Since Jon Favreau’s Iron Man arrived in multiplexes in 2008, Kevin Feige has turned the Marvel Cinematic Universe into a hit factory pumping out three $1 billion-grossing blockbusters a year. The franchise’s entries are all agreeable comic book adventures with plenty of action and spectacle, but some stand head and shoulders above the others.

The worst movies in the MCU feel like they came straight from the cookie-cutter, following the same well-worn formula. On the other hand, the best MCU films have an authorial stamp from their director and a couple of exciting subversions of the usual recipe while still satisfying as large-scale action romps.

Updated May 24, 2022 by Mark Sammut: The MCU is back in full swing after a period of inactivity, and the 2022 releases are not done yet. Phase Four has produced five movies so far, but do any of them rank among the best MCU movies​​​​​​?

11 Doctor Strange (7.5)

2022's Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness does not quite crack IMDb's highest-rated MCU movies, but its predecessor just about succeeds in making the cut. Benedict Cumberbatch stars as Stephen Strange, an egotistical neurosurgeon who gets in an accident that leaves him unable to operate. Desperate to regain his old life, Strange winds up exploring the mystic arts, a journey that opens the doctor up to a wide universe of possibilities, along with new responsibilities that challenge his personality.

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Doctor Strange is an enjoyable origin story that sets itself apart through flashes of surreal imagery and special effects. Cumberbatch turns in a brilliant performance as the titular figure, managing to endear audiences to a character who could have been insufferable in lesser hands.

10 Guardians Of The Galaxy: Vol. 2 (7.6)

As the follow-up to perhaps the most unexpected smash hit in the MCU, James Gunn's sequel could have easily buckled under the weight of expectations. Going by Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2's IMDb score, that clearly did not happen. Revolving around parental relationships, this movie finds the guardians crossing paths with Ego, a powerful galactic force who also happens to be Star-Lord's father.

Expertly blending action, comedy, character growth, and pathos, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is a carefully written blockbuster that oozes style and heart. Hopefully, Vol. 3 maintains this subseries' momentum.

9 Captain America: The Winter Soldier (7.8)

Phase Two of the MCU is a bit all over the place in terms of quality, but this period does hit a spike right in the middle of its run. Captain America: The Winter Soldier finds Steve Rogers dealing with a figure from his past while S.H.I.E.L.D crumbles from within due to the presence of Hydra.

Echoing cold war thrillers of yesteryear, this film opts for a more grounded tone, at least in relation to the presentation of its action sequences. Narratively, The Winter Soldier moves along at a blistering pace as Rogers and Natasha wind up on the run and off the grid.

8 Captain America: Civil War (7.8)

Adapting one of the more iconic Marvel Comic storylines, Captain America: Civil War draws the battle lines as Steve Rogers and Tony Stark reach an impasse on how The Avengers should respond to the world governments' installation of a system that registers all metahumans. While Tony believes they should comply, Rogers is completely against it; to make matters worse, the heroes are also manipulated by a third party.

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Civil War does a good job of representing the pros and cons of both sides of the argument, even if Rogers is clearly depicted as being in the right. This film also introduces Spider-Man and Black Panther, two characters who would go on to assume prominent roles in the MCU.

7 Iron Man (7.9)

Except for The Avengers, Iron Man is probably the most important film in the MCU. While not the first superhero flick or even the best one released in 2008, Tony Stark's debut needed to show that projects featuring less mainstream heroes could still attract an audience; even as one of the MCU's lowest-grossing releases, Iron Man did well enough financially and was also pretty great at the same time.

Rather than setting up the franchise's future, Iron Man simply focuses on telling a captivating story featuring a charming protagonist and splendid action that is considerably more violent than subsequent MCU releases.

6 Thor: Ragnarok (7.9)

Chris Hemsworth had become disillusioned with the role of Thor – and understandably so – after his first two solo movies were generic blockbusters and all he had to do in Avengers: Age of Ultron was have a bad dream and then take a bath. But his interest in the character was reinvigorated by the arrival of Taika Waititi, who injected a healthy dose of dry humor and colorful Flash Gordon-inspired action into the God of Thunder’s third solo outing, Thor: Ragnarok.

This is the definitive Thor movie; an epic space opera filled with larger-than-life personalities, creative action, and massive stakes.

5 The Avengers (8.0)

After Phase One detailed the origin stories of Earth’s mightiest heroes, the true test of the MCU’s chances of success came in The Avengers, Joss Whedon’s ambitious crossover that assembled those heroes on-screen for the first time. If Whedon could make a metal-clad billionaire, a super-soldier, a green monster, and a god all work in the same movie, then Marvel had a shot.

Of course, the movie nailed it. One of the most spectacular, vibrant summer blockbusters of the decade, The Avengers turned Marvel Studios into the hit factory it is today. The Battle of New York set a high bar for the MCU’s third-act battle sequences.

4 Guardians Of The Galaxy (8.0)

While The Avengers set the stage for Marvel Studios to dominate the movie-going landscape, Guardians of the Galaxy was the movie that proved it could turn anything into a hit. If Marvel could make a blockbuster franchise out of a talking space tree, it could make a blockbuster franchise out of anything.

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Every character, from Chris Pratt as Star-Lord to Zoe Saldana as Gamora and Vin Diesel as the aforementioned tree, was perfectly cast in this movie. Director James Gunn’s personality can be seen all over this space adventure.

3 Spider-Man: No Way Home

A celebration of Spidey's two decades on the big screen, Spider-Man: No Way Home is the type of movie that would have seemed like nothing more than a pipe dream a few years ago. When Peter Parker convinces Dr. Strange to perform a spell that, unsurprisingly, backfires, figures from other universes begin to show up in and around Manhattan, and they happen to be familiar faces.

No Way Home works because it does not over-rely on nostalgia; the film continues and prioritizes the stories of the MCU's Parker and his friends.

2 Avengers: Infinity War (8.4)

While the original Avengers movie seemed like an ambitious crossover when it hit theaters in the summer of 2012, it was nothing compared to Avengers: Infinity War, which brought Doctor Strange and the Guardians of the Galaxy onto Earth’s mightiest heroes’ radar.

By focusing on Thanos, the MCU’s best villain to date by far, Infinity War managed to feel brisk and streamlined despite featuring dozens of major characters. It culminated in the best downer ending since The Empire Strikes Back.

1 Avengers: Endgame (8.4)

While Infinity War was an all-out action extravaganza that moved at a breakneck pace, Endgame was a much slower and more cerebral movie. Opening with a five-year time jump into a world still reeling from Thanos’ devastating destruction, Endgame perfectly positions the Avengers to live up to their name.

From the time-traveling journey through the MCU’s greatest hits to the biggest battle sequence in the franchise to date (culminating in Tony Stark’s tear-jerking sacrifice), Endgame was a shoo-in for the highest grossing movie ever made.

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