From Eternals to Loki, Ranking all Phase 4 MCU Projects Released So Far in 2021
The shows and films themselves though have ranged from being forgettable to really good and with the recent release of Eternals, there is no better time to rank them all. So here are all the MCU projects so far released in 2021 ranked.
Marvel has had their biggest year yet concerning just how many projects they have put out till now. 2021 was historic for the MCU as it saw the franchise release its first streaming shows (sorry Agents of SHIELD’s fans) on the platform Disney+. Till now we have had four shows released with one more on the way and have had three films premiered with the 2021 slate ending in December with Spider-Man: No Way Home. This tallies up to 9 Marvel projects in a year which is probably the biggest MCU has had in a while. Eternals: Is Chloe Zhao’s Latest Marvel’s Worst? Here Are 5 Other MCU Films That We Think Are Worse.
The projects have been, to say the least, interesting. With shows like WandaVision and Loki we got to see a new side of the Marvel universe. With concepts like the multiverse being teased, we can clearly see where the MCU is heading now. The shows and films themselves though have ranged from being forgettable to really good and with the recent release of Eternals, there is no better time to rank them all. So here are all the MCU projects so far released in 2021 ranked.
What if…?
What if…? was a project ripe with potential but ended up being one of the most forgettable things to come out of this franchise. Revisiting classic moments from the Marvel Cinematic Universe and exploring alternate outcomes, What if…? felt extremely rushed and tonally inconsistent. Aside from one episode involving Doctor Strange and Chadwick Boseman’s final role, What if…? didn’t have much going for it. Although the animation was actually quite nice.
Black Widow
After a really long wait, Black Widow came out this year and was, well, underwhelming. It felt like a dull studio film that came out way too late and didn’t really have a space in the grand scheme of things. It sure did expand the Black Widow mythos and gave us Yelena Belova, but it still felt like a film that we should have gotten maybe five years ago.
WandaVision
Well one thing I can say about WandaVision was that the build up to its finale was some of the most distinct work I have ever seen in the MCU. The way the story was framed and followed a sitcom format, WandaVision truly felt like no other MCU project. It had its own flair and way of storytelling and then came the finale. While I do think the first eight episodes are some prime content that we have gotten from this franchise, the finale just couldn’t stick the landing. While it was a great character study on Wanda and her relationship with Vision, I just wish we would have gotten a more consistent story.
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier
Watching Sam Wilson’s transformation into Captain America over here was probably the best part of the show. Following Sam and Bucky trying to take down the terrorist group known as Flag Smashers all the while receiving help from Zemo, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier was exhilarating. It had exciting action, a fun unraveling story, great character development and some solid cast chemistry.
Eternals
Eternals is probably the most mixed entry in the MCU. You either like it or hate it, well personally it was a good film at least. Following these group of immortals put on Earth to save humanity from the Deviants, Eternals had a really heavy story that was filled with some large moral ambiguities. I think it felt very different from the MCU projects we received in the past. While Eternals is not perfect, I still think it’s a solid entry in the MCU. Eternals Movie Review: Chloe Zhao's Marvel Film Offers A Different MCU Experience, Until It Isn't! (LatestLY Exclusive).
Loki
Loki finally introduced the mutliversal concept to the MCU and it was wrapped in a story that was exciting from start to finish. This is probably the best out of all the Disney+ shows that have come out yet. Tom Hiddleston is as graceful as ever in the role of Loki and is joined by some really colourful characters. It also sets up the next big bad Kang, who is going to be played by Jonathan Majors.
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
Shang-Chi was a film that no one really wanted but were so glad that they got it. Shang-Chi felt like a wuxia film mixed in with the MCU formula and what followed was one of the best solo films we have gotten in a while. Following Shang-Chi and him being pulled back to his past, the film had great characters and some of the best hand-to-hand combat. It was like watching a dance whenever someone was throwing down on screen. That alone makes this the best entry in phase 4 yet.
With Hawkeye and Spider-Man: No Way Home just over the horizon, we will surely update the list. Both these projects seem extremely crazy and fun with the latter probably being the most hyped out of any superhero film this year. You can catch the next Marvel Studios show Hawkeye dropping on Disney+ on November 24, 2021.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 08, 2021 03:33 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).