You might wonder what the best Marvel Cinematic Universe movies of all time are, as the MCU is so vast that each franchise is able to have its own ranked list. Although every single movie Marvel Studios make is a hit, we made a list of the best ones. However, at the end of the list, TechTrends have listed the movies in the order to watch if you are interested.
Considering it as a whole, the Marvel Cinematic Universe is undeniably one of the greatest achievements in cinema. There are so many movies to choose from, and narrowing down a list of the top ones was not an easy task, but we tried to add as many as we could. However, we also included the whole list at the end of the article for those interested in watching the entire thing in order. The MCU team has done an amazing job of making a brand as they know what makes a good movie and what fans are looking for. This also made it harder to create a list of the best Marvel Cinematic Universe movies of all time. Although watching almost 30 movies might seem daunting and insurmountable, it is far from that, and it is definitely worth your while. Without further ago, let’s dive in.
Best Marvel Cinematic Universe Movies of All Time
Making a list of the top Marvel movies of all time feels impossible as we like every one of them. For the Marvel movie fans and us at TechTrends, there aren’t any we don’t enjoy watching; we just love some more than others. Now, let’s get to the list. Please note that we tried to list the franchise movies next to each other, while others are based on chronological order.
Iron Man Film Series
- Genre: Action/Adventure
- Director: Jon Favreau, Shane Black
Iron Man 2008
- Stars: Robert Downey Jr., Jon Favreau, Gwyneth Paltrow, Terrence Howard, Don Cheadle
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 94%, IMDb 7.9
One of the best Marvel movies of all time is Robert Downey Jr.’s memorable portrayal of Tony Stark in the movie Iron Man. Tony Stark, who is a wealthy and brilliant engineer, does weapons experiments in Afghanistan, but he is kidnapped by a group of terrorists who ask him to make a lethal weapon. Instead of doing that, he makes an armored suit to be able to escape them. When he comes back, he improves the suit and uses it to fight villains. That is when he becomes known as Iron man.
Iron Man 2010
- Stars: Robert Downey Jr., Jon Favreau, Gwyneth Paltrow, Terrence Howard, Don Cheadle, Mickey Rourke, Scarlett Johansson
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 72%, IMDb 6.9
While the world is familiar with Iron Man now, Tony Stark encounters pressure to share what he has with the military. However, he is not willing to do that and give the secrets of his armored suit as it may fall into the wrong hands. Iron Man has Pepper Potts and Rhodey Rhodes, played by Gwyneth Paltrow and Don Cheadle, on his side. However, he has to forge new alliances and go against a new powerful new enemy. Iron Man 2 was another one of the best Marvel Cinematic Universe movies of all time.
Iron Man 2013
- Stars: Robert Downey Jr., Jon Favreau, Gwyneth Paltrow, Terrence Howard, Don Cheadle, Mickey Rourke, Ben Kingsley
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 79%, IMDb 7.1
While being plagued with insomnia and worry from the time he saved New York from destruction, Tony Stark becomes more dependent on the suits. Therefore, his life is affected by his attachment to the Iron Man persona in a way that his relationship with Pepper faces difficulty. After an enemy called the Mandarin hurts his personal world, Tony should rely on instinct and ingenuity to avenge what he lost and protect the ones he loves. Iron Man 3 was another one of the best Marvel movies ever made.
Read more: Best Robert Downey Jr. Movies of All Time
Thor Film Series
- Genre: Action/Adventure
- Director: Kenneth Branagh, Alan Taylor, Taika Waititi
Thor 2011
- Stars: Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Tom Hiddleston, Kat Dennings, Anthony Hopkins, Jaimie Alexander
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 77%, IMDb 7
Although the movie Thor is not on top of our list of the best Marvel Cinematic Universe movies of all time, it is an important one. The character later grew to be the fans’ favorite. Chris Hemsworth, Thor, and his brother Loki, played by Hiddleston, have sibling rivalry that is formed by both admiration and jealousy. The Thor movie gave MCU weight, and two more sequels came out in 2013 and 2017. Thor is also one of the best Chris Hemsworth movies of all time.
