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After a class of absences and holdup due to the COVID-19 pandemic , Marvel Studios came back unassailable than ever with 9 MCU releases across 2021 . The year marked the starting signal of the MCU ’s Phase 4 , which Marvel studio started on a in high spirits note with the outlet ofWandaVision . The extremely anticipatedSpider - Man : No Way Homerounded out the twelvemonth , which is on course to become the biggest moving picture of 2021 , and perhaps one of the boastful pic of all time . All in all , Marvel Studios free 4 fresh movies and 5 Disney+ shows , bringing the total number of projection up to 9 , easily the in high spirits out of any other twelvemonth for the MCU .
More importantly , 2021 saw Marvel Studios venture into the humankind of tv set for the first time , with 5 shows discharge throughout the class . The Disney+ show were a huge successdue to their longer form of storytelling and riveting , emotional plots . Marvel Studios manage to bring the MCU picture show experience to the little screen through these show due to their cinematic budget , while at the same time upholding a semi - steady menstruation of hebdomadary MCU subject class - orotund .
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The MCU has grown significantly in 2021 , with its projects bring the total number of prescribed MCU installments to 32 . Next year promises to be an even bighearted year for the shared creation , with 3 movies , 4 shows , and 2 Disney+ special slate for press release in 2022 . As 2021 comes to a close , it ’s worth count back at the nine MCU releases of the twelvemonth to see how these projects stack up against one another .
9. Eternals
set out off the leaning isEternals . The November passing introduced audience toa team of 10 immortal beingsthat have watched over the earth for millennia . alas , Eternalsfailed to achieve its full potential with critics view as the movie lackluster . The MCU ’s 26th pic was the first to receive a rotten stamp from the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes , even though its interview score are not the lowest out of all the other MCU flick . Expectations were gamy forEternals , peculiarly with Academy Award - gain theatre director Chloe Zhao behind the camera , but the film failed to deliver on most fronts , relegating it to the last spot on the list .
8. What If…?
What If … ?was Marvel ’s first maraud into living — at least where the MCU is concerned — which they utilize to tell an anthology that would be impossible to draw off in live - military action . The liven up series explore the multiverse as it present how cardinal MCU mo play out in alternate realities . However , the lack of real stakesmakes this the MCU ’s most unnecessary undertaking , as it did nothing to further the MCU ’s fib and ramify out in so many different directions that it left audiences wonder : what ’s the point ? The unequaled assumption and the introduction of Uatu The Watcher ( Jeffery Wright ) makeWhat If … ?an enjoyable serial , but its uniqueness was not enough to grip audiences the means the remain projects on the list did .
7. Black Widow
Marvel Studios ' first film after a 2 - class col , Black Widow , is next on the listing . Scarlett Johansson at long last sire to star in her own movie after 11 years of play Natasha Romanoff in the MCU . The movie had an unexpected family - centric story that followedNatasha ’s escapade as a fugitivebetween the consequence ofCaptain America : Civil WarandAvengers : Infinity War . The film had a lot of high pointedness throughout , such as Natasha and Yelena ’s ( Florence Pugh ) relationship and David Harbour ’s portrayal of the Red Guardian , but the fact that it ’s a prequel to Natasha ’s death inAvengers : Endgamewas prejudicious to the moving-picture show ’s stakes . While still a nifty film , the setting of the film as well as its predictable ending admit it back .
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6. The Falcon And The Winter Soldier
The Falcon and the Winter Soldierdealt with the aftermath of Steve ’s ( Chris Evans ) decision to pass the buckler on to Sam Wilson ( Anthony Mackie ) at the end ofEndgame . The 6 - episode show focused on Sam ’s moral struggle as he sample to decide whether he should take up the mantle of Captain America or not . Marvel ’s second show included someimpactful societal comment about racial discriminationand societal status , and balanced it out with great cinematic action and an espionage theme . However , the show ’s obvious twist and lackluster villains keep it from crack MCU ’s 2021 top 5 .
5. Hawkeye
Being the last original Avenger to receive his own project , theHawkeyeshow finally gave Clint Barton ( Jeremy Renner ) a chance to shine . Drawing brainchild from the fan - favorite Hawkeye run by Matt Fraction , the Christmas - theme Disney+ show narrate a run aground and contain story about Clint taking on Kate Bishop ( Hailee Steinfeld ) as his protege . The show also featured Vincent D’Onofrio ’s long - await return as the Kingpin , but this time as part of the MCU . While not complete , Hawkeyewas a slap-up add-on to the MCU , and the fact that it brings up the halfway point on this leaning speak volumes of the quality of the four remain entries .
