The Marvel Cinematic Universe has been a game-changer for the entire movie industry. Never before had so many movies been so cleverly woven together to form a cohesive story over the course of a decade, and it's likely this will happen ever again. Not many moviegoers saw it coming, either, until the MCU was already well-established.
By now, it's easy for MCU fans to look back, point out their favorite movies, and comment on which are the best. But that's with the benefit of hindsight. Before the MCU's best movies came out, some moviegoers and critics expected those movies to be another tedious superhero adventure or simply didn't expect those movies to be so good. In fact, the most underestimated MCU movies are some of the very best.
10 Spider-Man: Homecoming Felt Fresh
MCU fans enjoyed actor Tom Holland's Spider-Man making a cameo in Captain America: Civil War, though, at the time, it seemed Spider-Man didn't add anything new to the MCU as a quip-heavy, costumed crime fighter. Then, everyone was proven wrong in 2017's Spider-Man: Homecoming.
This particular movie put Spider-Man front and center, and this youthful hero immediately rose to the challenge as a clever, powerful, funny, and sympathetic star. The movie expertly blended Peter's high school, Gen Z life with his budding career as a hero in ways no one expected but everyone loved.
9 Ant-Man Worked Against All Odds
Moviegoers and MCU characters alike tried to hide their laughter when the concept of Ant-Man the bug hero came up, but as it turns out, Scott Lang the thief turned hero is the real deal. Actor Paul Rudd did a marvelous job making Ant-Man a charming, heartfelt, and exciting hero to watch despite the goofy premise behind it all.
This was really just a heist movie with MCU flair, but Ant-Man had such style that no one minded at all. It was a refreshingly silly and honest movie about a man trying to do good however he could, and the size-altering shenanigans were amazing to watch, too. Being tiny has never yielded such huge results.
8 Captain America: The Winter Soldier Felt Wonderfully Grounded
2011's feature Captain America: The First Avenger was solid, but it didn't blow anyone away, and it was really just a setup for the next movie. Plus, Cap doesn't have cool powers like Thor or Doctor Strange, so fans didn't expect much from his second solo movie in 2014.
Marvel fans were soon proven wonderfully wrong. Captain America: The Winter Soldier did everything right as a grounded but distinctly MCU-style action movie with cool setpieces, an intriguing thriller plot, unexpected enemies, and the sheer power of friendship between Captain America and Bucky Barnes.
7 Guardians Of The Galaxy Wasn't Just A Novelty
While movie fans didn't necessarily expect 2014's Guardians of the Galaxy to be a flop, every single character in Guardians was brand-new for the MCU. Characters like Peter Quill/Star-Lord, Gamora, and Groot were relatively unknown and were a tad obscure even in the original comics.
Guardians pleasantly surprised everyone by making obscure Marvel heroes cool after all, and skilled actors like Chris Pratt and Zoe Saldana made their characters feel like a perfect fit for the MCU. Overnight, the characters, settings, and lore of Guardians became an essential part of the MCU.
6 Guardians Of The Galaxy Volume 2 Hit Everyone In The Feels
By 2017, MCU fans knew that the Guardians storyline was a strong one, so they were certain that Volume 2 would be worth the price of admission. But even with that in mind, MCU fans were still underestimating what Volume 2 would deliver.
Not only did this movie match everything the first did, but it went above and beyond with its emotional impact. No one was ready for the touching self-sacrifice of Yondu Udonta, nor were they ready for Peter Quill's family drama with his Celestial father, Ego.
5 Black Panther Came Out Of Nowhere
The character King T'Challa/Black Panther was actually in a similar position as Spider-Man. Both of them made a cool cameo in Civil War, and then they each got a solo movie that was even better than fans expected. Like Cap, Black Panther doesn't need flashy special powers to be compelling.
2018's Black Panther, directed by Ryan Coogler, dazzled moviegoers with its thought-provoking villain Erik Killmonger, its charming exploration of African culture, and the neat soundtrack that balanced traditional African music, hip-hop, and regular superhero music. It's no wonder this hit movie grossed over a billion dollars.
4 Spider-Man: Far From Home Was A Visual Treat
By this point, MCU fans knew that Spider-Man was capable of remarkable solo movies, but just like Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2, the second Spider-Man movie still exceeded expectations. At first, fighting illusions sounded like a weak premise, but Far From Home made it super-cool instead.
This movie was cool thanks not just to the astounding visuals but also to the emotional impact of Peter coping with his grief over Tony Stark's death. It was even cooler how Quentin Beck's character tied into Tony Stark to make him feel relevant and not just like an obligatory boss battle.
3 Thor: Ragnarok Was Wickedly Good Fun
The first two Thor movies really weren't that great, with the first being mediocre and 2013's Thor: The Dark World being the worst MCU movie so far. So, fans weren't ready for Thor Odinson's third solo adventure to be one of the MCU's best standalone movies.
This movie showcased director Taika Waititi's excellent humor and colorful imagination without overdoing it, and the movie also introduced some fascinating new characters like Hela, Korg, and Valkyrie. Thor: Ragnarok also had some unexpected drama with Odin's demise and the total destruction of Asgard at Surtur's hands.
2 Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings Was Way Cool
2021's Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings was a partial reboot of the Mandarin. Now, the real Mandarin has arrived, and the in-universe actor Trever Slattery is trying to make amends for pretending to be the Mandarin during the battle against Iron Man.
This movie is more than just martial arts and MCU-style quips. Shang-Chi transported viewers to the mystical realm of Ta Lo and even summoned a demon, and there was more than plenty of family drama between Shang-Chi, his younger sister, and his father.
1 Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness Had Some Surprises In Store
In hindsight, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness wasn't the instant classic it could have been, but even so, this movie had more than a few amazing surprises to keep viewers engaged. In that sense, Doctor Strange was indeed better than fans thought it would be.
It turned out that Wanda Maximoff was the true villain, not an evil version of Doctor Strange, and that made for some great drama and action scenes. Best of all was the inclusion of the Illuminati, made up of Marvel favorites like Dr. Reed Richards, Charles Xavier/Professor X, and Black Bolt.