Warning: This article may contain spoilers for the Marvel Cinematic Universe movies.

Disclaimer: I worked this article in December of last year. I didn't get the final product done until now so that is why it is only through 2017. Thank you.

The Marvel Cinematic universe is proceeding to do something that has never before been attempted in cinema history. It is looking to conclude its 22 film narrative arc with Avengers 4 coming out in 2019. No other movie franchise has tried to form such an interconnected, over-arching universe that all their films reside in. This is why Marvel Studios and the company that owns them, Disney, are the envy of every other movie studio trying to launch their own version of Marvel's universe.

Starting in 2008 and continuing to the end of 2017 as of now, Marvel Studios has produced 17 feature films that combined, make up the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Most of these films have been met with much fanfare but there has been a few that have fallen out of favor over the years. This post is a passion project of mine, as I am a massive fan of this amazing universe. This list is strictly my opinion and I am encouraged to hear back from people with their own lists. Also, just because I rank a film last doesn't mean that I think it is a horrible film. If it's last that means it's not as good, in my mind, comparatively to the other films in the universe. So without further ado, this is my Marvel Cinematic Universe film rankings starting with 17.....

17- 'Thor: The Dark World' (2013)

The second film under the Thor franchise, Thor: The Dark World struggled to find any traction when it was released. This movie is last on my list because compared to the other sixteen MCU films, it leaves you the least satisfied. The film is decent in all respects but suffers from a convoluted plot and shallow villain. This movie is a must watch strictly for the brotherly banter between Thor and Loki. They had been through a lot leading to this movie and you really felt like they were going to finally join together. Loki by far is the greatest villain Marvel has produced in film and is an amazing treat to watch anytime he is on screen. This movie really struggles to find it's footing but is by no means unwatchable. The end also contains the best twist, in my opinion, that has occurred in the Marvel Universe.

16- 'Iron Man 2' (2010)

The film that got the first real mixed review for the MCU. In recent years people have gone as far as to say that this movie almost derailed the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In hindsight, this movie suffers too much from what Marvel has become accustomed to and that is "universe world building." In recent Marvel films, they have really been able to add little things that help expand out the universe and widen the scope of what they can do. Iron Man 2 was their first attempt at trying this formula and it just was overstuffed. They attempted to put in too many plot threads and overused Nick Fury's ability to gather the Avengers. Robert Downey Jr reminds us why he is perfect to play the sarcastic, self-centered Tony Stark. The addition of Scarlett Johansen as Black Widow and Don Cheadle taking the mantle of War Machine are welcome choices to the franchise. In the end, this film just tried to do too much and didn't really get a chance to focus on one solid plot.

15- 'The Incredible Hulk' (2008)

The black sheep of the MCU, The Incredible Hulk has rarely been mentioned in the rest of the films to date. There have been a few little calls to the movie through Banner's dialogue, but the main reminder we have that this movie still exists in the universe is Thunderbolt Ross' apperance in Civil War. Unfortunately for this movie, it loses a lot of its connections because Mark Ruffalo has replaced Edward Norton as the Hulk. This makes it hard to believe, when watching this movie, that it actually exists within the MCU but then you get that quick cameo from Tony Stark at the end and everything is in place again.

14- 'Thor' (2011)

The God of Thunder has had a rough cinematic run when he has to carry his own movie. The sequel was a fun mess and the original didn't fair much better. Thor had a really hard task at taking the very grounded, at this time, MCU and adding a cosmic feel to it. It was no easy feat and in the end the movie did what it needed to do. Chris Hemsworth shined as the God out of place on Earth and Anthony Hopkins' demeanor brought the All Father to life. Maybe the greatest accomplishment this movie can boast is that it brought the greatest villain that the MCU has produced, Loki the God of Mischief. I would watch this movie for his performance alone.

13- 'Ant-Man' (2015)

One of the more obscure titles that Marvel has delivered us in their nine year run has been Ant Man. This film, just like the original Guardians movie, was doubted from the very moment it was revealed. People never thought it would amount to much, but it turned out to be an enjoyable chapter to the world. It was a small scale theft story that gave it a different feel from previous movies. Paul Rudd shined as the lovable thief Scott Lang and it delivered a lot of cool visuals and new universes that will come into play later. Unfortunately, the movie just fails in comparison to the other spectacles that make the list.

12- 'Iron Man 3' (2013)

Iron Man 3 had the ambitious task of starting Phase 2 and also following up the success of the first Avengers movie. It tells a great story and I love that fact that it forces Stark to be a hero without his suit. It is a great emotional arc for him as he realizes that he himself, not the suit, is Iron Man. For me, what drops this down my list is the simple problem of the Mandarin. I thought the idea of the big twist was clever but to take such a classic villain of Iron Man and put him as a distraction was a waste of his potential.

