Robert Downey Jr. Calls Marvel Tenure ‘Ride Of A Lifetime’ As Avengers: Endgame Hits Theaters

Robert Downey Jr. Calls Marvel Tenure ‘Ride Of A Lifetime’ As Avengers: Endgame Hits Theaters

It's no secret that landing the role of Tony Stark was life-changing for Robert Downey Jr. In the early aughts his career was a shadow of what it was during the 1980s and 1990s, and while he was still making quality films like Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, he didn't exactly have the same level of popularity. That all changed in 2008 with the arrival of Jon Favreau's Iron Man, and 11 years later we're preparing to see the capstone of the epic adventure in the form of Avengers: Endgame.

Obviously that makes this a pretty big weekend for the actor, and while he has been very active on social media recently discussing his role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the Tweet he posted today feels particularly poignant as a summation of his time as part of the franchise:

It goes without saying that Robert Downey Jr.'s impact on the Marvel Cinematic Universe has been absolutely massive. His ridiculous charisma is a huge part of what made the first Iron Man work so well, and rewatching the movie even now it's easy to see why people immediately fell back in love with him and became obsessed with his iteration of the character. Critics and audiences fully embraced his take on Tony Stark immediately, and it catapulted the 2008 film to a box office total of $585 million internationally.

But that was only the start. Since then he has been featured in 10 of Marvel Studios' 22 films, and his contributions are really immeasurable. It started with him giving a tiny boost to The Incredible Hulk with his quick cameo at the end of the film cementing the continuity of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and since then it's been nothing but the stuff of legends.

To put a number on it, prior to the release of Avengers: Endgame the total worldwide box office earnings for the Marvel Studios films in which Robert Downey Jr. has been featured is $3,960,919,900. That is unprecedented, and it's possible that Hollywood will never see another run of its kind ever again.

Clearly the actor has a tremendous amount of love and appreciation for everything that has happened in his life since the release of Iron Man, and it will be exciting to see how it winds up molding his career going forward. We actually haven't seen him in a non-Marvel film since 2014's The Judge - though that's a streak that will come to an end next year. He's already completed work on Stephen Gaghan's The Voyage Of Doctor Dolittle, which sees him playing the titular character and will be out next January, and hes also playing a role in Jamie Foxx's debut as a writer/director - All-Star Weekend. We'll have to wait and see what the future holds for Tony Stark after Avengers: Endgame, but at the very least audiences everywhere can take comfort in the fact that we'll still have many more years of Robert Downey Jr. awesomeness on the big screen to come.

Do you have a favorite Tony Stark/Iron Man moment from the last 11 years? What will you always remember about his take on the character? Hit the comments section below with your thoughts, feelings, and opinions.

The Importance Of A Good Prosthetic, According To Taraji P. Henson

The Importance Of A Good Prosthetic, According To Taraji P. Henson

Playing a figure in real life is a minefield of minute details. Everything from speech patterns to hand gestures, as well as wardrobe choices and physical appearance, can be studied and scrutinized in the name of turning yourself into another person. But even with all of that effort, it still isn’t an exact science. That is when the time honored tool of a good prosthetic suit comes in handy, and while playing The Best of Enemies’ civil rights hero Ann Atwater, actor Taraji P. Henson understood this specific point the best.

During CinemaBlend’s recent conversation with Taraji P. Henson, as part of The Best of Enemies’ promotional tour, the subject of just what it took for her to sink into character came up. And in discussing that point, it all came down to the physical transformation that Henson had to make in order to truly embody Atwater’s trademark movements and gestures.

In the effort to make this change as accurate as possible, the suit that Henson wore in the film needed to undergo some specific alterations. And those changes, as explained in our conversation, came down to the following physical attributes:

The boobs were small, and they were perky and pretty. And I was like, ‘That doesn’t match the woman.’ … When I put the suit on, it felt light. I felt like I was walking like myself, and I was like, ‘I need to walk differently, I can’t walk like Taraji. I need to be earthy, heavy, in the ground, you know?’ I said, ‘Call Tyler Perry, and ask him who made Madea’s boobs, because I need boobs like that.’ … My point is, they didn’t think I would be willing to go there, and I was like, ‘I have to. This is a real person. I would be doing her a disservice if I didn’t."

