Summary
- Talented MCU filmmakers create compelling narratives with sequels that challenge heroes in unexpected ways.
- Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 tells a personal story with new team members and a vital moral about found family.
- Doctor Strange In The Multiverse of Madness dives into the multiverse, embracing darker themes with multiple versions of Doctor Strange.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe is nearly twenty years old and remains a box office titan thanks to its characters and interconnected stories. Consequently, not only have there been numerous movies featuring legendary superheroes, but these films have developed into franchises, often with one or more sequels.
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Thanks to the talented teams of filmmakers within the MCU, the franchise's sequels have evolved from simple superhero adventures into compelling narratives that challenge our heroes in unexpected ways. They have matched the quality of the originals, and some sequels in the MCU have been regarded as the best in their respective franchises.
10 Captain America: Civil War
A Political Thriller With Feuding Superheroes
Captain America: Civil War
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- May 6, 2016
WHERE TO WATCH
- Cast
- Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson, Sebastian Stan, Anthony Mackie, Don Cheadle, Jeremy Renner, Chadwick Boseman, Paul Bettany, Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Rudd, Emily VanCamp, Tom Holland, Daniel Brühl, Frank Grillo, William Hurt, Martin Freeman, Marisa Tomei, John Kani, John Slattery, Hope Davis, Alfre Woodard, Michael A. Cook, Laughton Parchment, Jackson Spidell
- Runtime
- 147 minutes
- Director
- Anthony Russo, Joe Russo
Anthony and Joe Russo first showcased their talent with Avengers characters with Captain America: Civil War, which focuses on the Avengers falling out due to their conflicting views on registering themselves as government agents. It creates a fascinating dynamic where longtime friends are suddenly enemies because of conflicting ideas on how the government should handle superheroes, with both sides providing genuine points that make the debate feel realistic.
Both Spider-Man and Black Panther made their debuts in Captain America: Civil War, further diversifying the roster. This intensifies the eventual conflict between the two superhero factions, as it’s thrilling to witness how their unique powers and skills clash, even though most fans feel that these friends and allies shouldn’t be at odds.
9 Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2
Proof That James Gunn Understands Comic Book Movies
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
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- May 5, 2017
WHERE TO WATCH
- Cast
- Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper, Kurt Russell, Michael Rooker, Karen Gillan, Pom Klementieff, Sylvester Stallone, Elizabeth Debicki, Chris Sullivan, Sean Gunn, Tommy Flanagan, Laura Haddock, Aaron Schwartz, Hannah Gottesman, Hilty Bowen, Ben Browder, Alex Klein, Luke Cook, Evan Jones, Joe Fria, Terence Rosemore, Jimmy Urine
- Runtime
- 137 minutes
- Director
- James Gunn
After the first film was such a success, James Gunn could have done more of the same for the sequel and likely guaranteed a hit. Instead, Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2 focuses less on intergalactic superhero action and tells a more personal tale about Star-Lord meeting his father, a story that leads to many twists and turns.
Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2 also further evolves each character in different ways while also introducing new members of the Guardians, such as Nebula, Mantis, and Yondu. With another memorable soundtrack and an important moral about found family, the sequel proves that even the most obscure team of comic book heroes can create compelling stories.
8 Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness
Sam Raimi Blended The Superhero And Horror Genres
Doctor Strange In the Multiverse of Madness
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- Release Date
- May 6, 2022
- Cast
- Benedict Cumberbatch, Xochitl Gomez, Elizabeth Olsen, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Benedict Wong, Rachel McAdams, Jett Klyne, Julian Hilliard, Michael Stuhlbarg, Hayley Atwell, Anson Mount, Lashana Lynch, John Krasinski, Patrick Stewart, Charlize Theron, Sheila Atim, Adam Hugill, Bruce Campbell, Ross Marquand, Andy Bale, Ako Mitchell, Momo Yeung, Daniel Swain, Topo Wresniwiro, Eden Nathenson
- Runtime
- 126 minutes
- Director
- Sam Raimi
Benedict Cumberbatch had already cemented himself as an icon of the MCU as the titular hero Doctor Strange, but he goes even further in Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness. Cumberbatch shows his acting range by playing multiple variants of himself: the main hero, a failed hero, a zombie, and more. It is an example of how the multiverse concept can give audiences strong results.
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It also helps that Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is directed by Sam Raimi, who has already mastered superhero directing with his Spider-Man trilogy and broke into Hollywood as a horror director. With magic and the multiverse at his fingertips, Raimi heavily embraces his Evil Dead roots, creating one of the darkest MCU entries that implements even wilder magic, monsters, and Marvel affairs than the first film.
