The fact that I’m doing non-Marvel Cinematic Universe Marvel rankings —and not the other way around— would have been worth quite the laugh not even two decades ago. (MCU rankings here.)
When Marvel Comics was going bankrupt in the 90s, they started auctioning off movie rights to their flagship characters. Sony went in for Spider-Man —fatefully rejecting an expanded deal to have rights to the whole Marvel roster— also obtaining Ghost Rider and Luke Cage.
Fox acquired Marvel’s teams, the Fantastic Four and the X-Men, as well as Daredevil. Universal received the Hulk, Lionsgate got the Punisher and New Line Cinema went for Blade. The vampire hunter actually received the first big-budget Marvel release in 1998.
Nobody wanted Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, Black Panther, Black Widow, Doctor Strange, Wasp, Ant-Man or Captain Marvel. The Guardians of the Galaxy were surely not even discussed, except perhaps as some studio big shot's punchline.
Unlike DC Comics, who are wholly owned by Warner Bros., Marvel’s character rights are distributed across several big companies. (For now.) Their foray into movies hasn’t been wholly amazing. Or incredible. Or spectacular. Or fantastic. Or superior or uncanny or astonishing or invincible.
By all accounts, there has been more bad than good. Outside of the MCU, the various studios have produced far more duds than winners. It’s always unfortunate to see a group of folks paid to make movies collaborate to create something terrible.
But here we are. Several TV shows are included though the focus with me, as always, are the movies.
49. The Punisher (1989)
Terrible. Even for the 80s.
48. Fantastic Four (2015)
The movie inexplicably skips a large chunk of time at one point. If only that actually happened in real life.
47. Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance
The first Ghost Rider is sufficiently average, at best. The sequel uses some unorthodox camera work which adds nausea to nausea. I guess Idris Elba wasn’t hand-picking roles yet.
46. Blade: Trinity
I'll give the Blade team credit for getting a whole trilogy out of Wesley Snipes and company. Now we wait in high spirits for the Mahershala Ali version.
46. Blade: Trinity
I'll give the Blade team credit for getting a whole trilogy out of Wesley Snipes and company. Now we wait in high spirits for the Mahershala Ali version.
45. Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer
Another sequel that flopped after a flop. Marvel’s original team deserves better, clocking in at an unusually short 92-minute superhero run time to simply get this thing over with.
44. Morbius
I saw Morbius with a free movie pass and I still left the theater feeling ripped off. It became evident very quickly that Sony put little effort into this thing and knew they would still turn a pretty penny with the Marvel name. Shamelessly marketing the film as the "Next Marvel Legend" was indicative of the cash grab it turned out to be.
43. Nick Fury: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.
That it’s made for made-for-TV excuses its blatant mediocrity. HOWEVER, David Hasselhoff flexes his charm to give the film something to desire.
42. The Punisher (2004)
Another pretty bad Punisher film (they would even go for three) that is saved from the depths of despair, at least in my eyes, by a strong Frank Castle portrayal from Thomas Jane.
41. Venom: Let There Be Carnage
The first Venom at least tried to do something. Let There Be Carnage ramps up on everything I didn't like from the first one: Eddie and Venom's banter, potty humor, and absolutely no story direction. I expected more from the movie, and I expect more from audiences, and shame on me for both.
40. X-Men: Apocalypse
The X-Men cinematic universe is obviously a huge mess. But First Class and Days of Future Past had done wonders to right Fox’s narrative wrongs. With Apocalypse, they destroyed any such progress.
39. Blade II
The Blade movies are gory, aggressive and violent. A unique, no holds barred character, he's like Deadpool without the jokes.
38. Ghost Rider
There’s a weird sadness in Nicolas Cage’s eyes. He’s solid as the Rider himself, but any attempt to humanize Johnny Blaze is pretty corny.
The jumping off point in Spider-Man television for yours truly. Drake Bell as the titular hero isn’t the problem, as bizarre as that sounds, and the full Marvel roster at the show’s disposal is a big plus. The content, though, is frustratingly juvenile.
36. X-Men: Dark Phoenix
I must say that Dark Phoenix, in spite of its own existence, has its moments. Yes, it's pretty bad and you spend a lot of time rolling your eyes just as Michael Fassbender's Magneto literally does at one point, but there are moments in Fox's final X-Men movie that make you wonder what could have been with this criminally mishandled franchise.
36. X-Men: Dark Phoenix
I must say that Dark Phoenix, in spite of its own existence, has its moments. Yes, it's pretty bad and you spend a lot of time rolling your eyes just as Michael Fassbender's Magneto literally does at one point, but there are moments in Fox's final X-Men movie that make you wonder what could have been with this criminally mishandled franchise.
35. Venom
Once Venom finally shows up, the 2018 film packs a punch despite possessing the writing and competence of the previous generation’s superhero flicks. (Many of which are on this list!)
