and amped for the terror of Kang The Conqueror in the coming years as the new Thanos-level big bad, but the movie itself is terribly underwhelming. With poor stakes, zero character development, a lot of telling instead of showing, and muddy visual effects, it's the worst Marvel Cinematic Universe movie to date.

Thor and Odin in Thor: The Dark World

(Image credit: Marvel Studios)

31. Thor: The Dark World

If Marvel Studios has had any one consistent issue with their films, it's that the villains for the most part have been small-time and forgettable. Perhaps the best example of this is featured in Alan Taylor's Thor: The Dark World, as Christopher Eccleston's Malekith never manages to get interesting, and it's a shame because the entire plot is dictated by his actions. The movie definitely has a solid, spectacle-driven third act, which helps elevate it out of last place, but the movie still can't really be called one of Marvel's best.

Hulk in The Incredible Hulk

(Image credit: Universal Pictures)

30. The Incredible Hulk

While it didn't hit the bottom of our rankings, there definitely is a degree to which The Incredible Hulk is the forgotten sibling in the Marvel Cinematic Universe family. For years, the only actor from the movie to actually reprise their role in a second film was Robert Downey Jr. On beyond that, though, the 2008 movie is really the only title in the catalogue that doesn't have the trademark tongue-in-cheek humor and sense of fun that has made Marvel so popular. It's not a bad movie, but the franchise would go on to do much better work.

Yelena, Red Guardian and Black Widow in Black Widow

(Image credit: Marvel Studios)

29. Black Widow

Cate Shortland's Black Widow is a film hurt by multiple factors. Being released in the wake of Avengers: Endgame and the in-canon death of Scarlett Johansson's Natasha Romanoff, and featuring events that take place a good half decade before it, the film not only feels late to the punch, but has a difficult time establishing stakes. It's also hurt by the fact that it doesn't possess much of its own style, as it instead seems fine with echoing what worked in Captain America: The Winter Soldier. At the very least it does provide some excitement for the future with the introduction of a number of key characters, including Florence Pugh's Yelena Belova.

War Machine and Iron Man in Iron Man 2

(Image credit: Marvel Studios)

28. Iron Man 2

When looked at from the macro perspective, Jon Favreau's Iron Man 2 serves as a key piece of the puzzle in building the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and it has some great things going for it (the Monaco Historic Grand Prix sequence in particular is memorable and cool). All by its lonesome, however, it is a mess. It's plot is jumbled
as a result of the movie trying to do way too much, it has a poor villain in Mickey Rourke's Whiplash, and all of the different elements never properly fit together. 

Thor in Thor

(Image credit: Marvel Studios)

27. Thor

Given its origins in Norse mythology and a fantasy-esque element not really seen before it in comic book movies, Kenneth Branagh's Thor was one of the first big risks that Marvel Studios took. That being said, it wound up paying off in a great way, and established both Chris Hemsworth and Tom Hiddleston as bona fide stars. It strikes the perfect Marvel tone, and introduces some great new ideas to the canon. It has flaws (the pacing is too fast and there's not enough exploration of Asgard), it ultimately holds up.

eternals cast

(Image credit: Disney)

26. Eternals

Chloé Zhao's Eternals is a Marvel blockbuster that bites off a bit more than it can chew with an ensemble cast of 10 brand new heroes, but the film is one of the most beautiful chapters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and features some impressive themes about faith and purpose. It introduces an exciting cast of characters who have great potential to further expand the cosmic side of the franchise, and even delivers an extra bonus by kicking off the journey of Dane Whitman a.k.a. Black Knight (Kit Harrington).

Paul Rudd in Ant-Man

(Image credit: Marvel Studios)

25. Ant-Man

Peyton Reed's Ant-Man works on a much smaller scale than many of the other titles in Phase 2 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and is a bit more straight-forward than you want it to be – but boy, is it a hell of a lot of fun. The 2015 movie succeeds by featuring a handful of fantastically entertaining performances and characters, with the most important piece of the puzzle being Paul Rudd, who has kept MCU fans greatly entertained in the years since.

