With Phase Five of the Marvel Cinematic Universe now in full swing, let’s take a look back at Phase Four. Where did Phase 4 succeed and where did it struggle?
Phase Four of the Marvel Cinematic Universe was, by far, franchise’s most mysterious yet. After the game-changing developments in Avengers: Endgame brought Phase Three to a close, the MCU as we know it could have floundered and died, but Kevin Fiege and the-powers-that-be at Marvel Studios took some time and figured out a way to move forward after the very story that tied this universe together had come to a close.
One of the ways they did that was through the introduction of television shows that directly impacted the continuity of the MCU. The well-timed launch of the Disney Plus streaming service allowed Marvel to bring its stories to the small screen too, complementing and impacting the ones that played out on the big screen going forward.
It’s wild to think that, after a delay in launching at the beginning of the pandemic, Phase Four of the MCU has now ended. And what a run it had, evolving the MCU in ways we never thought imaginable. It wasn’t always successful, but this trial and error period allowed it to try something different – and it really did.
Not all of its entries have been outstanding, but all played an important role in that evolution. As Phase Five has officially been kickstarted with the likes of Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, Secret Invasion, and Loki season 2, let’s take this opportunity to reflect on Phase Four and rank all of its offerings from worst to best.
18. I Am Groot season 1
The beloved Guardian of the Galaxy finally got to headline his very own project when Disney Plus’ I Am Groot shorts made their debut on the streaming service. Exactly what they said on the tin, the five brief adventures showed us how Baby Groot was navigating life as he grew up within it.
They were light-hearted, whimsical, and funny throughout, which is pretty impressive considering their relatively brief runtime. We love seeing Groot get to be himself, and the utter chaos that just comes along with that.
There’s really nothing to critique here. I Am Groot is a lot of fun, even if it doesn’t really add anything new to the MCU’s overarching story (or Groot’s for that matter).
There is now a second season of I Am Groot shorts available to watch on Disney Plus. It’s pretty much more of the same (in the best kind of way), but we’re choosing not to rank that there as it’s technically part of Phase Five now. And that won’t be the first time you see that happening on this list, as there is a pretty major MCU entry that now has two seasons in two different phases.
17. Eternals
Eternals is considered something of a divisive movie for audiences, which is something you haven’t really seen with the Marvel Cinematic Universe until now. A shared universe known for its reliably entertaining formula, it very much knows what it is and how to continually make it work. Eternals, on the other hand, is quite different to everything we’ve seen from the MCU so far, and fans either loved it or hated it.
Full of potential and an A-list cast to boot, the film was directed by Oscar-winner Chloé Zhao and it truly is a spectacle worthy of the big screen. Unfortunately, it’s somewhat overbloated, struggles with pacing and doesn’t exactly fit with any of the other titles in Phase 4.
I have a feeling that this one will age particularly well. We’re already two years away from its release and audiences are starting to be more receptive to. And honestly, it doesn’t deserve the hate that it gets. There was so much potential in it, and even though not all of it lived up to that potential, it’s an entertaining film full of interesting characters that we hope to see again in another MCU title.
Don’t mind me, just manifesting their return as we speak.
16. Thor: Love and Thunder
After Taika Waititi reinvented the God of Thunder’s solo film franchise in Thor: Ragnarok, hopes were extremely high for Love and Thunder. The result, however, wasn’t quite as seamless as its predecessor, as the Marvel film often struggled with the multiple stories it was telling.
The biggest flaw comes from its inability to figure out what kind of tone it wants, with its overarching sense of silliness failing to blend with the heavier stories it was trying to tell, particularly in regards to characters such as Jane Foster and Gorr The God Butcher. Switching from storylines dealing with cancer and grief to screaming goats and awkward jokes didn’t exactly make for the comedy drama they wanted Love and Thunder to be. It certainly has a lot of good moments in there, but the failure to blend the two tones together held it back.
Nevertheless, Thor: Love and Thunder is a lot of fun that offers more than enough adventure to entertain. There are two great films in there, and even though it never fully figured out what it wanted to be, the potential was always clear. Moreover, Natalie Portman and Christian Bale are nothing short of show-stealing whenever they are on-screen.
15. She-Hulk: Attorney At Law
She-Hulk was a big swing for Marvel simply because it was nothing like the stories that the MCU was used to telling. It followed in WandaVision‘s footsteps and attempted to be something different.
