4 Marvel Movies That Actually Lived up to the Hype

Marvel movies are always the subject of immense hype, though only some have actually lived up to fans’ expectations. From the Fox X-Men films to Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the wide-spanning comic book franchise counts more than 50 movies to its name. Over the years, Marvel titles such as 2004’s Spider-Man 2, 2014’s Guardians of the Galaxy and 2019’s Avengers: Endgame have impressed both critics and fans while bringing the masses out to movie theaters. As one of the most lucrative intellectual properties in existence, Marvel has sustained its success on the big screen for decades thanks to its tried-and-true formula of exhilarating superhero action and genuine heart.

The following four Marvel movies spectacularly met the moment and became some of the franchise’s best installments.

4) Logan

The highly anticipated return of Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine in Logan (2017) turned out to be the character’s best installment. Directed by James Mangold, the film centers on an aged Wolverine, who finds himself tasked with protecting a young mutant known as Laura/X-23 (Dafne Keen). As the Reavers hunt them across the country, Wolverine and X-23 develop a strong bond that fuels their battle for survival in a world nearly devoid of mutants.

Logan takes a much grimmer and more brutal direction compared to previous X-Men movies, as its heightened violence and dark tone wonderfully distinguish Mangold’s installment. With breathtaking action sequences and a strong character-driven narrative about found family, Logan triumphs as a superhero movie. X-Men fans craved a grittier Wolverine and a memorable story, and Logan delivered just that.

3) Black Panther

Following the introduction of T’Challa/Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman) in 2016’s Captain America: Civil War, fans were ecstatic about the Wakandan superhero’s debut solo installment. 2018’s Black Panther delves into the rich world of Wakanda as the African nation crowns T’Challa as its king and encounters an outside threat. Boasting an extraordinary cast, captivating musical score, and an epic narrative, Black Panther effortlessly won over nearly all who watched it. Ryan Coogler’s film also became Marvel’s first title to earn an Oscar nomination for Best Picture. Black Panther is the MCU’s third-highest-grossing movie, and its esteemed qualities cement it as one of the franchise’s greatest works.

2) Spider-Man: No Way Home

MCU fans could hardly contain their excitement in the months leading up to 2021’s Spider-Man: No Way Home. Rumors of Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield appearing alongside Tom Holland in Jon Watts’ trilogy finale swirled long before No Way Home hit theaters. And yet, those leaks didn’t stop the avalanche of joy and excitement over the convergence of all three live-action renditions of Spider-Man.

The journey of Holland’s Peter Parker reaches new heights when notorious villains from other universes invade the MCU, and he must rediscover what it means to be a hero with the help of his variants. A once-in-a-generation superhero event, No Way Home has heart and fan appeal superior to most MCU films. Fans went ballistic in theaters as the three Spider-Men met and teamed up to fight their nemesis. It’s no surprise No Way Home ranks as the second-highest-grossing MCU movie behind Avengers: Endgame, as the hype was well worth it.

1) Avengers: Infinity War

At the time of its release, 2018’s Avengers: Infinity War was the biggest and most anticipated MCU movie. Fortunately, the movie prevailed in the face of gargantuan expectations, delivering a spectacle of tension, thrills, and heartbreak. Tony Stark/Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), Steve Rogers/Captain America (Chris Evans), Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), and so many more MCU heroes took center stage as Thanos (Josh Brolin) and his army emerged to collect the Infinity Stones and eliminate half of the universe.

Infinity War‘s breakneck pace and high stakes kept audiences glued to the screen as the MCU’s Avengers and their allies tried and failed to stop Thanos. The movie’s conclusion, involving numerous heroes disintegrating into thin air with one snap of Thanos’ fingers, stunned and devastated fans, executing a genius twist that the MCU will have a hard time replicating. There might never be another superhero movie like Infinity War, whose unparalleled hype was completely earned.

All of these entries are available to stream on Disney+.

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