Here we go, the Infinity Saga complete in all its glory! 11 years spent building this franchise up to heights we could never think imaginable and redefining what a blockbuster film really is. Phase three was really the pinnacle of long term story telling and world building as the events in films throughout it all comes together and ends in a satisfying way. So here is our Top MCU Phase Three Films movie list.
11. Spider-Man: Far From Home
Following on from the aftermath that was Avengers: Endgame, Spider-Man: Far From Home was a lackluster follow-up where the main focus was still on Tony Stark. The film was more of a tribute to Iron Man rather than a Spider-Man film and it continued the trend of Spider-Man being too closely linked to Iron Man/Tony Stark rather than being his own character, with his own villains.
10. Ant-Man and the Wasp
Ant-Man and the Wasp had a lot riding on it considering it was the first film after the events of Infinity War, however, it didn’t quite match the heights and fun of the first film. Another lackluster villain was introduced which seems to be Marvel’s trend over the past two phases. The film’s best part was the post-credits scene, which left so many questions leading into Endgame.
9. Captain Marvel
Set in the 90’s we get a period piece from the MCU just before Endgame, while the story told the origins of Captain Marvel fine the way it led to the current point in time was a bit of a letdown, as it didn’t. All we got was a post-credit scene which was good, but it would have been nice to see Captain Marvel being exposed to the current time and Earth.
8. Doctor Strange
Doctor Strange introduced the world to the magical side of the MCU. best described as an acid trip, the film’s visuals really excelled and were easily one of the highlights of the film. Doctor Strange was the perfect introduction to the titular character and the world of the wizards where they would have a larger presence in the MCU later down the track.
7. Thor: Ragnarok
Stepping away from the seriousness of the first two films, Taika Waititi embraced the more comedic side of Thor. While it was refreshing to see Thor being portrayed in this way the film did drop the ball somewhat in regards to the Hulk as they had the potential to adapt the World War Hulk/ Planet Hulk storylines (which most definitely should have gotten its own film). Thor: Ragnarok introduced new characters and the film overall is pretty solid with the comedy being blended in nicely with the film’s more serious/emotional scene.
6. Spider-Man: Homecoming
The first Spider-Man film to be introduced in the MCU with a little help from Iron Man/Tony Stark. Homecoming perfectly avoided the classic origin story where we saw the death of Uncle Ben and instead we see Aunt May take a large part of Peter’s life and the relationship that is built between herself and Peter.
5. Captain America: Civil War
Avengers 2.5 as some love to call it, this film really divided the fan base into Team Cap and Team Iron Man. the film introduced us to T’Challa/Black Panther and Spider-Man for the very first time. The film’s villain, Baron Zemo, was an excellent puppet master in creating a rift between the Avengers especially Iron Man and Captain America. Civil War adapted the comic book storyline of the same name quite nicely and even had a few panel-for-panel shots in the film’s fight scenes which feels as if it was ripped straight from the book.
4. Black Panther
Culturally defining not only the world of the MCU but also the real world, Black Panther was an instant classic that paved the way for more cultural representation within the MCU and the film industry. The overall story was fantastic and was only helped by the equally fantastic villain Killmonger portrayed by Michael B Jordan, a villain you could really sympathise with and rally behind, altho his methods were questionable. Accompanied by an excellent musical score and the soundtrack was backed by good visuals of Wakanda which ultimately slipped in the final act as the meme-worthy PS2 fight scene graced our screens.
3. Avengers: Endgame
This was it wasn’t it? Three full phases spanning 11 years all came down to this film and the events that transpired caused a ripple effect within the MCU. Avenger: Endgame was basically a love letter to the first saga of the MCU as we revisited key films within the first three phases. The fan service was absolutely excellent within the film and the major deaths are still felt to this day. It’s safe to say that the MCU has most certainly peaked with this film where nothing will ever be as grand as Endgame where the entire saga was backed by a formidable and terrifying villain in Thanos.
2. Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol.2
Keeping the tone similar to the first film, Volume 2 is an excellent expansion of this franchise. James Gunn retained all the key elements which made the first film a success, a great dynamic between the key members of the group, genuinely funny jokes, and a killer soundtrack. Volume 2 takes the next step up as it also introduces us to new members of the Guardians, shocking plot twists and an emotional death.
1. Avengers: Infinity War
10 years worth of films have been built to the events which transpired in this film. Thanos has finally arrived wreaking havoc on Earth and plenty of other planets and galaxies as we see his quest to obtain all six infinity stones come to life. The script perfectly balances (pun intended) the large ensemble cast as we follow their separate stories which at times integrate with other characters’ stories and blends all together in the final act. The final 5 minutes are still chilling to this day as we witness the dreaded snap and the aftermath that followed. It’s safe to say that the year wait between Infinity War and Endgame was a hard one.
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