Doctor Strange in Doctor Strange

(Image credit: Marvel Studios)

24. Doctor Strange

From a visual standpoint, director Scott Derrickson's Doctor Strange is unlike anything audiences have ever seen. Interdimensional travel and magic create some absolutely gorgeous and bombastic set pieces that audiences will remember for a very long time, and the triumvirate of Benedict Cumberbatch (Dr. Strange), Tilda Swinton (The Ancient One), and Chiwetel Ejiofor (Mordo) is fantastic. Unfortunately it's all weighed down by a standard origin story and an underdeveloped villain, but it's definitely an exciting introduction for the future Sorcerer Supreme.

Thor and Captain America in Avengers Age of Ultron

(Image credit: Marvel Studios)

23. The Avengers: Age Of Ultron

Joss Whedon carried some incredible weight bringing The Avengers: Age of Ultron to the big screen, working under immense pressure and scrutiny. While the final product isn't as good as its predecessor, it's still an impressive, epic blockbuster that honestly feels like a major Marvel Comics event brought to life. The stakes are big, some great new characters are introduced, and it sets an interesting table for the events that transpire in Phase Three.

Captain Marvel in Captain Marvel

(Image credit: Marvel Studios)

22. Captain Marvel

With Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck's Captain Marvel, audiences everywhere have the chance to meet one of the most powerful heroes in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and it's definitely one of the most exciting debuts we've seen thus far in this franchise. It is a bit dragged down by the familiar aspects of its origin story, but it also has a number of unexpected twists, and provides fans with is plenty of exciting new looks at the expanded continuity – such as events from the MCU in the 1990s, the Kree-Skrull War, and even a bit more of the Tesseract. Of course, at the center of it all is also a badass new protagonist who has tremendous potential for awesome cosmic and Earthbound stories in the future.

Natalie Portman and Chris Hemsworth in Thor: Love and Thunder

(Image credit: Marvel Studios)

21. Thor: Love And Thunder

Taika Waititi gave himself quite a high bar to reach for with his sophomore Marvel Cinematic Universe effort, having made such a phenomenal splash with his first entry into the franchise. Thor: Love And Thunder isn't as strong as its predecessor in the Thor series, but its an adventure that delivers plenty of big laughs and pushes the titular God of Thunder into terrific new territory. Christian Bale is brilliant as Gorr The God Butcher, and Russell Crowe's Zeus is an undeniable scene-stealer.

Star-Lord Gamora and Drax in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2

(Image credit: Marvel Studios)

20. Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2

As will be discussed later, James Gunn totally changed the Marvel game with 2014's Guardians of the Galaxy, but in doing so set the most ridiculous of high bars for its sequel to reach. The bad news is that Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 isn't quite as good as its predecessor, but the great news is that it's an incredibly fun intergalactic romp. It smartly sacrifices scope in favor of character, and it's a legitimate cinematic treat to see Star-Lord, Gamora, Drax, Rocket and Groot back up on the big screen.

Simu Liu as Shang-Chi in Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings

(Image credit: Disney)

19. Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings

Destin Daniel Cretton's Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings is a movie that gets a bit tripped up when it tries to go too big – bringing characters into a mystical dimension full of beautiful and monstrous creatures – but it's really something else when it is focused on being small. The characters are absolutely wonderful, as Simu Liu instantly proves his star appeal in the lead role, and Awkwafina emerges as an amazing new sidekick in the MCU canon. What the film will always stand out for, however, is its action, as there are some stunning choreographed sequences in the movie that stand out as some of the best we've seen in the franchise.

Zombie doctor strange at the end of multiverse of madness

(Image credit: Marvel Studios)

18. Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness

Truth be told, Sam Raimi's Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness doesn't fully live up to its title (in the sense that there really isn't a whole lot of multiverse madness), but it's a terrific ride. Benedict Cumberbatch continues his stellar run as the master of the mystic arts, and Xochitl Gomez is a sparkplug as newcomer America Chavez, but the real showstopper is Elizabeth Olsen, who delivers an amazing villainous turn in the wake of the events that transpired in the Disney+ series WandaVision.