It’s that sort of dedication that’s been extremely significant in Taraji P. Henson’s evolution as an actor. In preparing for Proud Mary, Henson previously spoke to us about how she prepared to deal with a film that had more action than she was previously used to. That same dedication is what comes through in her description of how she got ready for The Best of Enemies, as everything from how Ann ate to how she walked was put on the table as qualities to be studied and mastered in her portrayal.

The end result was something that everyone on set, and especially Taraji P. Henson herself, noticed during the filming of The Best of Enemies. Even her own personal security detail, whom she hired after their work on Proud Mary, noted to her that she was a totally different person once she’d gotten into her full prosthetic suit. And thanks to her push for a more accurate design, Henson was able to proudly claim this special victory:

For me, every time I put the suit on. Every time I got suited up, and I put on that fat suit, I was Ann.

It doesn’t matter if it’s getting a prosthetic suit just right, adapting to intense stunt work or whatever other challenges she has faced in the various projects she’s been a part of, Taraji P. Henson has a process when it comes to digging into a role; and it’s a huge part of what makes her specific brand of acting so unique. Tthat process works like a charm, as it allowed her to truly dig into the personal story of Ann Atwater and C.P. Ellis’s friendship, which is at the very heart of The Best of Enemies.

The Best of Enemies will be in theaters this Friday.

The Best Zombie Movies Broken Down By Zombie-Type

The Best Zombie Movies Broken Down By Zombie-Type

Out of all the monster movie genres out there, few have gotten as many entries as the zombie genre. Some may argue hype on the genre has somewhat cooled, although with The Walking Dead set to start making Rick Grimes features, and more shows and films springing up all the time, it's safe to say the zombie genre will not die. Kind of ironic, right?

With that said, there have been so many entries in the zombie genre that some of the better quality features have been lost in the mix as decades pass. Additionally, some audiences may have specific zombies they want to see in a movie, be it the iconic walker, aggressive runners, classic voodoo, or the lighthearted funny zombie flick. These are the definitive picks for the best zombie films someone should hit up first before getting into the other offerings.

The Best Walker Zombie Movies

Walker zombies are the traditional type of zombie most people are familiar with. They're slow moving, work in large numbers and aren't always the sharpest tools in the box. There are exceptions, of course, but these types of zombies are built more towards building films more on suspense and claustrophobic situations than fast-paced over-the-top action.

Dawn Of The Dead

It's impossible to make a list of great zombie films without featuring at least one by the godfather of modern zombies. George A. Romero's Dawn of the Dead is one of his most profitable and critically acclaimed features, and has served as the inspiration for numerous zombie movies that followed. The effects may be a bit dated compared to shows like The Walking Dead, but the story is as timeless as ever and remains a classic.

Zombie

Zombie, or Zombi 2 in Italy, features the traditional type of walker zombie, although this one is technically a mixture between walker/voodoo genres. With that said, voodoo isn't as heavy to the plot as some of the entries seen later. What this movie is heavy on is some truly gross and cringe-worthy imagery to see in this feature. There's also an underwater zombie that gets into it with a shark, and that alone is worth the price of admission.

Planet Terror

Planet Terror isn't the most conventional zombie film out there, which may be why more folks are drawn to it as time goes on. While Robert Rodriguez's feature was viewed as the lesser in the grindhouse double feature, there's no denying its unique style and aesthetic have helped it become a stand out of the genre. It also helps Rose McGowan's character has a gun for a leg.

The Best Runner Zombie Movies

As the name would imply, runner zombies are more fast-moving and generally more athletic than the walker-types. These zombies plow ahead with reckless abandon, and generally have little regard for their own preservation or other zombies around them. Speed is obviously a scary attribute for a monster that doesn't have to worry about endurance, so runner zombie movies are often high-action and high intensity throughout a bulk of the feature.

28 Days Later

There are some movies that, if someone is looking to get into the zombie genre, can't be missed. 28 Days Later is mandatory viewing for its heart-pounding action, fast and strong as hell zombies, and view of just how bleak a post-apocalyptic zombie world can be. There's also times where Danny Boyle's film is beautiful, in what may be one of the most aesthetically pleasing zombie movie for film buffs.

