Summary

TheMarvel Cinematic Universehas received its fair share of criticism sinceAvengers : Endgame , though it remains the case that the franchise is still doing a lot right-hand go into 2024 . TheMarvel movies releasing in 2024consist solely ofDeadpool & Wolverine , at least where Marvel Studios is concerned . Many are hope that this movie will be a return to form for the franchise , all while lay the foundation for the remainingMCU projects on Marvel ’s list of forthcoming moviesto preserve the Multiverse Saga satisfyingly .

WithMarvel ’s upcoming TV showsalso show hopeful signs of rectifying past misapprehension , the MCU may be moving beyond the time period of divisiveness it has experienced since 2019 . That said , aspects such as jerry-built CGI , rushed screenwriting , fibre absence , lesser action sequence , and the miscarry balancing of tonicity have been rightfully apply to the MCU sinceAvengers : Endgame . Despite the MCU ’s hopeful future and potential variety of fortunes , there is a passel that has croak unnoticed of recent that the enfranchisement is still start out right , regardless of the low ranking of recent movies .

Over 17 twelvemonth and 35 moving-picture show , the Marvel Cinematic Universe flick have redefined blockbuster movie theater . But how do all the films stack up ?

Iron Man Captain America and Hulk

10The Casting Of Central Marvel Characters

Marvel Studios' ability to pull off incredible castings has not diminished since 2019.

The MCU was praise in the Infinity Saga for its molding , from Robert Downey Jr. and Samuel L. Jackson to Chris Evans and Scarlett Johansson . While the overall quality of projects may have dipped in recent age , theMCU ’s casting sinceAvengers : Endgamehas remained consistently brilliant . Some standouts include Simu Liu as Shang - Chi , Hailee Steinfeld as Kate Bishop , Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova , and Oscar Isaac as Moon Knight . Arguably standing above all isIman Vellani as Kamala Khan / Ms. Marvel , who should be regarded as one of the best superhero castings in account .

9The World-Building Of The Marvel Cinematic Universe

The interconnected nature of the franchise remains as strong as ever.

Undoubtedly one of the biggest strengths of the Infinity Saga was the world - building of an interlink dealership , something that countenance the MCU to become one of the most impressive franchises in cinema chronicle at its peak . This has not break off since 2019 , with the interconnected nature of the franchise continue implausibly solid . It would be unsufferable to name every style the MCU continues to connect its characters , worlds , and realms , butsome standouts from Phases 4 and 5 prove how potent the enfranchisement ’s world - building stay .

Other in - universe of discourse constituent that make the MCU sense like a lived - in universe areMs . Marvel ’s AvengerCon , and the awe of characters like Bruce Banner , Abraham Erskein , and Hank Pym as substantial scientist …

The connections of gods betweenThor : Love and Thunder , Black Panther : Wakanda Forever , andMoon Knightare such illustration of brilliant world - building . Other in - universe element that make the MCU sense like a lived - in world areMs . Marvel ’s AvengerCon , and the reverence of persona like Bruce Banner , Abraham Erskein , and Hank Pym as real scientists in the the likes of ofSpider - Man : Far From HomeandSpider - Man : No Way Home . Even a more maligned undertaking likeShe - Hulkfleshed out the MCU via the inclusion of pocket-size superhumans and vigilantes .

Monica Rambeau trapped in the X-Men universe in The Marvels

8MCU Characters' Origin Stories

The beginning adventures of various Marvel characters remain impressive.

Since 2019 , several MCU character - be it in film or TV - have received systematically smashing origin news report . While the various movies or shows may have been overall lack in timbre , numerous productions have included compelling beginnings for their characters . Shang - Chi and the Legend of the Ten Ringshad both : a fantastic origin story and a high quality of filmmaking . Even a lesser - survey movie likeEternals’most interesting quality was its central characters and their parentage . compound withMoon Knight , Ms. Marvel , andHawkeye , the MCU ’s post - Endgameefforts have regularly produced challenging origin stories .

7Distinct Visual Styles

A strength of the Infinity Saga has not wavered in the Multiverse Saga.

doubtless a monolithic strength of the Infinity Saga was the specialisation of movies through distinct visual styles . From the cosmic constituent ofGuardians of the Galaxyto the Shakespearian halls of Asgard and the more softened , Earth - bound look of theCaptain Americamovies , the MCU did well at allowing each sub - franchise to have its own style . This has continue in the Multiverse Saga in a way that has not wavered .

