By George & Josh Bate

Anthony Mackie picks up the shield of Captain America in the penultimate movie of Phase 5 of the ever-expanding Marvel Cinematic Universe. Aligning with the release of Captain America: Brave New World we took a look back at every chapter of the MCU, ranking each and every film, show, and special from worst to best. It is important to note that this list only includes shows developed by Kevin Feige and Marvel Studios and not other Marvel shows, such as Daredevil or Jessica Jones originally on Netflix.
Check out our rankings of the 51 MCU Movies, Shows, and Specials from Worst to Best below….
51. Thor: The Dark World

Recent, somewhat questionable revisionist takes aside, the second solo outing for Thor’s biggest offense is how dull and uninspired it is. Game of Thrones director Alan Taylor was brought in to add a certain sense of scale and grandness to the Norse God, but the film never quite achieves its goal.
50. Captain Marvel

Captain Marvel showcases a new hero in Brie Larson’s hero and sports a terrific twist in making the Skrulls good guys and the victims of the villainous Kree. However, the film that preceded the mammoth event that was Avengers: Endgame struggles with a convoluted, at times incomprehensible narrative and a sense of humor that never clicks like other MCU efforts.
49. Black Widow

The long-awaited solo debut for Scarlett Johansson’s spy superhero did not give the character the sending off she deserved. In already knowing Natasha’s fate, Black Widow served as an ultimately inconsequential story and a set-up for Florence Pugh’s Yelena.
48. Secret Invasion

One of the most iconic Marvel comics was adapted into a political thriller series on Disney+ with decidedly mixed results. Although the first few episodes plant some interesting seeds, the show never really finds its footing. Jumbled plotting and flat political thriller elements make for one of the most disappointing and underwhelming installments of the MCU.
47. Iron Man 3

One of the most divisive Marvel films to date, Iron Man 3, in many ways, lives and dies on its Mandarin twist. Unfortunately, that twist doesn’t land and the film around it ends up being a meandering follow-up to the big team-up in The Avengers.
46. Ant Man and the Wasp

The follow-up to 2015’s Ant Man directly followed the release of Avengers: Infinity War and, in turn, the shocking ‘snap’ ending. Ant Man and the Wasp is a serviceable MCU entry. The jokes are fine, the story is straightforward, the villain is alright. The film doesn’t do anything particularly poorly, but is ultimately a bit dull.
45. The Marvels

The follow-up to Captain Marvel also served as a successor to WandaVision, Ms. Marvel, and Secret Invasion. The film features a kinetic energy, largely attrituable to the premise of the characters switching places with one another, but, ultimately, is a conventional superhero outing.
44. Avengers: Age of Ultron

Avengers: Age of Ultron suffered from its responsibility to set up an array of different characters and future films. What’s left is a somewhat bloated movie that has some excellent moments and introduces the MCU to fan-favorite characters Vision and Wanda Maximoff.
43. Thor: Love and Thunder

The fourth Thor film is undoubtedly entertaining, despite suffering from messy editing and inconsistent CGI. The return of Jane Foster and Russell Crowe’s hilarious turn as Zeus make up for an underutilized Christian Bale as the lead villain and an uneventful arc for Thor.
42. What If…? Season 3

The final season of What If…? proved to be the weakest of the three. The series never lived up to its immense potential, and this was never as evident as it was in the mixed bag that was Season 3. The visuals and voice acting are impressive, but the stories aren’t that compelling and the humor doesn’t quite work.
41. What If…? Season 1

What If…? marked the first animated entry in the MCU, which turned out to be a mixed bag. With each episode being isolated from the next, iffy or slower episodes didn’t linger. Some premises were stronger than others and, therefore, led to more interesting stories. Chadwick Boseman’s last time playing T’Challa is a particular highlight.
40. Iron Man 2

A maligned sequel to the MCU’s first entry that doesn’t get the credit it deserves, Iron Man 2 was the third MCU film. Robert Downey Jr. shows how a performance can elevate an otherwise standard superhero outing. The race track action sequence though is superb. Mickey Rourke’s villain is hilarious and strangely captivating. And audiences were introduced to Don Cheadle as War Machine.
39. Echo

Echo features a compelling lead and beautifully embraces Native American culture, but offers little more, either as an isolated story or a piece of a more sprawling universe. Connections to better shows like Hawkeye and Daredevil consistently impede upon appreciating Echo and starkly contrast the type of intimate and grounded storytelling the series attempts. Regarding these superior shows, the return of fan-favorite villain Kingpin and a cameo from Charlie Cox as Daredevil are letdowns in a flat and uninspired story. Alaqua Cox’s Maya Lopez is an undeniably strong and important character, one that deserves far better than what this series entails.
38. The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special

