With Captain Marvel currently in theaters and the highly-anticipated Avengers: Endgame premiering in less than a month, I've been thinking a lot lately about which films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) to recap on to prepare for the latter film's release.
On one hand, it would be very time-consuming to try and watch all 21 films released so far in this unprecedented and record-setting franchise's eleven-year history. In addition, there are many character arcs, complexities, relationships and objectives to keep track of, as well as various adversaries (Loki, Red Skull, Killmonger, Thanos), organizations (e.g., S.H.I.E.L.D., HYDRA), elements (i.e., the Infinity Stones), and Phases (three, for now).
Still, for those that are up to such a challenge, here's a suggested order to watch all twenty-one films (with selected titles in bold for those who otherwise want only a recommended few), based in part on how they're respective stories and/or post-credits scenes set up or lead into subsequent features, as well as an obvious recap on each, with one or two fun facts thrown in.
"Before we get started, does anyone want to get out?"
~Steve Rogers, Captain America: The Winter Soldier
PHASE ONE
Iron Man (2008)
Going back more than ten years ago, Marvel had previously been involved with other big-name studios on other products (like Spider-Man at Sony, and X-Men at Fox). But Iron Man was the one that laid an impressive foundation for them becoming a successful independent studio. Headed by CEO Kevin Feige and director Jon Favreau, the unlikely casting of Robert Downey Jr. in the role of Tony Stark (who goes from egotistical and spoiled billionaire playboy to redemptive character) proved plausible (despite a few unnecessary sexual-related elements) and subsequently synonymous with Downey's career, which has grown more respectable since then. And the fact that Samuel L. Jackson shows up (for the first time) as S.H.I.E.L.D. director Nick Fury set a traditional excuse for audiences to stay after the credits for a special post-credits scene. Best scene in the whole movie for me: the cave escape, which shows us just how clever and smart Tony Stark is.
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| Robert Downey Jr. in Iron Man |
The Incredible Hulk (2008)
Not the first title that audiences and critics think of when it comes to the MCU. However, when compared with Ang Lee's middling film version from 2003, this action-packed adaptation (with Edward Norton as Bruce Banner) is grittier and more engaging with its on-the-run central plot. Still, this CGI-rendition of the big green guy (while more realistic) seems a bit off-putting, and the overall tone does feel more like a SyFy movie or something. It is nice to see original Hulk Lou Ferrigno in a fun cameo, though. William Hurt would reprise his role as General Ross later in Civil War (considering Tony Stark shows up to tell him he's putting a "team" together).
Iron Man 2 (2010)
This follow-up to the surprise success that was Iron Man didn't quite live up to its expectations or offer anything really surprising in comparison. Still, it is an entertaining offering and has its merits. For one, it was the first time audiences got to see Don Cheadle as Rhodes, and see him don the War Machine outfit. In home movie-style footage, John Slattery showed up as Howard Stark (a role he briefly reprised later in Ant-Man and Civil War). And Scarlett Johannson made her scene-stealing debut here as S.H.I.E.L.D. spy Natasha Romanoff a.k.a. Black Widow, not to mention an impressive hallway fight against some villainous henchmen. The idea of a shared universe (with a glimpse of Thor's hammer) slowly started to come into fruition here.
Thor (2011)
Sam Raimi and co-creator Stan Lee had envisioned an adaptation of "The Mighty Thor" in the early 90s, but it was director Kenneth Branagh (known for adapting Shakespeare plays for the big screen) who helped bring the "god of thunder" to cinematic life in a loud, thundering, and quite engaging feature. Proving they could handle Norse mythology and not just heroes in iron suits or big green bodies, Marvel also developed a roster of A-list talent here, including Anthony Hopkins and Natalie Portman. And just as Downey has become synonymous with Tony Stark, so also have Chris Hemsworth (although his gold-dyed eyebrows are strangely distracting) and Tom Hiddleston become synonymous with the arrogant-turned-heroic Thor and his mischievous brother Loki, respectfully. Agent Coulson (who, besides Nick Fury, has been the glue to assembling the Avengers) steals the show, and Jeremy Renner makes his debut as archer Clint Barton a.k.a. Hawkeye.
Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)
Chris Evans had played another Marvel superhero previously (Johnny Storm in two less-than-stellar Fantastic Four movies), but it was his career-changing role as scrawny-turned-supersoldier Steve Rogers that proved, shall we say, fantastic. While some have argued that this film and Thor were made just as setups for The Avengers the following year, Cap's first outing was a brilliant homage to 1940s World War II films and good old-fashioned adventure. Fitting that Marvel hired Joe Johnson to direct, as he himself is no stranger to "old-fashioned adventures." (His prior credits include 1991's The Rocketeer and 1998's October Sky, as well as one of the visual effects artists behind 1981's Raiders of the Lost Ark.) Hayley Atwell and Dominic Cooper debuted here as Agent Peggy Carter and a young Howard Stark, respectfully, and would reprise said roles on the spinoff TV series Agent Carter. The Tesseract (the "Space Stone" which was briefly seen in Thor) sets the stage for the biggest event yet to come.
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| Avengers Assemble |
The Avengers (2012)
One of the best and most satisfying cinema-going events in history, writer-director Joss Whedon assembles every major Marvel character previously introduced since Iron Man in the ultimate superhero team-up at the time. As film critic Peter Travers described it, "six superheroes for the price of one ticket." Sure, the action and spectacle are exciting, but the most amazing aspect (as is the case with the best entries in this cinematic universe) is that the central story and character-driven dynamics don't get lost in said spectacle. Every character (Tony Stark, Thor, Steve Rogers, Bruce Banner, Nick Fury, Loki, even newcomer agent Maria Hill) gets their moment to shine, lest we forget the mid-credit teaser image of Thanos. All main characters sitting around quietly eating shawarma ranks as arguably the best post-credits scene in any MCU movie.
PHASE TWO
Thor: The Dark World (2013)
A less-than-stellar but still entertaining follow-up that proceeds the "Battle for New York" from The Avengers, this second chapter on the world of Asgard finds scientist Jane Foster (Portman) and Thor (who's hair is less-distracting this time around) encountering a dark entity known as the Reality Stone (or, the Aether) against an army of dark elves. This was the first time the "Infinity Stones" were explicitly referenced, and would be explained more, bit by bit, in Guardians of the Galaxy and Age of Ultron. It's Hiddleston who steals the show again as Loki.
Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
Those who thought Iron Man and The Avengers were big cinematic risks found a new benchmark with this largely-unknown motley crew of misfits in space, two of which include a talking raccoon and a humanoid tree whose speech solely consists of three words. Besides introducing the "Power Stone," Josh Brolin as Thanos, and establishing the complicated relationship between his adopted daughters, Gamora and Nebula (which would be explored more in 2017's Vol. 2), this marked many bold career moves for funny guy Chris Pratt (as Peter Quill/Star-Lord), sci-fi heroine Zoe Saldana (as Gamora), WWE star Dave Bautista (as Drax), Bradley Cooper (as the voice of Rocket Raccoon), and Vin Deisel (as the voice of Groot), respectfully. The film's best moment involves all of them bantering and arguing about coming up with a plan. What director James Gunn (whose previous directing credits include the comic-book satire Super) did with the material resulted in a wild, roller-coaster ride of adventure, action, comedy, bizarre creatures, and unexpected pathos in a story of, perhaps, the most unexpected group of "heroes" (very imperfect characters, to be exact) who have been scarred by tragedy and choose not to stand by and let others be affected by such. A genius use of 70s music (reflecting of Peter Quill's life on earth) and the Sony Walkman, with Blue Sweed's "Hooked On a Feeling" now synonymous with this franchise. "We are Groot!"