Train To Busan

South Korea isn't typically known as a hub for films that appeal to an American audience, but the nation has had a few hits over the years. Even for those who aren't too psyched for foreign language films with subtitles, Train To Busan is worth checking out. Perhaps the best part of this film is the zombies' one weakness being an inability to see in the dark, which makes for incredibly tense and heart-pounding scenes.

World War Z

A lot of die hard zombie fans will take issue with this entry, mainly because it's not the same quality of the Max Brooks novel it was adapted from. Be that as it may, World War Z has some fantastic sequences with runner zombies, and it takes advantage of its big Hollywood budget to show some scenes most zombie movies haven't pulled off. Unfortunately, the long in-development sequel was cancelled, so chances of a follow up are slim.

The Best Voodoo Zombie Movies

Before George Romero brought zombies back into the mainstream, voodoo zombies were typically the cinematic standard for zombies in cinema. These creatures are typically similar attribute-wise to walker zombies, but enslaved throughout the use of Haitian Voodoo magic or some spell that enslaves them to an individual. For those looking for some of the beginnings of zombies in Hollywood, these are the films to start with.

White Zombie

White Zombie is regarded as the first feature length zombie film, and the movie that laid the groundwork for others. Dracula icon Bela Lugosi plays a witch doctor who is capable of taking dead bodies, re-animating them and making them his slaves. It's far from the modern interpretation of a zombie, but it is based in the Haitian voodoo interpretation of zombies. For those that want to see where it all started, this is where it starts.

Sugar Hill

One of the more contemporary voodoo zombie films, Sugar Hill is a '70s blaxploitation film about a vengeful woman who seeks revenge on the mob boss who killed her boyfriend. Diane "Sugar" Hill goes to a former voodoo queen and ends up summoning Baron Samedi and zombies to take the fight to the mob. This might be one of the only movies where the main character is actually the source of a zombie outbreak.

Voodoo Man

Voodoo Man is one of the weirder entries on this list, as it goes from traditional voodoo zombie film to meta by the movie's end. Without revealing too much about the film's ending, a character suggests making a movie called "Voodoo Man" and requests that Bela Lugosi (who is in the film) be in the movie. Considering this movie starts with a doctor tricking women into stealing their essences to resurrect his dead wife, that's kind of impressive.

The Best Comedy Zombie Films

These aren't necessarily a type of zombie per se, but there's been a handful of zombie comedy movies that are some of the best zombie films out there. These movies typically have a mixture of different zombie types, and can poke fun at the overall silliness of the genre. For those looking for a laugh just as much as gore, look no further than these great movies.

Zombieland

One of the zombie genre's funniest films is also one of its most star-studded, as Zombieland boasts talent like Emma Stone, Jesse Eisenberg, Abigail Breslin, Woody Harrelson and Bill Murray. The zombie rules of survival in this movie are great advice should an actual zombie apocalypse ever hit, and the zombie attacks highlight some of the sillier encounters a more serious zombie film wouldn't tackle. It's no wonder audiences are still excited for a sequel a decade later!

Shaun of the Dead

Had Shaun of the Dead never been made, it's possible the careers of Edgar Wright, Simon Pegg and Nick Frost wouldn't have skyrocketed to the status they enjoy now. That's not important when it comes to the film, which is a fantastic zombie flick regardless of its impact on those individuals. Shaun's story is exceptionally well told, and most zombie movie lovers can attest that strong individual stories are not a strength of the zombie genre.

Dead Alive

This is zombie comedy that's a bit of a cult classic, mainly because its relatively unknown director at the time became a pretty big deal years later. Even if most folks check this out due to their love of Lord of the Rings and Peter Jackson, Dead Alive is a pretty funny film, with some of the more obscene slapstick humor that can't be found in most zombie films.

Do you have a great zombie movie that didn't make the list that folks should check out? Be sure to post it below in the comics and keep with CinemaBlend for all the latest news on zombies, movies, and all things entertainment.

The Secret Behind The Chemistry Of Tolkien’s On-Screen Friends

The Secret Behind The Chemistry Of Tolkien’s On-Screen Friends

The power of friendship is something that author J.R.R. Tolkien loved to explore in his writings, on par with his exploration of the power of love. One could say that the two were one in the same for him, as his heroes loved their romantic partners and their fellowship equally, as evidenced in various dissections of his worldwide phenomenon, The Lord of the Rings.