Influenced by the infamous Star Wars holiday special, The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special marked the MCU’s first Christmas event, after the likes of Iron Man 3 and Hawkeye touched on the merry holiday spirit. As with the previous Guardians films, director/writer James Gunn brings a real heart to this special, perfect for a story to enjoy during the holidays.
37. Werewolf By Night

The MCU’s first special, Werewolf By Night marked the directorial debut of Michael Giacchino, known for composing the scores for films like The Batman, Rogue One, and Up. Stylistically, Werewolf By Night is unlike anything Marvel has done before as it leaned heavily into its 1940s Universal horror movie influences. While making for a great adventure to experience during the spooky Halloween season, the special didn’t have the lasting impact one would expect from a project so aesthetically novel.
36. Agatha All Along

Agatha All Along is a fitting follow-up to WandaVision, although it stumbles with a confusing narrative and dense witch mythology and lore before it finds its footing again. When things settle down, the series becomes unexpectedly surreal and hallucinogenic, with each episode featuring a dreamy, reality-bending atmosphere and plot. With a tone that takes after quirky witch tales like Hocus Pocus and a brilliant ensemble of witches bouncing witty one-liners off one another, the show always entertains, even if things become a bit narratively unwieldly and aesthetically trippy. Kathryn Hahn seamlessly steps back into the role that won audiences over in WandaVision, and adds new dimensions to a character once seen mostly as a villain. Aubrey Plaza, meanwhile, captivates as a mysterious figure with ties to Agatha’s past in a show that embraces LGBTQ+ imagery and characters more overtly than any MCU project to date. Agatha All Along may stumble at times, but it is undoubtedly a different flavor of MCU programming, one that will fit in perfectly with your annual viewing plans for the Halloween season.
35. The Falcon and the Winter Soldier

A stunningly uneventful pilot and woefully underwhelming finale aside, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier was an engaging political thriller set in the MCU. Anthony Mackie brilliantly assumes the role of Captain America. Wyatt Russell excels as the threatening US Soldier.
34. Thor

Visually beautiful, the first Thor movie excellently and seamlessly introduces the God of Thunder into the MCU. It also brings one of the strongest and most enduring Marvel villains to the forefront in Loki.
33. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

Featuring an Academy Award nominated performance by Angela Bassett, the follow-up to 2018’s Black Panther had a lot to live up to and, for the most part, excelled at what it set out to do. Although the film struggled in the absence of Chadwick Boseman with the lack of a compelling lead, Wakanda Forever succeeded in its introduction of Namor and Ironheart. Ryan Coogler, once again, brought his craft to this project, making for a grand theatrical experience with a touching tribute to the late Boseman.
32. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the 10 Rings

Although Shang-Chi’s MCU debut is too formulaic and predictable, the film is visually unlike other Marvel entries and delivers the action and humor fans love from these epic superhero adventures.
31. The Incredible Hulk

Perhaps the most overlooked MCU film, The Incredible Hulk is the oft-forgotten second installment in the sprawling franchise. Edward Norton assumes the role of Bruce Banner before handing the baton to Mark Ruffalo in future films and captures the character’s vulnerability and intelligence to perfection.
30. She-Hulk: Attorney At Law

The MCU tried something different with She-Hulk, a legal comedy more akin to the likes of Franklin & Bash than anything the franchise did to date. Distracting CGI aside, the series was a fun escape from the grander, multiversal outings of Phase 4. Tatiana Maslany proved to be an excellent addition to the MCU, while it was refreshing to see Tim Roth return in an unexpected capacity.
29. Doctor Strange

Ultimately too formulaic, Doctor Strange makes up for some narrative shortcomings by introducing a terrific hero and a new, mystical realm of the MCU.
28. What If…? Season 2

A substantial improvement from its mediocre first season, What If…? Season 2 manages to be an inventive and engaging venture into the Marvel multiverse of possibilities. Less of an emphasis is placed on an overarching story, which allows for the telling of some particularly compelling MCU stories, including a Christmas themed episode starring Jon Favreau’s Happy Hogan and a reimagining of the Avengers assembling in 1602.
27. Captain America: Brave New World

Marred by extensive reshoots, Captain America: Brave New World features disjointed, albeit followable, plotting and off-putting visual effects. Despite this, the penultimate Phase 5 film embraces the political thriller elements of the Captain America trilogy that came before it and brings the one and only Harrison Ford to the MCU.
26. Black Panther

A cultural phenomenon, Black Panther will go down as one of the most important films of the 21st century. On the downside, the film transitions from narrative to narrative a bit too much and the titular character is overshadowed by the brilliance of Michael B. Jordan’s villain.
25. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3