Iron Man 3 (2013)
Supposedly, this film's success was partially played off of The Avengers a year before, with Downey reprising Tony Stark in a more distinct and intriguing (though darker and often polarizing) adventure, courtesy Lethal Weapon screenwriter Shane Black (who previously directed Downey in 2005's Kiss Kiss Bang Bang). This third outing showcases Stark's PTSD from previous alien invasions and impending threats, including the mysterious and villainous Mandarin (Ben Kingsley) and "Extremis" subplot. The film's style does evoke 1960s action flicks at times, particularly in the end credits. Plus, seeing Tony in a therapy session with a special guest is a stroke of genius.
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| The Guardians of the Galaxy |
Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)
Steve Rogers' difficulty adjusting to the modern world, as well as trust issues with who he's working and/or fighting for, take center stage in this engrossing, more-grounded, and gritty genre-bending entry that's more political thriller than superhero adventure--and my personal favorite MCU film. Chris Evans has his finest hour here as Cap, who becomes a fugitive (as he does later in Civil War, but for different reasons) and discovers (with help from Black Widow and Falcon/Sam Wilson) a decades-long conspiracy and cover-up that's been hidden within S.H.I.E.L.D., the haunting side of surveillance (that is, an attempt to "neutralize a lot of threats before they happen," the New York alien invasion from Avengers), and the discovery of the mysterious "Winter Soldier." Thanks, in part, to directors Joe & Anthony Russo and screenwriters Christopher Markus & Stephen McFeely (who would all go on to work on Civil War, Infinity War, and Endgame), what results forever changes the course of the MCU. Perhaps an elderly Peggy Carter says it best here: "The world has changed. We can't go back. All we can do is our best. And sometimes the best that we can do is to start over."
Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)
Tony Stark's ever-growing anxiety and fear of impending threats from other worlds leads him to create a peace-keeping program, known as Ultron, which obviously backfires as a self-aware and highly-advanced villainous robot--and takes an added toll on Tony. Joss Whedon's second screenwriting and directorial effort with the Avengers doesn't reach the exciting heights as its predecessor did, as it seems overwhelmed with setting up future installments and storylines. But this blockbuster hit does have its merits, including the introductions of Quicksilver, Scarlett Witch, and Vision (Paul Bettany goes from voicing Tony's computer system JARVIS to physically playing a character, who holds the "Mind Stone" in his forehead), and some impressive set pieces, like the gang attempting to lift Thor's hammer, Black Widow and Banner's relationship, Hawkeye's "safe house," Stark and Rogers' growing conflicts, and (the best action sequence of all here) the Hulkbuster fight.
Ant-Man (2015)
Marvel's take on a heist comedy proved, for some, a sigh of relief from the bombast that occurred in Age of Ultron, resulting in a smaller story with smaller action (and perhaps more heart) in comparison. Scott Lang's origin story in becoming the Ant-Man from original suit-donner and scientist Hank Pym is dynamic and well-acted (with an unexpected Paul Rudd joining Michael Douglas, Evangeline Lilly, and a scene-stealing Michael Pena), but it doesn't, at times, give its characters a whole lot to do except banter. Still, it is an entertaining and touching offering, and features a standout fight between Lang and the Falcon. ("Wassup, Tic Tac?")
PHASE THREE
Captain America: Civil War (2016)
More of an Avengers 2.5 film than a third Captain America film, Civil War is, in a way, everything that Age of Ultron wasn't. For one, it's so much more than a mere mash-up and pitting of several Marvel characters against each other (the most that have ever been in one of these movies by far), due to a newly-established document (known as the Sokovia Accords) to put our heroes in check after recent events from Avengers, Winter Soldier, and Age of Ultron. Tony Stark and Steve Rogers' conflicting ideals and worldviews are at the center of everything, with Stark fearing the worst to come and/or happen, while Rogers questions where his true allegiance lies: with his team, or with his old friend-turned-enemy Bucky Barnes. Meanwhile a vengeful and mysterious adversary (Daniel Bruhl) has his own personal agenda to destroy our heroes' loyalties to each other. (Zemo is a fully-dimensional villain, whose plans, for once, have nothing to do with mere world-destroying.) Like Iron Man, Avengers, Guardians, and Winter Soldier, the action and spectacle never really get in the way of the story and character arcs. There's real meaning behind the now-iconic airport battle sequence, and the MCU introductions of Black Panther and Spider-Man hit home. Another cinematic gamechanger that showcases themes that have never been seen in a comic book movie before, including a shocking and tragic revelation that, again, changes the course of the MCU radically.
