These 10 Marvel Movies Never Get Old

Both before and since the creation of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, there have been a number of Marvel movies that truly never get old. Since the start of the MCU’s movie timeline, Marvel adaptations have seemed to dominate the box office, earning unprecedented success and popularity, and becoming a huge part of pop culture. There are many Marvel movies both in the MCU and outside of it that stand out as exceptional examples of the cinematic potential of the superhero genre.
Among those great Marvel movies, there are a select few that simply never get old. There are multiple movies in the MCU that remain exceptional no matter how regularly they’re revisited, and others from adjacent Marvel franchises that are deeply touching, entertaining, or epic as well. There has been no shortage of movies based on Marvel Comics characters and stories, but these 10 genuinely never get old.
10 X2: X-Men United (2003) Directed by Bryan Singer Close Though it may not be the best of the X-Men movies, 2003’s X2: X-Men United is one of the franchise’s best offerings. Considering the relative limitations of CGI technology at the time and that more than two decades have passed since its release, X2 holds up remarkably well. This goes some way toward explaining why it’s a Marvel movie that never gets old, but its quality actually runs far deeper.
X2’s story further explores the most intriguing character from the first movie – Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine – and better examines the nature of the prejudice humanity feels toward mutants and how their reactions to that adversity come to define them. Thematically, it’s a movie with a story that continues to hit hard, while also serving up some incredible superhero action. Add to that its impressive visual effects and performances from its cast, and X2 simply doesn’t get old.
9 Iron Man (2008) Directed by Jon Favreau Close 2008 marked not just the beginning of the MCU, but also the beginning of Iron Man’s MCU story. The first movie in the franchise set a tone that the MCU has been trying to maintain ever since, blending comedy, action, and redemption in a single film. With Robert Downey Jr. stepping into the role of Tony Stark so organically, it’s no wonder that Iron Man is every bit as good today as it was upon release.
Practically every element of the MCU’s inaugural movie holds up perfectly. Its use of a blend of CGI and practical effects still looks exceptional, and RDJ’s performance continues to stand out as one of the best pieces of casting in the history of the superhero genre. Additionally, the ways in which Iron Man perfectly established the tone and formula for the rest of the MCU remain evident, highlighting how it never seems to get old.
8 Spider-Man 2 (2004) Directed by Sam Raimi Close There’s no doubt that Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man movies helped define the modern superhero blockbuster, and 2004’s Spider-Man 2 is widely considered the best of the three-film arc. Picking up from where the original movie left off, the sequel explores Spider-Man"s difficulty effectively leading his double life while also battling Doctor Octopus. Even more than twenty years after its release, looking back on Spider-Man 2 makes it clear how well it holds up.
While its visual effects, action, and acting are all still great, what makes Spider-Man 2 so consistently excellent is its story. The movie’s exploration of themes of identity and responsibility make it one of the most brilliant sequels ever made, as they serve as a perfect continuation of its predecessor’s story. It’s a movie that helped shape the genre in multiple ways, and it’s another Marvel adaptation that just doesn’t get old.
7 Deadpool (2016) Directed by Tim Miller Close Though where exactly the Deadpool movies sit in Fox’s X-Men movie timeline isn’t entirely clear, the movies are undoubtedly part of the franchise. They’re also some of the best entries into Fox’s inconsistent adaptations of Marvel characters, especially 2016’s Deadpool. Following on from the character’s disappointing live-action debut in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Deadpool became a passion project for Ryan Reynolds, who went on to ensure the movie would be as comic-accurate as possible.
The result is a delightfully dark comedic outing packed with the levels of brutal violence and quotable one-liners befitting the character of Deadpool. The movie is so packed with humor alongside its surprisingly emotional story that it’s easy to forget elements, making it even better upon rewatching. It’s a deceptively well-crafted movie that turned out to be so much better than anyone could have expected, and so revisiting Deadpool just never gets old.
6 Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021) Directed by Jon Watts Close Spider-Man"s introduction into the MCU was a relatively divisive journey, as reactions ranged from excitement at his appearance in the shared universe to disappointment at the deviations from strict comic accuracy. By the time the third movie in Spider-Man"s initial MCU trilogy came around, however, everything changed, and he reclaimed his position as one of the franchise’s most loved characters. With a story that helped to fully kick off the Multiverse Saga, Spider-Man: No Way Home is one of the MCU’s best solo movies.
