All The MCU Movies After Avengers: Endgame, Ranked By Rotten Tomatoes
Once the premier shared cinematic universe in Hollywood, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has become something of a mixed bag with its recent projects. After reaching its impressive commercial pinnacle with 2019's "Avengers: Endgame," the MCU has struggled to find its way forward with both its television and film projects. From behind-the-scenes problems involving planned recurring characters to an overall lack of focus, the MCU has endured its fair share of setbacks. Critics and audiences have taken notice, with several MCU movies failing to break even at the box office, not to mention earning some of Marvel's lowest Rotten Tomatoes scores.
However, despite all the rocky returns and production issues, the MCU remains one of Hollywood's biggest powerhouse franchises, with some hits up its sleeve beyond "Endgame." In fact, some of the MCU's most exciting, fan-favorite moments have surfaced in the Multiverse Saga storyline picking up after "Endgame." Here is every single MCU movie that's been released since "Endgame," ranked from worst to best based on their critics' scores on Rotten Tomatoes.
12. Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania - 46%
After its introduction in "Loki," the Multiverse Saga continued onto the big screen with 2023's "Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania." Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) and his friends are sucked into the Quantum Realm, which they find under the rule of Kang (Jonathan Majors). The size-changing superheroes become embroiled in a resistance effort to overthrow Kang as the villain plans to invade the MCU proper. This culminates in Scott's most grueling battle yet, as his daughter Cassie (Kathyrn Newton) steps up to become another size-changing hero.
With its gag-filled delivery and uninspired visual effects, "Quantumania" scored an underwhelming 46%, the lowest MCU movie score to date. While some critics were more generous in their appraisal of the movie's action and humor, it was widely derided as a rushed affair. One consistent critical highlight was Majors' performance, heralding him as the next magnetic MCU villain and the movie's saving grace. This would prove to be a short-lived distinction, however, as the MCU ultimately moved forward without Majors following legal issues faced by the actor.
11. Eternals - 47%
Fresh off her Academy Award-winning film "Nomadland," filmmaker Chloé Zhao gave the MCU its most distinct and off-kilter film yet with "Eternals." The 2022 movie featured an ancient group of synthetic beings tasked with fighting the monstrous Deviants throughout human history. Millennia into their mission, after the death of one of their own, the Eternals learn their true purpose while facing a traitor within their ranks. This leads the rest of the ensemble to question their loyalties while gripped in a battle for the fate of the Earth.
"Eternals" is one of the most ambitious and beautifully shot movies in the MCU to date, but even its unique tone and approach couldn't salvage its reputation with the critics. The movie's overall premise, themes, and dialogue faced varying levels of criticism, while its cinematography and unique action sequences were praised. The movie had the dubious distinction of being the lowest critical scoring film in the MCU at that time, earning a 47% score and underperforming at the box office. Though the door remains open for the Eternals' potential return, Marvel Studios quietly denied and downplayed any direct sequel plans.
10. The Marvels - 62%
After her billion-dollar debut and prominent appearance in "Avengers: Endgame," Captain Marvel returned to the big screen for 2023's "The Marvels." A continuation of 2019's "Captain Marvel" and the Disney+ original shows "WandaVision" and "Ms. Marvel," Carol Danvers, Kamala Khan, and Monica Rambeau become cosmically entangled. This complication occurs at the worst possible time, with all three women pursued by vengeful Kree warriors. As the trio contemplates how to resolve their inconvenient connection, they learn this chase is causing harmful consequences to the very fabric of space-time.
Clocking in at a score of 62%, "The Marvels" currently stands as the lowest-earning MCU movie, failing to break even at the box office. The movie's inconsistent tone and disjointed story were common points of criticism, made all the more noticeable by the shortened runtime. Iman Vellani's performance as Kamala was a widespread subject of praise as well as the returning plot threads from "Ms. Marvel." A mixed bag of a movie, "The Marvels" marked an unfortunate low point for the MCU.
9. Thor: Love & Thunder - 63%
After collaborating on the well-received "Thor: Ragnarok" in 2017, longtime MCU star Chris Hemsworth and filmmaker Taika Waiti reunited for its 2022 direct sequel "Thor: Love and Thunder." The movie depicts Thor (Hemsowrth) learning that divine pantheons around the MCU are targeted by the vicious Gorr the God Butcher (Christian Bale). Thor teams up with his old friends Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson), Korg (Waititi), and Jane Foster (Natalie Portman), now imbued with the power of Thor, to stop Gorr's rampage. The battle turns especially personal when Gorr kidnaps the children of New Asgard to use in his merciless vendetta against the gods.
