The Marvel Cinematic Universe is no longer one of Hollywood's biggest franchises - it is it's biggest franchise of all time, grossing over $31 billion and counting at the box office. Those numbers would have been unheard of decades ago, especially when there are other well-established franchises that got a head start on the Marvel Studios fare (Jurassic Park, Star Wars, Batman), but the heroes of the MCU persisted, bringing audiences in over the course of many movies - all of which have played a crucial part in building the vivid world they inhabit.
Iron Man kickstarted things back in 2008, with Robert Downey Jr.'s wit and charisma placing Tony Stark at the center of our hearts. But little did we know then that the film would also place him at the center of an entire universe, as the likes of Captain America, Black Widow, The Incredible Hulk, Thor, Hawkeye, Scarlet Witch, Vision, Captain Marvel, Ant-Man, the Winter Soldier and so many more would all join him in the years that came after that.
The Infinity Saga was a triumph, telling a story across 23 movies that ultimately saw The Avengers unite to take on Thanos, who threatened half of the universe. But when the dust settled on that story, a new chapter began, as the Multiverse Saga has seen the franchise expand across film and Disney Plus TV shows, introducing new characters, new villains, and a new endgame to work towards.
The most recent installment, Captain America: Brave New World, sees Anthony Mackie's Sam Wilson wield the shield in a bid to take down The Leader, but how does it stack up to not just the three previous Cap movies, but the entire franchise in general? Let's rank each of the films and find out!
35. Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023)
Scott Lang has encountered a lot during his time as Ant-Man, but not even that could prepare him for the adventure that awaited him in his third solo outing. Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania is the biggest that the Ant-Man franchise has ever gone, and it pulls it all off by going small – well, subatomic, to be more specific – as the Ant-Fam’s journey into the Quantum Realm brings them face-to-face with Kang the Conqueror.
Quantumania is a big movie that is much more important to the overarching MCU story than the two previous Ant-Man movies were. The benefits of that are a grander production, full of the epic visuals and mind-boggling special effects that Marvel Studios is known for, and it finally gifts Ant-Man with that ambitious adventure he had been overdue. And it all comes together when Kang the Conqueror makes his frightful debut, captivating audiences with his performance and making us all excited about the fact that he’s just getting started.
The drawbacks of the more spectacle-driven approach is the loss of the lower-stakes heart that made the previous two Ant-Man movies so much fun, while some of our favorite characters often fade into the background because there is so much going on. It doesn't completely sour what is a hugely entertaining extravaganza (mostly due to the remarkable performance of Michelle Pfeiffer) but it does result in the MCU's weakest outing to date, with the murky landscapes and too-serious storyline robbing it of the Ant-Man identity.
34. Eternals (2021)
From the moment that Eternals had visionary director Chloé Zhao attached to the project, we knew that it would allow the MCU to move in something of a different direction. With stunning visuals so beautifully shot you would think you were watching an Academy Award winning picture, and a compelling story that greatly exceeded the scope of what we have come to expect from a Marvel Studios origin story, that’s exactly what the 2021 offering accomplished, hopefully setting the stage for more outside-the-box adventures from the shared universe in the future.
It also boasted a star-studded cast, with the likes of Gemma Chan, Richard Madden, Kumail Nanjiani, Salma Hayek and Angelina Jolie all bringing the MCU’s oldest superheroes to life, and once again highlighting the drawing power that Marvel possesses.
As adventurous as the movie is, however, it isn’t without its faults (which its now notorious reputation as the lowest-rated MCU film on Rotten Tomatoes would suggest), with its highly-expositional script, convoluted timeline and extended runtime all hindering the flow of the story.
Is Eternals the worst MCU movie? Well, as its placement on this list would suggest, no. But in the middle of that entertaining-but-flawed good movie is a great one. If it had overcome some of those issues, maybe it could have found it.
33. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022)
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever might just be the most important movie of Phase Four of the MCU. While it certainly follows in the footsteps of previous titles in the line-up in setting the stage for new heroes, new stories, and new chapters, this one is about paying tribute to one of the MCU’s brightest stars Chadwick Boseman.
The beloved actor’s tragic passing in 2020 was felt around the world, as it was clear just how much of an impact he had made on people. And Ryan Coogler, Kevin Feige and all involved in Wakanda Forever made it their mission to ensure that the sequel was a love letter to that legacy. The movie honors Boseman by honoring T’Challa, as those in Wakanda carry on his legacy in a movie that can only be described as a beautiful and heartfelt tribute.
With a string of incredible performances (including a stunning turn by the incomparable Angela Bassett), and one of the MCU’s strongest antagonists in Namor (Tenoch Huerta), Black Panther: Wakanda Forever mostly lives up to the high standard of its predecessor, all while paying the ultimate tribute to its beloved star. It is upended, however, by some very questionable creative choices and its far-too-long runtime.