Thor: The Dark World 2013
- Stars: Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Tom Hiddleston, Kat Dennings, Christopher Eccleston, Zachary Levi, Jaimie Alexander, Stan Lee
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 66%, IMDb 6.8
Thor: The Dark World is yet another one of the greatest Marvel movies of all time. While the gods of Asgard fought and won a war battle against the Dark Elves, the ultimate weapon of the neutralized survivors, the Aether, was buried somewhere secret. Jane Foster, played by Natalie Portman, finds it hundreds of years later and becomes the host of it. She then comes across Thor, who aims to bring her to Asgard before she gets captured by Dark Elf Malekith, portrayed by Christopher Eccleston. Malekith wants to use the weapon to destroy the Nine Realms, which includes Earth.
Thor: Ragnarök 2017
- Stars: Chris Hemsworth, Taika Waititi, Cate Blanchett, Tessa Thompson, Jeff Goldblum, Mark Ruffalo, Tom Hiddleston
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 93%, IMDb 7.9
Thor: Ragnarök followed the two previous movies, Thor and Thor: The Dark World. In this movie, director Taika Waititi took over the favorite Asgardian hero’s reins, producing a great Thor movie compared to the previous two. Many believe that the first two solo efforts were dull, but this latest franchise imbued the character with humor, vibrant visuals, and a great badass. This movie has become one of the funniest and greatest Marvel films ever. Thor traverses the dystopian world of Sakaar, reuniting with a “friend from work” before returning home to save his people from his sister.
Thor: Love and Thunder 2022
- Stars: Chris Hemsworth, Christian Bale, Natalie Portman, Taika Waititi, Tessa Thompson
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 67%, IMDb 6.9
The Thor sequel is definitely getting a lot of love and a lot of thunder this summer after a long wait. Thor: Love and Thunder is one of the best Marvel Cinematic Universe movies of all time that you might want to watch. The film has Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, and Tessa Thompson going back to their roles. Moreover, this time, the Mighty Thor will be Portman’s Jane Foster. In addition, Russell Crowe portrays Zeus, with Christian Bale playing the role of the villain Gorr the God Butcher. Thor embarks on a journey that is not like anything he has dealt with before, a search for inner peace. Just when he chooses to retire, Gorr and the God Butcher interrupt it. Thor then has to go against the threat with the help of King Valkyrie, Korg, and ex-girlfriend Jane Foster.
Read more: Best Chris Hemsworth Movies of All Time
Captain America Film Series
- Genre: Action/Adventure
- Director: Joe Johnston/Joe Russo, Anthony Russo
Captain America: The First Avenger 2011
- Stars: Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr., Sebastian Stan, Anthony Mackie, Scarlett Johansson, Tom Holland, Don Cheadle
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 79%, IMDb 6.9
The movie Captain America gives the vibe of a ‘40s comics coming alive. Chris Evans plays the role of Steve Rodgers, with the story is set in World War II. The character is all about sacrifice as he does it at the very first few minutes of the movie. Right when he throws himself on that grenade, thinking it is active, he has the fans’ hearts. He is a selfless man, and casting Evans showed how perfect MCU is at choosing the right people for the parts. This is one of the best Marvel Cinematic Universe movies of all time.
Captain America: The Winter Soldier 2014
- Stars: Chris Evans, Sebastian Stan, Anthony Mackie, Scarlett Johansson, Samuel L. Jackson, Emily VanCamp
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 90%, IMDb 7.8
Many believe that the reason behind MCU movies being so great is that they are great comedy/action/thriller movies first, and then superhero movies. Therefore, this is also another on the top. Steve Rogers keeps adjusting to the contemporary world when The Winter Soldier arrives. He is a myth, but then Cap’s entire world turns upside down by the chain reaction that starts. You don’t want to miss it.
Captain America: Civil War 2016
- Stars: Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr., Sebastian Stan, Anthony Mackie, Scarlett Johansson, Tom Holland, Don Cheadle
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 90%, IMDb 7.8
In Captain America: Civil War, the Avengers, everyone’s favorite superhero team, split up because of a disagreement. There is team Cap, and there is team Iron Man. When these two collide, it becomes one hell of a superhero movie. This is one of the best Marvel movies of all time as it shows the conflict between Iron Man and Captain America, which had been building up.
