Summary
- The original Avengers’ solo projects contributed significantly to the success of the MCU.
- Iron Man 2 was a big disappointment with a weak villain, too many characters, and a lack of excitement.
- Captain America: The Winter Soldier is the MCU’s best grounded film, with Marvel attempting to recreate its success multiple times.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe is only the major success that it is today because of the original Avengers cast, as the stars contributed to the franchise with several solo projects over the past two decades. After uniting for the first time in 2012’s The Avengers, Marvel’s original six main heroes — Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, Hulk, Black Widow, and Hawkeye — would go on to have their MCU journeys intimately connected.
That became evident in the MCU’s Avengers movies, but it also extended beyond them. Multiple Avengers played roles in one or more solo projects of the team’s other members. Each original MCU Avenger contributed to the shared universe by establishing a solid corner of it and introducing new heroes and villains in their solo projects, though some of them were better than others.
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13 Iron Man 2
Released In 2010
Iron Man 2
The third film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Iron Man 2, is an action-superhero film that occurs six months after the original film’s events. After outing himself as the heavy metal superhero known as Iron Man, Tony Stark goes to great lengths to avoid demands from the government for his tech. But, unfortunately, the technology Tony used to save his life is beginning to impact his health inversely – just in time for a man named Ivan Vanko to arrive, who creates his version of the Iron Man tech to settle a decades-long score with Howard Stark’s son.
- Release Date
- May 7, 2010
- Runtime
- 124 minutes
Iron Man 2 is one of the MCU’s biggest disappointments. The movie followed the excellent Iron Man in Robert Downey Jr.’s solo franchise as Tony Stark. However, instead of improving on the great foundation established by its predecessor, Iron Man 2 was a dull entry in the MCU that had very little going for it.
Mickey Rourke’s Whiplash is easily one of the MCU’s worst villains, with his entire story and role being boring. There were also too many storylines and characters in the film, with it feeling like Marvel’s setup for the MCU’s future. Still, RDJ was as likable as always as Iron Man, and Scarlett Johansson had a great debut as Black Widow.
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12 Thor: The Dark World
Released In 2013
Thor: The Dark World and Iron Man 2 are more or less interchangeable at the bottom of the list. Chris Hemsworth’s second solo movie as Thor is definitely his worst. The movie tried to go for a darker tone, only to come out uninspired and bland. There was almost no fun or excitement to be had.
Thor: The Dark World has a couple of redeeming qualities that rank it higher than Iron Man 2. Tom Hiddleston’s Loki and his interactions with Hemsworth’s Thor are captivating and deepen in the movie when compared to 2011’s Thor. The sequel’s handling of Frigga’s death and its impact on the characters is also a high point.
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11 The Incredible Hulk
Released In 2008
The Incredible Hulk
The second film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is The Incredible Hulk, which was released in 2008. The film introduced a new backstory for the Hulk to differentiate it from the 2003 movie, Hulk. Actor Edward Norton played the role of the green hulk, and his alter ego Bruce Banner. He is joined by actress Liv Tyler who plays his love interest, Dr. Elizabeth “Betty” Ross. Betty’s father, General Thunderbolt Ross (William Hurt), is hoping to recreate a World War II supersoldier program and, in the process, exposes Bruce to gamma radiation that transforms him into the Hulk. He flees to find a cure for himself but is eventually tracked down by Thunderbolt, who forms an alliance with Emil Blonsky (Tim Roth). After The Incredible Hulk, Mark Ruffalo took over the character for subsequent movies in the MCU.
- Director
- Louis Leterrier
- Release Date
- June 13, 2008
- Runtime
- 112 minutes
The MCU has only had one Hulk movie due to the character’s complicated rights issues. As it stands, Mark Ruffalo, who has played the hero since 2012’s The Avengers, willl seemingly never get a solo film. That makes The Incredible Hulk, with Edward Norton as Bruce Banner, a relic of the MCU’s past.