Whereas the laughs and general sense of humor felt largely earned in "Ragnarok," the jokes in "Love and Thunder" feel forced and grating more often than not. Though critics praised Hemsworth and Portman's reprisal of their respective roles, "Love and Thunder" was derided as being overly flippant. Reflecting on the film's reception, Hemsworth admitted that the movie was "too silly," also acknowledging criticism of the movie's VFX. After reinvigorating the "Thor" series with "Ragnarok," Waiti and the production just couldn't catch lightning in a bottle a second time. The movie went on to earn a 63% score.
8. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness - 74%
After the sudden departure of original director Scott Derrickson, influential horror filmmaker Sam Raimi stepped in for the 2022 sequel "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness." Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) learns the Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) has been corrupted by the sinister Darkhold while trying to reunite with her children. When Wanda Maximoff targets multiversal hero America Chavez (Xochitl Gomez), Strange takes her on a journey across alternate realities, with Wanda in hot pursuit. Even as Strange encounters different superheroes throughout the multiverse, the wrath of the Scarlet Witch proves virtually unstoppable as her rampage escalates.
Earning a score of 74%, "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness" was praised for visibly featuring Raimi's directorial style, as opposed to more formulaic MCU entries. MCU veteran actors Cumberbatch and Olsen were both acclaimed in reprising their roles, keeping the more fantastical sequences grounded in human emotion. The film's VFX were less favorably received, while some reviews felt Doctor Strange was lost in his own movie amid the chaotic story. Years later, fans remain divided on "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness" overall, but it gave the MCU its biggest commercial success in 2022.
7. Deadpool & Wolverine - 78%
After two installments connected to Fox's "X-Men" movies, Deadpool made the leap to the MCU with 2024's "Deadpool & Wolverine." When Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds) learns his universe will be destroyed after the death of Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) in "Logan," he sets out to find an adequate replacement in the multiverse. When both Deadpool and a different version of Wolverine are banished to the Void by the Time Variance Authority, they encounter Charles Xavier's evil twin Cassandra Nova (Emma Corrin). Deadpool and Wolverine must learn how to work together and escape the Void in time to save Wade Wilson's universe.
With a score of 78%, "Deadpool & Wolverine" was largely well-received, though not as favorably as the preceding two "Deadpool" movies. Reynolds and Jackman's on-screen chemistry was widely praised, with the two complementing each other well as comedic foils. The self-aware references about Fox and Marvel Studios faced a more mixed reception as did the movie's overall story. A much-needed commercial shot in the arm for the MCU, "Deadpool & Wolverine" went on to outperform its predecessors worldwide.
6. Black Widow - 79%
Kicking off the MCU's fourth phase and the Multiverse Saga, 2021's "Black Widow" was also the first MCU movie to be released after the outset COVID-19 pandemic. Set in between the events of "Captain America: Civil War" and "Avengers: Infinity War," the movie reunites Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson) with her adoptive family. The head of the Red Room, the training program that made Natasha and her sister Yelena (Florence Pugh) assassins, escalates the program, making it bigger and deadlier. To stop this army of clandestine operatives, Black Widow works with her family to shut down the Red Room and rescue its indoctrinated subjects for good.
Receiving a score of 79%, the ensemble cast of "Black Widow," led by Johansson and Pugh, was widely cited as elevating the material. Johansson was positively singled out in delivering the swan song to her role for bringing more depth and vulnerability than she had in other Black Widow appearances. The grounded scale and action sequences were similarly praised, though the movie's deeper themes and commentary were largely dismissed. "Black Widow" gave the MCU bid farewell to a founding Avenger as an uncertain future lay ahead for the universe.
5. Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 3 - 82%
After experiencing a variety of behind-the-scenes delays, including the temporary removal of filmmaker James Gunn, the "Guardians of the Galaxy" trilogy concluded in 2023. The third installment has the Guardians scramble to save their friend Rocket (Bradley Cooper) after he is critically wounded from an attack by Adam Warlock (Will Poulter). As Rocket fights for his life, he flashbacks to his traumatic origins at the twisted mercy of the High Evolutionary (Chukwudi Iwuji). This leads to a showdown with the cosmic villain as he targets the Guardians' home with his latest batch of genetic experiments.