For the most part, it was a resounding success, introducing us to Tatiana Maslany’s witty and lovable Jennifer Walters in a tale that very much relied on comedy over drama. That made it a much easier (and lighter) watch than most MCU properties, which is saying something considering a large portion of the show was on the law side of things, but that just highlights how fun the legal comedy was (and how amazing a performer Maslany is).
She-Hulk only struggled whenever its tone failed to gel with the universe in which it was set, as it did rely on some familiar characters having to act out of character to make the story work. As a result, the show arguably works better as a standalone entity than it does as a part of the MCU, but it’s definitely an exciting addition to the saga – one that we hope will return for a second season.
If you watch She-Hulk in a bubble without any of the MCU background knowledge, it could be your favorite TV show of the week, month, or year. It’s only when you try to contextualize it within that world that it doesn’t always work.
14. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
There was a lot of hype surrounding the release of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. A sequel to 2016’s Doctor Strange, Spider-Man: No Way Home and Disney Plus’ WandaVision, there was a lot of pressure on the Sam Raimi film to succeed – especially because it was directed by the Sam Raimi.
Ultimately, the movie does succeed, but quite as much as fans were hoping it would. It certainly benefits from the darker tone Raimi opts for, offering up the closest thing to a (modern) horror movie that the MCU is probably going to get and this allowed the phenomenal Elizabeth Olsen to once again captivate as the Scarlet Witch in a performance that was every bit as terrifying as it was mesmerising. Unfortunately, the handling of Wanda’s arc is questionable, with the horror of it all outweighing coherent storytelling.
Nevertheless, there are enough thrills and chills in there to satisfy moviegoers and MCU fans alike, with Benedict Cumberbatch once again proving why he’s one of the most watchable actors in the business today, commanding the screen as the title mystic.
All in all, Doctor Strange 2 is a thrill-ride of mystical proportions, but it didn’t quite meet the impossibly high expectations.
13. The Falcon and the Winter Soldier
Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes finally got to step into the spotlight of their own adventure in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and it was truly an adventure for the ages. The Disney Plus series dealt with the rise of new antagonists the Flag-Smashers as they sought to take the world back to the way things were before the Blip, and their leader was willing to do whatever it took to make that happen – meaning that Sam and Bucky had their work cut out for them.
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier also balanced the theatrics of the MCU with some really nuanced storytelling, exploring racism, PTSD and other struggles throughout its six-episode run. And that paved the way for some excellent performances from Anthony Mackie, Sebastian Stan, Daniel Brühl, Wyatt Russell and Carl Lumbly.
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier‘s biggest flaw is that it often functions as a six-part movie, so its pacing doesn’t always lend itself to the series format, resulting in a sometimes-slow-moving plot in the first half. Thankfully, it finds its groove around the third episode and enjoys a much smoother run after that. And the payoff – which delivers a moment we were all waiting for – is absolutely worth the wait.
12. What If…?
It’s a question we all ask ourselves from time-to-time and Marvel Studios decided to bring its own musings to life, giving us their first ever animated series in the process. Based on the comic series of the same name, What If…? imagines the MCU if events had played out somewhat differently, allowing us to see our favorite heroes in very different (and yet similar) scenarios.
Some of the animated adventures shine brighter than others, but What If…? is an incredibly successful experiment that set the stage for the introduction of the multiverse in the live-action MCU installments and it all comes together incredibly well, ensuring that every episode counts.
We’re ready and exicted to see what multiversal madness season 2 has to offer, because if it’s anything like the first, then we’re all in for a heck of a ride.
11. Werewolf by Night
One of the most exciting things about Marvel’s expansion onto Disney Plus was the fact that it allowed them to play with conventions, formulas and just about every other element of the storytelling process. While we got an abundance of TV shows set in the MCU, we also got Werewolf by Night, a one-hour haunting Halloween Special unlike anything Marvel Studios had ever produced.
Like many of Phase Four’s offerings, Werewolf by Night‘s differences are its greatest strengths. It’s darker and more frightening than the stories the MCU is used to telling but it relies on classic horror conventions to pull it off, with its black-and-white presentation, bellowing score and reliance on practical effects all making it a delightful spooky tribute to the horror movies of the ’50s. Can we get a sequel next Halloween, please?
10. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Black Panther is one of the MCU’s greatest ever films, so a sequel to that was always going to have a tough task ahead of it living up to expectations. Wakanda Forever also had to find a way to honor the late, great Chadwick Boseman and carry on both his and T’Challa’s legacy into the future. Somehow, someway, it succeeded in doing all of that, and so much more.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is undoubtedly one of the most emotional movies ever made, and in that emotion, you can see the care that went into crafting a beautiful tribute to Boseman. It’s heartfelt, epic, and full of powerful performances, particularly that of the incomparable Angela Bassett, who is nothing short of phenomenal every time she’s on screen.
It’s a little on the long side, and gets a little convoluted the longer that it does go on, but it remains one of Phase Four’s best outings.
9. Black Widow
Black Widow is perhaps the most underrated title in all of Phase Four. The first film to take the MCU into the future (it was the first theatrical release of Phase Four), it was equally as interested in paying tribute to the past, giving Natasha Romanoff the solo movie send-off she deserved.
It did by that delving into her backstory. Set between Captain America: Civil War and Avengers: Infinity War, it showed us what Black Widow got up to during her time as a fugitive of the law, as she reunited with her found family and set her sights on taking down the Red Room once and for all. Natasha was done running.
It may not have been as adventurous as many were hoping it would be, and that’s okay. It is, however, a compelling action flick that serves as a love letter to Scarlet Johansson’s beloved hero and, in hindsight, it’s unquestionably one of the more competent theatrical offerings of Phase Four.
8. The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special
The idea of putting the Guardians of the Galaxy and Christmas – two of the most cheery subjects in the history of subjects – together was already a work of genius as soon as it was put to paper. Thankfully, it succeeded in execution too.
Our first chance to catch up with the beloved rag-tag group of heroes after Avengers: Endgame, it focuses primarily on Mantis and Drax’s attempts to give a melancholic Peter a Christmas gift he’ll never forget. The present is, of course, Kevin Bacon.
Festive, joyous and wonderfully outlandish, The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special succeeds as a Christmas classic in every single way, but mostly by reminding us all of the true meaning of Christmas: Love. And it’s a fun welcome break from what is undoubtedly going to be a very heavy chapter for the MCU.
7. Ms. Marvel
Ah Ms. Marvel, the Disney Plus series that at one point felt like it was never going to premiere on the streamer. Thankfully, it was worth the wait whenever it finally did arrive.
A star-making turn from Iman Vellani ensured that Kamala Khan’s live-action debut was a moment in time, and the adventure she went on throughout the show’s six episodes solidified her as one of the MCU’s most promising young heroes – and given that this is what Phase Four was all about, that highlights just how effective the show was.
It was also a delightfully creative show and another huge step for Marvel when it comes to representation.
We can’t wait to see Kamala Khan return in The Marvels, but can we also have season 2 please?
6. Loki season 1
Tom Hiddleston returned to his most beloved role in June 2021 when Loki starred in his own self-titled spinoff series on Disney Plus. The six-part adventure saw the version of Loki we met in Avengers: Endgame (the one who absconded with the Tesseract through time) find himself at the mercy of the Time Variance Authority.
What followed was an intricate but enjoyable adventure that really expanded on time travel in the MCU in ways that previous projects had not, full of stunning visuals, compelling conversations and intriguing characters along the way. Hiddleston himself stood out, of course, but he was accompanied in his brilliance by Sophia Di Martino, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, and the incomparable Owen Wilson.
Loki occasionally felt like it was trying to outsmart itself, with too much exposition and a mildly underwhelming finale disrupting what was an otherwise near-perfect season. In spite of that, it delivered on its promise of expanding the MCU with more than enough whismy for the Loki fans to enjoy.
Loki season 2 has arrived as part of Phase Five and audiences are ready to consume it, once again highlighting just how successful its predecessor was. We just can’t get enough of him!
5. Moon Knight
Moon Knight was a surprise to us all (and then some). That’s not to say hopes weren’t high, because they were – very high in fact as this was the first time the character had ever been adapted in live-action, and to say it succeeded would be a huge understatement.
The reason it succeeded was down to the incomparable Oscar Isaac, who just delivers a remarkable performance throughout all six episodes, balancing the complexities and intricacies of both the Marc Spector and Steven Grant personalities with ease. You can’t look away from him as he performs, and that performance reels you in every single time.
