With such a large array of films in their roster, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has a plethora of different kinds of films. Some of the best, though, are the MCU’s more thrilling films.A good thriller aspect of a film is defined by the way they make the audience feel strong emotions, like feelings of suspense, anxiety, excitement, suspense and fear.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe is filled with movies that have thrilling aspects. Granted, they’re some of the most exciting superhero films out there and also have films that leave viewers on the edge of their seats for almost the entire runtime. A lot of the films are heart-pounding, cheer-inducing and anxiety-filled. Whether it’s a political thriller, includes a race to save half of the universe or packed to the brim with gripping martial arts, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has some of the most thrilling superhero films out there.
10 ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ (2024)
Directed by Shawn Levy
If there’s anything that can keep fans on the edges of their seats, it’s cameos that excite them and the promise of even more. There’s no better way to describe Deadpool & Wolverine than that. The film is packed full of cameos that had and still have fans cheering all around the world. It’s gotten people’s hearts racing and returning to theaters for weeks.
But the cameos aren’t the only aspect of Deadpool & Wolverine that make the film a thrilling watch. It’s also exciting to see non-stop, bloody and well-choreographed action throughout its entire runtime. Not to mention, this is also the first time audiences have gotten to see Wolverine action with an R rating from a Wolverine in his prime. Logan was also rated R, yes, but the action was vastly different due to Logan’s specific circumstances in that film. There’s a reason Deadpool & Wolverine is so popular at the box-office this season.
9 ‘Marvel’s The Avengers’ (2012)
Directed by Joss Whedon
Not much can beat the joy and excitement that fans, critics and general audiences felt seeing the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s team of Avengers assemble for the first time on screen. Marvel’s The Avengers not only had fans excited at getting to see these heroes all on the same screen for the first time together, but it’s also a movie packed with suspense and tension, as well as great action.
If there’s anything director Joss Whedon does really well in Marvel’s The Avengers, it’s creating moments that have a lot of tension. The best example being the end of Act Two, in which Loki escapes, the Hulk is released, the Helicarrier is damaged and about to fall,Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) and Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) are at each other’s throats and the Avengers are at their most separated after their issues in the first two acts of the film.
8 ‘Captain America: Civil War’ (2016)
Directed by Joe and Anthony Russo
The famous sibling directors, Joe Russo and Anthony Russo, have made the last two films in the Captain America trilogy some of the most thrilling films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. This is primarily due to their grounded tone and the fact that they’re political dramas. It doesn’t get much more tense than seeing the heroes audiences have come to love most trying to take down or arrest each other in Captain America: Civil War.
From the moment the inciting incident hits in Captain America: Civil War, tensions are unbelievably high and only proceed to get higher as the Sokovia Accords and the initial divide over them are introduced. The fact that Captain America’s (Chris Evans) best friend, Bucky (Sebastian Stan), is supposedly committing terrorist acts, killing T’Challa’s (Chadwick Boseman) father, makes things even more tense as audiences also are unsure whether he’s behind the acts and have to trust Cap’s faith in his friend.
7 ‘Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings’ (2021)
Directed by Destin Daniel Cretton
When it comes to action sequences, it doesn’t get much more thrilling or exciting than the intense world of martial arts. Since almost the beginning of cinema, martial arts have defined what can be done with action on film. Whether it be the legendary Bruce Lee or Jackie Chan, martial artists in film have created some of the best, most nail-biting action scenes in cinema. So, when Marvel decided to bring Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings to screens all around the world, they showed that there’s room for good ‘ol-fashion martial arts in superhero films.
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is one of the best Marvel films in recent years. It’s got a solid, well-paced plot, great performances for the most part and some of the most breathtaking superhero action in recent years. Especially when less spectacle is involved and the fight choreographers and stunt workers get the chance to put their everything into a scene. Like the bus scene at the beginning of the film. The action in Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings keeps audiences on the edges of their seats with excitement.
6 ‘The Incredible Hulk’ (2008)
Directed by Louis Leterrier
Before Mark Ruffalo was the not-so-jolly green giant audiences have grown to love, Edward Norton kicked off the Hulk’s tenure in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. To some, it’s where Hulk peaked in the Marvel Cinematic Universe due to his design, action scenes and the overall tone of the film. It’s the second film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe roster and just so happens to be one of the most thrilling due to suspense and tension.