Ever so slightly worse than the second installment, the final adventure of Star-Lord, Gamora, Rocket, Groot, Drax, Mantis, and Nebula was an emotional and exciting ride. The introduction of Adam Warlock is underwhelming and the High Evolutionary makes for a subpar villain, but the decision to position Rocket so centrally and build out his backstory was fantastic.
24. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2

Peter Quill and the gang return in an adventure full of laughs, brilliant music, and emotions. The plot proves to be quite meandering and the CGI is certainly heavy handed. Nonetheless, Kurt Russell makes for a great villain and few Marvel directors and writers pack the emotional punch that James Gunn does.
23. Hawkeye

Similar to Black Widow, Hawkeye never received his solo outing in a pre-Avengers: Endgame, but finally got what he deserved, albeit a little too late. The Hawkeye series is festive in being set in and around the Christmas holiday. The late introduction of Kingpin underwhelms, although Hailee Steinfeld’s Kate Bishop is certainly a new MCU hero.
22. Ms. Marvel

Ms. Marvel is a genuinely refreshing entry in the MCU, in large part due to the plot focusing on an exciting young character and the creative liberty the show takes stylistically.
21. Loki Season 2

Loki’s sophomore season saw an overhaul in the creative team behind the scenes and, in turn, mixed results compared to the stellar first season. The multiversal plot so brilliantly told last season becomes convoluted and confusing here, although the stakes remain high, the entertainment never ceases, and Tom Hiddleston excels as he fulfills his glorious purpose and becomes the God of Stories.
20. Eternals

One of the MCU’s most poorly received installments, Eternals struggled to introduce so many new characters and world-building elements in a single film. That being said, Chloe Zhao delivered a relentlessly entertaining movie that, hopefully, gets the attention it deserves in years to come.
19. Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania

After an uneven Phase 4, the MCU kicked off its fifth phase with a bang. The third Ant-Man strikes a nice balance of serialized storytelling contained within an exciting standalone adventure. Jonathan Majors is a scene stealer as Kang the Conqueror, while director Peyton Reed leans heavily into Star Wars influences to make his latest Ant-Man venture an epic space opera.
18. The Avengers

The first team-up film in the MCU will always be iconic. The film hasn’t aged as well as other entries, but it’s still such a fun ride.
17. Ant Man

A true showcase of the draw of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Ant Man proved that Marvel can take totally unknown, even ridiculous sounding characters and turn them into franchises worth hundreds of millions of dollars. Ant Man is one of the funniest MCU films and also works brilliantly as a heist flick.
16. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness

Sam Raimi stepped into the director’s chair for the Doctor Strange sequel and ended up making one of the most visually exciting and unique MCU films. Equal parts Raimi superhero film and Raimi horror film, In the Multiverse of Madness features a fast-paced, multiverse-hopping story line, some genuine scares, and terrific cameos.
15. Spider-Man: Far From Home

Probably the Spider-Man film that feels least like a Spider-Man film, Far From Home took Spidey out of New York City and into some of Europe’s most lavish locations. With it comes a tale full of laughs and emotional maturity. Jake Gyllenhaal makes a fantastic villain and the post-credits scenes are shocking.
14. WandaVision

The MCU’s first venture into the land of television excellently capitalizes on the new medium for Marvel storytelling. WandaVision is a stark stylistic departure from all other previous Marvel efforts, with each episode structured and built around a sit-com from each decade leading to the present day. There’s an ominous undercurrent that runs throughout WandaVision, which only dissipates upon the flat and action-heavy season finale.
13. Moon Knight

Moon Knight drew from Split, Primal Fear, and Memento in delivering an identity amnesia tale mixed with a superhero epic. Oscar Isaac is nothing short of superb in the (multiple) lead roles. Moon Knight’s penultimate episode remains one of the most emotionally impactful pieces of Marvel storytelling to date.
12. Thor: Ragnarok

The film that single-handedly rejuvenated Thor as a character, Taika Waititi’s bow into the MCU is a colorful and hilarious buddy comedy. Arguably the funniest entry in the MCU, Ragnarok’s banter and one-liners are unrivaled. Amidst the laughs though is a terrific story of loss that gives Thor some much needed depth as a character.
11. Spider-Man: Homecoming

Spider-Man’s solo debut in the MCU works equally well as a superhero movie and a coming-of-age story. The John Hughes influences resonate throughout as director Jon Watts crafts a look at what it means to balance teenage life with Avengers-level responsibilities.
10. Deadpool & Wolverine