11- 'Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2' (2017)

The return of the rag tag group of heros just took place this year and it was another solid outing for Marvel. In the typical Guardians fashion, it brought back the great music along with the great chemistry the group has. It was a great film but I felt like it was a small retread of the original without the same heart. Kurt Russell was amazing as Ego but unfortunately for me the film seemed to have a slowed pace once they arrived on his planet. I felt it made the movie seem long when they could have added some different elements to make it flow better. Loved Yondu's character arc though. He will always be "Mary Poppins Y'all."

10- 'Avengers: Age of Ultron' (2015)

The second installment in the Avengers series was just an action packed thrill ride from the very beginning. Unfortunately, I feel like that's where the problems were. It seemed like this film was so jam-packed with world building and action that it lost site of it's own story. It didn't seem to have enough time to breath and show all it's details. The Avengers cast all shined like normal, and the three new additions, Scarlet Witch, Quicksilver, and Vision, all got their moments to shine. James Spader made Ultron seem alive but it felt like this great villain was used as just a set-up man. The one thing I will say though is that this movie is high up because it is an Avengers movie and that beginning battle at the castle is truly amazing to watch.

9- 'Doctor Strange' (2016)

Doctor Strange was the second film of Phase 3 and is meant to introduce the magic side of the MCU. The visual effects displayed is this movie was outstanding and made this movie feel like a unique side-note in the MCU factory. It really made the magic feel unique, and gave the belief that it could exist in our world. The one thing that bugged me was the fact that is felt like a retread of Iron Man. It took the plot of a stuck up jerk who goes through tragedy to become a hero. It is understandable because the comics show a lot of heroes go from jerk to hero, but the retread gets old the third time around. The one thing that brings this movie so far up the list for me is the ending sequence. Instead of the classic hero-villain brawl to finish the movie, Strange uses his intelligence to outsmart his enemy. This little wrinkle was well done and really moved this movie up for me.

8- 'Captain America: The First Avenger' (2011)

Captain America: The First Avenger was the final film before all the heroes came together in The Avengers. This was Marvel's first attempt at a period piece and they really were able to show where the MCU all started. The First Avenger was really important in setting up the Avengers most important hero Captain America. They were able to make you understand that Captain America isn't really the hero, but Steve Rogers is. It is the qualities that make Steve who he is that give Captain America the qualities that the world loves. He is honest, reliable, and always stands by what he believes in. He brings you hope when there is none left and this movie really gives you that quality up front. I loved the way they set Cap up to be the man out of time and soon become the back bone of the Avengers team. This movie really sets the stage for what the MCU was becoming at this time and began building Captain America into the heart of the shared universe.

7- 'Spiderman: Homecoming' (2017)

Everyone's favorite web-head is taking his talents to the big screen for his third iteration of the character. The first two franchises, the original Spiderman trilogy and the recent Amazing Spiderman films, both had their share of fans and in the end we're decent films. Once Amazing Spiderman 2 failed to perform at the box office, Sony realized it needed help in making Spiderman a star again. The deal they reached with Marvel was groundbreaking and brought the friendly neighborhood spider to the Marvel Universe. Being in the same playground as Iron Man and Captain America was a huge plus and the performance that Tom Holland gave in Civil War gave great hope for this franchise. Spiderman was home and this film really showed that he is at his best when Marvel is steering the wheel. They gave him his innocent sense of humor and let him be the wide-eyed Avengers fan that he was in the comics. This movie is by far the best Spiderman film and is a great first step in his journey through the MCU.

6- 'Thor: Ragnorok' (2017)

Thor Ragnarok is amazing in the simple fact that it is a complete 180 degrees from the previous two movies in the Thor franchise. Where as the first two kept Thor mostly Earth bound and just scratched the surface of the cosmic elements, Ragnarok spends very little time on Earth and soaks itself in all the weird cosmic energy that made Guardians of the Galaxy so popular. What is even more amazing is the fact that director Taika Waititi made this movie a love letter to the legend Jack Kirby's comic artwork with its bright and vibrant colors. All the stars shine and Chris Hemsworth delivers his best performance as Thor yet. Marvel even gave die hard comic fans a special treat by incorporating the beloved Planet Hulk story into the fold. They took some of the iconic pieces of that arc and incorporated it into Thor's journey. Overall, this film was a breath of fresh air to the Thor franchise and a great final bridge to Infinity War.