Iron Man in Iron Man 3

(Image credit: Marvel Studios)

17. Iron Man 3

Shane Black's Iron Man 3 is unquestionably the most underrated Marvel movie. While some audiences complained about the Mandarin twist and lack of Iron Man screentime, the other way to look at those two things is the power of the movie's ability to defy expectation, and the way in which it enriches Tony Stark as a character outside of his armor. It's a fun piece of noir storytelling, and a great comeback after the mediocre Iron Man 2.

Ant-Man and the Wasp in Ant-Man and the Wasp

(Image credit: Marvel Studios)

16. Ant-Man And The Wasp

There is an argument to be made that first sequels in the Marvel Cinematic Universe have a specific advantage over their predecessors. After all, origin stories are essentially fixed expositional vehicles used to establish key characters; but once those introductions are made, what's left is the purely creative opportunity to craft a wholly original, specific story natural to those heroes. Peyton Reed's Ant-Man And The Wasp is a perfect example of this. The movie beautifully capitalizes on everything we loved about the first Ant-Man (Paul Rudd and Evangeline Lilly are genuinely perfect together), putting its wonderful ensemble through an expertly-molded comedic thrill ride in the vein of After Hours and Midnight Run – coming together as a romp that is hilarious from beginning to end.

Mysterio and Spider-Man in Spider-Man: Far From Home

(Image credit: Sony)

15. Spider-Man: Far From Home

Being the first Marvel Studios film released in the wake of Avengers: Endgame, Jon Watts' Spider-Man: Far From Home ironically found itself in a position of great responsibility within the franchise, but it succeeds both in being high-flying fun and impressive superhero storytelling. The villain twist isn't all that great (every comic book fan saw the heel turn from Jake Gyllenhaal's Mysterio coming), but the way in which they brought the master of illusion to the big screen is remarkable, and the third act showdown is blockbuster gold. It also needs to be said that the movie features arguably the most exciting credit scenes since the first Iron Man.

Captain America in Captain America: The First Avenger

(Image credit: Marvel Studios)

14. Captain America: The First Avenger

Landing right in the heart of this list is Joe Johnston's Captain America: The First Avenger: another origin story, but one that takes the audience back in time to the days of World War II. There is a rightful complaint in that the third act of the film doesn't have quite the punch of Marvel's better titles, but it's also one of the studio's best introductory tales, and features some perfect performances from both Chris Evans and Hayley Atwell (performances that would completely change their individual careers).

Shuri as Black Panther in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

(Image credit: Marvel Studios)

13. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

Ryan Coogler was given a staggering and unfair challenge in the making of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. The loss of Chadwick Boseman was a devastating emotional blow to the filmmakers and co-stars who worked with him, and Coogler had to change all of his plans for the blockbuster – and make it a movie that would honor the memory of his friend. The result is simultaneously a somber tribute and an action epic, and it features both brilliant performances from returning stars Letitia Wright, Angela Bassett, Danai Guirira, and Lupita Nyong'o as well as a brilliant introduction to the Marvel Cinematic Universe for Tenoch Huerta's Namor.

Thor vs Hulk in Thor: Ragnarok

(Image credit: Marvel Studios)

12. Thor: Ragnarok

The Thor movies have never been one of Marvel's strongest series – as evidenced by their rankings on this list. That's why Marvel had director Taika Waititi rebrand the whole thing with Thor: Ragnarok, and the results are fantastic. The tone is not only much lighter than its predecessors, resulting in one of the funniest titles in the franchise to date, but the character work is just phenomenal. It's the most compelling arc we've seen for Chris Hemsworth's God of Thunder, Mark Ruffalo is phenomenal as a Hulk who can finally have a conversation, and their thrust together in one of Marvel's most vibrant and fun adventures.