Those same powers are shown on grand display in Tolkien, this weekend’s new release that tells the story of how true love and fellowship influenced the writings that would change the world of fiction straight through to this very day. And it’s without question that the part Tolkien’s friends played in his life is a great plot point in director Dome Karukoski’s film, which shows the initial meeting and lifelong friendships built between the author and a trio of friends: Geoffrey Smith, Robert Gilson and Christopher Wiseman.

Playing the roles of J.R.R. Tolkien’s own fellowship are, respectively, Anthony Boyle, Patrick Gibson and Tom Glynn-Carney. Judging by their time together in the film, you’d be forgiven for thinking they all knew each other beforehand, however that’s not quite the case.

As CinemaBlend sat down with the three gentlemen during the press day for Tolkien, the subject of friendship was an easy one to breach. Especially when wondering what the secret was to their special brand of chemistry. In their own words, the truth behind their previous connections, or lack thereof, may surprise you:

Tom Glynn-Carney: We knew of each other before. We’d sort of met on a few occasions through mutual friends, but we’d never worked with each other, or spent any sort of concentrated time with each other.

Patrick Gibson: We’d done our best not to.

Glynn-Carney: No, yeah, in fact, actively avoided each other.

Gibson: This was our last straw.

So while these three gentlemen knew of each other, as Tom Glynn-Carney noted in their interview, they really didn’t get to know each other until they started production on Tolkien. What’s also apparent is the playful chemistry that took hold in a short time, and still holds to this day, as co-star Patrick Gibson started a chain of good-hearted kidding that suggested these gentlemen never really wanted to meet. But of course they did, and the end result is an absolutely believable friendship that stretches through almost the entirety of Tolkien’s biopic story.

Of course, it didn’t stop with this trio of fun-loving mates, as Tolkien was definitely a group effort, and everyone fell into a sort of likeable family. Tom Glynn-Carney explained further, with some help from co-star Anthony Boyle, in the following remarks:

Glynn-Carney: But then being thrown into this sort of melting pot of this cast was a great thing, and it all happened very organically. There was no conscious effort made to up the camaraderie or any of that. It just all happened organically.

Anthony Boyle: It just fell into place, really. You know, I think we all just really enjoyed each other’s companies. And we just had a lovely time.

Glynn-Carney: Nick [Hoult], and Lily [Collins], and Dome [Karukoski,] and everyone included as well.

Bringing a story as heavy as J.R.R. Tolkien’s participation in World War I needs a fair amount of levity, and the inclusion of Geoffrey Smith, Robert Gilson and Christopher Wiseman’s stories more than does the job. With earlier portions of the film focusing on their social club, the “Tea Club and Barrovian Society,” or TCBS for short, there’s a sort of Dead Poets Society energy in the group’s time swearing an oath to changing the world through art.

Without those performances landing, there’s no believable friendship that gets J.R.R. Tolkien through his experiences in World War I. If there are two relationships that build the foundation of what makes Tolkien different from the average biopic, the fellowship of the TCBS is equally as important as Tolkien’s love affair with fellow orphan Edith Bratt.

Even in the footage from our time in the interview with Anthony Boyle, Patrick Gibson and Tom Glynn-Carney, it’s apparent that the three are so perfectly matched that it was an easy feat to bring that crucial friendship to life. And you can see it for yourself in the clip below:

Just as the Fellowship of The Ring bonded over the protection of Middle-Earth, the Tea Club and Barrovian Society bound themselves over the arts, and their effect on the world at large. It’s a relationship that’s key to the overall picture that Tolkien paints, and it’s one you can currently see in theaters this weekend.

Why Horror Movies Like The Curse Of La Llorona Can Be Exhausting To Film

Why Horror Movies Like The Curse Of La Llorona Can Be Exhausting To Film

Horror films may not have insane stunts like people jumping across rooftops or the intense fight choreography you might find in many blockbuster action movies, but that doesn’t mean that they’re a breeze to make. On the contrary, horror films like this weekend’s Conjuring Universe title The Curse of La Llorona can be downright exhausting to film. In an exclusive interview with CinemaBlend’s own Sean O’Connell at SXSW, The Curse of La Llorona’s star Linda Cardellini explained why making it was so tiring:

Absolutely. And you’re shooting at night quite a bit too, so your hours are shifted as well. So it’s like full mental workout and full physical workout everyday. Which I didn’t know, I’d never really done a film like this before so I had no idea going in that I would be that kind of exhausted.

