With a large array of blockbuster successes and iconic characters under its belt, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has become the poster child of how effective and seamless a cinematic universe can be in film. The franchise’s ability to mix and match different characters blending through different franchises and films is highly commendable, and nowhere is this more prominent than in the many team-up films. Ranging from original hits like the firstAvengersfilm to the recently releasedThunderbolts*, these team-ups have been a staple of the cinematic universe since the beginning.
The MCU has seen many iconic team films over the years, whether it’s a group of already beloved characters coming together to take down a villain or a group of new, never-before-seen characters setting their path. While many other cinematic universes have attempted this similar style of building up to impactful team-up films, no other franchise does it as consistently as the MCU, astheir best team-up movies easily stand as the defining superhero movies of the era.
12’Avengers: Age of Ultron' (2015)
Directed by Joss Whedon
It would be difficult for any film to follow up the cultural appeal and landmark moment that was the originalAvengersfilm, withAvengers: Age of Ultronmostly being seen as a strict downgrade in every way from the original. While it features a few undeniable highlights, such as the appeal and presence ofUltron as a villainand the introduction of fan-favorite characters like Scarlet Witch and Vision,too much of the film is bogged down by setting up the stage for future films.
The allure and excitement of seeing all of these iconic characters meeting together simply didn’t hit nearly as hard the second time around, especially with minimal new additions from the movies since the firstAvengers. Between all the hints and setting up the pieces for upcoming MCU films likeCaptain America: Civil War,Thor: Ragnarok,Black Widow, andBlack Panther, the film fails to truly establish an identity for itself.
Avengers: Age of Ultron
11’The Marvels' (2023)
Directed by Nia DaCosta
Combining some of the most prominent female protagonists of the modern era of the MCU, the biggest strengths ofThe Marvelscome from the inherent charm of bringing together Carol Danvers, Kamala Khan, and Monica Rambeau. However, this chemistry and the likability of its leads are just about the only real positives that the film utilizes, asthe rest of the film is rather generic and formulaic in its approach and style.
Between its underwhelming villain, surface-level continuation of the themes and styles of the characters' original films, and the extremely lighthearted tone, the film was simply not what Marvel fans were looking for from a Phase 5 film. It’s far from the complete disaster and low point of the MCU that many have made the film out to be, but it’s far from the heights that previous team-up films have shown, as well as even being a downgrade from the originalCaptain Marvel.
The Marvels
10’Eternals' (2021)
Directed by Chloe Zhao
One of the few times when the MCU has introduced a complete superhero team full of characters in their first appearance,Eternalsset itself up to be a high-profile exploration of a team that shaped humanity and spanned generations.Despite having beautiful visuals, the film falters when it comes to a compelling story, as well as being held back by its sluggish pacing and massive runtime, which makes it one of the longest MCU films to date.
Eternalsis the quintessential example of how top-notch visuals aren’t everything when it comes to a blockbuster, as the introduction of 10 different team members means that the attention and focus are spread thin between them.While certain characters get a massive amount of focus and attention, others are largely forgotten and left to the sidelines, with some even being killed off before others meet up and reunite with the team in the modern day.
9’Captain America: Civil War' (2016)
Directed by Joe and Anthony Russo
While the previous films had a primary focus mostly on Steve Rogers and his closely related allies,Captain America: Civil Warups the ante by showing two full teams of Avengers facing off against one another. The film provides a cathartic fantasy of seeing all sorts of iconic and memorable heroes facing off against each other, as well asintroducing some of the most iconic MCU characters in Black Panther and Spider-Man.
While the film features many fun moments that make it a joy to watch for die-hard fans, such as an explosive fight sequence at the airport, the film is relatively forgettable outside its most bombastic moments. The actual weight behind the story and motivation for its characters is relatively lukewarm at best, and is largely disappointing compared to the compelling narrative ofCaptain America: The Winter Soldier. Still, when the film is working its magic, it provides some of the most exciting and entertaining team-ups that the MCU has to offer.
Captain America: Civil War
8’Deadpool & Wolverine' (2024)
Directed by Shawn Levy
While originally positioning itself as a long-awaited introduction of Deadpool into the MCU and a duo team-up return of Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine,Deadpool & Wolverineslowly transform into a glorious team-up of the Fox-era Marvel films. Seeing the return of iconic figures from Marvel’s filmmaking past as well as fulfilling never-before-seen canceled castings, makes the film a joy to watch for people who have been with Marvel’s filmmaking since the beginning.
