Ranking the Marvel Cinematic Universe: The Phase Five Update
In 2008, a burgeoning, then-independent Marvel Studios was up against the impossible. The landscape of superhero films was dominated by the likes of Fox’s X-Men trilogy, Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man , and, the titan of them all, Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy. And yet, this new studio sought to carve out a niche for itself and its soon-to-be franchise in the minds of the masses. Armed with a director whose biggest hit was Elf (2003), a washed-up star, and a B-list alcoholic superhero, Iron Man opened to a strong box office and positive critical reception, all the while Marvel Studios began scheming for something even more ambitious. In a mid-credits stinger featuring Samuel L. Jackson, the film promised something hitherto unseen: a universe full of interconnected heroes all building towards a common end. In the seventeen-plus years since the release of Iron Man, the Marvel Cinematic Universe (or MCU for short) has carved out a massive share of the international box office lan...
