With the release of “Guardians of the Galaxy: Volume 3”, there are now five MCU trilogies – let’s rank them!
Just so you know, I’m not going to include the Thor or Avengers quadrilogies, since those are, by definition, not trilogies (even though you could in theory pick three films to serve as a trilogy). If I did include them, Thor would be near the bottom and Avengers would probably be first place.
Before we begin, you can check out some of my related blog posts below:
Meh
5 – Ant-Man
Films Ranked:
- Ant-Man
- Ant-Man and the Wasp
- Quantumania
The Ant-Man trilogy is a case of diminishing returns – while Scott’s low-key superhero antics were fun at first, it just became way too overblown and silly.
The first film’s heist angle did it best, the sequel felt like generic MCU filler, and “Quantumania” was everything wrong with modern superhero films.
OK
4 – Iron Man
Films Ranked:
- Iron Man
- Iron Man 3
- Iron Man 2
Tony Stark deserved better.
His initial film – the MCU’s first, no less – was such a brilliant introduction to the character and the superhero format, but the other two sequels never did him justice. I can appreciate “Iron Man 3” when I’m feeling generous, but “Iron Man 2” was all sorts of wrong.
Great
3 – Spider-Man
Films Ranked:
- No Way Home
- Homecoming
- Far From Home
The Iron Man and Ant-Man trilogies failed to live up to the hype, but the other three MCU trilogies had enough fun moments in each film to warrant the two sequels.
The worst of the best has to be Spider-Man, even though all of his movies are pretty good. “Far From Home” is decent fun, “Homecoming” is a great introduction to a new spin on the character (even though high school films aren’t my favourite), and “No Way Home” was a cinema event and a half. All in all, great stuff.
Amazing
2 – Captain America
Films Ranked:
- Civil War
- The Winter Soldier
- The First Avenger
Picking the best MCU trilogy proved tougher than I thought – both the Captain America trilogy and my number one pick have three fantastic films each, so in the end I had to go with my gut.
“Civil War” was an Avengers-level event and a cinema experience I’ll never forget, “The Winter Soldier” remains one of the most tightly-wound narratives in the MCU with excellent action choreography, and “The First Avenger” is a fun original story.
If I had to pick a favourite, I’d probably rather watch the number one trilogy back-to-back rather than Captain America, as that one has a more concise tone and overall story.
1 – Guardians of the Galaxy
Films Ranked:
- Guardians of the Galaxy
- GOTG: Volume 3
- GOTG: Volume 2
Now that “Guardians of the Galaxy: Volume 3” has definitively stuck the landing, I can confidently say it’s the best set of three films in the whole MCU.
Every single entry in the trilogy has a distinct overarching vision and vibe, and James Gunn’s direction / the cast’s incredible performances brought something new and exciting to the table each time. In all honesty, this is one of the most consistent trilogies in all of cinema, and I’d gladly watch any of the three films over most other superhero adventures.
Aaaand that’s my list! You can check out some of my latest blog posts below:
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