TheMarvel Cinematic Universehas had some masterpieces over the past ten years, and they have achieved that status for a variety of reasons, with some coming from the franchise’s theatrical side, while a few are TV releases. Despite recent woes,a reasonable share of theMCU’s best moviescomes from Marvel’s past ten yearsof releases, with crossovers and more.
However, a couple of theMCU’s best TV shows, which come from the creation of Disney+, have also managed to achieve masterpiece status. Emotional moments, kinetic action scenes, gorgeous visuals, a balance of different tones, and more help theseprojects in the MCU’s timelinebecome some of the franchise’s very best. Here are the greatest MCU masterpieces of the past ten years.
10Captain America: Civil War
It is important to note that the list is in release order. That said, first up isCaptain America: Civil War.The movie is the only solo entry starring Chris Evans' Steve Rogers to gross over $1 billion.Civil Warworked well as an Avengers-like movie with Captain America firmly as its main character. It felt very fitting for Steve.
All the crossovers certainly add to the excitement, with the movie beingthe MCU entry that pits heroes against each other. Spider-Man and Black Panther made their MCU debuts here. Besides explosive action,Civil War’s other biggest element comes from its emotional component. Captain America knowing that Bucky killed Iron Man’s parents and the final battle were intimate and devastating.
9Thor: Ragnarok
Thor: Ragnarokis, without a doubt,the best solo movie for Chris Hemsworth’s Thor. After some time, the character had grown stale, with Thor’s solo movies failing to excite and Hemsworth not getting as much to do as Chris Evans and Robert Downey Jr. in the Avengers movies. Then cameThor: Ragnarok, which revitalized the Marvel hero and his franchise.
The Thor movie is heavy on the comedy, courtesy of director Taika Waititi, which lands for the most part.Hela was a formidable villain who made Thor question who he was, with the hero ultimately realizing it was not his hammer that made him who he was. Thor and Loki’s bond was at its best, andRagnarokchanged Asgard forever.
8Black Panther
Black Panthercould not be absent. To this day, the movie remains theonly MCU entry to be nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards.Black Pantherwas a cultural phenomenon, more so than just another superhero movie. Chadwick Boseman and the film’s star-studded cast helped make it one of Marvel’s most compelling entries, with well-rounded characters and intriguing dynamics.
DirectorRyan Coogler crafted such a rich world with the MCU’s Wakandathat the franchise continues to find new ways to explore it, such as therecently releasedEyes of Wakanda, which connected to Killmonger’s story in 2018’sBlack Panther. The movie is a unique entry in the MCU, and it has a strong message that resonates beyond the usual superhero antics.
7Avengers: Infinity War
Avengers: Infinity Waris themost epic MCU movie in terms of action. The film feels like a non-stop action sequence, with the Avengers and other Marvel heroes desperately racing against time to stop Thanos from getting all the Infinity Stones. The Avengers movie puts Thanos, its villain, at the center of its story, with the audience following his quest.
It is widely regarded thatAvengers: Infinity War’s ending is the best in an MCU project, with the shocking nature of Thanos winning and killing half of the universe making it one of the best movie endings of all time. While humor is present, the Avengers film knows how to balance tone well, being incredibly dark. The action and visuals deliver.
6Avengers: Endgame
Avengers: Endgameis probably the biggest cinematic achievement to date. The movie had the near-impossible task of not only being great, but delivering a finale to the Infinity Saga that felt satisfying for the journey that had started in 2008’sIron Manup to its release in 2019. Marvel Studios deserves a lot of praise for howAvengers: Endgamesticks the landing.
Pretty much every important hero in the MCU up to the film’s release is inAvengers: Endgame. Somehow, Marvel manages to give almost everyone time to shine while making the filma victory lap over the MCUthrough time travel.Endgameis one of the MCU’s most emotional movies, delivering spectacle, but focusing on ending key characters' journeys.
5WandaVision
The first MCU TV show on the list isWandaVision, which was also the first series to come from Marvel Studios on Disney+. Well, Marvel hit a home run from the start, as the MCU seriesmanaged to elevate Elizabeth Olsen’s Scarlet Witch to one of Marvel’s most popular characters.WandaVision’s success has led to multiple spinoff series.
WandaVisionis a unique entry, as director Matt Shakman perfectly adapted several episodes to different eras of beloved sitcoms.On the technical side, the MCU series is impeccable. Story-wise,WandaVisionis a gripping tale about grief and family. It is deeply emotional. The show’s many mysteries led to it becoming one of Marvel’s entries with the most theories to date.
4Loki
The other MCU show on the list isLoki. One thing that has disappointed me in the MCU’s Multiverse Saga is how few projects actually focus on the multiverse. Well, Loki breaks apart from that, as it is perhaps the most important project for the multiverse yet.It did a phenomenal job of setting up Kang the Conqueror’s debut.
While that did not work on the movie side,Lokialso set up the TVA, the Void, and more for the Multiverse Saga to explore. The series made Tom Hiddleston’s new Loki variant well-rounded in little time and sent him on a journey that included absolutely stunning visuals, shocking plot twists, andan ending that made him the protector of the multiverse.
3Spider-Man: No Way Home
It is a miracle thatSpider-Man: No Way Homeexists. Tom Holland’s two Spider-Man movies before it were exciting. However,No Way Homeis a generational event, as its nearly $2 billion box office showcases. Uniting the three live-action movie versions of Spider-Man — Tobey Maguire, Andrew Garfield, and Tom Holland — was inspired, and the fun chemistry they had only made it better.
Spider-Man: No Way Homealso brought back several villains from the past Spider-Man movies, withWillem Dafoe’s Green Goblin performance easily turning him into one of the best villains in the MCU. While its multiverse elements were the biggest attractions, they were there to assist the MCU Peter Parker’s journey, and the film completely altered Spider-Man’s life in a heartfelt way.
2Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3
James Gunn’s final Guardians of the Galaxy moviebefore he moved to DC had to deliver a poignant finale to the team. It did so and much more. As Gunn is known for, the humor inGuardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3is pretty much always on point, with many hilarious sequences. The Guardians truly feel like a family.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3is easily the darkest in the cosmic team’s trilogy.The idea to focus the story on Rocket Raccoon was the right one. The character’s backstory made for one of the saddest in the MCU, and having the team band together in the present to save one of their own added urgency to the movie.
1Deadpool & Wolverine
Finally,Deadpool & Wolverineis the first MCU movie to star characters that came from Fox being folded into Disney. After the actors worked together on the disappointingX-Men Origins: Wolverine,Deadpool & Wolverineallowed Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman to share the screen as the best versions of their Marvel characters.Wolverine finally wore his yellow and blue costume.
As with any Deadpool movie, the R-rated MCU film was as bloody and hilarious as one would expect. However, it was also incredibly heartfelt, withJackman’s Wolverine shouldering a lot of the film’s emotional weight. The leads' chemistry was on point, and the various multiverse cameos and supporting characters kept the action-packed movie exciting at all turns. It’s anMCUmasterpiece.
