TheMarvel Cinematic Universehas been dominating the blockbuster movie space for 15 years now, and while the franchise may have recently started to get pretty hit-and-miss in terms of story quality and box office results, it is still doing much stronger than many other major franchises in Hollywood right now. Over the last 10 years, there hasn’t really been any film series quite as exciting, successful and beloved by its fans as the MCU.
On top of that, while a few of the most recent entries haven’t been very well received, the franchise has historically performed very well with critics. Its first “rotten” film on Rotten Tomatoes wasn’t until 2021’sEternals, which was the 26th movie in the franchise.
With that said, not every great Marvel movie exists within the confines of the MCU. Marvel characters were being brought to the big screen long before the debut ofIron Manin 2008. In fact, to this day, there are still plenty of Marvel films being produced outside the confines of the MCU. Sony is constantly producing newSpider-ManandVenomfilms, while 20th Century Fox was providing some of the most boundary-pushing superhero content, such as theX-MenandDeadpoolmovies, before its film assets were purchased by Disney in the late 2010s. Looking back on the long history of Marvel on screen, here are the 13 films that have been the most highly rated on Rotten Tomatoes:
13Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021) – 91%
Coming in at #13 is one of the most recent entries into the MCU’s film canon, 2021’sShang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. Although it was released in a time when theaters were still struggling to bring audiences in due to the COVID-19 pandemic,Shang-Chistill managed to make its mark. It was a solid box office success, but even more than that, it was a massive hit with both critics and audiences alike. It scored a 91% from 340 critic reviews counted by the site, and the audience score was a widely impressive 98%.Shang-Chiwasthe first genuinely great MCU film of Phase Four, and it deserves its place among the best that Marvel has to offer.
12The Avengers (2012) – 91%
Though there were five films that led up to its release, 2012’sThe Avengerswas really the dawn of the MCU as we know it. It was the first time that the franchise had brought together its main characters in a major crossover film event, and that made for the couldn’t-miss cinematic event of the year. While some of the issues with the film have begun to grow more prominentin the years since its release, there’s still no denying the impact thatThe Avengershad. The film scored a 91% approval rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 367 reviews that were counted.
While that is the same asShang-Chi, we’ve listed it higher simply because there are more reviews counted - that method has carried through into other entries on this list as well. The 91% critic score forThe Avengersmade it the second-highest the franchise had received yet, and it is still one of the top scores the MCU has ever received.
11Guardians of the Galaxy (2014) – 92%
2014’sGuardians of the Galaxyreally changed everything for the MCU. Previous to the film’s release, the franchise had been entirely Earth-based, butGuardianschanged that by providing a full-on space odyssey complete with some of the strangest creatures and aliens imaginable. While many expected the film to be a big swing-and-a-miss for the MCU, it ended up becoming one of the franchise’s most adored entries. The flick, directed by James Gunn, scored a 92% approval rating from both critics (338 reviews counted) and audiences. While neither of the otherGuardiansfilms appear on this list, they were also solid hits that were considered to be top-shelf films in the franchise.
10Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017) – 92%
There is arguably no Marvel character with as long a history on-screen as Spider-Man. Sony had been developingSpider-Manmovies on their own since the early 2000s, with varying degrees of success, but it wasn’t until the mid-2010s that the character would get to join the fun of the MCU. After debuting in 2016’sCaptain America: Civil War,Tom Holland’s version of Spider-Manwould get his debut solo film in the form of 2017’sSpider-Man: Homecoming. The film was instantly considered to be one of the wallcrawler’s best cinematic outings. It also scored a 92% approval rating from critics, with an even 400 reviews aggregated on the site.
9Spider-Man 2 (2004) – 93%
WhileSpider-Man: Homecomingwas great, it wasn’t quite able to beat out what many still consider to be the bestSpider-Manmovie, which is 2004’sSpider-Man 2directed by Sam Raimi and starring Tobey Maguire.Spider-Man 2has a real magic to it, as it ups the stakes from the original 2002 film, both in terms of action and emotion. It was an instant-classic of the comic-book movie genre. It holds a 93% approval rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, with 276 reviews counted.Spider-Man 2was one of the first genuinely great superhero movies to be produced in the 2000s, and it still has an outstanding reputation today.
Related:Spider-Man 2: Here Is Why It’s the Best Superhero Sequel to Date
8Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021) – 93%
The immense levels of hype and anticipation leading up to the release ofSpider-Man: No Way Homein late 2021 cannot be overstated. Although Sony and the film’s stars refused to confirm Andrew Garfield and Tobey Maguire would be joining Tom Holland’s Spider-Man in the movie, the mere idea still managed to be a lightning rod of conversation and interest. They did end up appearing in the film, but that wasn’t the biggest surprise. Instead, the most unexpected part of the movie was how genuinely great it was froma storytelling and character perspective. This earned it a solid 93% approval rating from critics, with 425 reviews counted, and the audience score is a whopping 98%. No matter how you look atNo Way Home, the movie was a massive win for both Sony and the MCU.
7Thor: Ragnarok (2017) – 93%
Both Thor and the movies the character starred in had been struggling since the early days of the MCU. However, in 2017, director Taika Waititi delivered a film that reinvented the character from the ground up. This new comedic and pulpy approach to the character was very well received, andThor: Ragnarokearned an outstanding 93% on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 441 reviews. Although the follow-up,Thor: Love and Thunder, hassoured the general opinion on Waititi’s Thora bit, there’s no denying thatRagnarokwas a massive breath of new life into the series.
6Iron Man (2008) – 94%
The film that started it all for the MCU, 2008’sIron Man, was also the most highly-rated film of the franchise on Rotten Tomatoes for nearly 10 years. The movie holds a 94% approval from 282 critic reviews, and the audience score sits at a solid 91%. The originalIron Manmovie is still considered one of the MCU’s best films, and it almost single-handedly revived the career of its star, Robert Downey Jr., and saved Marvel as a whole from financial ruin. This was a much-needed win for Marvel, and it was the dawn of what blockbuster cinema would be for the next 15 years.
5Logan (2017) – 94%
One of the few non-MCU entries on this list, 2017’sLoganis a movie that easily deserves its spotamong the best superhero movies of all time. Directed by James Mangold, the film is a dramatic R-rated send-off for Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine. It’s one of the most mature, well-crafted and cinematic superhero films ever put to screen, and it’s probably the best movie Fox ever produced with its Marvel characters. Based on 430 reviews, the film earned a 94% on Rotten Tomatoes. Beyond that, the film was so well-done it even managed to get a major Oscar nomination, as Mangold, Scott Frank and Michael Green were nominated for their adapted screenplay.
4Avengers: Endgame (2019) – 94%
You already know whatAvengers: Endgameis. As the culmination of the MCU’s entire Infinity Saga, there was a lot riding onEndgame, and the film delivered the immense and all-encompassing finale that fans had been hoping for. Not only was it a massive success at the box office, it also managed to satisfy both fans and critics alike. The movie received a 94% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, based on an astronomical 555 reviews that were counted. The audience score was a solid 90% as well, with over 50,000 ratings.
Related:Should the MCU Have Ended After Endgame?
