Screen Rant

Marvel Cinematic Universe

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is a multimedia superhero franchise that began in 2008 with Paramount's Iron Man starring Robert Downey Jr. The franchise quickly grew in popularity, with Disney eventually buying out Marvel Entertainment in 2009. The MCU consists of dozens of movies and TV shows, most notably Avengers: Endgame, WandaVision, and Loki.

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MCU Franchise Poster
Created by
Kevin Feige
First Film
Iron Man
First TV Show
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
TV Shows
Agatha: Coven of Chaos, Vision Quest

TV Show(s)
Marvel's Echo
Movie(s)
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, The Marvels

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Iron Man, Captain America, and Thor assemble one last time to fight Thanos in Avengers_ Endgame
I Cannot Get Over How Huge The Difference Is Between The MCU’s Highest-Ever Movie Box Office & Its Lowest

The MCU has had a spectacular run at the box office since it began in 2008, but there is a huge gap between the highest and lowest-grossing projects.

Robert Downey Jr.'s Tony Stark creating Iron Man in Iron Man
10 Best Iron Man Movie Suits, Ranked By Comics Accuracy

Iron Man created a total of 85 armors in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with the very best recalling some of the most famous comic book counterparts.

Rick Flag Sr. looking determined in Superman (2025)
I See The 1 Storyline You’re Building In All Of The DCU’s First 3 Releases, DC, & I Can’t Help But Think It’s The Perfect Way To Avoid A Current MCU Problem

The DCU has a long road to becoming a major comic book franchise to rival the MCU, but it seems like they are already learning from their mistakes.

Black Widow calming Hulk down with a lullaby.
Marvel Was Totally Right To Abandon This MCU Hulk Storyline

Hulk's MCU story could have featured one spectacular relationship that was set up early on, but Marvel was right to drop the story to save time.

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Tony Stark looks up at a hologram as he creates a new element in Iron Man 2
I'm Convinced Robert Downey Jr's Doctor Doom Could Still Appear In The Fantastic Four: First Steps Even After The Director's Recent Comments

While director Matt Shakman has suggested that Doctor Doom will not appear in The Fantastic Four: First Steps, I'm skeptical thanks to one key detail.

Yelena Belova, Bob, Ghost, and John Walker peek behind a wall in Thunderbolts
Hearing Why Thunderbolts* Shot Two Different Endings Makes Its Big Plot Twist Even More Impressive

Thunderbolts* has one of the MCU's most effective plot twists yet, and the fact that even the actors were surprised makes the detail even better.

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I’m Convinced The MCU Needed To Introduce Galactus In The Fantastic Four: First Steps To Justify The Mindboggling Powers Of 1 Member Of The Family

While Galactus is set to devastate the Fantastic Four's Earth in their MCU movie debut, his arrival could help one powerful member of the team.

2015 Fantastic Four cast in poster, Michael B. Jordan, Miles Teller, Kate Mara, and Jamie Bell
Fantastic Four 2015's Writer Reveals Surprising The Superhero Films That Inspired The Marvel Box Office Flop

Jeremy Slater, co-writer of 2015's Fantastic Four, addressed the Marvel flop, citing conflicting inspirations as the origin of its story issues.

Avengers: Endgame poster with the MCU's heroes
I Can’t Believe The 1 MCU Hero That Seems Most Perfect To Fight Against Doctor Doom Is Also The One Character I Think It Least Likely To

This overpowered hero would make the fight against Doctor Doom in Avengers: Doomsday too easy, but I doubt she'll return to the MCU for a while.

Official Sentry concept art for Marvel Studios Thunderbolts*
Thunderbolts*' Ending Already Teases Why & How The Void Will Return In The MCU According To New Avengers Movie Theory

A strange part of Thunderbolts*' ending remains unanswered, and it may be a subtle tease of Sentry and the Void's return instead of a mistake.

Lou Ferrigno's Hulk in the street in The Incredible Hulk series
8 Weirdest Hulk Cameos Outside The Superhero Genre

The Hulk is such a pop culture icon that he often pops up outside the superhero genre, appearing as a cultural touchstone in some surprising places.

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Thunderbolts* international poster
I Can't Believe How Different Thunderbolts*'s Box Office Results Already Look After Comparing Them To Every Other MCU Movie

The Thunderbolts* box office results don't look great at first glance, but are respectable when compared to many other modern Marvel movies.

Extreme close up of Scarlet Witch with red glowing eyes in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
After Scarlet Witch Basically Beat The Avengers, I'm Worried About How Avengers: Doomsday Will Handle Pitting Marvel’s Heroes Against Doctor Doom

Avengers: Doomsday will significantly imperil the main cast of characters, and I think Scarlet Witch's recent actions hint at the outcome.

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Doctor Doom puts on his mask in Fantastic Four Rise of the Silver Surfer
Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom Works With The Fantastic Four & Avengers Only To Brutally Turn On Them In Dramatic Avengers: Doomsday Theory

The Fantastic Four: First Steps and Thunderbolts*' post-credits scene may hide a hint at Doctor Doom's secret hero twist in Avengers: Doomsday.

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Spider-Man MCU With Spider-Man 1967 and Spider-Man Japan Custom Marvel Image
Every Version Of Spider-Man That's Appeared In Movies And TV

There have been a LOT of Spider-Man movies and shows over the years, so here are all the versions of the Webslinger we've seen outside the comics.

Keanu Reeves as John Wick and an Avengers: Endgame poster
What Superhero Movies Get Wrong About Action Scenes Explained By John Wick Director

According to John Wick creator Chad Stahelski, superhero movies have one specific flaw that's keeping them from reaching their full potential.

Iron Man hugs Spider-Man in Avengers: Endgame
I’m So Interested To See How The Fantastic Four Explore The 1 Storyline That Got Most Brutally Cut Short For The MCU’s Iron Man

The Fantastic Four's MCU story is set to let them delve deeper into a story that was cut short for Iron Man due to his Avengers: Endgame death.

Eddie Brock inside Venom in Venom The Last Dance
Alright, I’ll Be Seriously Surprised If We Get Past 2027 Without Tom Holland’s Spider-Man Meeting Venom Based On The MCU’s Setup So Far

Avengers: Secret Wars, Spider-Man: No Way Home and the Venom trilogy all together to seemingly make a dream story more possible than ever,

Doctor Strange possesses the body of his alternate variant in Multiverse of Madness' final battle
The MCU's Avengers: Secret Wars Can Make A Bizarre Comics Crossover A Reality In Live-Action

An animated MCU show may set the stage for an epic, comic-accurate battle of realities seen in Marvel Comics' 2015 Secret Wars storyline.

Guardians of the Galaxy fighting for the last time in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
I’m Convinced The Most Powerful Member Of The Guardians Of The Galaxy In The Original Trilogy Has Gone Totally Overlooked For 8 Years

The Guardians of the Galaxy has had some powerful over the years, but I think the most powerful has been overlooked for almost a decade.

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