Ranking All The Marvel Cinematic Universe Franchises From Worst To Best

There's never been anything quite like the Marvel Cinematic Universe in the history of cinema. It's not just an ongoing series of movies, nor is it as many state a series of interconnected movies; it's an interconnected fabric of several smaller franchises that all thread together to form a bigger whole.

That it's been pulled off, with few-if-any major slip-ups, is nothing short of a miracle, showing the extent of understanding of source, audience and basic blockbuster filmmaking at Marvel Studios. At their best, the movies function on three distinct levels - as standalones, as part of the subject character's arc and as a small puzzle piece in the wider universe - representing a shift in how rollover franchise films traditionally operate (on a side note, it's this factor that has made it so hard for rivals to replicate the success).

So while much of the focus on this mega-franchise tends to lock on the big picture, it's important to remember that the MCU is made up of several, smaller (read: regular size) franchises, each one both a spectacle by itself and a cog in the bigger machine. It's the focus on these multiple purposes that has led the series to become the highest grossing franchise of all time in less than a decade, and ensure new adventures feel fresh even after thirteen new movies.

With that in mind, let's take a look through these various strands and see how they hold up on their own, ranked from worst to best.

Movies: The Incredible Hulk

Upcoming: None announced (or likely)

As a movie franchise, Hulk hasn't had the best ride. Bruce "David" Banner is a grandfather of superhero television care of the Bill Bixby/Lou Ferrigno series, but on screen there's only been Ang Lee's dour-and-befuddled Hulk and Louis Letterier's oh-so-generic The Incredible Hulk, the latter of which is the only standalone movie from the Green Goliath in the MCU. It's fine enough as a film and has a bunch of wider universe easter eggs, but is far and away the most readily skippable on a rewatch, especially given the recasting of the central role.

However, the lack of sequel is more down to rights than audience reception or profitability, with Universal still needing to sign off on standalone movies (although the tepid reaction to Incredible can't have helped).

Of course, things haven't been as shaky for Hulk as a character; since Mark Ruffalo took up the role he's become a nuanced fan favourite, the standout of both Avengers and an intriguing curiosity in Thor: Ragnarok, which will in some form adapt Planet Hulk. In fact, the future is bright for Hulk; in response to that popularity and the rights issues, Bruce Banner is becoming a supporting player in others' films.