The whole world didn't have a single clue as to how Marvel would start a cinematic revolution when Iron Man premiered in 2008. Since that time, the studio has launched countless films, television shows, and animated series that captivated fans all over the world in a manner that has never been seen before. But while all of these are awesome, only a few can rise above the rest and be hailed as among the top Marvel movies of all time. With a list inspired by the content over at Movies Anywhere, we take a good look at Marvel's wide catalog of superhero films and determine the best among them below.

Top 5 Marvel movies of all-time

5. Black Panther

If you told someone years ago that an African hero from a fictional country would become one of the most well-known characters in the western world, you would've been laughed at. That isn't the case anymore ever since Black Panther made his big-screen debut way back in 2018.

Played by the late Chadwick Boseman, this film revolves around T'Challa and his role as both king of Wakanda and as Black Panther, his country's primary protector. What follows is an adventure that beautifully blends a lot of native African elements with themes of family, sacrifice, and politics into the mix.

Perhaps what makes Black Panther stand out from the rest of Marvel's superhero films is that it gave the continent of Africa a hero it can relate to. While the temptation to whitewash certain elements of the movie was there, like the accent and indigenous clothing, the studio went the extra mile to incorporate authenticity and accuracy into the film.

Thanks to this attention to detail and T'Challa's compelling journey that culminated well in the end, Black Panther resonated well with both the box office and the critics. And although the passing of Boseman was very unfortunate, its upcoming sequel promises to do right by the late leading man. In any case, the first one still holds up pretty well these days.

4. Spider-Man: No Way Home

Spider-Man No Way Home trailer is coming says Kevin Feige Marvel Studios

While Homecoming and Far From Home are two Marvel films that exude fun at every given opportunity, Spider-Man's third MCU film is the one that clearly stands out. Released late last year, everyone's favorite webhead, portrayed by Tom Holland, was joined by two actors who previously donned the suit – Andrew Garfield and Tobey Maguire. The end result is one that still has a lot of repercussions, both for the web-slinger and the entire MCU.

As compared to earlier Spider-Man films, No Way Home delivers when it comes to the stakes involved. But while the threat of these villains and a multiversal collapse loomed down on everyone, the union of three Spider-men proved to be greater in the end. That, and the awesome third act of No Way Home truly elevated Marvel from being limited to one universe to a multiverse of infinite storytelling possibilities.

Unlike most superhero movies made by Marvel, No Way Home had lasting repercussions both on Peter Parker and Spider-Man as the whole world forgot the former ever existed. This ending alone is more than enough to make Spider-Man's third MCU film one of the best to come out from the studio.

Speaking of infinite possibilities, Movies Anywhere has a sweet My List feature that allows anyone to create their preferred list consisting of different genres of movies. Filmmaker and comic book writer Kevin Smith went ahead and created a list of his own, which contains movies that made him who he is to this day.

3. Iron Man

At this point in time, there'll be a lot of Phase One Marvel films that wouldn't hold up today. While that may be the case, the clear exception here is Tony Stark's first foray on the big screen – Iron Man.

First shown in 2008, there weren't any high hopes that this Avenger's debut will make such a big splash. But thanks to Robert Downey Jr.'s immense amount of talent and Jon Favreau's vision, both Stark and Iron Man came to life and spawned a cinematic universe that no one has ever dethroned.

Setting the results aside, the movie can still provide a good time to anyone discovering it for the first time, or for those avid fans who just want to rewatch this masterpiece again. In any case, viewers will never get tired of Downey's electric performance. That, seeing how the MCU was birthed in this film. Judging by these reasons, there's more than enough merit to brand 2008's Iron Man as one of Marvel's finest creations.

2. Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame

Technically, Infinity War and Endgame are two films. While that may be the case, they can be considered as one since the entire story starts and ends with them both.

In a nutshell, these two Avengers movies are the culmination of Marvel's Phase One, Two, and Three. And boy, what a crescendo it is as the seeds planted in Iron Man and watered through the studio's early films finally blossom here.

Even without any prior knowledge of the MCU, anyone can jump right in and have a great time with these films. The action sequences used by the Russo Brothers are top-notch, the pacing helps keep viewers at the edge of their seats, and the antagonist is one that cleverly blurs the line between good and bad. Plus, Infinity War's ending was one that really messed up anyone who saw it with most of the heroes dying from the snap.

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Thanks to an arc that places him front and center, Thanos's presence has made the overall plot of Infinity Way and Endgame more gripping and exhilarating. Add the wide cast of heroes coming together and the action they all generate and you've got yourselves a pair of Marvel movies that will be dearly loved in the years to come.

1. Captain America: The Winter Soldier

Although Iron Man was the first, both Infinity War and Endgame served an insane story, and No Way Home opened the multiverse up, it's Captain America: The Winter Soldier that changed the game for the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Before it came out, there was a certain formula Marvel movies adhered to – good guy fights bad guy and the former wins against all odds. In Winter Soldier's case, its twist and turns blurred that formula by making Bucky the primary antagonist here, albeit an unwilling one.

The film's action-packed third act, as exciting as it can be, gave way to a resolution that fans never expected – the revelation that Hydra was always part of S.H.I.E.L.D. and that the only way to resolve this mess is to get rid of the spy agency. This ending was seen as the first of its kind that truly delivered lasting consequences to the MCU as it moved forward. Even up to this day, fans consider the move to have the terrorist group infiltrate Nick Fury's organization as a ballsy one.

With these in mind, there's really little to take away from The Winter Soldier. But be that as it may, there are really no losers here with all of the Marvel films stated above. Anyone can watch them and get their money's worth at the end of them all.