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| Chadwick Boseman in Avengers: Infinity War |
"Everyone's got a gimmick now."
~Sam Wilson, Captain America: Civil War
WRITER'S NOTE: Around the time of Civil War's release (and considering DC's attempt to create their own shared cinematic universe off of Marvel's), some people started to tire of this shared universe concept. A few filmmakers, however, would help break that mold, if only for a moment, including Tim Miller (2016's Deadpool), James Mangold (2017's Logan), Patty Jenkins (2017's Wonder Woman), and Ryan Coogler (2018's Black Panther)
Black Panther (2018)
Let me just say, first of all, I believe this film belongs in a category of its own, when compared with the MCU. It doesn't even feel like a superhero movie, really, even though it was the first of its kind to receive a Best Picture Oscar nomination (and rightfully so). Yes, it is based on a superhero character and features many fantastical elements. But the story of T'Challa and his ruling of the fictitious African nation of Wakanda (as directed by Ryan Coogler, who heads a cast and crew with true creative freedom) is epic in its scope, in its storytelling, and in its representation of cultures, generations, and genders. (Nakia, Okoye, and Shuri are forces to be reckoned with!) All the filmmaking elements really work here. And even though Black Panther does feature a few characters introduced in previous Marvel films (i.e., Klaue from Age of Ultron, Everett Ross from Civil War), you don't really need to see any of those movies to understand why these characters are here. Even if you're not planning to see Endgame or have interest in any of the other movies on this list, I highly recommend this as the one to see out of all of them.
Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
Peter Parker (who was brilliantly introduced in Civil War, courtesy Tom Holland) gets his own MCU solo film that brings him into the world that the Avengers inhabit. Homecoming is a smart and fresh (though at times crass) take, ditching the previously common origin tropes (i.e., spider-bite, dead uncle Ben) in favor of a colorful, coming-of-age story that includes Tony Stark as an unlikely mentor and surrogate father figure for Peter. The filmmakers also made a smart choice by casting Michael Keaton as the main adversary Adrian Toomes (a.k.a. Vulture), who's character, like Zemo, is driven by personal matters and not mere world-destroying. The only downside, otherwise, is that Homecoming works more as a franchise film and not as a solo adventure.
Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2 (2017)
Despite being set after the events of the first film (which was technically a "Phase Two" movie), this second "volume" of Guardians is technically a "Phase Three" film, and takes our characters (like Age of Ultron) to worlds they've never been before (including a living planet named Ego), and develops each character in unexpected ways (i.e., Gamora and Nebula's complicated relationship, Peter Quill's search for his father and his "home," Drax's vulnerability and friendship with new character Mantis, and especially Yondu's character arc). And, like Age of Ultron, this sequel feels overwhelmed with spectacle, as well as a certain level of crassness (as was the case with Homecoming, Ragnarok, and even Infinity War), not to mention several post-credits scenes and 70s music hits. In the end, though, the story is character-centered and does get its heart in the right place.
Doctor Strange (2016)
Known in the comics as "the Sorcerer Supreme," Stephen Strange's origin story opens up the MCU to other dimensions via the mystic arts, as well as the "Eye of Agamotto" (or, the "Time Stone"). His big-screen debut (from horror film director Scott Derrickson) isn't as strong as other entries due to some lack of character development. Its themes on the use or misuse of power are quite thought-provoking, and Benedict Cumberbatch certainly displays charisma as the title character. Huge credit goes to the team behind the film's psychedelic visual effects, which practically steal the show.