This overwhelming display of callbacks and team-oriented focus makes the film distinctly different from the previousDeadpoolfilms, but certainly more in line with the filmmaking approach of the MCU as a whole. This approach has equal parts die-hard fans as it does have vitriolic haters, as the love-letter approach to cameos and references reaches a point of overwhelming other aspects of the film. Its array ofquotable linesand memorable sequences has alreadycemented the film as an iconic chapter of the MCU’s modern era.
Deadpool & Wolverine
7’Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2' (2017)
Directed by James Gunn
WhileGuardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2may be the worst entry in Marvel’s premiere sci-fi franchise, even the worst Guardians film manages to be a highly entertaining display of passion, charm, and action. While the initial film acted as a coming-together and founding of this iconic galaxy-spanning team,Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2serves to further deliver on their inherent chemistry while delving into their intricacies as characters in the face of shocking changes.
The film does a lot in terms of evolving and bettering the group dynamics of the guardians as a whole, whether it be the introduction of new characters like Mantis and a closer look at the various relationships and core friendships of the group. The only real hurdle that keeps the film lagging behind the other entries in the series is that is more comedically charged than the other entries, resulting in its emotional moments simply not hitting as hard as they could.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
6’Thunderbolts*' (2025)
Directed by Jake Schreier
The latest team-up movie of the MCU to date,Thunderbolts*found itself stopping a perceived major slow streak in the MCU’s original films and managed to be muchbetter than expected. The film sees various mercenaries from across the MCU finding themselves making an unexpected alliance to take down a dangerous new threat. Many people weren’t optimistic when the film was first announced due to the seemingly forgettable nature of its team members, but the film utilizes this fact to tell an impactful story of grief and dealing with depression.
Thunderboltsis the closest that a modern MCU film has gotten to recapturing the magic of classic team-up films, bringing together a wide variety of different characters and simply having fun seeing them interact with one another. Even characters that were largely forgettable in their original film are given a lot of opportunities to shine, with the already great characters continuing to delight and charm in a team setting.
Thunderbolts*
5’The Avengers' (2012)
The original team-up film that proved to audiences worldwide that a cinematic universe could truly work in a blockbuster setting,The Avengersbuilt upon all the origin stories beforehand to make for the definitive blockbuster experience of the era. The film’s signature blend of quips, callbacks, and building on previous films, and high-octane action would eventually bethe blueprint not only for future team-up films, but the entire MCU going forward.
The film has certainly seen a little bit of wear and tear over the years, with the very conventions and style that it helped set in stone having largely grown and evolved since this initial film. However, there’s an undeniable wonder factor and prowess with the story on-screen, how it miraculously manages to balance all the characters and their intersecting stories, that it’s hard not to, at the very least, appreciate the film. No other team-up movie would be what it is without the influence ofThe Avengers, yet the MCU has proven that this is far from its peak when it comes to team-up movies.
The Avengers
4’Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3' (2023)
The final film in the Guardians trilogy and a swan song for many of the characters and their story as a whole,Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3easily stands as the high point of theMCU in the 2020s. The film sees the Guardians continuing to deal with the ramifications of previous massive Marvel events, continuing to foster a thriving community despite the hardships and losses they’ve faced. The stakes only increase when a dastardly villain from Rocket’s past has returned, looking to enact his vicious rule over the galaxy.
Vol. 3 acts not only as a culmination of nearly a decade’s worth of storytelling with these characters, but issome of the closest that a MCU team-up film gets to showing a team as a cohesive unit and family. The Guardians have an undeniable bond and care for one another, despite their differences and disagreements, which bonds them together and makes them such a joy to watch on-screen. The film also features some deeply emotional moments, feeling like a heartfelt goodbye to a longtime friend.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
3’Avengers: Endgame' (2019)
The absolute peak of the MCU when it comes to popularity and success,Avengers: Endgameset the stage as the team-up film to end all team-up films, culminating every film up until that point in one glorious display of blockbuster action. On top of simply bringing together all of these characters across the Marvel universe,the film proves to be the ultimate love letter to fans of the series, calling back to each individual film as it builds towards its cathartic finale.
The only downside that holds it back as far as team-up films are concerned is that a massive number of characters are dead until the final battle, which, while coming with its own positives, gives many iconic characters only a scene or two tops. The film will continue to stand as the turning point for the MCU as a whole, as an undeniable height of storytelling and finality that the MCU has continuously attempted to chase since its release.
