There’s been a lot of discourse about whether the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) has lost its spark as a dominant pop culture force. Avengers: Endgame was an unprecedented culmination of over a decade of storytelling, delivering the kind of blockbuster spectacle that felt like a once-in-a-generation cinematic event. But in the years since, Marvel Studios and Disney have struggled to recapture that same cultural momentum.
Sure, Spider-Man: No Way Home had its moment, bringing back beloved characters in a way that resonated with audiences. But other post-Endgame entries—like Thor: Love and Thunder, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, and The Marvels—haven’t connected nearly as well, both critically and financially. That’s not to say it’s all been a decline. There have been some bright spots, like Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, and the aforementioned No Way Home, proving that Marvel can still deliver when the right creative vision is in place. But the inconsistency has made it clear that the studio isn’t operating at the same level of dominance it once was.
Then again, that’s been the nature of the MCU from the very beginning. For every Iron Man or Captain America: The Winter Soldier, there’s been a Thor: The Dark World or Iron Man 2. The franchise has always had highs and lows, but now, with greater expectations and an increasingly fatigued audience, the lows feel lower. At the same time, when Marvel does get it right, those successes still feel like proof that the magic isn’t entirely gone.
Here’s my ranking of every Marvel MCU movie from worst to best.
35. Iron Man 2 (2010)
34. The Marvels (2023)
The Marvels is a movie that, while not devoid of entertainment and laughs, is a muddled entry in the recent lackluster saga of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Brie Larson continues to stand out as Captain Marvel in a franchise filled with questionable plot choices and villains.
Read our review of The Marvels (2023).
33. Thor (2011)
32. Thor: The Dark World (2013)
31. Thor: Love and Thunder (2023)
30. Captain Marvel (2019)
29. Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)
28. Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018)
Peyton Reed returned to the director’s chair for Ant-Man and the Wasp – a sequel that largely works because of the charisma and comedic timing of Paul Rudd. It still feels like a Marvel movie at its safest, but the charm wins out.
Read our review of Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018).
27. Black Widow (2021)
26. Ant-Man (2015)
Over a decade after Paul Rudd’s introduction into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Ant-Man continues to be the MCU’s cookie cutter formula – for better and for worse. Its comedic charm does wonders for a movie struggling to find any real bite or new ideas.
Read our review of Ant-Man (2015).
25. Eternals (2021)
24. Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019)
23. Iron Man 3 (2013)
22. Deadpool & Wolverine (2024)
Deadpool & Wolverine is a challenging film to critique meaningfully because it exists in such a heavily metatextual space that serious analysis feels almost out of place. It’s undeniably fun but so light and breezy that it drifts along without asking much of its audience emotionally. Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman have the talent to carry an MCU movie with more heart and sharper edge. While the film is decent by MCU standards, it falls short of its potential, lacking the originality and depth it could have delivered.
Read our review of Deadpool & Wolverine (2024).
21. Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023)
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania serves as a critical turning point in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The movie simultaneously introduces Jonathan Majors as Kang the Conqueror and tries to steer the inconsistent MCU back on track. It may not entirely succeed, but Paul Rudd‘s latest movie has a few glimmering pieces.
Read our review of Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023).
20. Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)
19. Werewolf by Night (2022)
18. Thor: Ragnarok (2017)
17. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022)
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever isn’t the leanest film Marvel has released in the last few years – the runtime is ambitious and I can’t quite say justified – but there’s clearly enough heart and emotion packed in for general audiences to be enamored by. The addition of Namor is excellent, and Tenoch Huerta gives one of Marvel’s best villainous performances yet.
Read our review of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022).
16. Captain America: Civil War (2016)
15. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)
14. Doctor Strange (2016)
13. Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)
12. The Incredible Hulk (2008)
11. Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
As if Marvel couldn’t improve on the foundation they’d already built for themselves, they brought James Gunn on to make a surprisingly energetic, original hit with Guardians of the Galaxy that would infuse new juice into everything Marvel did after the fact. Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldaña, Dave Bautista, and others helped bring in a new order to the MCU.
Read our review of Guardians of the Galaxy (2014).
10. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021)
9. Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
8. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022)
7. Iron Man (2008)
6. The Avengers (2012)
5. Black Panther (2018)
4. Avengers: Endgame (2019)
3. Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
2. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023)
Although a bit too emotionally mining at times, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is easily one of Marvel’s best outings. James Gunn delivers his best movie, too, and sets the new bar for upcoming properties in this lane. Not just one of the best superhero entries we got in 2023, but one of the best movies from that year period.
Read our review of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023).
1. Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)