7 Spider-Man: No Way Home
Peter Parker’s Story Goes In An Unexpected Direction
Spider-Man: No Way Home
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- Release Date
- December 17, 2021
- Cast
- Tom Holland, Zendaya, Benedict Cumberbatch, Jacob Batalon, Jon Favreau, Jamie Foxx, Willem Dafoe, Alfred Molina, Benedict Wong, Tony Revolori, Marisa Tomei, Andrew Garfield, Tobey Maguire
- Runtime
- 148 Minutes
- Director
- Jon Watts
In Tom Holland’s third film in his Spider-Man franchise, Spider-Man: No Way Home, Peter Parker is pushed to the brink by constant adversity after his identity is exposed. It leads him to reach out to Doctor Strange, and suddenly, they are wrapped up in the first true dive into the Multiverse for the franchise, with villains from different films and universes coming to the MCU.
The many villains returning are highlights, especially the return of Willem Dafoe’s Green Goblin, but in the end, Spider-Man: No Way Home is about Peter Parker’s continuous growth as a character. However, there is no denying the multiverse concept did lead to many memorable moments, especially the team-up of Tom Holland, Andrew Garfield, and Tobey Maguire as fellow Spider-Men.
6 Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
The Tragic War Between Two Great Nations
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
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- November 11, 2022
WHERE TO WATCH
- Cast
- Letitia Wright, Tenoch Huerta Mejía, Lupita Nyong'o, Danai Gurira, Winston Duke, Angela Bassett, Martin Freeman, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Dominique Thorne, Florence Kasumba, Michaela Coel, Alex Livinalli, Mabel Cadena, Michael B. Jordan, Isaach De Bankolé, Danny Sapani, Dorothy Steel, Zainab Jah, Sope Aluko, Connie Chiume, Trevor Noah, Shawn Roberts, Zola Williams, Janeshia Adams-Ginyard, Marija Abney
- Runtime
- 162 minutes
- Director
- Ryan Coogler
After the tragic loss of Chadwick Boseman, a sequel to Black Panther could have fallen apart. However, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever not only gave T’Challa a proper send-off but went even further in developing the world of Wakanda as it deals with the aftermath of not only losing its king, but also the rise of Namor and his underwater kingdom of Talokan.
The brewing conflict between Wakanda and Talokan serves as a sophisticated showcase of political dynamics between two distinct civilizations. Namor stood out to many, as he wasn’t a conventional villain; he had reasons for his animosity, even though he pursued them in a very misguided way. Additionally, Shuri demonstrated her strength as a worthy successor to the Black Panther mantle through her emotional character arc throughout the film.
5 Captain America: The Winter Soldier
How Marvel Met The Russo Brothers
Captain America: The Winter Soldier
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- April 4, 2014
WHERE TO WATCH
- Cast
- Chris Evans, Samuel L. Jackson, Scarlett Johansson, Robert Redford, Sebastian Stan, Anthony Mackie, Cobie Smulders, Frank Grillo, Maximiliano Hernández, Emily VanCamp, Hayley Atwell, Toby Jones, Stan Lee, Callan Mulvey, Jenny Agutter, Bernard White, Alan Dale, Chin Han, Garry Shandling, Georges St-Pierre, Salvator Xuereb, Brian Duffy, Zack Duhame, Adetokumboh M'Cormack, Christopher George Sarris, Aaron Himelstein, Allan Chanes, Joe Russo, Christopher Markus, Stephen McFeely, Pat Healy, Ed Brubaker, D.C. Pierson, Danny Pudi, Bernie Zilinskas, Branka Katić, Angela Russo-Otstot, Jon Sklaroff, Chad Todhunter, Abigail Marlowe, Jeremy Maxwell, Emerson Brooks, Evan Parke, Ricardo Chacon
- Runtime
- 136 Minutes
- Director
- Joe Russo, Anthony Russo
Captain America: The Winter Soldier is where the Russo Brothers first entered into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and they continued the trend from the first movie of making Captain America a genre film featuring a superhero. This time, instead of a war movie, it is an espionage and conspiracy thriller that pits Steve Rogers against S.H.I.E.L.D. And the mysterious Winter Soldier.
For many, Captain America: The Winter Soldier is the definitive Captain America movie, as it has it all, from great performances to some of the most grounded and gritty action sequences in the franchise. Add in show-stealing characters like the Falcon and Black Widow, and the result is a movie that is regarded as one of the best of Phase Two, if not the best.