Linda Cardellini brings up a great point about shooting at night. Long days of filming often require actors and crew to arrive when it’s still dark out and leave long after the sun has set, but horror movies like The Curse of La Llorona need to actually film certain scenes in the dark. The need to shoot those outdoor night scenes shifts around the working hours and messes with your sleep schedule, making them an exhausting part of horror films.

There is also the fact that horror films often require intense performances out of actors who are playing characters that are in fear for their lives. That’s an emotionally draining experience. Not to mention that screaming and running from supernatural threats takes a lot out of them. And by the time they're done, actors can end up completely exhausted.

The Curse of La Llorona was Linda Cardellini’s first film like this too; the Scooby-Doo movies aren't quite the same kind of horror experience. So even as a veteran actress with tons of film and TV credits to her name, she was still unprepared for the level of exhaustion that was in store for her making this Conjuring Universe movie.

The cast didn’t really get to ease into things either by saving the more intense and exhausting scenes for later in the shoot. As The Curse of La Llorona’s director Michael Chaves told CinemaBlend:

I was kind of talking about how this, because I come from commercials beforehand and how so much of that it’s the difference of a sprint to making a movie is a marathon. But it’s funny because in reality thinking about our schedules and each day that we had, each day was a sprint. Each day we had so many big set pieces and crazy things, it was always at a fever pitch.

The Curse of La Llorona is Michael Chaves’ first feature film. And although he might have expected a more measured pace, what he wound up with was a breakneck one. It sounds like there were no easy days with everyday involving some challenge that resulted in an exhausting filming experience. Fortunately, Michael Chaves was prepared for this kind of sprint because of his previous work commercial work.

You can check out Sean O'Connell discussing the filming experience with the cast and director of The Curse of La Llorona below.

The Curse of La Llorona, which looks terrifying, tells the story of an apparition, the Weeping Woman, stalking the children of 1973 Los Angeles. Linda Cardellini's social worker and her kids are drawn into the supernatural realm and must try and escape the wrath of this evil spirit. This is the sixth film in the Conjuring Universe and is the first feature film for Michael Chaves who will follow La Llorona up with The Conjuring 3.

The Curse of La Llorona opens in theaters this Friday, April 19. Check out our 2019 Release Schedule to keep track of all the movies you need to see as we approach the jam-packed summer movie season.

Joe Russo Is Interested In Directing A Batman Movie

Joe Russo Is Interested In Directing A Batman Movie

By now, you are likely more than a little familiar with Avengers: Endgame, the massive comic book movie that is climbing its way to being the highest-grossing film of all time. In that case, you also might know Joe Russo, the co-director of Endgame and three other of Marvel's best films. With Endgame out in theaters, Joe Russo and his partner/brother Anthony Russo are done with the MCU, but not necessarily with comic book movies. If given the chance to direct a DC movie, Joe Russo would like to take his shot at Batman.

Hot off of co-directing two massive and successful Avengers films, the Russo Brothers are taking a break from Marvel for the foreseeable future. The duos' next project will reunite them with Tom Holland for the drama film Cherry. While the two talked about what projects would bring them back to the MCU, nothing is in the works at the moment.

However, that doesn't mean that they are done with superheroes. There are plenty of non-Marvel options out there, with the biggest one being DC over at Warner Bros. While appearing in a live chat with ComicBook, Joe Russo was asked by a fan what DC Comics character he'd like to direct in a movie. The answer was one of the biggest superheroes of all time.

As far as what I collected as a kid, I collected Batman. [That] was one of the DC characters I collected. So it would have to be Batman.

If Joe Russo wants to direct a Batman movie, he'll have to get in line. Matt Reeves is currently working on the next Batman film. The project has been a little touch-and-go, with Ben Affleck leaving the role and a few behind-the-scenes changes before Reeves stepped in.

There haven't been many updates about The Batman, but it'll be a noir detective-style story. The script is still being worked on and there's no shortage of casting rumors for Batman.

After tackling the Avengers franchise, there's little doubt the Russos are more than up to the task of directing a Batman movie. After handling a cast of over, like, 20 characters, I'm sure it'd be refreshing for the brothers to turn their gaze to just one superhero.