The Fox era of Marvel movies receives the poetic and fitting conclusion it deserves in the surprisingly emotional and unrelentingly crowd-pleasing Deadpool & Wolverine. Shawn Levy’s film is an epic crowd-pleaser in the vein of previous MCU hits like Avengers: Endgame and Spider-Man: No Way Home. Playing like a superhero take on Planes, Trains and Automobiles, the 34th film in the ever-expanding Marvel Cinematic Universe excellently capitalizes on the magnetic chemistry between stars Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman in their portrayal of superhero mutants always clashing, both physically and verbally. The cameo appearances (some of which are more like surprising, substantial supporting roles) are superb, but what excels even more is the film’s genuine emotional resonance. Deadpool & Wolverine serves as a genuine love letter to the Fox era of Marvel movies, while also telling an emotional story of its own, anchored by an incredible performance from Hugh Jackman. Such emotion makes it easier to overlook issues with pacing, plotting, in particular two weak villains, and some aesthetic blandness. Ultimately, Deadpool & Wolverine is the resounding win the MCU desperately needed. A powerful superhero epic with boundary-pushing humor, jaw-dropping cameos, and unrelenting entertainment that confirms the the MCU and superhero movies are far from over.
9. Loki Season 1

The best season of MCU television to date has to be Loki’s first season. The time-traveling adventure deals with a lot of lofty concepts that could easily overwhelm, but sharp writing and masterful directing allow for an approachable and enthralling story. Tom Hiddleston shines in the lead role, commanding the series from start to finish.
8. Captain America: Civil War

Avengers 2.5 in many ways, Captain America: Civil War is a terrific standalone film and culmination of all of the previous MCU stories. Chris Evans and Robert Downey Jr. deliver their best performances as Captain America and Iron Man respectively. Audiences are also introduced to Black Panther and Spider-Man in a sprawling, intelligent political thriller narrative.
7. Captain America: The First Avenger

Steve Rogers’ debut is one that works on so many levels. It’s a perfect superhero origin story encased within a period piece, all wrapped up in a package that fits nicely into a broader cinematic universe. Chris Evans proves he was born to play the role of Steve Rogers.
6. Spider-Man: No Way Home

The MCU’s first real adventure into the multiverse concluded the newest Spider-Man trilogy. An emotionally powerful film that brilliantly incorporates nostalgic throwbacks with the inclusion of past Spider-Men and villains, No Way Home is unique in, despite being the third installment of a trilogy, feeling like the perfect origin story for the MCU’s Spider-Man. One of the most endearing, heartfelt, and crowd-pleasing movie going experiences, Spider-Man: No Way Home is a real winner.
5. Captain America: The Winter Soldier

Captain America: The Winter Soldier strips Cap of his red, white, and blue suit and plummets the superhero into a story of political intrigue and espionage. What results is a thriller that (re)introduces one of the MCU’s most compelling characters in The Winter Soldier, a.k.a. Bucky Barnes.
4. Avengers: Endgame

The movie that broke every record in the book, grossing a whopping $2.8 billion worldwide, Avengers: Endgame had to make the top five. Endgame is a three-hour epic that ties together every installment that came before it in resounding fashion. It’s the perfect send off to Steve Rogers and Tony Stark, and it features the most epic and sprawling battle in Marvel movie history.
3. Iron Man

The film that started it all also remains one of the best MCU movies. Robert Downey Jr. became forever synonymous with Tony Stark the second audiences were introduced to the arrogant billionaire in the back of a military vehicle. Iron Man boasts impressive visual effects and an entertaining story, but, at its heart, is a surprisingly meditative and emotional exercise.
2. Guardians of the Galaxy

James Gunn’s Marvel debut is perhaps one of the most influential movies of the 21st century. Guardians of the Galaxy is an epic space opera unlike any other. Fantastic characters are coupled with hilarious jokes, a wild space adventure, and genuinely heartfelt moments and themes in one of the best comic book movies ever made.
1. Avengers: Infinity War

It’s not small feat to make it to the top of a list of so many movies and shows that comprise the Marvel Cinematic Universe to date, but Avengers: Infinity War takes the crown. While some may argue Avengers: Endgame is the most ambitious MCU film, Infinity War doesn’t get the credit it deserves in this area. The third Avengers movie propels forward from the first frame and doesn’t let up until the devastating conclusion. Avengers: Infinity War amazes in balancing so many characters and plot threads so effortlessly. It could easily feel jarring to follow so many characters in a film that boldly positions the villain as the main character, but the Russo Brothers triumph here. Avengers: Infinity War provides some of the best superhero interactions in the MCU and arguably the franchise’s most epic moment with Thor arriving on Wakanda. The film concludes with a jaw-dropping cliffhanger finale that will be talked about for years to come. Avengers: Infinity War is the most rewatchable, entertaining, and, ultimately, triumphant MCU effort.