Best MCU Trilogy

[bat39]

Pretty much what the title suggests. What do you think is the best MCU trilogy?

We've had 6 so far - Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, Ant-Man, Guardians of the Galaxy, and Avengers (I'm counting Infinity War and Endgame as two parts of the same movie).

I suppose there's also a discussion to be had about whether any of these count as 'trilogies' in the classic sense since not one of them is unaffected in major ways by intervening films. GOTG is the closest to being a trilogy you can watch without watching the other films and still (mostly) have it make sense - gotta love how Gunn explains the post-IF/Endgame Gamora situation

Anyway, recency bias tempts me to pick GOTG, and I have a feeling many will go for that, but I'll actually go for Captain America. None of these trilogies are a hat-trick of perfect films, but Captain America IMO comes closest. The First Avenger is a pretty solid outing, and The Winter Soldier and Civil War are both among the best MCU movies.

With GOTG, Vol 1 and 3 are both great and among the best MCU movies, but Vol 2 honestly, while a decent film, didn't particularly excite me and was overall a mid-level entry.

As for the rest - I think all the Ant-Man films were pretty good, but nothing great. IM1 is legendary and 3 was great but 2 was okay-ish (I still love it though for old time's sake). Of the first three Thor films, only Ragnarock is truly great - the first one was a solid outing but nothing spectacular and The Dark World is possibly the single worst MCU film (I think Love & Thunder at least has far more entertainment potential!) And with the Avengers, Age of Ultron is a decent outing but nothing mind-blowing, and over time you realize that while the first film has a place in cinematic history for being the first major superhero crossover/team-up film, as a film it's really not in the same league as some of the MCU's finest.

[Username taken]

Captain America is probably the best overall.

GoTG 1 and 3 were great but part 2 wasn't very good. It was decidedly average.

[inisideguy]

I have to go GOTG. All the points you made bat are valid and there are good arguments. For me GOTG is the best although I noticed you left out the spider-man movies is that cause of Sony?

[Scott Taylor]

GotG, and it wasn't even close in my mind.

Iron Man - only the first movie is worth my time.
Captain America - Good movies but not a cohesive arc for Captain America. First one is a great Cap story. Second one is great but is a Shield movie. Third is an Avengers movie.
Thor - Ragnarok is the only good one
Ant Man - Quantumania was terrible enough to offset the whole trilogy
Avengers - Age of Ultron is the worst MCU film, to me.

[bat39]

I have to go GOTG. All the points you made bat are valid and there are good arguments. For me GOTG is the best although I noticed you left out the spider-man movies is that cause of Sony?

Oh f#ck! I just totally forgot about them

I guess let's pretend that's because of Sony I mean, technically those are Sony movies that just happen to be part of the MCU due to a complicated rights-sharing agreement...

[inisideguy]

Oh f#ck! I just totally forgot about them

I guess let's pretend that's because of Sony I mean, technically those are Sony movies that just happen to be part of the MCU due to a complicated rights-sharing agreement...

Ya cause if you did put those in there I think I would have had a hard time, choosing between GOTG and Spidey

[bat39]

GotG, and it wasn't even close in my mind.

Iron Man - only the first movie is worth my time.
Captain America - Good movies but not a cohesive arc for Captain America. First one is a great Cap story. Second one is great but is a Shield movie. Third is an Avengers movie.
Thor - Ragnarok is the only good one
Ant Man - Quantumania was terrible enough to offset the whole trilogy
Avengers - Age of Ultron is the worst MCU film, to me.

I think the Cap movies do have a pretty solid arc for Steve. He's fundamentally a good man who wants to do the right thing, which is why he joins the Army to fight Nazis and sacrifices his life to save millions of people. But he gets a second chance in a modern world that is a lot more morally grey and complicated, and where you can't fully trust even your closest allies (the kicker is that even his best friend from his old life, Bucky, comes back as a brainwashed assassin). Yet, Cap continues to find a way to stand his ground and be a force for good even in this compromised world, no matter who he needs to go against and even if he ends up as a renegade at odds with the very government he once swore to serve.

I do agree though that Cap's arc is a lot stronger once you throw in the Avengers movies (which ultimately give him a happy ending and a legacy), but the core of the arc is very much present in this trilogy.

[Vakanai]

I voted for Iron Man, not because the sequels were so great or anything, but because the original Iron Man is just that good. It's the only MCU film counted among my favorite superhero films of all time, the only MCU film I feel like rewatching still, and just imo the best MCU film period. So it carries.

Otherwise I honestly wouldn't be able to pick a best trilogy. Like I've said, by and large you know what you're getting with an MCU film, they're all good but that's because they're basically factory made - they're of such consistent quality none of them ever stand out from the pack in my opinion. I enjoy them as disposable fun popcorn fare, but none of them stick with me long after that viewing. To me the first Iron Man is the only true stand out among the rest, so that's why it gets my vote.

[bat39]

Ya cause if you did put those in there I think I would have had a hard time, choosing between GOTG and Spidey

I wouldn't. Honestly, the only standout Spider-Man film of the three was NWH, and that was to a large extent due to the returning characters/actors. The first two are decent, serviceable films (well, Homecoming had a standout performance from Michael Keaton, and RDJ as Iron Man so it stands out a bit) but nothing mindblowing IMO.

[Jokerz79]

Captain America Trilogy is the Best IMO with the GOTG being a close 2nd and number 3 Spider-Man with "Home" trilogy.

[Powerboy]

In spite of the- interesting- vote, I'd say "Avengers" is a no-brainer. It's what the whole thing was made to build up to. The second one was a bit weak but the 3rd really being 3rd and 4th more than makes up for it.

As far as solo movies, definitely Captain America. I'm a bit out of the norm in calling the first one the best. One of them was really an unofficial Avengers movie but I definitely think the trilogy was the best.

[inisideguy]

I wouldn't. Honestly, the only standout Spider-Man film of the three was NWH, and that was to a large extent due to the returning characters/actors. The first two are decent, serviceable films (well, Homecoming had a standout performance from Michael Keaton, and RDJ as Iron Man so it stands out a bit) but nothing mindblowing IMO.

Interesting. Other than the last one dont think those spidey movies blow ya away. On the other hand they are all pretty darn good. For me they beat cap and are = to Guardians. On the other hand I think ive change my mind lol. Avengers overall beats them all. I cant change my vote, ahh well.

[WebLurker]

Winter Solider is still my favorite MCU movie, but think Guardians is the best trilogy to date.

[BeastieRunner]

Well GotG, Thor, and Iron Man actually have endings.

Cap and Ant-Man really don't.

Avengers does if you count IW/Endgame as one movie.

Iron Man can be watched siloed. Ant-Man, too. Thor and Cap, not so much. Ditto for avengers.

Than being said, I voted for GotG because you can watch them all without seeing any of the others. Plus, it's my favorite. I also enjoyed how each movie had a theme (loss, acceptance, self) and focused on family (mother, father, lost loves).
.

[Jokerz79]

In spite of the- interesting- vote, I'd say "Avengers" is a no-brainer. It's what the whole thing was made to build up to. The second one was a bit weak but the 3rd really being 3rd and 4th more than makes up for it.

As far as solo movies, definitely Captain America. I'm a bit out of the norm in calling the first one the best. One of them was really an unofficial Avengers movie but I definitely think the trilogy was the best.

I think it was James Wan who pointed out how amazing of a feat Captain America the First Avenger was people tend to forget that after a decade of war in the middle east the U.S. wasn't let's say beloved around the world when First Avenger was released in 2011 hence why in many markets it was simply called the First Avenger. But the movie actually got people to root for a guy literally wearing an American flag.