It began with Iron Man in 2008, and twelve years later, the MCU shows no signs of slowing down its release of films and series as a juggernaut of film franchises the likes of which the world has never seen before.
The MCU has repeatedly accomplished what no other series or standalone films had been able to or dared to try in visual effects, storytelling, casting, and the breadth of interconnected stories and timelines. With Phase 4 still going strong, these are a few milestones that got the MCU, and the rest of Hollywood, to where it is today.
The Successful Cinematic Universe
Before Iron Man’s infamous end credits scene teasing the possibility of a future Avengers film, any attempts at franchise crossovers of that magnitude were often relegated to Easter eggs, cameos, and unfulfilled what-ifs for sequels that never got off the ground. Since then, the “interconnected universe” has been botched left and right by other franchises attempting to launch their own: The Mummy (2017) remake is a disappointing example.:
Though not seamless or without contradictions, the MCU has sustained multiple character arcs and plot threads woven between its theatrical releases and miniseries spinoffs for new or fan-favorite characters.
Dramatic, Funny, Entertaining Comic Book Movies
Comic book movies didn’t begin with Iron Man, but before the original Spider-Man in 2002 and the original X-Men trilogy, very few comic book movies appealed to mainstream audiences as they do now, and even less without some serious camp. Comic books themselves swung between the incredible camp of the '60s and dark, gritty drama of later decades, where the MCU has managed to hit a comfortable middle between the two.
Marvel’s style of humor is tried and true, whether its jokes are hit or miss. Most of the MCU can balance lighthearted banter with some serious drama and characters that feel lived in that audiences from all backgrounds have spent more than a decade growing with.
A Payoff Ten Years in the Making
Currently sitting at over 200 million views, the Avengers: Infinity War trailer spent ten years hyping up to a big finale that brought every character and their stories into one massive crossover film to face off against Thanos; it did not disappoint.
Outside of book adaptations like Harry Potter, the film hadn’t seen a dangling plot thread and overarching villain with this much buildup and this much anticipation. With Endgame swiftly behind, the MCU spent its runtime taking a well-earned victory lap down memory lane, tossing characters back into the films that all made it possible for Endgame to become a worldwide phenomenon.
Female-Led Superhero Films
Captain Marvel is not the first female-led superhero film, but its predecessors include the likes of the 2004 Catwoman and the 2005 Elektra movies, neither of which is particularly kind to their characters. 2017’s Wonder Woman set the new bar for what kind of films fans deserved, but without the success of the MCU to compete with, the quality and possibility of DC’s latest take on the character could have been wildly different.
Now, Captain Marvel, Black Widow, and Ms. Marvel get to headline Marvel works out of the shadow of the boys. They also round out teams as dynamic and respected characters more than just eye candy in skimpy spandex.
The Existence of 'No Way Home'
Spider-Man: No Way Home would not be possible without the existence of two entirely separate previous Spider-Man film series, and no other character has been shown quite like this before. More than just cameo appearances, Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield, as well as their villains from their movies, are all integral to the plot and the development of Tom Holland’s take on the character.
The movie’s inside jokes and references that span generations of Spidey fans, all the actors returning to reprise roles, some two decades old, and its place in the MCU is a perfect storm of cinema unique to Spider-Man, and the MCU alone.
'Black Panther' at the Academy Awards
Black Panther made history several times over at the Academy Awards. Ruth Carter became the first African American woman to win Best Costume Design, and Hannah Beachler made history with her nomination and win for Best Production Design. The movie won three and received nominations for four more, along with a slew of recognitions from other organizations.
Though it did not win Best Picture, Black Panther was also the first of its genre to receive the nomination, a title traditionally given to dramas and period pieces with the occasional upset. It wasn’t until 2003’s Return of the King that a fantasy film broke records with Best Picture and Black Panther cinched the first and only nomination for the entire MCU since its release.
Toppling Avatar off the Box Office Pedestal
Given the expanse of Disney’s IPs, the MCU taking the throne from Avatar is still a win for the Mouse. It took eleven years to topple James Cameron’s Avatar and Endgame to do it. Avatar had previously beat Titanic, and it’s a testament to the incredible effects and cinematography invented for the film that let it keep its place at the top for so long — and reclaim it.
The MCU took twenty-two films to gain the momentum it needed to make box office history with every ounce of fan loyalty to its characters and universe and anticipation to see how it all came together – and as a comic book, movie to boot.
All the TV Series and Shorts
Before Disney + adopted and began making its miniseries for its characters, Marvel’s Netflix series had loyal fans excited and happy to see some of their favorite and lesser-known characters get plenty of rich stories on the small screen with a separate identity from the theatrical films.
Now, Disney churns out content for fans to eat up that all ties into the MCU in one way or another, expanding the Multiverse in Loki, giving other heroes more time to shine with WandaVision and Hawkeye, or establishing more new faces with Moon Knight, all still building up to the next Avengers-level threat.