Credit: Inside the MagicIt’s hard to believe that there are currently 32 films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and though things are certainly slowing down, especially now that a number of upcoming MCU films were recently announced to have been delayed, alongside the Avatar sequels and some of the theatrical Star Wars projects, the franchise shows no signs of stopping.
But not every film in the MCU has been great (or television show, for that matter). Even the beloved James Bond franchise, which currently sits at 27 films (when you include the two non-EON installments, that is), has its fair share of stinkers. We’re not going to talk about the worst MCU films, though, but rather those that we consider to be pretty overrated.
They may not be that great, and they not even be that terrible, but here are all the most overrated MCU films, ranked in order of release.
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1. The Avengers
Following a bunch of so-so X-Men films, The Avengers (2012) proved that juggling multiple lead-characters in the same outing wasn’t an impossible feat after all. Watching the likes of Tony Stark/Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) and Thor (Chris Hemsworth) interact is great fun, but for many, this ensemble-film has aged like milk. The humor is a tad cringe, and the whole Joss Whedon-thing has left just as sour a taste in our mouths.
Related: Every Original Avenger Ranked From Worst to Best
2. Captain Marvel
Captain Marvel (2019) star Brie Larson did the film in question no favors when she insulted a huge portion of the target audience while on the promotional circuit. But the truth is that this solo outing didn’t stand much of a chance, although it does have its defenders. Stock, generic, bland, boring — check, check, check, check. Captain Marvel is the Avengers: Endgame (2019) precursor no one asked for.
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3. Avengers: Age of Ultron
Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015) might be one of the best examples of a trailer being better than the actual film. Hearing Ultron (James Spader) promise to be the Avengers’ undoing to the re-interpreted Pinocchio song “I Have No Strings” was hair-raising stuff, but the film itself is nowhere near as thrilling or as engaging. Age of Ultron is a bloated mess, and though Spader is something of a saving grace, The Office‘s Robert California is far creepier.
Related: All the ‘Avengers’ Movies Ranked From Worst to Best
4. Black Panther
There’s really no denying the cultural significance of Black Panther (2018), but as a film on its own merits, this is easily one of the most overrated MCU movies. The late Chadwick Boseman shines as T’Challa/Black Panther, while Michael B. Jordan delivers a decent-enough performance as Eric Killmonger, but everything else feels as stock and as generic as Captain Marvel. And the CG-animated fight scenes look like something from the ’90s.
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5. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021) was released during a time when not a great deal was happening in movie theaters (the COVID-19 pandemic). This might explain why it had audiences and critics buzzing, because in more recent times, no one has really talked about this MCU solo film. Despite getting off to a solid start, and with a promising lead in Simu Liu’s titular hero, the film nose-dives into overly fantastical territory.
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6. Doctor Strange
Doctor Strange (2016) was a critical and financial hit. With its mind-bending action sequences, it gets 10 out of 10 for creativity, while Benedict Cumberbatch is always a treat to watch (even if his American accent is a bit wobbly). But just like Captain Marvel and Black Panther, Dr. Stephen Strange’s first outing feels a bit late to the party, and once again proves that, this late into the MCU game, newcomers are best introduced in other films.
Related: All the ‘Spider-Man’ Movies Ranked Worst to Best
7. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
We’re not entirely unapologetic for having included both Black Panther films on this list. As we said before, the cultural importance of these films goes without saying, but it would be unfair not to properly judge a film based on its merits, and unfortunately, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2021), despite being incredibly nuanced and ambitious, while also doing a solid job at handling Chadwick Boseman’s tragic passing, never quite sticks the landing.
Related: All the ‘Avengers’ Movies Ranked From Worst to Best
There are a number of new MCU films on the horizon that will form the remainder of Phase Five and beyond. They include The Marvels (2023), Deadpool 3 (2024), Captain America: Brave New World (2024), Thunderbolts (2024), Blade (2025), Fantastic Four (2025), Avengers: The Kang Dynasty (2026), and Avengers: Secret Wars (2027).
Upcoming MCU television shows set to stream on Disney+ over the next couple of years are Secret Invasion (2023), Loki Season 2 (2023), Echo (2023),What If…? Season 2 (TBA), Ironheart (2024), Agatha: Coven of Chaos (2024), and Daredevil: Born Again (2024).
Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 3 (2023) is out in theaters now.
What are your thoughts on this ranking? Do you think these movies are overrated, or do you think some of them are underrated? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!