It might come as a surprise to some how unconnected Moon Knight is to the rest of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but that’s really why it works. We know it’s part of the wider universe because Marvel Studios produced it (and likely have a plan for the character’s future), but it’s very much telling its own story, and what a thrilling story that is.
This is one that works as a complete story, but it we could very much do with another six-part sequel. Can we have a second season, please? It would be very much appreciated.
4. Hawkeye
Perhaps the biggest surprise of all of Phase Four, Hawkeye wasn’t exactly topping anyone’s list of most anticipated Marvel shows, but over the course of its six-episode-run it proved that it should have been.
This was finally Clint Barton’s chance to prove that he was every bit as interesting as his Avengers teammates in a long overdue solo project, but it was also Marvel Studios’ chance to introduce us to another future hero in Kate Bishop. And, oh, what a duo they ended up being.
The chemistry between Jeremy Renner and Hailee Steinfeld turned Hawkeye into an unexpectedly brilliant buddy comedy, which was enhanced a great deal by its festive setting, and the show’s surprisingly larger-than-life approach makes it more important in hindsight as it ended up setting the stage for a lot of future projects.
Hawkeye knew how to balance serious and silly remarkably well, making it a fitting end to Barton’s time as a hero, and an enjoyable beginning to Kate’s story. The door is open for a second season in the future, but regardless of whether that actually happens or not, it goes without saying that this show will always be one of our festive favorites.
3. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings was a huge step forward for Marvel Studios when it came to representation as it was the first Marvel movie to have an Asian director and feature a predominantly Asian cast. It’s also a damn good movie.
Being that it is an origin story for one of the MCU’s newest heroes, it shares many similarities with the movies we would have seen in Phase One and / or Phase Two. However, it’s also a far superior movie than many of those titles.
Its exploration of Asian culture is welcome and it’s one of the many reasons why the film is so beautiful on so many levels. Simu Liu delivers a career-defining performance as the earnest but strong title character, and the film’s villain, Wenwu, is one of the MCU’s better antagonists. And we can’t discuss this movie without praising the truly spectacular fight choreography, as it features perhaps the greatest combat scenes in the whole MCU.
If Phase Four is all about acting as a launching pad for new heroes, then Shang-Chi is its most successful example of that. It’s a highly entertaining thrill-ride from beginning to end rich with so much quality, and it’s a rare example of a movie you can actually appreciate more on a rewatch.
2. Spider-Man: No Way Home
The movie event of the year in 2021, Spider-Man: No Way Home was Marvel’s biggest event since Avengers: Endgame, and for good reason. Rumors regarding what cast members from Spider-days gone by circulated the internet for well over a year before its release, with the anticipation making it almost impossible for the film to live up to the hype.
Somehow, it did. A larger-than-life spectacle that felt as large as the MCU’s Avengers movies, it saw Tom Holland’s Spider-Man team up with Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield’s iterations of the characters as they battled villains from the previous Spidey flicks, officially introducing them into the MCU in the process.
Many say this film only works because of its reliance on nostalgia, and that is partially true, with the jaw-dropping trip down memory lane making audiences freak out many times throughout the first watch. But that does not affect its rewatch value, because Spider-Man: No Way Home is unquestionably one for the ages, setting up an intriguing future with an epic visit to the past.
Seeing all three Spider-Men on the screen together is a moment Marvel fans will never forget, and Holland, Maguire and Garfield were nothing short of captivating during their time together. Movie magic at its finest.
1. WandaVision
Where is there to even begin with the excellence that is WandaVision? The very first Marvel Studios series to make its debut on Disney Plus, there was a lot of pressure on it to succeed and it didn’t take long for it to do just that (and then some).
Elizabeth Olsen and Paul Bettany reprise their roles as Wanda Maximoff and Vision in a tale that pays tribute to various genres of television throughout the decades. It’s a big swing in a very different direction to what Marvel is used to doing, and that’s exactly why WandaVision works. Each episode is its own style of adventure, relying on its sitcom-like approach, colorful charm, and awe-inspiring performers to lead the viewers deeper into that mystery that is unfolding on-screen.
A true masterpiece in every sense of the word, it redefined the norms of modern day television by using the conventions of days-gone-by to do it – all while furthering Wanda’s arc and setting the stage for a new era in the MCU.
WandaVision kicked Phase Four off on an incredibly high note, and no subsequent release has come close to capturing its excellence.
Which of Marvel’s Phase Four projects were your favorites? Have you been enjoying Phase Five so far?