The movie is mostly forgettable, with a few good fights between the Hulk and Abomination, as well as sporadic character moments. More could have been done with Banner’s trauma and the duality of the character, with The Incredible Hulk‘s decision to cut Banner’s suicide attempt being one of the things that hurt the film. In the end, it felt very formulaic.
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10 Thor
Released In 2011
Thor
Chris Hemsworth’s MCU debut as the Asgardian God of Thunder saw him navigating the ultimare sibling rivalry and parental expectations. Kenneth Branagh’s theatrical adaptation of the long-running Marvel Comics deals with Thor’s quest to prove himself worthy. Banished to Earth for his impulsiveness and tendency to violence, Thor must earn his destiny, while Tom Hiddleston’s Loki tries to destroy him.
- Release Date
- May 6, 2011
- Runtime
- 115 minutes
Hemsworth’s first solo outing as Thor is a unique entry in the MCU. The movie is the only one directed by Kenneth Branagh in the franchise, who made Asgard feel very alive and look as grandiose as it should be. There is a classic hero’s journey to follow in this one.
Arrogant and selfish, Thor is sent to Earth by Odin, only to return when he is worthy. The film does a great job of showing just how different Thor is from humans like Natalie Portman’s Jane Foster. It is interesting to see that romance bloom and Thor start to change his ways the more time he spends on Mdigard. 2011’s Thor sets up the hero’s future appearances nicely.
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9 Thor: Love and Thunder
Released In 2022
Thor: Love and Thunder
Thor: Love & Thunder is the fourth Thor film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and director Taika Waititi’s second outing with the character. The movie finds Thor (Chris Hemsworth) on a journey to find inner piece. But when Gorr the God Butcher (Christian Bale) goes on a killing rampage against the gods, Thor is thrown back into the action. Tessa Thompson returns as Valkyrie, as does Waititi’s Korg. Natalie Portman also returns to the franchise for the first time in nine years as Jane Foster, who transforms into the Mighty Thor to wield Mjolnir.
- Release Date
- July 8, 2022
- Runtime
- 118 minutes
Thor: Love and Thunder is one of the most controversial entries among the original Avengers’ solo projects. The movie could have been so much more, as it came from director Taika Waititi, who had successfully turned the franchise around with Thor: Ragnarok. Sadly, a mismatch of tones and lack of screen time for Christian Bale’s Gorr the God Butcher led to disappointment.
Still, there is a lot of fun to be had in Thor: Love and Thunder. Most of the movie’s comedic elements work when they are applied at the right time. Hemsworth and Portman continue to have great chemistry, and the actress’ MCU return as the Mighty Thor was worth the long wait. The movie is viewed in a bad light due to how much better it could have been.
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8 Black Widow
Released In 2021
Black Widow
Black Widow is a film about Natasha Romanoff in her quests between the films Civil War and Infinity War. This is the 24th installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the first solo film for Black Widow, one of the original six Avengers. The character previously appeared in seven MCU films, including all four Avengers movies. Black Widow was originally scheduled for May 2020 but was delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
- Director
- Cate Shortland
- Release Date
- July 9, 2021
- Runtime
- 134 minutes
Despite being one of the first members of the Avengers to be introduced in the MCU, Scarlett Johansson’s Black Widow would be one of the last to get a solo project. The Black Widow movie took so long to get made that Natasha Romanoff was dead by the time it came around. As such, the film follows a story set in the heroine’s past.
2021’s Black Widow is a fun MCU entry. It introduced two fan-favorite characters in the form of Thunderbolts*‘s Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova and David Harbour as Red Guardian. Natasha’s past with the Red Room and her family were both finally explored in detail, clearing up many of the mysteries surrounding the character. Sadly, the movie came in too late, preventing the Black Widow franchise from being built.
