Every Year In The MCU Ranked Worst To Best

Where does 2021 rank among the MCU's past years?

Spider-Man No Way Home Iron Spider
Sony Pictures Releasing

With the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Marvel Studios have gone through quite the evolution since it was established back in 2008. The 27 different movies, across four separate phases, have taken the project from a risky and uncertain beginning to being the biggest and most lucrative franchise in the world.

Under the Marvel Studios umbrella sit 14 smaller franchises that all connect and intertwine like no shared universe before, and with each new release the landscape of Marvel’s universe changes with it. With the scope of the MCU being so wide, with these different franchises and different styles of movies, no two years are ever the same for the fans.

From humble beginnings, with one or two chapters being released over 12 months, to the most recent days of no fewer than three or four movies joining in the fun, each and every year from 2008 to 2021 has given fans of the MCU something unique.

For the most part, this has been something to celebrate. However, not every year has been as kind to MCU fans, with some bringing very mixed feelings, and some that we would sooner forget.

13. 2020

Spider-Man No Way Home Iron Spider
Marvel Studios

There have only ever been two calendar years with no MCU content since its inception. 2009 was just one year removed from its debut chapter, and was never meant to add to the franchise. 2020 however, is a completely different story.

When Phase Four was first announced at San Diego Comic Con in 2019, there were three huge projects slated for release in 2020. Black Widow in May, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier as the MCU’s first Disney+ series in the Autumn, and Eternals in November. Of course, thanks to a global pandemic and the entire world having to shut down, MCU fans had to go for well over a year with nothing new from Marvel Studios.

After delays, schedule reshuffles, and far too much false hope, Natasha Romanoff’s swansong, Sam Wilson’s rise to Captain America, and the introduction of a whole new alien race had to wait.

Contributor
Contributor

This standard nerd combines the looks of Shaggy with the brains of Scooby, has an unhealthy obsession with the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and is a firm believer that Alter Bridge are the greatest band in the world.