10 Movies That Saved Their Respective Franchises
1. The Avengers
Phase 1 of the MCU was successful with its movies, yet there was still apprehension among audiences whether Marvel could pull off a full cinematic universe. All doubts would be put to rest, however, with the release of 2012's The Avengers.
The final film of Phase 1 was not just a crossover, it was a fulfilment of a promise made by Iron Man's post-credits scene. The Avengers brought Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, Hulk, Black Widow and Hawkeye together on the big screen; something many thought couldn't be done. Each character got their moments to shine and the film felt like a proper ensemble. From Tony Stark's friendship with Bruce Banner, to his initial animosity towards Steve Rogers, comic book fans finally saw their favorite Marvel heroes uniting.
The success of The Avengers changed the superhero genre forever, with many studios rushing in to capitalize on the MCU's success. It was a turning point for the franchise and turned Marvel Studios into an industry giant. The film opened the door to a bigger universe, and without it, we wouldn't get crossovers like the Portal scene in Endgame or the Spider-Men in No Way Home.