Whether you are a massive fan or only tolerate superhero movies to appease family members, you likely know some of the famous characters from the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). After all, it was a hugely successful comic book series first that started in the early 1960s.
Since 2008, however, Marvel Studios has put out 30 films. Some are iconic, like “Captain Marvel,” which inspired girls to find their inner strength, while others, like “Black Panther,” raised the bar for the whole genre. Still, all of them combined humor and action in a way that we hadn’t before seen from superhero movies — and that translated to some serious earnings at the box office. In fact, four Marvel movies land in the top 10 highest-grossing movies of all time.
But which ones keep fans coming back again and again? Using scores from Metacritic and Rotten Tomatoes, we created a ranking of all the Marvel movies to date. Do you agree with our list?
Bottom Line: Thor: The Dark World
Marvel Studios / Walt Disney Pictures / IMDB
Following “Thor” and “The Avengers,” this movie brings back Thor, who is fighting to restore peace across space when Jane Foster needs his help. Hundreds of years ago, the gods of Asgard hid the Aether, a powerful weapon the Dark Elves desperately want back. In the present day, Foster finds it and becomes its host. Thor must bring Foster back to Asgard and protect her from Dark Elf Malekith, who only has evil intentions.
This movie’s Metacritic rating is what brought it down. The Times’ Critic Kate Muir wrote, “When Marvel brought in Alan Taylor, the director of ‘Game of Thrones,’ to invigorate the Thor franchise, many hoped for a breast-bearing, dwarf-battling, blood-spurting melodrama — with capes and hammers. Sadly, it was not to be.”
Bottom Line: Iron Man 3
Marvel Studios / Paramount Pictures / IMDB
After saving New York, Tony Stark is holed up in his mansion, creating multiple Iron Man suits. When a terrorist known as The Mandarin initiates a string of bombings, Stark goes on the attack. Soon, he must fight to protect his friends and family in addition to protecting humanity from evil.
Critics seemed to like this Iron Man movie more than the second one, citing a witty script as what made it stand out. The Atlantic’s Christopher Orr wrote, “Shane Black excels at writing witty, self-referential, pop-infused banter, and there is no actor working today who is better suited to delivering it than Robert Downey Jr.”
Bottom Line: Ant-Man and the Wasp
Marvel Studios / Walt Disney Pictures / IMDB
Following his time with the Avengers in “Captain America: Civil War,” Scott Lang aka Ant-Man, is on house arrest. As he’s nearing the end of his punishment, Hope van Dyne and Dr. Hank Pym open a tunnel to the quantum realm, where they believe they’ll find Lang’s wife. Lang suits up as Ant-Man and fights alongside the Wasp to bring his wife home and various enemies surprise him along the way.
While the scores of both “Ant-Man” and “Ant-Man and the Wasp” were quite similar, the second one beat out the original. It was especially popular among critics. GameSpot’s Michael Rougeau wrote, “‘Ant-Man and the Wasp’ is hilarious, fun, silly, self-aware and creative.”
Bottom Line: Spider-Man: Homecoming
Marvel Studios / Columbia Pictures / IMDB
After experiencing the thrill of superhero life with the Avengers in “Captain America: Civil War,” Peter Parker returns home to embrace his role as a friendly neighborhood champion. New mentor, Tony Stark, helps Spider-Man navigate his new life, which is essential when the villain Vulture shows up and tests the superhero’s powers.
Also receiving a combined score of 84, like “Captain America: The Winter Soldier,” this was the perfect blend of superhero movie meets high school coming-of-age movie, making all kinds of audiences laugh in the process. “What makes this homecoming fun is [Tom] Holland, who seems as excited about Spider-Man as his classmates even though he is Spider-Man,” wrote Bob Mondello of NPR.
Bottom Line: Marvel’s The Avengers
Marvel Studios / Paramount Pictures / IMDB
To protect humanity from Thor’s evil brother Loki, the Avengers must learn to work as a team. Nick Fury, director of S.H.I.E.L.D., handles the recruitment of superheroes, enlisting Iron Man, Captain America, the Hulk, Thor, Black Widow and Hawkeye for his team of Earth’s mightiest heroes.
While this technically tied with both “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” and “Spider-Man: Homecoming,” this was the first time we saw all of the Marvel characters together on screen, earning it this No. 8 spot. Both critics and audiences alike loved it: “A spectacle in the grandest sense of the word,” wrote Laremy Legel from Film.com.
Bottom Line: Thor: Ragnarok
Marvel Studios / Walt Disney Pictures / IMDB
“Thor: Ragnarok” has what feels like an endless list of extraordinary actors, including Cate Blanchett, Idris Elba, Jeff Goldblum, Anthony Hopkins and Mark Ruffalo — plus, of course, the dreamy Chris Hemsworth in the title role. Perhaps that’s why this third Thor movie is also the most popular of the three.
Thor is pretty busy in this movie, first fighting against the Hulk in a gladiatorial contest. Then, he must defeat the supervillain Hela, who is intent on destroying Thor’s home and the Asgardian civilization.
Bottom Line: Black Panther
Marvel Studios / Walt Disney Pictures / IMDB
This award-winning Marvel movie made $1.34 billion at the box office as of May 2018. While it technically ties with “Iron Man” for a combined score of 88, “Black Panther” earned numerous awards and nominations, including seven nominations at the 91st Academy Awards. From costumes, production design, music and an all-star cast, it was the movie to see in 2018 and one that finally put superhero movies on the map for critical acclaim.
The story takes place in the African nation of Wakanda, where T’Challa returns following his father’s death. He’s home to take his place as king, but various foes and conflicts appear, making the transition harder. He must use his powers as the superhero, Black Panther, to defeat his enemies and lead Wakanda in its future. Not only was it a great film, it also had a powerful message. Time’s Jamil Smith wrote, “Its themes challenge institutional bias, its characters take unsubtle digs at oppressors, and its narrative includes prismatic perspectives on black life and tradition.”