34. X-Men: The Last Stand
Bryan Singer ditched the franchise once he had the chance to direct Superman Returns, taking Cyclops actor James Marsden with him. Marsden’s character, one of the most popular X-Men, is awkwardly killed off in the movie’s opening minutes. It’s chaotic and weird but pretty entertaining if you embrace the cheese.
33. Iron Man and Captain America: Heroes United
Marvel’s animated collection isn’t super strong and has pretty much been abandoned with the meteoric rise of the MCU. This animated movie is decent, but weirdly reuses a lot of score from Captain America: The First Avenger which feels disingenuous.
32. Spider-Man (TV series, 1967)
Corny but with the times. Not unlike Adam West’s Batman, there was a time for this kind of show and that time has passed.
31. Ultimate Avengers 2: Rise of the Panther
The Ultimate comic-verse is a different take on the Marvel universe, reimagined to reignite comic book sales in the early 2000s. A pair of okay movies were made about them.
30. Daredevil
Ben Affleck is not the problem here. But he’s not the solution either. Bullseye and Kingpin are worthy adversaries and it’s a faithful Daredevil tale. Shoutout to Jon Favreau for playing both Foggy Nelson and Happy Hogan.
29. The Invincible Iron Man
Released a year before the live-action version of Iron Man changed everything. Marvel’s animated partnership with Lionsgate was never really explored.
28. Thor: Tales of Asgard
Animated movie about Thor and Loki’s complicated brotherhood.
27. Hulk
Ang Lee’s highly anticipated Hulk movie gets a bit nutty in the second half, but Eric Bana is solid as the main protagonist and the action is impressive. (Though it hasn't aged well.)
26. Ultimate Avengers
It’s fondly remembered by me as being heavily focused on Captain America’s defrosted arrival to the new world.
25. Blade
The first big Marvel movie is bonkers. Wesley Snipes is fantastic as the conflicted vampire hunter and Kris Kristofferson is a lovable grizzly tough guy mentor.
24. Fantastic Four (2005)
I liked it enough and it certainly stands out amongst the two other terrible Fantastic Four movies in 2007 and 2015.
23. Hulk Versus
A two-part animated blood fest that pits the Hulk against Thor (and Loki) on Asgard and Wolverine in his homeland Canada.
The character’s dual identity as both hero and lawyer is an extremely rich playground and the violent, gritty tone was a nice contrast to the MCU.
21. Doctor Strange: The Sorcerer Supreme
The animated movies mostly retell stories that have been frequented on paper, but this Doctor Strange picture brings up a whole new character, Stephen Strange’s younger sister April.
20. X-Men Origins: Wolverine
My love for Hugh Jackman certainly elevates this movie. I think it’s actually pretty serviceable to start, telling a worthwhile Wolverine origin story that turns Sabretooth into a sort of Loki-esque rival. Not honorably mentioned: “Deadpool.”
19. The Spectacular Spider-Man (TV series, 2008)
Another short-lived Spidey serial that was meant to be a long-term animated series for Sony and Marvel. Before the scheduled third season took place, the show was canceled after Disney bought Marvel and their animation umbrella. It’s good, but foreshadows some of the more kiddy and thinly written elements of its successor, Ultimate Spider-Man.
18. Planet Hulk
Perhaps the greatest Hulk comic, later serving as the DNA to Thor: Ragnarok because Marvel can’t make a Hulk film without Universal Studios, the animated compatriot is one of the better animated Marvel films.
17. X-Men
My biggest problem with the X-Men movies isn’t the timeline — though that’s a colossal (pun!) mess — but rather the casting. Outside of the home runs such as Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen and Hugh Jackman, Fox has long struggled to cast the extensive X-Men roster. (Jennifer Lawrence taking this particular cake.)
16. X-Men: First Class
After The Last Stand disaster and a tepid response to Wolverine’s first solo outing, a reboot was in store. Kick-Ass director Matthew Vaughn came in and successfully put the franchise back on track before departing to helm Kingsman. Casting the deep X-Men roster was still an issue and pretty much everyone outside of James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender and Kevin Bacon underdeliver.
15. The Wolverine
Logan has substantial comic heritage in Japan, and the samurai sword combat mixed with those Adamantium claws is worth the trip across the Pacific. Jackman is on top of his game, once again committing heart and soul to the role of Wolverine. Things start out great but gradually turn to just good enough by the conclusion.
14. Spider-Man: The New Animated Series (TV series, 2003)
All but forgotten among the animated superhero collection, this show was on MTV and Neil Patrick Harris voiced Spider-Man. The show lasted just a season thanks to ratings, but was a surprisingly mature take on a character that even more surprisingly appealed to me at 10 years old. Guess I was just a super mature kid. It ends with a cliffhanger that promised some seriously cool storytelling...
13. X2: X-Men United
After Marvel’s first cinematic blockbuster with X-Men, the sequel got to graduate past introductions galore. The narrative once again focuses heavily on Xavier, Magneto and Wolverine, adding William Stryker’s Weapon X Project to the mix. Unfortunately, the rest of the X-Men core -- Cyclops, Jean Grey and Storm -- are pretty much just along for the ride.
