Every MCU Phase 1 Movie Ranked By How Well They’ve Aged

Some of the six movies in Phase 1 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which spanned four years between 2008 and 2012, have aged far better than others. Marvel Studios’ budding superhero franchise was a huge experiment back in 2008, kicking off with Iron Man, and introducing several other solo heroes before bringing them together in the MCU’s first crossover event. Phase 1 concluded with The Avengers in 2012, rounding off the first chapter of the MCU and setting a standard for future projects developed by Marvel Studios.

It’s been 17 years since the MCU began, and 13 since Phase 1 came to an end. Since then, 31 feature films, 20 seasons of TV, and two Special Presentations have been released by Marvel Studios, growing and expanding the franchise along with changing storytelling tricks, filmmaking techniques, and character progressions. This means that some of Phase 1’s movies are actually starting to show their age, while others still hold up to this day, and will go down in history as some of the most iconic movies of all time – either in or out of a superhero franchise.

6) The Incredible Hulk

Released as a joint venture between Marvel Studios and Universal Pictures on June 13, 2008, Louis Leterrier’s The Incredible Hulk hasn’t stood the test of time in subsequent years. Granted, some of the visual effects – especially when concerning the Hulk himself – still hold up today, but the narrative has been widely ignored. Edward Norton was replaced as Bruce Banner by Mark Ruffalo, characters such as Betty Ross, Emil Blonsky, and Leonard Samson were forgotten for many years – the latter still is, and the critical reception to The Incredible Hulk is perhaps even worse now than it was back in 2008.

5) Iron Man 2

Jon Favreau’s Iron Man 2, originally released on May 7, 2010, is a forgettable footnote on the MCU’s Phase 1. The plot of the Iron Man sequel is messy and bloated, and the movie’s villains, Justin Hammer and Whiplash, have been forgotten about. Additionally, Scarlett Johansson’s Black Widow was heavily and unnecessarily sexualized – marking a somewhat disappointing debut. Iron Man 2 was a good continuation of Tony Stark’s story, setting up Robert Downey Jr. for his return in The Avengers, but it put more focus on setting up future projects than it did actually producing a solid plot for itself.

4) Thor

Marvel Studios has never quite managed to get Chris Hemsworth’s Thor quite right, but the Thor movie, released in theaters on May 6, 2011, did a good job at leaning into the Asgardian hero’s original Shakespearean textures. This worked for a brief time, especially under the guidance of director Kenneth Branagh. Of course, fans preferred the more-comedic Thor in Thor: Ragnarok, but this was spoiled in Thor: Love and Thunder. The original Thor movie introduced a brilliant villain in Loki, had long-lasting effects on the MCU, and established strong chemistry between Thor and Jane Foster.

3) Captain America: The First Avenger

The primarily 1940s setting of Captain America: The First Avenger has allowed the movie to not feel dated, even when compared to more modern MCU flicks. Originally released on July 22, 2011, Joe Johnston’s The First Avenger is not the most popular Captain America movie, but its telling of a classic origin story, its exploration of a historical but well-documented time period, and its focus on relatable and believable characters – even the superpowered Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) – makes The First Avenger one of the most solid MCU instalments. More MCU origin stories should be historical like The First Avenger.

2) Iron Man

Iron Man kicked off the MCU with its release on May 2, 2008, making Tony Stark the franchise’s first on-screen hero. Despite releasing 17 years ago, Iron Man still stands strong as one of the MCU’s best movies, and it has stood the test of time incredibly well. After all these years, it’s still grounded, fresh, and character-driven, and the mostly-practical effects hold up very well even to this day. In 2022, Iron Man was chosen to be preserved in the United States National Film Registry for its cultural significance – the only MCU film to be chosen.

1) The Avengers

The Avengers brought the six solo heroes introduced throughout Phase 1 together on May 4, 2012, to battle Loki on the streets of New York City. This crossover could have easily been a mess – see Justice League from 2017 – but Marvel Studios integrated these characters, personalities, and storylines perfectly. The Avengers‘ visual effects, group dynamics, interpersonal relationships, and impact on the MCU hold up to this day, and have been replicated wonderfully in every subsequent Avengers movie, even as recently as Avengers: Endgame in 2019. The Avengers is considered one of the greatest movies of all time, and it likely will be for many years to come.

What do you think? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!

The Best Action Sequences in MCU Phase One