Spider-Man in Spider-Man: Homecoming

(Image credit: Sony)

11. Spider-Man: Homecoming

As a big screen character, Spider-Man was at big risk of reboot fatigue going into Jon Watts' Spider-Man: Homecoming, but nothing dissipates audience apprehension quite like quality – and boy, did this one bring it. In his second Marvel Cinematic Universe appearance, Tom Holland perfects both being Peter Parker and the wall-crawler, and the film succeeds by actively differentiating itself from anything that's come before, skipping the overdone origin story and fully embracing the new movie's position in MCU continuity with a strong supporting role for Robert Downey Jr.'s Tony Stark. It's a crazy fun adventure, full of youthful energy that gets us excited for the web-slinger's franchise future.

Baby Rocket looking very concerned in his cage in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.

(Image credit: Marvel Studio)

10. Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3

James Gunn has never been shy about expressing his love for Rocket as a character, and with Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, he developed a powerful, emotional, beautiful and fun blockbuster that has the diminutive hero as its center. Endings are always difficult in fiction, but Vol. 3 is a conclusion that is both wholly original and best utilizes everything that is great about the MCU series. It doesn't quite reach the mile-high bar set by the first Guardians of the Galaxy, but it's both a worthy sequel and among Marvel's best sequels to date.

Iron Man in Iron Man

(Image credit: Marvel Studios)

9. Iron Man

Jon Favreau's Iron Man, of course, was the film that kicked off the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but while that's a significant feat, it's only part of the larger reason why we have it ranked so high. It's also the film that brought the amazing Robert Downey Jr. back to us, the actor doing his part to create what has become a truly iconic character, and the movie in and of itself is a fantastic story of redemption and facing down demons. It's a superhero blockbuster that will go down in history – which makes it actually kind of impressive on Marvel's part that it's only number five on our list.

The Avengers assemble in The Avengers

(Image credit: Marvel Studios)

8. The Avengers

Marvel's Phase One films are, on the whole, enjoyable pieces of entertainment, but Joss Whedon's The Avengers was when the Marvel Cinematic Universe truly became the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Not only one of the greatest event movies of all time, it also beautifully, dazzlingly,, and unexpectedly delivers on a four year long promise of bringing some of comics' greatest heroes together on the big screen for the first time ever. For the longest time the whole thing just seemed like an impossible dream, but Whedon and Marvel delivered in the biggest way imaginable, and it's a finished product that can be rewatched endlessly with enjoyment

Black Panther and Nakia in Black Panther

(Image credit: Marvel Studios)

7. Black Panther

After 10 years of establishing the expansive roster of heroes in the franchise, you'd think that Marvel Studios would have started struggling together effective introductory solo films by 2018. The truth, however, is that they'll keep being successful so long as they continue to hire filmmakers with vision, and that's exactly what they did bringing in writer/director Ryan Coogler to make Black Panther. The movie is not only a remarkable exercise in world-building – introducing audiences to the remarkable land of Wakanda – but it also very much has something important to say, and it says it compellingly. The narrative regarding the African nation's relationship with the rest of the planet is impressively sophisticated in a blockbuster package, and Michael B. Jordan's Erik Killmonger, equipped with understandable and powerful ideology, is arguably Marvel's greatest villain to date.

Tom Holland as Spider-Man in Spider-Man: No Way Home

(Image credit: Sony Pictures)

6. Spider-Man: No Way Home

One of the consistently phenomenal things about the Marvel Cinematic Universe is the franchise's capacity to regularly go the extra mile and accomplish things on the big screen that fans only previously dreamed were possible. It's in this respect that Jon Watts' Spider-Man: No Way Home feels more like a fantasy than a hit blockbuster, as it features everything that a fan of the titular wall-crawler could want. It unfolds a spectacular adventure that does a head-first dive into the multiverse, and ultimately proves to be an amazing capstone for an MCU trilogy that serves as an expansive origin story for Tom Holland's Peter Parker.

