Where Does ‘X-Men ’97’ Officially Rank in the Marvel Cinematic Universe?

Marvel Studios has made so much incredible content it’s sometimes staggering to think about, and X-Men ’97 is an astonishing achievement. But where will it rank in my list? Let’s find out.

46. The Incredible Hulk

This movie is now somewhat relevant considering that it’s connecting to Captain America: Brave New World. That being said, this movie will most likely always remain at the bottom of my list.

45. Thor

Thor has its moments, but overall, it’s pretty subpar.

44. Secret Invasion

I wanted to love this show, but after the fourth episode, it was clear that this would become one of the least interesting installments in the MCU in a while. The best thing about this show was the characters, thanks to a remarkable cast, but the story was as mediocre as they come.

43. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2

Decent, but not great.

42. Ant-Man and the Wasp

I haven’t watched this movie in years so, yeah, I’m not a fan.

41. Captain Marvel

Captain Marvel has one of my favorite scenes in the franchise (Carol Danvers’ full realization of her power) but unfortunately, it’s one of the most forgettable superhero movies ever made.

40. Iron Man 2

Iron Man 2 is fun to watch, and Sam Rockwell’s Justin Hammer is one of my favorite antagonists in the MCU, but this is another superhero film that could’ve been much better.

39. Thor: The Dark World

So, 2013 was the year of damsel in distress female character poses on posters. Hmm. Anyway, this movie used to be one of my least favorite Marvel movies, but it actually grew on me, thanks to Loki.

38. Iron Man 3

It’s not a great trilogy finale for the MCU’s first superhero but it has its moments where it does find a way to shine.

37. Avengers: Age of Ultron

The trailers made this movie seem like it was going to be way darker than it actually was. But, in hindsight, this movie did set up a lot of storylines in the MCU, primarily Wanda Maximoff’s.

36. Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania

Despite its stunning visuals and well, Kang, this movie never lives up to the grandness it sought to deliver. Honestly, if it wasn’t for Jonathan Majors’ Kang who absolutely steals the show in this movie, I would have this film much lower on this list.

35. Ant-Man

The best thing about Ant-Man is the absolutely phenomenal climactic action scene between Ant-Man and Yellow Jacket. It’s creative, it’s funny, and it’s got some really awesome moments that I wish I had been to see in a theater.

34. Captain America: The First Avenger

I used to not like this movie, but as Captain America’s story continued, this film got better and better and better. And the end always makes me cry.

33. The Marvels

The Marvels is a fun movie that takes audiences on a rollercoaster ride in theaters filled with color, joy, and laughable moments. Despite this, pacing issues and a subpar antagonist ultimately are this film’s greatest weakness, leaving it to be placed here in the list.

32. The Falcon and the Winter Soldier

I wanted to love this show and there are some things I’ll always remember fondly about this series but ultimately, it’s the worst installment in Phase 4 so far. Maybe if it had a better villain, I would’ve enjoyed it more.

31. Iron Man

The first Iron Man film is written very well and is an engaging superhero origin story. I’m sure there are many people who would see Iron Man being so low on this list as an absolute travesty, but I’ve just never thought this film was a masterpiece.

It’s a good superhero film, and it did a great job starting off the MCU, but there are better movies in this franchise.

30. Ms. Marvel 

This show was fun to watch over the course of its six weeks, but it definitely had its weaknesses, which mainly contributed to its lame villains. It, however, was a great introduction to Kamala Khan and her beautiful world.

29. Eternals

Chloe Zhao’s footprint is all over this movie with its striking visuals and slowed-down storytelling to create a more profound origin story than most superhero movies produce. Unfortunately, this is one of the most boring MCU films to date, putting it so low on this list.

28. Echo

If you had told me a year ago that this would actually be a solid series that allows Echo to shine on her own and has made her one of the most interesting new characters in the MCU I would’ve been surprised, yet here we are. This show was a blast to watch, and I can’t wait to see her again in the MCU.

27. Moon Knight

Moon Knight is a good show with some great moments, but after the series’ conclusion, I feel like the show could’ve been better. But it is a rather fascinating and detailed introduction to a character who is now one of the most intriguing in the MCU.

26. The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special

Funny, full of heart, and jam-packed with the heartwarming joyousness of Christmas time, The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special reminds us why James Gunn has made these strange, wacky characters fan favorites.

25. Werewolf by Night

Werewolf By Night was the MCU’s first special, and it was fun. I found myself loving the characters and the tame spookiness, but it didn’t knock my socks off. Hence its place on this list.

24. She-Hulk: Attorney at Law

This show was a lot of fun, and yet, despite its spectacular final run of episodes, I can’t ignore the first six episodes that cemented this series as a solid but not fantastic show. And that’s why I can’t possibly put it any higher on this list.