Read more: Best Scarlett Johansson Movies of All Time
The Avengers Film Series
- Genre: Adventure/Action
- Directors: Joss Whedon, Anthony Russo, Joe Russo
The Avengers 2012
- Stars: Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson, Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Jeremy Renner, Don Cheadle, Stan Lee, Gwyneth Paltrow, Tom Hiddleston, Samuel L. Jackson, Cobie Smulders
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 69%, IMDb 8
Another one of the greatest Marvel movies of all time is The Avengers. In this movie, the director of S.H.I.E.L.D, Nick Fury, recruits superheroes to try and fight Loki when he gets access to the unlimited power of the energy cube. The Avengers brings together the most iconic superheroes.
Downey Jr. plays the character Stark quite effortlessly, with his charm and charisma shining brightly. The movie was quite a success, earning more than $1.5 billion worldwide. Moreover, it got many awards and nominations. There were other sequels released after the first one was very successful.
Avengers: Age of Ultron 2015
- Stars: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, James Spader, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Jeremy Renner, Elizabeth Olsen, Anthony Mackie, Samuel L. Jackson
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 76%, IMDb 7.3
The second Avengers movie came after the group retrieved Loki’s scepter from a Hydra facility. Then, Tony Stark and Bruce Banner utilize it to complete Ultron global defense program. However, when Ultron understands humans’ wrongdoings, then he turns against them, attacking the Avengers, eliminating Stark’s A.I. J.A.R.V.I.S. So, the Avengers have to put an end to a global extinction with superhuman twins, Pietro, and Wanda Maximoff. Age of Ultron is also another one of the Marvel Cinematic Universe Movies of All Time.
Avengers: Infinity War 2018
- Stars: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Sebastian Stan, Scarlett Johansson, Elizabeth Olsen, Tom Holland, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Pratt
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 85%, IMDb 8.4
The Avengers’ struggles with Thanos begin in Avengers: Infinity War. Tony Stark, Dr. Strange, Sider-Man, and some of the Guardians began fighting the Mad Titan in his homeworld. In this movie, Iron Man presented his sleeker, and stronger nanotech suit for the first time. All cast members performed amazingly in this movie and that is why Avengers: Infinity War is among the best Marvel Cinematic Universe movies of all time.
With the help of Peter Parker, Iron Man was able to defeat one of the stronger pawns of Thanos, who kidnapped Dr. Strange. Thanos is believed to be the Avengers’ most powerful enemy yet, who is on the mission to get all six Infinity Stones. He wants to use it to realize his twisted wish.
Avengers: Endgame 2019
- Stars: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Brie Larson, Sebastian Stan, Jeremy Renner, Scarlett Johansson, Elizabeth Olsen, Tom Holland, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Pratt
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 94%, IMDb 8.4
The movie Avengers: Endgame starts with Iron Man in space for three weeks after Thanos’ Snap wiped out half the universe’s population. However, they get saved by Captain Marvel later in the movie. The rest of the Avengers, on the other hand, have to find out a way to bring their lost ones back. In the beginning, Tony Stark was not willing to do anything. However, when he remembered Peter Parker, he decided to help them bring everyone back. They then find a way to go back in time, and he even meets his father before the time he was even born. Avengers: Endgame was without a doubt one of the best MCU movies of all time.
Read more: Best Ben Affleck Movies of All Time
Ant-Man Film Series
- Genre: Action/Adventure
- Director: Peyton Reed
Ant-Man 2015
- Stars: Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Michael Douglas
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 83%, IMDb 7.3
Ant-Man is among the top Marvel movies of all time, and it introduces this miniature hero to the MCU. He is stylish and humorous, which is something that made Iron Man a hit in the first place. Paul Rudd plays the role of Ant-Man, who is making ends meet. Rudd is the perfect actor for this role as he shows the character being immature but loveable at the same time.
Ant-Man and the Wasp 2018
- Stars: Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Michael Douglas, Michelle Pfeiffer, Hannah John-Kamen
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 87%, IMDb 7
If you liked the first Ant-Man, you would love this one as the movie has everything that makes a movie special. After the events of the Civil War, our hero goes under house arrest and outs with the Pyms, when an opportunity to save Hope’s Mum brings them together. This is one of the most memorable and best MCU movies of all time.
