29. Thor: Love and Thunder (2022)
Taika Waititi reinvented Thor with Ragnarok, so his return for the fourth movie in the franchise, Thor: Love and Thunder, was inevitable. This time, the story took place in the aftermath of Avengers: Endgame, as Marvel Studios sought to show us a Thor that had lost himself in and amidst all the loss that he suffered.
The biggest hook for this one was the return of Natalie Portman, who brought Jane Foster back to the big screen for the first time in almost a decade. This return saw her wield Mjolnir as she became the Mighty Thor and joined New Asgard’s fight against Gorr the God Butcher.
Very loyal to the tone that was set in Ragnarok, Love and Thunder is campy, colorful and completely over-the-top, but it does manage to get a better balance between serious and silly than its predecessor does. The downside to that is that these mismatching tones don’t always gel well together, making for some disorienting moments.
All in all, this one’s priority is having fun and it succeeds in that mission with flying colors (and goats). There are some bumps along the way, but thanks to some mighty show-stealing performances from Natalie Portman and Christian Bale, it’s another win for Waititi’s weirder Thor, even if it goes to the well of weird way too many times.
28. The Marvels (2023)
The Marvels may have been marketed as a fun adventure in the MCU but it was more important than it appeared. Among the reasons for that is that it was the first MCU project to significantly feature characters who originated in the Disney Plus shows in leading roles. The merger worked very well, as WandaVision‘s Teyonah Parris and Ms. Marvel‘s Iman Vellani joined Brie Larson in the long-awaited Captain Marvel sequel.
The titular trio of heroes teamed up to take on the vengeful Dar-Benn, who was destroying the resources of the people Carol Danvers loved. While the villain herself left a bit to be desired, we’ll give her credit for bringing Carol, Kamala Khan, and Monica Rambeau together because they make one hell of a trio.
The Marvels is just 100 minutes of pure unadulterated fun. It doesn’t take itself too seriously and is there simply to entertain – something that it accomplishes from start through finish. With the MCU venturing into an era of more serious and convoluted stories, we needed this one to remind us just how fun superhero movies can be. Honestly, this is the most Marvel that Marvel has felt in some time. And I love this movie so much for that!
27. Captain America: Brave New World (2025)
A movie years in the making, Captain America: Brave New World may have been the fourth in the Captain America film series but it was also the first to feature Anthony Mackie's Sam Wilson in the title role. To say he exceeded expectations would be an understatement, as Mackie delivers his performance with such commitment that it is quite possibly his best work in a Marvel movie yet.
The film was more of a mixed bag with critics because it took a lot on. Not only did it have to solidify its new lead as the new Cap (which it pulled off very well), it also had to juggle unresolved plot threads from 2008's The Incredible Hulk and 2021's Eternals. It did so by masquerading as a political thriller and, to its credit, it wore that look very well.
There were some inconsistencies due to the reshoots that the film underwent and you can see that some elements don't link together seamlessly, but there is narrative out there that the film is bad when it really isn't. It's not the best of the Captain America movies, and there are some scenes in there that could be shorter, but Brave New World delivered on its promise of a thrilling, grounded adventure that solidified Sam Wilson as the new Captain America.
The Red Hulk reveal in the final act is a thrill in and of itself, so it's a shame that it was spoiled in all of the marketing. Even so, Harrison Ford gives his everything in his debut MCU appearance, while Mackie proves himself a strong leader heading into the Avengers' next chapter. The best from the new Cap may be yet to come, but this was a very solid start.