Given the almost unprecedented success of the MCU and the Russo Bros.' role in it, I would wager that Warner Bros. would offer them any superhero movie that struck their fancy. Much like with James Gunn taking over The Suicide Squad, I'm sure DC is willing to play ball with the Russos if they want. The door is wide open for the duo after Avengers: Endgame.

You can see the Russo Bros.' latest film (as if you haven't already) Avengers: Endgame in theaters right now. For everything else coming to theaters near you this year, check out our 2019 movie release guide.

Every Marvel Movie To Date, Ranked

Every Marvel Movie To Date, Ranked

Growing and expanding since 2008, Marvel Studios has managed to create the most successful franchises of all time. Year after year they manage to release hit after hit, and it doesn't look like they will be slowing down any time soon. With the release of Avengers: Endgame there are now 22 films in canon -- but that begs the question: how do they rank against each other?

Well, I've done my part in answering that question. I've taken a look back at the entirety of the big screen Marvel Cinematic Universe and as you will see below and on the next few pages, ranked them from worst to best. Read on and see where the various films place!

22. Thor: The Dark World

If Marvel Studios has had any one consistent issue with their films, it's that the villains for the most part have been small-time and forgettable. Perhaps the best example of this is featured in Alan Taylor's Thor: The Dark World, as Christopher Eccleston's Malekith never manages to get interesting, and it's a shame because the entire plot is dictated by his actions. The movie definitely has one of the best spectacle-driven third acts in the MCU, but the movie still can't really be called one of Marvel's best, and to date it's really the franchise's worst.

21. The Incredible Hulk

While it didn't hit the bottom of our rankings, there definitely is a degree to which The Incredible Hulk is the forgotten sibling in the Marvel Cinematic Universe family. For years, the only actor from the movie to actually reprise their role in a second film was Robert Downey Jr. On beyond that, though, the 2008 movie is really the only title in the catalogue that doesn't have the trademark tongue-in-cheek humor and sense of fun that has made Marvel so popular. It's not a bad movie, but Marvel would go on to do much better work.

20. Iron Man 2

When looked at from the macro perspective, Jon Favreau's Iron Man 2 honestly serves as a key piece of the puzzle in building the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and it has some great things going for it (the Monaco Historic Grand Prix sequence in particular is memorable and cool). All by its lonesome, however, it is a bit of a mess. It's also very jumbled plot-wise (trying to do way too much), has a poor villain in Mickey Rourke's Whiplash, and it never really properly hangs together.

19. Thor

Given its origins in Norse mythology, and a fantasy-esque element not really seen before in comic book movies, Kenneth Branagh's Thor in many ways felt like the first big risk that Marvel Studios took (beyond just the launch of the MCU). That being said, it wound up paying off in a great way, and established both Chris Hemsworth and Tom Hiddleston as bona fide stars. It strikes the perfect Marvel tone, and introduces some great new concepts to the world -- and while it has its flaws (pacing is too fast, not enough Asgard,etc.), it ultimately holds up.

18. Ant-Man

Peyton Reed's Ant-Man works on a much smaller scale than many of the other titles in Phase 2 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and is a bit more straight-forward than you want it to be -- but boy, is it a hell of a lot of fun. The 2015 movie succeeds by featuring a handful of fantastically entertaining performances and characters, with the most important piece of the puzzle being Paul Rudd -- who will surely keep MCU fans entertained for years to come.

17. Doctor Strange

From a visual standpoint, director Scott Derrickson's Doctor Strange is unlike anything audiences have ever seen. Interdimensional travel and magic create some absolutely gorgeous and bombastic set pieces that audiences will remember for a very long time, and the triumvirate of Benedict Cumberbatch (Dr. Strange), Tilda Swinton (The Ancient One), and Chiwetel Ejiofor (Mordo) is fantastic. Unfortunately it's all weighed down by a standard origin story and an underdeveloped villain, but it's definitely an exciting introduction for the future Sorcerer Supreme.

16. The Avengers: Age Of Ultron

Joss Whedon carried some incredible weight bringing The Avengers: Age of Ultron to the big screen, working under immense pressure and scrutiny. While the final product isn't as good as its predecessor, it's still an impressive, epic blockbuster that honestly feels like a major Marvel Comics event brought to life. The stakes are big, some great new characters are introduced, and it sets an interesting table for the events that transpire in Phase Three.