4. Loki
Next up isLoki , Marvel ’s first project centered around a baddie . Lokiintroduced the multiverse and variant to the MCU , two concepts that will constitute the basis of quite a few of the remaining Phase 4 releases , not the least of which is next year’sDoctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness . Tom Hiddleston was able to show a new side of Loki after already playing the lineament for 10 years . The Disney+ show also featured Jonathan Majors MCU launching as Kang the conquerer , or at least a edition of him ; the baddie most potential to interchange Thanos as the next multi - phase threat . Lokiwas capable to merge love affair , time travel , and universe - ending stakes in a 6 - part saga that equal the MCU ’s best . A 2nd time of year has already been confirmed , and will credibly make out with the ramifications of Sylvie ’s ( Sofia Di Martino ) conclusion to kill He Who Remains .
3. Wandavision
Perhaps the most originative MCU release to date , WandaVisionkicked off Phase 4through a misrepresented take on the sitcom genre . Audiences finally got to see the consequences of all the passing Wanda Maximoff ( Elizabeth Olsen ) experienced as part of the Avengers . The show primarily manage with Wanda ’s grief , which led her to reserve an entire town hostage while she created a world that reflects her vision of the perfect life , act upon by the sitcoms she used to watch as a kid . Wanda ’s character exploitation throughout the serial was one of its highlights ; by lastly return Wanda enough screen time to do the fictional character justice , WandaVisiondelved deeply into the journeying one goes through after experiencing the loss of a fuck one , a journey that is unfortunately relatable to a large routine of TV audience . WandaVision’sfusion of genre , coupled with its originative storytelling format , attain it the best MCU show to date . Audiences will get to seeWanda again in the upcomingMultiverse of Madness , where she is bruit to act an antagonistic role .
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2. Spider-Man: No Way Home
Sony and Marvel Studios ' up-to-the-minute coaction , Spider - Man : No Way Homewas the last MCU picture of 2021.No Way Homesaw Tom Holland ’s Peter Parker take on villains from all over Spider - Man ’s 20 - yr history on the silver filmdom . This multiversal fiasco was sate to the rim with fan - service moment , while at the same time delivering a heartfelt and emotional Spider - Man narrative . No Way Homeis the highest - rat bouncy - activity Spider - Man celluloid , which is fitting consecrate the fact that it ’s a festivity of everything that come before it . No Way Home’sbittersweet ending was the gross path to reason out Tom Holland ’s first MCU trilogy and set up his 2nd one as the wall - crawl hero . While the Spider - Man threequel is on a clear path to becoming the highest - gross flick of the year , and perchance one of the high ever , there is still one MCU labor that managed to surrender a better tarradiddle in 2021 .
1. Shang Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings
follow in at number one , Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Ringsis the MCU ’s good outing of 2021 . Before this movie , Shang Chi was only known to a pct of zealous funny book lector , yet his MCU adaptation highlighted the character ’s best aspects with the help of Simu Liu and Tony Leung ’s brilliant performances as Shang Chi and Wen Wu , respectively . The film juggled themes of legacy and parental expectations , while bring in audiences to an entire mould of unexampled characters , and at long last resolvingIron Man 3’sinfamous Mandarin twist .
While the flick ’s sexual climax boast the same CGI - heavy last conflict customary in MCU films , the stunning visual effects compound with precise choreography set this a tad above the usual MCU criterion . Even thoughWandavisionwas more creative , andNo Way Homewas an epic cinematic event , Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Ringswas the most brush up - out MCU project of the year , as it managed to deliver a compelling and personal story as well as introduce half a twelve interesting character . All of these factors combined makeShang Chithe secure MCU release of 2021 .
From novel characters to novel versions of old one , from mega - blockbusters tosmall screen twisted sitcoms , the MCU was more divers than ever in 2021 . The Disney+ shows insert a new form of storytelling crucial to explore a few of the MCU ’s most underutilized character , while the MCU picture go on to give audience memorable experiences with their genre - defining superhero films . Even though the year had its fair portion of highs and lows , 2021 was one of the best years for MCU enthusiasts as it had more fresh content than some of them can keep up with , and 2022 expect to continue this trend with movie sequels starring Marvel ’s most popular fictional character , and new Disney+ shows introducing long - awaited buff - favorite character into the MCU .
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