12. Deadpool
After righting the course of their flagship X-Men movies, Fox decided to make it up to Ryan Reynolds for his 2009 Wolverine appearance. That wasn’t Deadpool, it was more like a very pissed off Pokemon Ditto. With Reynolds' passion and determination not allowing the project to fail, it passed with bright, sparkling colors.
The X-Men films have struggled to keep up with the evolution of comic book movies, failing to capitalize on a gigantic roster of heroes and villains. They’ve given Wolverine three tries, the third no doubt the best of them and benefiting greatly by existing in near oblivion to the rest of the franchise’s convoluted canon and taking inspiration from Mark Millar’s iconic Old Man Logan comic.
10. Deadpool 2
The first Deadpool sufficiently shocked the world. A potty mouth with a penchant for poop jokes was a match made in heaven for a modern audience. The sequel is definitely helped by the presence of Josh Brolin’s Cable and a colorful collection of other supporting characters like Domino, Brad Pitt and Ricky Baker.
9. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
Your thoughts on the Spider-Verse sequel may depend on whether you are aware that it is the first of two parts, with Beyond the Spider-Verse due in 2025. It's not a secret (having been announced in 2021), but was shrewdly kept out of marketing. There is no complete story here, but the sequel to the revolutionary 2018 animated film still keeps the momentum going and is a psychedelic comic book thrill ride, even if the story isn't quite as bam! smack! or pow! as its predecessor.
8. X-Men: Days of Future Past
Quite the ambitious step after First Class to not only bring back the original X-Men players, but do it alongside the new ones. It sounds foolhardy on paper, but damn it they made it work. The 2014 X-Men movie stands among the rest in terms of not only entertainment, but is made with welcome competency.
7. Spider-Man (TV series, 1994)
Growing up with this series, I remember watching it in my parents’ bedroom on weeknights, being extra careful not to ruffle mom and dad’s sheets during my 30-minute allowance. The times, as they say, have changed. Now I can watch reruns of the animated series on my refrigerator.
6. The Amazing Spider-Man
Had it not been shrouded by a cloud questioning its own rebooted existence, the movie would have been far more popular. It deserved better and still does to this day, an underappreciated Spidey adventure with a big heart and a phenomenal cast.
5. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
When Spider-Verse arrived in 2018, I was unsure what to expect. Especially after Sony's first literal Spider-Verse movie, Venom, landed with a whimper. But with Phil Lord and Chris Miller (Jump Street, Lego Movie, almost Han Solo) attached as writer-producers, I was cautiously optimistic. It ended up being one of the most creative, entertaining movie experiences ever.
5. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
When Spider-Verse arrived in 2018, I was unsure what to expect. Especially after Sony's first literal Spider-Verse movie, Venom, landed with a whimper. But with Phil Lord and Chris Miller (Jump Street, Lego Movie, almost Han Solo) attached as writer-producers, I was cautiously optimistic. It ended up being one of the most creative, entertaining movie experiences ever.
4. Spider-Man 3
A dance number marred the memory of the third and final Sam Raimi movie, but despite Sony’s castration of the director insisting he include Venom no matter what, he turns in another winner. Unfortunately, we will never have a proper resolution to one of the most influential Hollywood trilogies of all time... superhero or not.
3. The Amazing Spider-Man 2
The Amazing sequel overextends itself in trying to set up sequels and spinoffs all at once (very much studio interference), but it remains one of my all-time favorites in terms of action, score, pacing and heart. Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone are difference-makers and despite going a little over the top, I really sympathized with Electro and New Green Goblin.
2. Spider-Man
After X-Men got the ball rolling, all eyes were on Spider-Man. Raimi comes from the horror genre and his Evil Dead roots, but make no mistake this man is a treasure chest of Spidey intelligence. I guess you could say his pivotal comic book film is… scary good. (I’d be less proud of that if it weren’t so true.) Over 20 years later, the OG still holds up as a barometer for superhero success.
1. Spider-Man 2
“Sequels are never as good as the original” is one of those statements that people only say when it momentarily applies to the current discussion. It’s simply not the case. For example, Superman II, The Empire Strikes Back, Batman Returns, The Dark Knight, The Winter Soldier, and to step outside my nerd bubble, please acceptThe Godfather Part II.
Spider-Man 2 is my second-favorite super hero movie of all time, only behind Captain America: The Winter Soldier. The 2004 sequel breaks ground in so many ways for the superhero genre. Namely in storytelling, tone, action and the all-important visual effects factor. Doc Ock’s mechanical arms —which were a mix of practical and CGI effects— and the high-flying web-slinging action (like the train sequence) took everything that was possible about comic book movies and threw it off the George Washington Bridge like Gwen Stacey.
(Ok, that, I’m not proud of. But we’re at the end of the arti—)
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