Captain America Black Widow and more in Avengers: Infinity War

(Image credit: Marvel Studios)

5. Avengers: Infinity War

To paraphrase Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige, Joe and Anthony Russo's Avengers: Infinity War was built on the idea of it being the capstone for every Marvel Cinematic Universe film that preceded it. A full decade was spent watching Infinity Stones be revealed, and Thanos being teased, and it seemed like there was just far too much pressure on the blockbuster for it to actually be any good. Boy, did they prove us wrong. Finally getting his chance in the spotlight, the Mad Titan proves to be an absolutely terrifying force of nature, and the film is filled with too many shocking, disturbing and amazing moments to count. Its in every way the movie fans were promised.

Captain America in Captain America The WInter SOldier

(Image credit: Marvel Studios)

4. Captain America: The Winter Soldier

For Phase Two, Marvel Studios made a point of not just making superhero movies, but making complex genre films that happen to feature superheroes. For Captain America: The Winter Soldier, directors Joe and Anthony Russo infused the blockbuster with the structure and spirit of a 1970s conspiracy thriller, and the result is absolutely stunning. No other feature in the Marvel Cinematic Universe features fight choreography that is as visceral, and the character dynamics between Cap, Black Widow, and Falcon are thoughtful, unique, and fun.

Gamora Star Lord and Drax in Guardians of the Galaxy

(Image credit: Marvel Studios)

3. Guardians Of The Galaxy

James Gunn's Guardians of the Galaxy is a legitimately special movie. Only tangentially part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the film is unlike any comic book feature we've seen – even in the modern era – and has everything a person could want from a summer blockbuster. It's hilarious, with not just star Chris Pratt getting fantastic laugh-out-loud lines; it's action-packed, with a third-act spectacle that will boggle the mind; and it's even emotional, creating amazing bonds between characters. It stood as Marvel's best work for a couple years... but then 2016 rolled around.

Team Cap in Captain America: Civil War

(Image credit: Marvel Studios)

2. Captain America: Civil War

As ridiculously huge as the first two Avengers blockbusers were, directors Joe and Anthony Russo somehow managed to up the ante even further with Captain America: Civil War. The third Captain America movie is shockingly emotional (particularly in the showdown between Cap and Iron Man), stunningly action packed (the Leipzig Halle Airport fight is among the best we've ever seen), and gives us some amazing new characters in Spider-Man and Black Panther. It's spectacularly crafted storytelling with a real gut-punch ending, and to date the best film in the MCU.

Avengers assemble in Avengers Endgame

(Image credit: Marvel Studios)

1. Avengers: Endgame

Joe and Anthony Russo's Avengers: Endgame is a film that really shouldn't be as phenomenal as it is. It should be impossible to make a blockbuster that is able to perfectly capitalize on the 21 blockbuster in the series that preceded it. And yet that's exactly what this movie does. It starts with the fallout from Avengers: Infinity War, with the surviving heroes picking up the pieces of their lives following their battle with Thanos and massive defeat, but where it goes from there coalesces as one of the most bombastic, jaw-dropping, and remarkable big screen experiences we've ever seen. It may not technically be the end of Phase Three, but it's still the perfect ending for the first three phases of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Thirty movies is an impressive legacy, but this list will only continue to grow in the months and years ahead as more major releases hit the big screen. To learn about everything that is currently in the pipeline, head on over to our Upcoming Marvel Movies guide, and before you start your next rewatch, read our Marvel Movies In Order feature.

Eric Eisenberg
Assistant Managing Editor

Eric Eisenberg is the Assistant Managing Editor at CinemaBlend. After graduating Boston University and earning a bachelor’s degree in journalism, he took a part-time job as a staff writer for CinemaBlend, and after six months was offered the opportunity to move to Los Angeles and take on a newly created West Coast Editor position. Over a decade later, he's continuing to advance his interests and expertise. In addition to conducting filmmaker interviews and contributing to the news and feature content of the site, Eric also oversees the Movie Reviews section, writes the the weekend box office report (published Sundays), and is the site's resident Stephen King expert. He has two King-related columns.