Read more: Best DC Comics Movies of All Time
Spider-Man Film Series
- Genre: Action/Adventure/Sci-fi
- Directors: Jon Watts
Spider-Man: Homecoming 2017
- Stars: Tom Holland, Zendaya, Michael Keaton, Marisa Tomei, Robert Downey Jr., Laura Harrier
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 92%, IMDb 7.4
Following his debut as Spider-Man in Captain America: Civil War, Tom Holland gets his own movie with the role of Peter Parker in the Spider-Man: Homecoming. He has to learn to balance his life as a teenager with his duties as a superhero. Holland is able to handle both journeys masterfully, showcasing a spectacular performance in his first solo Marvel movie. He tries to take part in normal high school activities, such as academic decathlon and school dances, whereas he also fights a new villain that is putting the lives of people in New York City in danger. Tony Stark, played by Robert Downey Jr, guides him as a mentor, with Parker having previously been recruited with the Avengers. Spider-Man: Homecoming is indeed one of the best Marvel Cinematic Universe movies of all time.
Spider-Man: Far from Home 2019
- Stars: Tom Holland, Zendaya, Jake Gyllenhaal, Marisa Tomei, Jacob Batalon, Samuel L. Jackson, Marisa Tomei, Jon Favreau
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 90%, IMDb 7.4
Another one of the best Marvel Cinematic Universe movies of all time is Spider-Man: Far from Home, the second Spider-Man movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The movie was a box office success as it grossed more than $1 billion. In addition, it was the highest-grossing film for Sony Pictures until the next Spider-Man movie dethroned it. The movie continues the story of Peter Parker and his friends when they go on a school trip to Europe. When he is there, he has to help defeat a number of villains that are causing mayhem across the world and risking his classmates’ lives. The events in this movie are after the Avengers blip back half of the universe, who disappeared. Moreover, Peter Parker is trying to live up to Iron-Man’s legacy after what happened in Endgame. Make sure to add this to your watchlist as it is worth your while.
Spider-Man: No Way Home 2021
- Stars: Tom Holland, Zendaya, Tobey Maguire, Andrew Garfield, Marisa Tomei, Willem Dafoe, Jacob Batalon, Tom Hardy, Benedict Cumberbatch
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 93%, IMDb 8.3
The newest Spider-Man movie is Spider-Man: No Way Home, in which Tom Holland stars as Peter Parker once again. However, he is not the only Peter Parker in THIS film, as all the other actors who previously played the character appear in this MCU masterpiece. The story revolves around exploring different universes, which clash with one another because of a mistake Doctor Strange made. Holland’s Parker gathers together with Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield’s versions of Spider-Man, aiming to stop the villains that came into the MCU timeline. They want to correct the mistakes Peter made. The 2021 Spider-Man movie explores the multiverse for the first time. This is one of the best Marvel Cinematic Universe movies of all time.
Read more: Best Tom Holland Movies of All Time
How to Watch Marvel Movies in Order
Phase One:
- Iron Man (2008)
- The Incredible Hulk (2008)
- Iron Man 2 (2010)
- Thor (2011)
- Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)
- The Avengers (2012)
Phase Two:
- Iron Man 3 (2013)
- Thor: The Dark World (2013)
- Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)
- Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
- Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)
- Ant-Man (2015)
Phase Three:
- Captain America: Civil War (2016)
- Doctor Strange (2016)
- Guardians of the Galaxy 2 (2017)
- Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
- Thor: Ragnarok (2017)
- Black Panther (2017)
- Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
- Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018)
- Captain Marvel (2019)
- Avengers: Endgame (2019)
- Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019)
Phase Four:
- WandaVision (Disney Plus series, 2021)
- Falcon and the Winter Soldier (Disney Plus series, 2021)
- Loki season 1 (Disney Plus series)
- Black Widow (2021)
- What If…? (Disney Plus series, 2021)
- Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021)
- Eternals (2021)
- Hawkeye (Disney Plus series, 2021)
- Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)
- Moon Knight (Disney Plus series, 2022)
- Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022)
- Marvel (Disney Plus series, 2022)
- Thor: Love and Thunder (2022)