5- 'Guardians of the Galaxy' (2014)

This rag tag group of misfits may be the most unique entry on this list. Marvel went out on a limb to bring this team to the screen and the risk really payed off. The characters really shined and they each got a chance to build their own personality. James Gunn, the film's director, did an amazing job of bringing the cosmic realm of Marvel onto the big screen. Everything we see seemed realistic and brought a great groundedness to the outer space adventure. I was really able to connect to all the Guardians and felt that they each had character elements that most people can relate too. Even a talking raccoon and a living tree were able to connect with fans and make them care about them. This film is so important because it shows that Marvel can take chances and they can really pay off. It also showed that the MCU can really expand beyond Earth and opens so many new avenues for them to travel down.

4- 'Captain America: Winter Soldier' (2014)

The follow up to First Avenger, we really get a chance to see how Cap adjusts to present time. The Russo Brothers, with both of their entries being mentioned high on this list as testament, really dive into the character of Steve Rogers. They explore him personally and all the things that effect the person he is and who he wants Captain America to be. The supporting cast to this film are all so amazing and it brings the film up another level. Black Widow, Nick Fury and Maria Hill all get their own time to shine and build their characters. The additions of Falcon and Winter Soldier are also great and it really shows how they each affect Steve. This movie is not only great in it's own right but it also ushered in a new era of Marvel films. By having a spy-esque style, it gave future Marvel movies a chance to be something different and new. It also showed what the Russo Brothers could do and now their style will be the through line of which the next few years of Marvel movies will follow. This really is one of the most important movies in the MCU.

3- 'Iron Man' (2008)

The original. The beginning. The genius. The movie that started it all and kicked us off on this ten year journey. The original Iron Man movie starting the MCU and it's hard to believe that at the time it was a huge risk for Marvel. Iron Man was a B class superhero who didn't have much pop culture flare. That all changed when the boy wonder Robert Downey Jr. took the role of Tony Stark. RDJ's personal struggles reflected well on Stark' issues and it made the movie feel like a real rebirth for both actor and character. Now in 2017, Tony Stark/Iron Man is one of the most popular superheros in the world and RDJ is at the top of the Hollywood tier. The movie shows everything that Marvel can do right and is the foundation for what is now know as the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It also introduces the now famous Marvel post credit sequence and has Nick Fury and Tony Stark come face to face for the first time in an epic scene.

2- 'The Avengers' (2012)

The ambitious project that all of the Phase 1 movies were building toward is finally here with Marvel's The Avengers. Ten years before, no one thought that they would ever see a team up as massive as what they received. Marvel did the unthinkable and took their heroes from their own franchises and put them together in one movie. This was a bold move at the time and many fans wondered if it would pan out. Well lucky for them this movie performed well over expectations. All of your favorite characters, such as Iron Man and Captain America, were able to have their own time to shine and still felt like they kept the essence of their character. It also great for making the villain looking standout character and for bringing the Hulk to big screen prominence. This movie really gave Marvel the momentum it needed to create everything that came after it. There would be no Marvel Cinematic Universe without the original Avengers.

1- 'Captain America: Civil War' (2016)

We have finally reached number one. First off, thank you so much for sticking with me and reading the whole list. After going through and rewatching every movie Captain America: Civil War was the one that topped my list. This movie was so great because it had the Captain America flare that kept it grounded as his movie but also it was able to incorporate almost every Marvel superhero in the MCU to date. It is also so amazing for introducing two of my favorite newer characters in the MCU: Black Panther and Spiderman. The Russo Brothers, after already delivering another gem in Winter Soldier, outdid themselves with this effort and made this movie so great throughout. They were able to juggle so many different characters and it gives me great faith in what they will do with Avengers: Infinity War. The overall story was just so great and emotional overall and honestly who doesn't love it when your favorite heroes battle it out to see who wins. My favorite Marvel movie and favorite movie by far.

Conclusion

Well there you have it. That is my ranking of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. I love the Marvel Universe and I am so happy to live in a time when all these amazing characters are given their dues on the big screen. I have watched all of theses movies dozens of times and had a hard time ranking them all. Just to remind you this is strictly my opinion and is in no way a definitive list of any kind. I'm sure everyone else has their own unique idea of how the movies should be ranked and I would love to hear them. My Twitter account is @RealHayden_BITW and I would love for any readers to share their lists with me. I had so much fun working on this list and it was cool to go back and have an excuse to watch these movies again. I can't wait till next year with three more movies coming out that I'm sure that will shake up my list. Once again thank you for reading my listing and I hope you enjoyed the opinions I had. #MCUForever