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7 Iron Man 3
Released In 2013
Iron Man 3
Iron Man 3 pits genius-billionaire-playboy-philanthropist Tony Stark (Iron Man) against the Mandarin, an enemy whose reach knows no bounds. When Stark finds his world destroyed by his mysterious antagonist, he embarks on a dangerous quest to find those responsible. His journey will test his character at every turn. With his back against the wall, Stark is left to survive by his own devices, relying on his ingenuity and instincts to protect those closest to him and determine whether or not the suit makes the man or if Tony himself is the hero.
- Director
- Shane Black
- Release Date
- May 3, 2013
- Runtime
- 130 Mins
Iron Man 3 is one of the MCU’s most underrated movies. It does not reach the heights of the original Iron Man or some of the MCU’s best films, but there is still an emotional story at the movie’s core. The bond that forms between Tony Stark and the young Harley Keener is quite sweet.
The final Iron Man movie in the MCU also does a great job of focusing on how The Avengers impacted Tony Stark. The character has panic attacks due to his near-death experience in the crossover film, with Tony even deciding to abandon his life as Iron Man. However, the short-lived nature of that decision hurts Iron Man 3 in hindsight.
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6 Hawkeye
Released In 2021
Hawkeye (2021)
In Hawkeye, former Avenger Clint Barton, AKA Hawkeye, has a seemingly simple mission: get back to his family for Christmas. Unfortunately for him, things get derailed when Kate Bishop, a 22-year-old archer with dreams of becoming a superhero, accidentally steals a suit from his dark past. Kate, who idolizes the Avenger after watching him face the odds as a child during the events of the first Avengers film, wants to learn from him, but he wants to bury his past and move on. However, the two are forced to work together when a presence from Barton’s past threatens to derail far more than the festive spirit. Hawkeye acts as the introduction point for Kate Bishops’ entry into the Marvel Cinematic Universe and will have a semi-continuation of some of its essential cast members in Marvel’s Echo, arriving on Disney+ in 2023.
- Release Date
- November 24, 2021
- Seasons
- 1
- Number of Episodes
- 6
Marvel Studios’ Disney+ series have been a bit of a mixed bag. However, Hawkeye is one of the most enjoyable shows to come out of the streamer. That is in great part due to Hailee Steinfeld’s MCU debut as Kate Bishop, with the actress’s bubbly young hero playing off Jeremy Renner’s grumpy veteran Clint Barton perfectly, with Renner finally getting a solo project in the MCU.
Hawkeye is a fast-paced series that has a lot of fun with the dynamic between its lead characters and their power sets, with plenty of trick arrows. The show was also responsible for the return of Vincent D’Onofrio as Kingpin. While different from his time in Netflix’s Daredevil, Wilson Fisk’s Hawkeye finale appearance upped the show’s stakes considerably.
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5 Captain America: The First Avenger
Released In 2011
Captain America: The First Avenger
Captain America: The First Avenger is a 2011 superhero movie starring Chris Evans as Steve Rogers, a weak patriotic civilian who becomes the test subject for the military’s Super Soldier project. The film was the fifth film in the long-running MCU franchise and also starred Samuel L. Jackson, Hugo Weaving, Hayley Atwell, and Sebastian Stan.
- Director
- Joe Johnston
- Release Date
- July 22, 2011
- Runtime
- 124 Minutes
The Avengers helped Chris Evans’ Captain America explode in popularity, with the hero firmly becoming one of the moving forces of the MCU. However, before that, the character debuted in 2011’s Captain America: The First Avenger. The movie did a fantastic job of telling Steve Rogers’ origin story, with the war setting making it a unique entry in the franchise.
Evans showed off his insane charisma in the role right from the start. The eventual leader of the Avengers is a solid pillar of the MCU, with Evans’ Captain America movies being among the franchise’s best. His MCU debut set up many of the relationships and storylines he would continue to explore in the future.
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4 Iron Man
Released In 2008
Iron Man
Iron Man is the first film in the long-running Marvel Cinematic Universe franchise. Robert Downey Jr. stars as Tony Stark, who becomes Iron Man after he is kidnapped and discovers terrorists are using weapons developed by Stark Industries. Gwyneth Paltrow stars as Tony’s love interest Pepper Potts alongside Jon Favreau as Happy Hogan and Jeff Bridges as the villainous Obadiah Stane.
