Ranking the Phase 4 Marvel movies and TV shows

It’s hard to believe that 2022 is almost over. It’s even harder to believe that Marvel Studio’s phase four is now also over.

Having to showcase the fallout of Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame was no easy task. But somehow between the big screen and the streaming service, Marvel Studios introduced characters and storytelling that has never been done in the MCU before all while maintaining the blockbuster fun of what made the original Iron Man so great.

So without further ado, here’s every phase four Marvel project ranked.

18. What If…?

To be fair, Marvel’s first animated tv series wasn’t bad, it just wasn’t great. It had so much potential but never really found its footing. Besides the Doctor Strange-centric episode, I found myself quite bored until the end of the season. While I will be watching the second season, I hope Marvel is able to capitalize on what this animated series could potentially do.

17. Thor: Love and Thunder

It saddens me that this is so low on my list but this was truly one of my most anticipated phase four movies and it just did not deliver. After the masterpiece that was Thor: Ragnorak, I was severely let down by how corny and misguided this storyline was. It was great having Natalie Portman back but her character’s arc was underdeveloped and at times, didn’t make sense. I thought Christian Bale’s character, Gorr the God Butcher, did not get enough screen time, and parts of this movie just lagged for me. Sadly, the only highlight for me was watching Valkyrie and Korg interact.

16. The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special

I really hope Marvel has more “special presentations” up its sleeve because this was 40 minutes of pure fun. While it’s lower on my list, it’s just because I thought there were more deserving projects that really expanded the MCU into new and exciting territory.

15. I am Groot

This second animated project from Marvel is short and sweet; much like Groot himself. It came and went, also like my viewing experience. While this series is not groundbreaking, it was an all-around enjoyable time.

14. The Falcon and the Winter Soldier

What can I say, I love Bucky and Sam’s friendship. The dynamic between Anthony Mackie and Sebastian Stan is just so fun to watch.  While I love how this series explored racism in America and American imperialism, it never went beyond just pointing it out. Beyond this duo’s dynamic, seeing Sam come into his own as Captain America, and Bucky finally addressing his trauma, the storyline was a bit of a mess and underwhelming.

13. Black Widow

It’s a shame that Black Widow finally got her solo movie after she died in Avengers: Endgame because this movie’s biggest downfall was the timing. That being said, it had some of the most intense fighting sequences the MCU has ever shown and I loved the dynamic between Scarlett Johansson and Florence Pugh. David Harbour and Rachel Weisz are also great additions to the MCU. Again, I am glad we got to see Natasha’s past but it just felt a little too late.

12. Moon Knight

Welcome to the MCU, Oscar Isaac. Isaac gives everything to this performance as he portrays one of my new favorite characters in the MCU.  While this series promised to be more on the horror side, it never really achieved that status. The narrative was sometimes a bit jumbled but overall, I can’t wait to see where we find Steven/Marc next.

11. Eternals

I truly do not understand the hate this movie received. Sure, it was a bit long but what Marvel movie isn’t? I thought the cinematography was outstanding and the visual effects were stunning. I really appreciated the direction director, Chloé Zhao, took and how diverse this cast was. Not to mention that a gay couple was finally featured in a Marvel movie! All I can say is #justiceforeternals.

10. Hawkeye

I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this series. I was never a huge Hawkeye fan but seeing him interact with Kate Bishop was so fun to watch. I love how it dealt with Clint’s grief over losing Natasha and how we got to know Clint better. This was a good ole detective and superhero series, with really impressive bow and arrow fight sequences.

9. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness

It was a delight having director Sam Raimi return to the MCU.  This movie had a lot of great things going for it from awesome cameos, Xochitl Gomez’s introduction as America Chavez, and of course Wanda. With all of that said, this movie did not go far enough at exploring Wanda’s grief from Wandavision. Plus this movie dealt with the multiverse, something I think Everything Everywhere All at Once did much better. Also, the title character, Doctor Strange, did not have much of an arc in his own movie.

8. Loki

Tom Hiddleston has been the best MCU villain since phase one. With a great narrative, characters, and a visually quirky style, this is one of the more fully developed tv series thus far. Owen Wilson makes a great Mobius and again, I’m glad this series dealt with Loki’s grief. My only critiques are I wish Jonathan Majors’ Kang the Conqueror had more screen time and I don’t love the direction they took Sophia Di Martino’s character. This series also had one of the most important arcs regarding where phases four, five, and six are going so I can’t wait to see what repercussions the ending of this series has going forward.

7. Werewolf by Night

This is what I wish Moon Knight did more of. This was creepy, weird, confusing, and scary. Gael García Bernal’s Jack Russell or a.k.a the Werewolf is such an exciting addition to the MCU. It’s so cool seeing actual monsters exist in the MCU. This black and white “special presentations” really opens the door for Marvel to introduce even more unique characters and projects.

6. Ms. Marvel

Iman Vellani’s Kamala Khan is the perfect addition to the MCU. Seeing Khan be the ultimate fangirl of superheroes and then becoming one herself is a joy to watch. Vellani does a great job of being that awkward, teenage girl who just wants to be like her idols. Plus it’s pretty cool we finally have a Muslim superhero. Can’t wait to see what The Marvels has in store for this young superhero.

5. She-Hulk Attorney at Law

Tatiana Maslany crushes it as the newest green superhero, Jen Walters, in the MCU. I love how funny and relatable her character was, not to mention how this show dealt with real-world issues that women face in the workforce or in life every day. Benedict Wong really shone in this series and it didn’t hurt that Daredevil made an appearance toward the end of the series. The finale is still one of my favorite finales from a Marvel tv show ever.

4. WandaVision

What can I say that hasn’t already been said about this series? I had no idea what was going on the entire time but boy did I have a blast watching this. I love how it paid homage to classic TV sitcoms while still dealing with Wanda’s heartwrenching grief over Vision. Kathrine Hahn is great as Agatha Harkness and while the ending was a bit disappointing, this series really showed what Marvel can do when they try new things.

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

Simu Liu is great as the newest martial arts superhero. This movie had awesome action sequences while still being one of the funnier phase four projects. I love the family dynamic in this movie and how complicated Shang-Chi’s relationship with his father was. This is another character that I am very excited to see in future MCU projects.

2. Spider-Man: No Way Home

This movie could have been a complete disaster with all the cameos and past spider-mans coming together to save the day but thank goodness for director Jon Watts because this movie has some of the most emotional scenes in the MCU. The fan service was unbelievable but the heart of the film was Peter struggling to come to terms with who he was now that his identity was out. I found myself really moved at the end and hope Spidey gets his life back one day.

1. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

Behind Thor, this was my second most anticipated phase four project and it did not disappoint. From the opening scene to the end, I was an emotional wreck. Ryan Cooglar paid homage to Chadwick Boseman in the most beautiful way possible and you could feel how Boseman impacted every scene. Everyone was so good in this film but Letitia Wright and Angela Bassett both deserve Oscars for their emotionally wrenching performances. I also loved the introduction of Namor and how we got to explore a brand-new culture. Overall, I was just incredibly moved by this film and can’t wait to see where the future of the MCU goes.

Of course, this is just how I would rank phase four. Are there any you disagree or agree with? Let me know in the comments below.