5 Marvel Movies That Surpassed Expectations

5. Black Panther (2018)

The MCU had a great running streak in 2017 (with Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2, Spider-Man: Homecoming and Thor: Ragnarok), and it seemed like they couldn’t be stopped. However, no-one could have predicted that their next movie, Black Panther, would have made such an impact.

Based off the superhero of the title, the film boasts an all-star cast and crew, including director, Ryan Coogler, and actors, Chadwick Boseman and Michael B. Jordan, and was the first MCU film to have a predominately Black cast and crew.

Not only was the film really well-made, benefiting from fantastic performances and steady direction by Coogler, but the film made such a spell-binding social impact.

The film, along with DC’s big screen treatment of Wonder Woman, became a huge stepping stone for representation on screen. Becoming a big box office success, the film became the highest-grossing film with a predominantly Black cast. And, along with many films released in the late 2010s (including Get Out and Moonlight), it was an undeniable reminder that Black films can indeed generate huge audiences. Its impact was so far-reaching that it actually won three Oscars, and was nominated for Best Picture.

And this all stemmed from a superhero film. Who would have thought it?