4 Deadpool & Wolverine
Popularity Allowed These Mutants To Join The MCU
Deadpool & Wolverine
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- July 26, 2024
- Cast
- Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, Emma Corrin, Morena Baccarin, Rob Delaney, Leslie Uggams, Karan Soni, Matthew Macfadyen, Brianna Hildebrand, Shioli Kutsuna, Stefan Kapicic, Lewis Tan, Randal Reeder, Jennifer Garner, Aaron Stanford, Billy Clements, Ollie Palmer, Chris Hemsworth, Rob McElhenney
- Runtime
- 127 Minutes
- Director
- Shawn Levy
Even when they belonged to the Fox universe, fans were excited to see Hugh Jackman and Ryan Reynolds cross over. Not only did that happen, but Deadpool & Wolverine allowed both characters to enter the MCU in the franchise’s first R-rated movie, which serves as both a parody and a love letter to Marvel films overall.
To no one’s surprise, Deadpool and Wolverine turned out to be a perfect pairing of opposites, with their collaboration reminiscent of buddy-comedy movies like 48 Hours and Midnight Run. It still retains the heart that made fans enjoy the Deadpool films and, much like Spider-Man: No Way Home, delivers plenty of fan service, particularly for those who grew up with Marvel movies that Fox was making before the MCU existed.
3 Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3
An Emotional Rollercoaster Finale For The Guardians
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
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- May 3, 2023
WHERE TO WATCH
Going in, fans knew that Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3 was going to be the last time they would see the Guardians that they fell in love with back in 2014. As a finale, James Gunn threw his biggest punch yet, which resulted in the darkest film of the three, but one that brought everything to a satisfying end for the team.
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From the backstory of Rocket Raccoon that made audiences cry to having one of the MCU's most hateable villains, Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3 did not hold back. At the same time, it maintained the humor and heartwarming moments that make the Guardians such an iconic family of outcasts.
2 Avengers: Infinity War
Thanos Stole The Spotlight And Shocked The World
Avengers: Infinity War
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- April 27, 2018
WHERE TO WATCH
- Cast
- Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Josh Brolin, Mark Ruffalo, Scarlett Johansson, Don Cheadle, Benedict Cumberbatch, Tom Holland, Chadwick Boseman, Zoe Saldana, Karen Gillan, Tom Hiddleston, Paul Bettany, Elizabeth Olsen, Anthony Mackie, Sebastian Stan, Idris Elba, Danai Gurira, Peter Dinklage, Benedict Wong, Pom Klementieff, Dave Bautista, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper
- Runtime
- 149 minutes
- Director
- Anthony Russo, Joe Russo
Ten years of buildup culminated in the film everyone eagerly anticipated, featuring Thanos as the primary villain. Avengers: Infinity War was directed by the Russo Brothers after their successful work on Captain America: Civil War, resulting in a movie where the Avengers are disbanded and scattered across the galaxy but have to come together to thwart Thanos’ campaign of universal genocide.
Avengers: Infinity War includes numerous characters, from the mainline Avengers roster to the Guardians of the Galaxy, as well as new Avengers like Doctor Strange, Spider-Man, and Black Panther. Infinity War could have been a convoluted mess, but instead, it delivered an epic that captivated audiences with unforgettable action sequences, surprising plot twists, and each character getting a moment to shine; particularly Thanos, who ultimately triumphs at the film's conclusion.
1 Avengers: Endgame
The Infinity Saga Ended With A Big Bang
Avengers: Endgame
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- April 26, 2019
WHERE TO WATCH
- Cast
- Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Josh Brolin, Don Cheadle, Paul Rudd, Benedict Cumberbatch, Chadwick Boseman, Brie Larson, Tom Holland, Karen Gillan, Zoe Saldana, Evangeline Lilly, Tessa Thompson, Rene Russo, Elizabeth Olsen, Anthony Mackie, Sebastian Stan, Tom Hiddleston, Danai Gurira, Benedict Wong, Pom Klementieff, Dave Bautista, Letitia Wright, John Slattery, Tilda Swinton, Jon Favreau, Hayley Atwell, Natalie Portman, Marisa Tomei, Taika Waititi
- Runtime
- 181 Minutes
- Director
- Anthony Russo, Joe Russo
After the dark and haunting ending of Infinity War, Avengers: Endgame shows how the heroes of the MCU respond to losing half of the universe’s population. It takes a slower approach to the first half, focusing on how characters deal with their trauma. With the addition of time travel, Avengers: Endgame then becomes more of a heist movie for another portion of the film.
Avengers: Endgame doesn’t turn into a superhero movie until the last act. Hundreds of main and side characters from across eleven years of movies form the biggest Avengers lineup and fight Thanos once again. With even more twists and multiple characters ending their tenure, Avengers: Endgame was an emotional and climactic ending to the Infinity Saga.
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