Movies likeGuardians of the Galaxy 3andThe Marvelshave continued the cosmic side of the MCUthat remain completely different from the ground , Earthly tones of show likeSecret Invasion . The visual styles of past tenner permeate shows likeWandaVisionandLokiwhich remain disparate from the ethnic look ofBlack Panther : Wakanda Forever . The Wuxia - inspire , eastern panache ofShang - Chidifferentiated it from all aforementioned shows , as did the ancient Grecian design ofEternals’various sets and costumes .

6The Villains Of The Marvel Cinematic Universe

Marvel Studios' antagonists have arguably never been stronger.

Interestingly , one of the few Infinity Saga elements that received regular critique was its lackluster villains . In this attentiveness , the Multiverse Saga has arguably better upon its predecessor since 2019.Only two of the seven films in Phase 4 can be indicate to have had inadequate scoundrel : Black WidowandThor : Love and Thunder . The rest had fitly malevolent or compelling antagonists like Scarlet Witch , Wenwu , or Green Goblin , who stand above the majority of Infinity Saga villains . That is without mentioning Phase 5 pic villains like Kang the Conqueror and the High Evolutionary , who are some of Marvel ’s in force .

MCU Phase 4/5 Movie Villains

Were they deliberate good adversary ?

The Watcher from What If…? next to Kahhori from season 2

Black Widow

Taskmaster and Dreykov were poor villains , often compared to the weaker entries of the Infinity Saga .

Shang - Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings

Josh Brolin looking shocked as Thanos against a purple and orange ringed background

Custom Image made by Debanjana Chowdhury

Wenwu was a brilliant villain with credible motivation , a fantastic performance by Tony Leung , and a threatening forcible presence .

Eternals

Ikaris was a suitably complex baddie , while the Celestial hung over the plastic film ’s tale as a looming presence of doom .

Ms Marvel Avengerscon easter egg details

Spider - Man : No Way home base

Just as he was inSpider - Man 2 , Green Goblin stands grandiloquent as one of the secure villain in any Marvel live - action franchise .

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness

New Guardians of the Galaxy team at the end of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3

Scarlet Witch ’s line of descent into madness is one of the inviolable aspects of a factious film , bolstered by Elizabeth Olsen ’s incredible performance .

Thor : Lova and Thunder

Christian Bale was wonderful as Gorr , but the fiber was wasted due to a lacklustre book with minimal screen time .

Tobey Maguire, Andrew Garfield and Tom Holland as Spider-Man in the final battle of Spider-Man No Way Home

Black Panther : Wakanda incessantly

Tenoch Huerta is one of the adept MCU stray choices since 2019 , bringing Namor to life history with equal amount of menace , emotion , mogul , and tragedy .

Ant - Man and the Wasp : Quantumania

Alaqua Cox as Maya Lopez in her superhero costume as Echo in Marvel Studios' Echo series

Kang the Conqueror was arguably the best part of a controversial picture show .

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol . 3

refreshfully evil with minimal harmonic motivation , the High Evolutionary was leisurely to hate in the best way , bolstered by the madness of Chukwudi Iwuji ’s brilliant performance .

Isaiah Bradley speaking to Sam Wilson in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier

The wonder

stage 5 ’s strong villain come to a hitch with Dar - Benn , an underwritten villain who differentiate an unfortunate broken point for the dealership ’s antagonists .

5The MCU’s Fan Service

Marvel’s use of fan service remains grounded in storytelling.

One MCU expression that has not worsened is the franchise ’s fan service . Elements like the take of Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield inSpider - Man : No agency Homeor the various cameos of heroes in dissimilar projects have been used in ways that do not impact storytelling . Some other deterrent example include James Rhodes appearing inFalcon and the Winter Soldier , Valkyrie make a friendship with Carol inThe Marvels , and the end - credit teaser of the hug drug - Men in the latter film . Each made sense within the context of use of the respective projects , with Marvel not putting sports fan servicing over eccentric or story .

The ending of The Marvels sees Monica Rambeau pin down in another reality in the MCU ’s vast multiverse , one that seems to comprise the X - homo .

4The MCU’s Character Team-Ups

Disparate characters coming together remains an exciting MCU trick.