15. Captain Marvel

With Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck's Captain Marvel, audiences everywhere have the chance to meet one of the most powerful heroes in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and it's definitely one of the most exciting debuts we've seen thus far in this franchise. It is a bit dragged down by the familiar aspects of its origin story, but it also has a number of unexpected twists, and provides fans with is plenty of exciting new looks at the expanded continuity - such as events from the MCU in the 1990s, the Kree-Skrull War, and even a bit more of the Tesseract. Of course, at the center of it all is also a badass new protagonist who has tremendous potential for awesome cosmic and Earthbound stories in the future.

14. Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2

As will be discussed later, James Gunn totally changed the Marvel game with 2014's Guardians of the Galaxy, but in doing so set the most ridiculous of high bars for its sequel to reach. The bad news is that Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 isn't quite as good as its predecessor, but the great news is that it's an incredibly fun intergalactic romp. It smartly sacrifices scope in favor of character, and it's a legitimate cinematic treat to see Star-Lord, Gamora, Drax, Rocket and Groot back up on the big screen.

13. Iron Man 3

Shane Black's Iron Man 3 is unquestionably the most underrated Marvel movie. While some audiences complained about the Mandarin twist and lack of Iron Man screentime, the other way to look at those two things is the power of the movie's ability to defy expectation, and the way in which it enriches Tony Stark as a character outside of his armor. It's a fun piece of noir storytelling, and a great comeback after the mediocre Iron Man 2.

12. Ant-Man And The Wasp

There is an argument to be made that first sequels in the Marvel Cinematic Universe have a specific advantage over their predecessors. After all, origin stories are essentially fixed expositional vehicles used to establish key characters; but once those introductions are made, what's left is the purely creative opportunity to craft a wholly original, specific story natural to those heroes. Peyton Reed's Ant-Man And The Wasp is a perfect example of this. The movie beautifully capitalizes on everything we loved about the first Ant-Man (Paul Rudd and Evangeline Lilly are genuinely perfect together), putting its wonderful ensemble through an expertly-molded comedic thrill ride in the vein of After Hours and Midnight Run - ultimately coming together as a romp that is hilarious from beginning to end.

11. Captain America: The First Avenger

Landing right in the middle of this list is Joe Johnston's Captain America: The First Avenger: another origin story, but one that takes the audience back in time to the days of World War II. There is a rightful complaint in that the third act of the film doesn't have quite the punch of Marvel's better titles, but it's also one of the studio's best introductory tales, and features some perfect performances from both Chris Evans and Hayley Atwell (performances that would completely change their individual careers).

10. Thor: Ragnarok

The Thor movies have never been one of Marvel's strongest series - as evidenced by their rankings on this list. That's why Marvel had director Taika Waititi rebrand the whole thing with Thor: Ragnarok, and the results are fantastic. The tone is not only much lighter than its predecessors, resulting in one of the funniest titles in the franchise to date, but the character work is just phenomenal. It's the most compelling arc we've seen for Chris Hemsworth's God of Thunder, Mark Ruffalo is phenomenal as a Hulk who can finally have a conversation, and their thrust together in one of Marvel's most vibrant and fun adventures.

9. Spider-Man: Homecoming

As a big screen character, Spider-Man was at big risk of reboot fatigue going into Jon Watts' Spider-Man: Homecoming, but nothing dissipates audience apprehension quite like quality - and boy, did this one bring it. In his second Marvel Cinematic Universe appearance, Tom Holland perfects both being Peter Parker and the wall-crawler, and the film succeeds by actively differentiating itself from anything that's come before - skipping the overdone origin story and fully embracing the new movie's position in MCU continuity with a strong supporting role for Robert Downey Jr.'s Tony Stark. It's a crazy fun adventure, full of youthful energy that gets us excited for the web-slinger's franchise future.

8. Iron Man

Jon Favreau's Iron Man, of course, was the film that kicked off the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but while that's a significant feat, it's only part of the larger reason why we have it ranked so high. It's also the film that brought the amazing Robert Downey Jr. back to us, the actor doing his part to create what has become a truly iconic character, and the movie in and of itself is a fantastic story of redemption and facing down demons. It's a superhero blockbuster that will go down in history -- which makes it actually kind of impressive on Marvel's part that it's only number five on our list.