The way director Louis Leterrier handles the character of the Hulk is masterful. He finds a way to build a plethora of tension around the dual identity and when he may or may not emerge and put everyone around him in danger. Leterrier somehow manages to make the audience feel like they could be hurt in the Hulk’s rampage, and it’s incredibly suspenseful.
5 ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’ (2023)
Directed by James Gunn
Rocket Raccoon (Bradley Cooper) is one of the most beloved characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Over the years, he has become an absolute fan favorite character. So when Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 opens and Rocket is almost immediately attacked and gravely injured, his life is put onto a ticking clock. The Guardians find out they have very little time until Rocket dies, putting not just the Guardians, but the audience on edge as well.
Rocket’s life slowly ticking away over the course of the film is not just emotional, but full of suspense and anxiety. With this being the last Guardians of the Galaxy film in James Gunn‘s series, everything was on the table. Anyone could have died. So Rocket being in the state he’s in during the film had audience’s hearts pounding all around the world.
4 ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ (2022)
Directed by Sam Raimi
The first Doctor Strange film is an underrated Marvel Cinematic Universe classic. Hype for the second film built even more when it was rumored the film would take horror inspiration and be directed by the legendary horror director, Sam Raimi. With Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen) losing her marbles across the multiverse with her seemingly unlimited power, the horror elements at play are used well.
While the film’s horror elements were incredibly reduced in pre-production and post-production, the horror-inspired moments that are there are done very well. Wanda feels like a genuinely threatening antagonist and keeps the audience on the edges of their seats for the whole film. Some moments are even jumpscare worthy, which is impressive for a Marvel Cinematic Universe film. Audiences are left in anticipation for a good portion of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness‘ runtime.
3 ‘Avengers: Endgame’ (2019)
Directed by Joe and Anthony Russo
Avengers: Endgame is the culmination of 11 years of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and its ever-growing stories. So much was on the line walking into Avengers: Endgame. It was common knowledge that this would most likely be the last film including all the original Avengers, and it was pretty much promised that characters the audience loved were going to die. The long, almost 3-hour, runtime had audiences’ anxieties high and pumping as their favorite characters all ran the risk of meeting a terrible fate.
Much like Deadpool & Wolverine, Avengers: Endgame brings a lot of excitement with its incredible payoffs from years and years of storytelling. Unlike Deadpool & Wolverine, though, Avengers: Endgame doesn’t hit as much of a niche audience with its payoffs (like Gambit (Channing Tatum) in Deadpool & Wolverine) and is far more applicable to most major audiences. The third act of the film is one of seemingly endless excitement.
2 ‘Avengers: Infinity War’ (2018)
Directed by Joe and Anthony Russo
Avengers: Infinity War is not only the best Marvel’s The Avengers film, but it’s the most thrilling as well. The film is the first part of the finale to one of the most epic superhero stories ever told. The astounding race against time featured in Avengers: Infinity War is heart-pounding in every which way. Whether it makes the audience feel immense suspense, excitement and/or horror,Avengers: Infinity War knows how to emotionally affect an audience.
The stakes of Avengers: Infinity War are some of the highest in superhero film history. Every hero in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is racing against time to stop the mad titan, Thanos (Josh Brolin), from getting all the Infinity Stones and snapping half of the universe to dust. The film makes audiences feel suspense, sadness, horror and excitement. The suspense as the film draws closer and closer to its finale (and Thanos closer to his goal) only grows and grows as heroes are murdered, and it slowly becomes clear that the Marvel heroes will not be coming out of this one on top. Which is contrasted with the exciting action sequences that get audiences to said finale.
1 ‘Captain America: The Winter Soldier’ (2014)
Directed by Joe and Anthony Russo
While the entire universe may not be at stake in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, the film finds itself easily being the most thrilling in the Marvel Cinematic Universe lineup of films. This is majorly due to the wonderful directing from the Russo brothers, who create tension, suspense and a plethora of intrigue through their utilization of the political thriller genre and its various storytelling and directing techniques.
The very things that make Captain America: The Winter Soldier one of the best Marvel Cinematic Universe films there is are what also make it the most thrilling Marvel Cinematic Universe film. The pacing is breakneck while also having the complexity to successfully slow down and hit its emotional beats. It’s got action that always kicks things into the tenth gear, mystery that keeps audiences on the edge of their seats and a genuine uncertainty that Captain America will be able to bring his friend back from the control of HYDRA. It’s a deeply layered and compelling film that is thrilling to the very end.