In many ways, No Way Home has it all. It connects to the wider MCU, and it brings back fan-favorite heroes and villains from previous live-action franchises, redeeming disappointing endings and building upon the MCU’s own Spider-Man story. It’s as poignant as it is exciting, and No Way Home’s emotional ending is one of the MCU’s best. It’s a movie that holds up perfectly when rewatched, and stands out as a landmark point in the franchise.
5 Avengers: Endgame (2019) Directed by Joe & Anthony Russo Close Avengers: Endgame is undoubtedly one of the most substantial and pivotal moments in the history of superhero cinema. The culmination of more than a decade of shared universe storytelling built Endgame up to be an epic conclusion to the MCU’s Infinity Saga, and it didn’t disappoint. Its importance to the franchise and to the genre as a whole helps it remain every bit as impactful as it was upon release.
Endgame makes use of some of the best storytelling in the entire MCU, and also delivers many of its most powerful moments to date. Giving endings to multiple founding Avengers was bittersweet, with heroic sacrifices and happy endings both continuing to tug at the audiences’ heartstrings years later. Avengers: Endgame is considered one of the MCU’s best movies for a good reason: it never seems to get old.
4 Logan (2017) Directed by James Mangold Close There are few superhero movies that have bridged the gap between entertainment and genuine critical acclaim, and many of them have come under DC’s banner. However, 2017’s Logan is widely recognized as one of the greatest comic book movies ever made, surpassing even the MCU in some peoples’ estimations. James Mangold’s adaptation of the Old Man Logan storyline has become legendary, and holds up spectacularly no matter how often it’s revisited.
Logan’s emotionally rich story is offset by its brutal violence. It captures the spirit of traditional Westerns while still tapping into the themes of prejudice that run throughout all good X-Men stories. Hugh Jackman’s performance – and once his supposed final appearance – as Wolverine is nothing short of hypnotic, with Logan delivering one of the most devastatingly touching and poignant endings of all time, making it truly exceptional even on repeated viewings.
3 Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse (2023) Directed by Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, & Justin K. Thompson Close Spider-Man is undoubtedly one of Marvel’s most consistently popular heroes, and movies starring the Webslinger have usually done well with fans. However, 2023’s Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse took that popularity to a whole new level, building upon the success of 2018’s Into the Spider-Verse in the best possible way. With Miles Morales established as his universe’s only Spider-Man, Across the Spider-Verse sees him explore other realities and his own place within them.
Across the Spider-Verse never gets old for many reasons, but perhaps the most significant is how gorgeous it is. It’s a movie that presents its story in a breathtaking visual spectacle, seamlessly blending art styles and making use of eye-catching animation that brings its story to life in the best way imaginable. The power of its story shines through the impressive presentation of the movie, and Across the Spider-Verse simply doesn’t get old as a result.
2 Avengers: Infinity War (2018) Directed by Joe & Anthony Russo Close The superhero genre is primarily known for its eye-catching action, which undergoes the difficult task of bringing the fantastical nature of the comic books to life in live-action. No Marvel movie has achieved this better than Avengers: Infinity War, which formed the first half of the Infinity Saga’s two-film conclusion. Revisiting the 2018 movie makes it clear just how brilliantly it was executed, as it remains every bit as exhilarating as it did upon release.
Infinity War’s stacked roster of heroes and villains is almost certainly the most ambitious in superhero movie history. Considering it had never been done before on such an epic scale and with such an action-heavy story, Infinity War absolutely nailed its tone and visual style. Everything about the movie exudes polished quality, and it’s something that makes Infinity War a treat to watch again and again.
1 Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014) Directed by Joe & Anthony Russo Close Where Infinity War nailed the outlandish action elements of the Marvel Universe, Captain America: The Winter Soldier brought it to life as realistically as possible. The Winter Soldier is widely considered the best solo movie in MCU history, as well as one of the best sequels of all time. It sees its hero attempting to adjust to modern life while also facing the ghosts of his past and a potentially world-ending threat, but that isn’t what makes The Winter Soldier great.
Captain America: The Winter Soldier features some of the greatest action sequences in cinematic history. The hand-to-hand combat is exceptionally well-crafted, with multiple scenes that stand out as especially impressive. What’s more, The Winter Soldier boasts a story that begins to transform Captain America within the franchise, standing out as an important part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe as well as one of its movies that never gets old.

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