7. The Avengers

Marvel's Phase One films are, on the whole, enjoyable pieces of entertainment, but Joss Whedon's The Avengers was when the Marvel Cinematic Universe truly became the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Not only one of the greatest event movies of all time, it also beautifully, dazzlingly,, and unexpectedly delivers on a four year long promise of bringing some of comics' greatest heroes together on the big screen for the first time ever. For the longest time the whole thing just seemed like an impossible dream, but Whedon and Marvel delivered in the biggest way imaginable, and it's a finished product that can be rewatched endlessly with enjoyment

6. Black Panther

After 10 years of franchise-building and 17 films, you'd think that Marvel Studios would struggle at this point putting together effective introductory solo films. The truth, however, is that they'll keep being successful so long as the studio continues to hire filmmakers with vision - and that's exactly what they did bringing in writer/director Ryan Coogler to make Black Panther. The movie is not only a remarkable exercise in world-building - introducing audiences to the remarkable land of Wakanda - but also very much has something important to say, and says it compellingly. The narrative regarding the African nation's relationship with the rest of the planet is impressively sophisticated in a blockbuster package, and Michael B. Jordan's Erik Killmonger, equipped with understandable and powerful ideology, is arguably Marvel's greatest villain to date.

5. Avengers: Infinity War

To paraphrase Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige, Joe and Anthony Russo's Avengers: Infinity War was built on the idea of it being the capstone for every Marvel Cinematic Universe film that preceded it. A full decade was spent watching Infinity Stones be revealed, and Thanos being teased, and it seemed like there was just far too much pressure on the blockbuster for it to actually be any good. Boy, did they prove us wrong. Finally getting his chance in the spotlight, the Mad Titan proves to be an absolutely terrifying force of nature, and the film is filled with too many shocking, disturbing and amazing moments to count. Its in every way the movie fans were promised.

4. Captain America: The Winter Soldier

For Phase Two, Marvel Studios made a point of not just making superhero movies, but making complex genre films that happen to feature superheroes. For Captain America: The Winter Soldier, directors Joe and Anthony Russo infused the blockbuster with the structure and spirit of a 1970s conspiracy thriller, and the result is absolutely stunning. No other feature in the Marvel Cinematic Universe features fight choreography that is as visceral, and the character dynamics between Cap, Black Widow, and Falcon are thoughtful, unique, and fun.

3. Guardians Of The Galaxy

James Gunn's Guardians of the Galaxy is a legitimately special movie. Only tangentially part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the film is unlike any comic book feature we've seen -- even in the modern era -- and has everything a person could want from a summer blockbuster. It's hilarious, with not just star Chris Pratt getting fantastic laugh-out-loud lines; it's action-packed, with a third-act spectacle that will boggle the mind; and it's even emotional, creating amazing bonds between characters. It stood as Marvel's best work for a couple years... but then 2016 rolled around.

2. Captain America: Civil War

As ridiculously huge as the first two Avengers blockbusers were, directors Joe and Anthony Russo somehow managed to up the ante even further with Captain America: Civil War. The third Captain America movie is shockingly emotional (particularly in the showdown between Cap and Iron Man), stunningly action packed (the Leipzig Halle Airport fight is among the best we've ever seen), and gives us some amazing new characters in Spider-Man and Black Panther. It's spectacularly crafted storytelling with a real gut-punch ending, and to date the best film in the MCU.

1. Avengers: Endgame

Joe and Anthony Russo's Avengers: Endgame is a film that really shouldn't be as phenomenal as it is. It should be impossible to make a blockbuster that is able to perfectly capitalize on the 21 blockbuster in the series that preceded it. And yet that's exactly what this movie does. It starts with the fallout from Avengers: Infinity War, with the surviving heroes picking up the pieces of their lives following their battle with Thanos and massive defeat, but where it goes from there coalesces as one of the most bombastic, jaw-dropping, and remarkable big screen experiences we've ever seen. It may not technically be the end of Phase Three, but it's still the perfect ending for the first three phases of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

How do you personally rank the films of the Marvel Cinematic Universe? We want to hear from you, so hit the comments section below with your thoughts on the last decade-plus of Marvel Studios titles.