The criteria for the rankings was as follows: quality of the villain, quality of the plot, quality of the performances, and cultural impact.

10.Iron Man

The film that started it all, 2008’s “Iron Man” is now an instantly recognizable pop culture staple. Robert Downey Jr. carries the film, molding the character of Tony Stark perfectly, you’ll be hooked the moment he puts on the armor. With impressive visual effects that can still hold up today and a successful plot, this keystone of the MCU is brilliant.

9. Guardians of the Galaxy

Marvel took a huge risk when releasing a movie with a talking tree and raccoon gunsmith, but it paid off. This departure from Earth to space was a huge step for the MCU, leading it a new direction, playing off of the successful team dynamic of the Avengers. “Guardians of the Galaxy” is a wacky, fun parallel to the Avengers.

8. Spider-Man: Homecoming

With the perfect casting and debut of Tom Holland as Peter Parker in “Captain America: Civil War”, fans were anticipating his solo movie. “Spider-Man: Homecoming” delightfully highlights the innocence and youth of high schoolers, complimenting Peter with the responsibility of being Spider-Man. Michael Keaton portrays the Vulture, making for an impressive adversary for Spider-Man. The film also utilizes the surrounding Marvel Universe to solidify its standing in the larger story, something previous Spider-Man titles lacked.

7. Thor: Ragnarok

With the first two movies feeling bland and devoid of presence, “Thor Ragnarok” flipped the script and pushed the character into a brand new direction. Director Taika Waititi strips Thor out of Asgard and sends him into space, losing mjolnir (his hammer) along the way. This bold direction is sure to leave an impression.

6. Avengers

As one of the first superhero crossover film, “Avengers” made history, becoming an instant hit with comic book fans around the world. The call-to-arms film brought the four original Avengers together: Iron Man, Hulk, Thor, and Captain America. This film brilliantly explores the team dynamic between these heroes as they take on Loki.

5. Captain America: Civil War

The building tension between Steve Rogers and Tony Stark finally came to a boiling point in 2016’s “Captain America: Civil War”. This film, which acts more as an Avengers 2.5, showcases the growing potential in the Russo Brothers as they handle a plethora of Marvel heroes, while introducing new heavy hitters: Spider-Man and Black Panther. 

4. Black Panther

Black Panther had the largest impact on the pop culture landscape, embracing the diversity of its cast. Chadwick Boseman embodies the character of T’challa, the Black Panther, the film accomplishes the goal of understanding what makes a true king. Michael B. Jordan gives a thrilling performance as Killmonger, easily portraying one of the best villains in the MCU.

3. Captain America: The Winter Soldier

The sequel to “Captain America: The First Avenger”, this film took a much needed departure in tone and setting from the previous film, showcasing the Russo Brothers’ talent as directors in their MCU debut. Chris Evans, Sebastian Stan, Scarlett Johansson, and Anthony Mackie push this political thriller to greatness.

2. Avengers: Infinity War

The beginning of the end, “Avengers: Infinity War” kept audiences on the edge of their seats, leaving the future of the MCU unclear. This Thanos-centric film accomplishes the task of establishing the “Mad Titan” and his motive for acquiring the infinity stones.

1. Avengers: Endgame

With 21 other films leading up to “Avengers: Endgame”, the three-hour long epic was bound to impress. Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Evans give knockout performances in this ambitious, jaw-dropping conclusion to the “Infinity Saga”.