- Release Date
- May 2, 2008
- Runtime
- 126 minutes
The MCU started with a bang. Robert Downey Jr.’s first time playing Tony Stark, 2008’s Iron Man, is the best first solo project from any of the MCU’s original Avengers. RDJ just exhaled the same energy Tony Stark is known for in the comics, delivering a charismatic performance that served as the basis for the entire franchise.
While many Multiverse Saga projects have been criticized due to bad VFX, Iron Man‘s still hold to this day.
Iron Man had a great story, compelling characters, engaging action, and a decent villain. One of the movie’s strongest aspects is it’s CGI. While many Multiverse Saga projects have been criticized due to bad VFX, Iron Man‘s still hold to this day, with some even thinking Tony Stark’s suits of armor look the best they have ever looked in that first film.
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3 Thor: Ragnarok
Released In 2017
Thor: Ragnarok
Thor: Ragnarok is the third Thor solo film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the first directed by Taika Waititi. In the sequel, Thor (Chris Hemsworth) finds himself stranded on Sakaar, ruled by the Grandmaster (Jeff Goldblum). Soon he teams with Bruce Banner/Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson), and Loki (Tom Hiddleston) to return to Asgard and defeat his sister Hela.
- Release Date
- November 3, 2017
- Runtime
- 130 Minutes
Thor: Ragnarok is one of the MCU’s best movies and the best of Hemsworth’s Thor films. Director Taika Waititi struck the perfect balance between comedy and drama in his first Thor movie. Ragnarok was the jolt of energy that the character needed, sending Hemsworth’s hero on his most exciting MCU streak, which includes Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame.
Mark Ruffalo’s Hulk added some great MCU interconnectivity and established a nice friendship between him and Thor.
Thor and Loki’s chemistry was in full force in the MCU movie, with the characters finally becoming the best friends fans had hoped the brothers would turn into. Cate Blanchett’s Hela added a sense of dread to the movie, destroying Mjolnir and committing a bloodbath in Asgard. Thor lost a lot in the movie, but he ended it the strongest he has ever been.
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2 Captain America: Civil War
Released In 2016
Many call Captain America: Civil War a kind of Avengers movie. While it is true that the film features many major MCU characters, Evans’ Steve Rogers is still the focus and beating heart of the film. Captain America: Civil War put Rogers against RDJ’s Iron Man, both philosophically and physically.
Zemo proved himself one of the MCU’s most cunning villains, engineering a rift among the Avengers. It was interesting to see the Avengers break up, fighting each other over a complicated moral matter in the form of the Sokovia Accords. Evans’ final Captain America solo movie was an energetic affair that had emotional moments, shocking twists, climactic fights, and more.
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1 Captain America: The Winter Soldier
Released In 2014
Captain America: The Winter Soldier
Captain America: The Winter Soldier is the ninth entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. After being awoken from cryosleep in the previous film, Steve Rogers struggles to embrace his role in the modern world. As he adjusts, he must battle a new threat from old history: the Soviet agent known as the Winter Soldier.
- Release Date
- April 4, 2014
- Runtime
- 136 minutes
Finally, Captain America: The Winter Soldier is the best solo project from the MCU’s original Avengers. The film is the ultimate Captain America story, full of political intrigue, shocking reveals, great character dynamics, and exciting action. Evans’ Steve Rogers has great chemistry with Scarlett Johansson’s Black Widow, his partner in crime in the movie.
Sebastian Stan’s return to the MCU as a villain version of Bucky led to some of the franchise’s best fights and most impactful moments. Captain America: The Winter Soldier is the MCU’s perfect grounded thriller. Since then, Marvel has been trying to copy the film’s best aspects, though it has yet to succeed, and no solo project from any of the original Avengers tops it.