Scored at 82%, "Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 3" is the saddest and angriest entry of the acclaimed sci-fi trilogy, made all the more bittersweet by its stance as an extended farewell. Rocket and the High Evolutionary command full attention of every scene they're in while Chris Pratt shows a more introspective side of Star-Lord than usual. While praising the story and spectacle, critics were less generous of the movie's pacing and slightly longer runtime. With "Vol. 3," Gunn ended his time with Marvel Studios on a high, if melancholic, note before turning his attention to DC.
4. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever - 84%
Black Panther's future in the MCU and the state of its sequel were thrown into disarray by the death of actor Chadwick Boseman in 2020. Without its lead actor, the script for a sequel to 2018's "Black Panther" was completely reworked by filmmaker Ryan Coogler to reflect the passing of Boseman's character, T'Challa. 2022's "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" focuses on how T'Challa's sister Shuri (Letitia Wright) steps up to become Wakanda's new leader and Black Panther. As Shuri and her family contend with their grief, Wakanda is attacked by the aquatic monarch Namor (Tenoch Huerta) and his undersea armies.
The melancholy themes in "Wakanda Forever" and its tribute to Boseman were well-received by critics, with the critical score standing at 84%. Angela Bassett, who reprised her role as T'Challa and Shuri's mother Queen Ramonda, received particular acclaim and was nominated for an Academy Award. Critics were less enthusiastic about the movie's overall length and pacing, feeling it focused too much on providing backstory to Namor and his kingdom. While not as commercially successful as "Black Panther," "Wakanda Forever" was the best critically received MCU movie of 2022.
3. Spider-Man: Far From Home - 91%
Considered by Marvel Studios as the final film in its third phase and an epilogue to the Infinity Saga, 2019's "Spider-Man: Far From Home" explores the immediate fallout from "Endgame." Returning home to Queens, Spider-Man (Tom Holland) finds himself adrift after losing his father figure Tony Stark and five years of life from Thanos' actions. As Peter Parker goes on a summer school trip to Europe, the enigmatic Mysterio (Jake Gyllenhaal) takes advantage of him when the young hero is at his most vulnerable. As Spider-Man learns Mysterio's true intentions, the globe-spanning adventure and Mysterio's machinations change the webslinger's life forever.
The first "Spider-Man" movie to earn over a billion dollars at the box office, "Far From Home" was praised for its blend of superhero scope and teen comedy, scoring at 91%. Holland's growth into the role of Spider-Man was widely well-regarded, as was Gyllenhaal's performance as Mysterio. Mysterio's big heel turn and hallucinatory sequences were particularly lauded by fans and critics. Though the high-octane spectacle itself didn't wow critics as much as the cast, "Far From Home" ended the Infinity Saga on a high note.
2. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings - 91%
As the MCU continued to cultivate a new generation of superheroes after "Endgame," one of the first major introductions in this wave was master martial artist Shang-Chi. Played by Simu Liu, the hero made his debut in 2021's "Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings." After living under an assumed name to avoid his evil father Wenwu (Tony Leung), Shang-Chi is suddenly thrust back to the world of martial arts and mysticism. Shang-Chi learns Wenwu plans to use his magical ten rings to open a portal to a dangerous dimension in an obsessive quest to reunite with his late wife.
While critics observed "Shang-Chi" followed the MCU origin story formula, they praised it for bringing fresh energy and perspective to the franchise. Earning a score of 91%, "Shang-Chi" was praised for its action sequences, though its climactic, VFX-heavy finale earned a more mixed response. Leung was especially complimented for his nuanced and quietly charismatic performance as Wenwu, bringing humanity to what could've been a one-note villain. "Shang-Chi" outperformed "Black Widow" critically and commercially, fueling the MCU forward, and it looked to build new directions without its founding heroes.
1. Spider-Man: No Way Home - 93%
By the end of 2021, the movie industry was still looking for a major hit that would match numbers before the worldwide outbreak of COVID-19. The first film to reach that level of commercial success was "Spider-Man: No Way Home," released in December 2021 as a direct sequel to "Far From Home." The movie explores the fallout of Peter Parker's superhero identity being leaked to the public and lengths he undertakes to restore it. Turning to Doctor Strange for help, Peter accidentally brings in heroes and villains from the multiverse to his world for a battle royale.
With a score of 93%, "No Way Home" remains the biggest commercial and critical MCU success since "Endgame." The return of characters from Sony's previous live-action Spider-Man movies was widely lauded, especially returning Spider-Man actors Andrew Garfield and Tobey Maguire. The action sequences were praised as a major improvement from preceding Spider-Man movies, while Holland was well-regarded for his starring performance. An effective blend of fan service and superhero storytelling, "No Way Home" stands as an all-around triumph for the MCU.