Since the moment Nick Fury entered Tony Stark’s home at the end of 2008’s Iron Man to tell him about the Avengers Initiative, the whole appeal of the Marvel Cinematic Universe has been team-up movies. Sure, there are great standalone stories, such as Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings and Black Panther, but the major talking points after these projects hit theaters are how they connect to the franchise’s larger story. Fortunately, the MCU’s biggest endeavors usually hit it out of the park, bringing heroes from the different corners of the universe together and having them face insurmountable odds.
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Not every MCU team-up movie is created equal, however. So, with Thunderbolts* in the fold, it’s as good a time as any to rank the Marvel Studios movies that feature their fair share of heroes.
13) The Marvels
Despite grabbing the last spot on this list, The Marvels has a lot going for it. It features three MCU heroes, Captain Marvel, Ms. Marvel, and Phonton, and forces them to swap places at inopportune times. Unfortunately, while full of fun moments, a lackluster villain and weak script hold The Marvels back.
12) Eternals
Eternals is one of the stranger team-up movies in the MCU. Like Guardians of the Galaxy, it puts together a group of little-known characters and tries its best to sell them to the audience. The problem with that is the property doesn’t have the charm of Guardians, and while director Chloé Zhao delivers a beautiful-looking movie, there’s not enough meat on the bone to make it stand out.
11) Avengers: Age of Ultron
It’s tough to be the follow-up act to a movie that changes cinema forever, but Avengers: Age of Ultron does its job and swings for the fences. The film fails to juggle all of its moving parts, however, creating an uneven project that bites off more than it can chew. Age of Ultron does help set the stage for bigger things down the line, and it deserves some credit for that.
10) Deadpool & Wolverine
Deadpool’s first foray into the MCU makes Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine do a lot of the heavy lifting. Logan’s the heart of Deadpool & Wolverine, learning what it means to be a hero alongside Ryan Reynolds’ Merc With a Mouth. But when the focus isn’t on the two of them, the movie fails to feel like anything but a nostalgia grab.
9) The Avengers
It’s probably difficult to see Marvel Studios’ first team-up film so low on the list. The Avengers was a massive undertaking that proved how patience can pay off in a big way. The movie still has its fair share of problems, though, including several cringeworthy jokes, and it hasn’t aged particularly well.
8) Guardians of the Galaxy
James Gunn did the impossible by making the members of the little-known Marvel team the Guardians of the Galaxy into household names. Their first adventure is full of so much comedy and emotion, and if it weren’t for a less-than-stellar third act, it would be much higher on this ranking.
7) Thor: Ragnarok
While Thor: Ragnarok is a solo project that focuses on the God of Thunder learning to be more than just a hammer, it also has all the ingredients of a team-up movie. Thor assembles the “Revengers” with Bruce Banner, Loki, and Valkyrie to stop Hela from taking control of the Nine Realms. The result is a hilarious adventure that gets Thor’s character back on track just in time for Avengers: Infinity War.
6) Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 takes everything great about the first movie and turns it up to 11. The Guardians coming to terms with their place in the universe and realizing they have the family they’ve always been searching for are still some of the better emotional beats in the MCU. It’s tough to outdo a movie as good as Vol. 2, but Marvel Studios has its fair share of heavy hitters.
5) Thunderbolts*
Rooting for bad guys has never felt so good. Thunderbolts* forces some of the MCU’s toughest characters to face their pasts and a new threat, Sentry. The movie is an emotional rollercoaster from start to finish, with standout performances from Florence Pugh and Lewis Pullman, and it sets the stage for the future of the franchise in unexpected ways.
4) Captain America: Civil War
All the tension between Iron Man and Captain America comes to a head in Captain America: Civil War. The two heroes can’t decide on a path forward after the United Nations demands that the Avengers work for them. With no clear solution in sight, the Avengers break up in an emotional third act that hits like a ton of bricks.
3) Avengers: Infinity War
Avengers: Infinity War takes on the tall task of bringing the entire MCU together to fight a massive threat in Thanos. Josh Brolin delivers a masterful performance as the Mad Titan, pushing all the heroes to the brink. It all leads to a tragic conclusion unlike anything the MCU has ever done before.
2) Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
James Gunn returns to finish off his MCU trilogy with Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, and he doesn’t pull any punches. Rocket takes center stage, with it becoming very clear throughout the movie that he’s the heart of the Guardians. If there isn’t another movie about the ragtag group of heroes, there’s no better way for them to go out than Vol. 3.
1) Avengers: Endgame
The sheer scale of Avengers: Endgame helps it land the top spot. It has to juggle so many characters while also ensuring that it acts as a swan song for the first three phases of the MCU. Endgame handles it all without missing a beat and delivers one of the most action-packed third acts in the history of cinema. The MCU will be chasing the success of Endgame for years to come.
Thunderbolts* is in theaters now.
Do you agree with this ranking of Marvel’s team-up movies? Where would you place Thunderbolts*? Let us know in the comments below!
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The main cast of The Wandering Earth (2019)
