The Marvel Cinematic Universe has become such a normal part of our lives, it’s hard to imagine it’s only been around for 15 years. Now that we’re 30 movies and 20 TV series in, the MCU is unquestionably the biggest franchise in the world. The box office success of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 shows how audiences are still just as invested in the universe as ever. With that in mind, we’re counting down the top 20 MCU movies and TV series.
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20: The Falcon and the Winter Soldier
Chris Evans’ exit from the MCU was a huge loss. How would Anthony Mackie make Captain America his own? In The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, not only did we get some shocking revelations about the true history of super soldiers, we also got to see the real story of how the world handled the blip. And as you would expect, it wasn’t great.
19: What If...?
What If…? stories were always among the most interesting in comic books because they provided an answer to all those random questions we had about our favorite characters. The Disney+ animated series gave us some awesome, heartbreaking and terrifying alternate universes, as well as Jeffrey Wright’s fascinating Watcher. We absolutely need a live-action version of him.
18: Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
We weren’t sure what to expect from The Multiverse Saga, but Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness showed us what we would get from the various parallel Earths, even delivering some scream-out-loud surprises.
17: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
The Guardians of the Galaxy are often seen as the most ridiculous corner of the MCU, but the found family aspect of this team also makes the films the most emotional and gut-wrenching trilogy in the franchise.
16: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Fans were not having it when Clark Gregg’s Agent Coulson was killed off. Luckily, he was brought back in the MCU’s first TV entry, which has never gotten the respect it deserves for its emotionally complex exploration of what it really means to be an Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.
15: Ms. Marvel
Iman Vellani’s Kamala Khan is adorably charming in this captivating series about a girl who explores her family’s heritage when she suddenly gains superpowers. It was a beautiful and moving introduction to Kamala, her friends, her family and their culture.
14: Captain Marvel
The female empowerment and ‘90s nostalgia in Carol Danvers’ first movie is undeniably awesome. I cannot wait to see what we get from The Marvels, when Carol, Kamala and Monica Rambeau team up.
13: Daredevil
This Netflix series gave us a look at a grittier version of the MCU. Its R-rated content offered fans a glimpse at how good the universe could be when it embraced its tragic origins.
12: Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
Shang Chi is such an underrated entry in the franchise. Simu Liu has an undeniable star quality and I genuinely hope we see more of him in Phases 5 and 6. Plus, the fight scenes are spectacular and some of the best in the entire universe.
11: Thor: Ragnarok
In the comics, Thor has always been this unique, weird corner of the Marvel universe. The films struggled to find that side of the character until Taika Waititi gave Thor and his world a much-needed hilarious refresh in Ragnarok.
10: Captain America: The Winter Soldier
Marvel meets The Manchurian Candidate in this political thriller that uproots the whole universe and somehow makes Robert Redford a believable bad guy. It’s definitely the smartest film in the franchise.
9: Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Other than heartache, we didn’t know what to expect from this sequel. What we got was a beautiful lesson in grief. However, I will never forgive Namor or the Academy for what they did to Angela Bassett.
8: Loki
How do you improve on Tom Hiddleston’s classic performance as Loki? You add even more Lokis to the mix. Normally, alternate timelines are a headache to focus on, but Loki cleverly made it about the emotions, not the mythology, which made it a fantastic introduction to the multiverse.
7: Iron Man
Starting an expansive comic book universe with Iron Man was a gamble, but it paid off in spades. Tony Stark’s transformation from selfish playboy to full-fledged superhero signaled how the MCU would balance fun with complex emotions. Plus, that end credits scene with Nick Fury was the call to action that launched an entire multiverse.
6: Marvel’s The Avengers
After methodically highlighting each hero, we finally got the team up we were waiting for, and it was everything we’d spent a lifetime dreaming of while reading comic books. You know you still scream when the Avengers theme hits and they finally assemble.
5: Avengers: Infinity War
We knew it was coming, but that didn’t make the ending any less devastating. This is where we got to see all heart and soul behind all the fantastic action, and honestly, it broke us. The year-long wait for Endgame was brutal.
4: Black Panther
When the tribes meet to crown T’Challa as the new Black Panther and King of Wakanda, the pride and feeling of finally being seen in a world I had devoted my life to obsessing over was overwhelming. We will never be able to recreate the emotions this film delivered.
3: Spider-Man: No Way Home
Until No Way Home, the various adaptations were considered completely separate from the MCU. Getting to see Tobey Maguire, Andrew Garfield and Tom Holland on-screen together wasn’t just a beautiful fan moment, it showed us that anything is possible in the multiverse.
2: WandaVision
As the world dealt with the unimaginable loss of the COVID-19 pandemic, our obsession with Wanda and Vision’s crazy TV universe, forced us all to grapple with our collective grief and emotional upheaval. This was an absolutely brilliant start to the MCU’s Disney+ TV side of the universe.
1: Avengers: Endgame
When the whole world has been waiting through 21 movies for this finale to “The Infinity Saga,” how do you exceed everyone’s expectations while still serving the characters you’ve spent a decade developing? If you’re Marvel Studios, you give us the greatest movie theater moment of all time. Something we didn’t realize we’d be relishing when we were stuck in our homes a year later.
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