23. Hawkeye

I knew Hawkeye deserved more storytelling! This show did not prove me wrong. It was great during the holidays, and yeah, it was way more emotional than I expected. This was a welcome surprise.

22. Spider-Man: Homecoming

Spider-Man: Homecoming is a good movie with one of the best plot twists in the MCU but it’s twenty-thirty minutes too long.

21. Captain America: Civil War

Captain America: Civil War is a good film, through and through. And yet…I just can’t watch this movie anymore. There’s something incredibly flat about this film that keeps me from being as invested as possible, hence its spot on this list.

20. Spider-Man: Far from Home

Spider-Man: Far from Home is good, but it isn’t spectacular. It’s ultimately Jake Gyllenhaal’s Mysterio that keeps me coming back to see this film over and over again.

19. WandaVision

WandaVision was an experience, for better and worse. And this story only becomes more interesting after seeing Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.

18. Thor: Love and Thunder

When I first watched this movie last July, it was one of my favorite MCU films. As the months have passed, however, the movie’s goofy first half isn’t as fun to watch anymore as it once was. Thankfully, the second half is so good (thus leaving me in tears every time I’ve watched this film) that it remains in my personal top-tier MCU movies.

17. Black Widow

I didn’t think this would be a top MCU film for me, but it turned out to be just that. They worked really hard on this movie and provided Black Widow a solo film to be proud of. Hopefully, this begins an amazing Black Widow trilogy, continuing with Yelena Belova.

16. Spider-Man: No Way Home

Han Solo would probably say, “This movie has it where it counts, kid.” The first half is pure fun, and the second half is depressing as heck, with some moments of genuine sunshine.

15. Black Panther

Black Panther is an iconic movie and yes, the only MCU film to be nominated for Best Picture. And whenever I watch it, I am reminded why.

14. The Avengers

This is the only Phase 1 MCU film that has aged exceptionally over the years (well, Captain America’s suit is still awful, but we can deal with that.) It balances great action scenes with a phenomenal story that brings these incredible heroes together in a way that is cohesive and profoundly enjoyable.

13. Doctor Strange

Doctor Strange is a great character, and this movie, a gripping origin story that has become one of the most rewatchable films in the MCU, is near perfection.

12. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings

This film’s opening eight minutes or so are the best in the MCU next to Infinity War. The rest of the movie is pretty good too.

11. Thor: Ragnarok

Funny as heck and with plenty of heart, Thor: Ragnarok was the revamp Thor desperately needed.

10. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness

Maybe it’s just because I’m a Doctor Strange fan, but I really like this movie. The editing is a bit jumbled, and most of the comedy doesn’t exactly land quite right (which is strange for a Marvel movie), but ultimately, this movie is fun to watch and to look at. And you kind of can’t beat a movie that has Doctor Strange and Scarlet Witch in it.

9. What If…?

What If…? was a fun, creative show that blew my mind every week. I absolutely cannot wait for Season 2.

8. Avengers: Endgame

Avengers: Endgame isn’t a perfect film thanks to its convoluted time-travel shenanigans or its underwhelming second act, but it makes up for it with an incredible third act that still brings happy tears to my eyes to this day.

7. Guardians of the Galaxy

This was the first Marvel movie to take things outside the box and offer viewers something they would never forget. It was a risk, but it was well worth the reward.

6. Captain America: The Winter Soldier

This movie is one of the ones that never get old. It’s perfect from start to finish.

5. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3

This movie is astonishingly good. The dark storyline is the very definition of a tear-jerker, leaving me distraught every time I watch this movie. James Gunn left the MCU on a high, and I hope he can bring this same level of care and love to the DC Universe.

4. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

Wakanda Forever was everything I was expecting it to be and a lot more. The characters are profoundly fantastic, and the story is both powerful and moving. I hope we see these characters sooner rather than later.

3. Loki

Loki was already an amazing series in its first season, but the second season solidified this show as truly one of the best things to ever happen to the MCU. The work and dedication put into this series is phenomenal, and that ending in the finale is undoubtedly, visually, the most epic thing I’ve ever seen in this franchise. If the MCU can produce more projects like this, they will undoubtedly endure another decade.

2. Avengers: Infinity War

Avengers: Infinity War lived up to every version of the hype I could imagine, and to this day, it’s still thought to be one of the greatest superhero movies of all time.

And 1. X-Men ‘97

If you had told me that this continuation of the iconic 90s’ X-Men series would become the best thing I’ve ever watched from Marvel Studios I would’ve been baffled, but it’s true. X-Men ’97 has been better than I could’ve ever predicted from its first to its last episode. The dialogue is some of the best in the entire MCU, the action is stellar, the storylines are gripping, and it’s become quite clear to me that the X-Men are far more interesting than The Avengers have ever been. I can’t wait to see the second season, and to see the X-Men in live-action in the MCU.

Well, here’s my updated ranking. Thank you for reading, and I hope you have a wonderful day.