Be it the three Spider - Men ofSpider - Man : No Way Home , the chemistry of the titular team inThe Marvels , or the fantastic duos ofThe Falcon and the Winter SoldierandHawkeye , the MCU stay on a stair above its peer in character team - ups . While some expression of character , like how long some are left on the spare-time activity , have become sorry since 2019,Marvel Studios remains the king of furnish fulfil character dynamics . The ensemble casts ofLokiandGuardians of the Galaxy 3proved this further , as will the promising team - up ofDeadpool & Wolverinein July 2024 .

3The Representation Of Different Cultures

Marvel continues to be at the forefront of representation in big-budget filmmaking.

In this respect , Marvel Studios has only better sinceAvengers : Endgame . The theatrical of various acculturation has only expanded in the Multiverse Saga , grant the great unwashed from countries across the earth to see themselves reflected in an MCU yield . projection likeBlack Panther : Wakanda ForeverandMoon Knightpushed the histrionics of African commonwealth to the fore , with the former doing the same for Aztec cultures in the Yucatán via character like Namor .

Ms. Marvelthen opened up the MCU to Pakistani - American culture via Kamala Khan and her sept , even going as far as to detail incredibly important upshot like the Partition of India and the effect this had on the people of Southern Asia . Shang - Chi and the Legend of the Ten Ringsexplored Eastern Asian culture through the fibre ’s Chinese mythology , offer another major step forward for representation . eventually , Echodetailed elements of the Choctaw Nation in Oklahoma , bringing Native American representation to the world of the MCU .

Through the introduction of the multiverse to the MCU , Marvel Studios are continuing a much - require tendency that was properly utilized in Phase 4 .

Split image of Cyclops in X-Men 97 and Professor X in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of madness

Custom Image by Zoe Miskelly

2More Mature MCU Themes

Despite issues with tonal consistency, some MCU themes have been incredibly mature.

A welfare of the MCU ’s telecasting productions has meant that phase 4 and 5 could explore deep , more fledged themes . From the plot line of characters like Sam Wilson and especially Isaiah Bradley inThe Falcon and the Winter Soldier , which dealt heavy with event surround the treatment of African Americans , to constituent like the Partition of India inMs . Marvel , very mature look are included in the MCU ’s projects to this day . The same can be say for the Spanish colonization of South America explore via Namor inBlack Panther : Wakanda always .

Other , more mature storylines include Shang - Chi ’s assassination of his mother ’s manslayer and the backstory of Rocket Raccoon shown inGuardians of the Galaxy 3.Combined with the deeper geographic expedition of sorrow inWandaVisionand the tragic history and origins of Marc Spector ’s disassociative identity disorderliness inMoon Knight , it becomes clear that the MCU is not shy off from mature topics . While the franchise has always done this to an extent , the storylines of the Multiverse Saga make it more apparent than ever .

1Iconic Musical Cues

Marvel’s use of music has continued to contribute towards excitement and worldbuilding.

A smaller look of the MCU that has stay impressive is the franchise ’s music . paper synonymous with graphic symbol like Doctor Strange were used to tease appearances in projects likeWandaVisionorSpider - humankind : No Way abode . The latter of these projects featured iconic medicine from Sam Raimi’sSpider - Mantrilogy and Marc Webb’sThe Amazing Spider - Manfilms to express the rigorousness of Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield ’s appearances . Finally , the classicX - Men : The Animated Seriestheme has reckon a revitalization in properties likeMs . Marvel , Doctor Strange 2,andX - valet de chambre ' 97to prove theMCUremains on top of its iconic musical cues .

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is a multimedia superhero enfranchisement that set about in 2008 with Paramount ’s Iron Man starring Robert Downey Jr. The franchise quickly develop in popularity , with Disney eventually buying out Marvel Entertainment in 2009 . The MCU consists of oodles of movies and idiot box shows , most notably Avengers : Endgame , WandaVision , and Loki .

MCU Franchise Poster

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is a multimedia superhero franchise that began in 2008 with Paramount’s Iron Man starring Robert Downey Jr. The franchise quickly grew in popularity, with Disney eventually buying out Marvel Entertainment in 2009. The MCU consists of dozens of movies and TV shows, most notably Avengers: Endgame, WandaVision, and Loki.

Marvel Cinematic Universe