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| Robert Downey Jr. in Avengers: Infinity War |
Thor: Ragnarok (2017)
Wondering why Thor and Hulk were absent in Civil War? They fought in a gladiator match on the planet of Sakaar, while Thor tried to save his home of Asgard from the villainous "goddess of death" Hela (Cate Blanchett). Many viewers were turned off by director Taika Waititi's emphasis on offbeat and broad humor in Thor's third solo outing, while others found it a good change of pace to what they (and even star Chris Hemsworth) considered a bore in the MCU. Fan-favorite characters include the Grandmaster (90s film icon Jeff Goldblum), rock monster Korg (voiced by Waititi), and Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson), while the film's style is very retro-80s. What a stroke-of-genius use of Led Zeppelin's "Immigrant Song"!
Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
The ultimate culmination of characters, styles and genres in the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe for the last ten years comes to fruition here as all our main heroes take on the mad titan Thanos (played with menace, complexity and unpredictability by Josh Brolin), whose sole goal is to collect all six Infinity Stones and wipe out half the universe. Many satisfying cinematic moments, great character entrances, and even many hilarious and surprising scenes are in store here, including the way the characters mingle with each other. (Did we ever think we'd see Tony Stark interacting with Star-Lord, or Thor with Rocket Raccoon, or Bruce Banner with Shuri?) Perhaps the most interesting commonality among these intercut stories and arcs is that many of these characters believe they are doing what's best or don't/can't bring themselves to do what is right or best for the sake of others--with the possible except of a small few. But be warned: this is the biggest, most threatening, and ultimately most polarizing battle for the Avengers yet. (Honestly, what a gut-punch of an ending!) Good thing this was only the first half of a two-part story.
Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018)
Several audience members needed therapy after Infinity War, and they got it with this worthy follow-up to 2015's Ant-Man. Scott Lang (under house arrest, due to his involvement in Civil War) is called in by Hank Pym and Hope Van Pym to jump-start a machine that will take them to the Quantum Realm (briefly explored in the last movie) to rescue Pym's wife, Janet (the original Wasp). A rare sequel that really improves on the original in every way, Wasp gives its cast a lot more to work with and play around with. Evangeline Lilly, for one, knocks it out of the park as Wasp, as does Hannah John-Kamen (as Ghost) and Rudd (who co-wrote the script). One of the most fun Marvel movies, and a great example that even the smallest stories can still have a big impact, no matter how unlikely.
Captain Marvel (2019)
Set in the mid-90s (years before the events of 2008's Iron Man), the origin story of Air Force pilot Carol Danvers and how she became "the most powerful character in the Marvel Universe" finally comes to big-screen life. Indie filmmakers Anna Boden & Ryan Fleck brilliantly made another MCU film that stands on its own, and showcases a character who questions who she is, where she's from, and the difference between control and freedom when it comes to fighting and persevering, and not just to the use of power. The de-aging visual effects (previously used for such actors as Michael Douglas, Robert Downey Jr, and Michelle Pfeiffer) for Samuel L. Jackson and Clark Gregg (as a younger Nick Fury and Agent Coulson, respectfully) work seamlessly and effectively. This entertaining and electrifying movie also pays great homage to Stan Lee (who sadly passed away three months before its release) in two ways: in a cameo that references his appearance in Kevin Smith's 1995 film Mallrats, and in the opening credits. "Thank you Stan."
"We're in the endgame now."
~Stephen Strange, Avengers: Infinity War
As for Avengers: Endgame, Marvel Studios is keeping the plot as under wraps as possible. (They've been doing a great job in the marketing, particularly with the first two theatrical trailers, which is how trailers should be done.) What we do know is that the main characters in this story (including Captain Marvel, Ant-Man, and Hawkeye) will attempt to undo the concluding events of Infinity War, with the Quantum Realm possibly being involved. One thing is for certain: it will be an exciting and emotional conclusion to what Marvel CEO Kevin Feige has now declared "The Infinity Saga".
And there's still more to come! As Stan Lee would say, "Excelsior!"
And there's still more to come! As Stan Lee would say, "Excelsior!"
