TheMarvel Cinematic Universe’s Phase 5 ends in 2025, and so far, the latest stage of the franchise has been a bit of a mixed bag. The Infinity Saga was the period that transformed the MCU into the most successful franchise in cinematic history. However,some of theMCU’s best movieshave been released during the Multiverse Saga, even though it has faced its fair share of criticism.
After Phase 4 was the most criticized of the franchise,the MCU managed to mostly bounce back in Phase 5. Through a restructuring of how it creates TV series, as well as giving movies more development time, the studio has ensured that2025’s MCU moviesand series have a better chance of succeeding. Before Phase 5 ends in mid-2025 withupcoming MCU projectslikeThunderbolts*andIronheart, a look at the projects released in the MCU’s Phase 5 so far shows what Marvel got right and wrong.
12I Am Groot Season 2
Animated Shorts - Released In September 2023
I Am Grootwas always going to go toward the bottom of the list. It is not that the series of shorts is bad in any way. They just do not exactly come with substance.
Like season 1,I Am Grootseason 2 followed the MCU-adjacent adventures of Baby Groot. There is some fun to be had with the character’s cute adventures, butI Am Grootis directly aimed at kids.
For those reasons,I Am Grootseason 2 has to sit at the bottom of the list. Still, the series of shorts featured a surprising finale.Jeffrey Wright’s Watcher fromWhat If…?appearedin the animated project, narrating its series finale.
11Secret Invasion
Live-Action Series - Released In June 2023
Secret Invasionhas become one of the MCU’s most criticized projects, and for good reason. The series finallyput Samuel L. Jackson’s Nick Fury in a starring role. Before release, the show seemed to have a lot of potential.
However, the grounded spy series Marvel had marketed was not nearly as exciting after all.Secret Invasion’s six-episode season was way too short for its story. This led to rushed decisions anda finale that was a CGI nightmare.
Genuinely compelling conversations between beloved characters like Fury and Rhodey were hidden among confusing decisions. Instead of finally shining,Cobie Smulders' Maria Hill was killed for shock valuein the premiere. Talos and Rhodey’s fates were also controversial.
10Echo
Live-Action Series - Released In January 2024
Echowas Marvel Studios' first TV-MA series. The project showed that the MCU could step outside its comfort zone.Echo’s fight scenes were bloody, violent, and dynamic, which made good use of its unprecedented rating.
Echohad great moments. Daredevil’s cameo and fight sequences were exciting.Kingpin made for an intense villain, and Maya Lopez was a complex character to follow. However,Echowas another MCU show that suffered from a short season.
With only five episodes, there was no wayEchocould be as satisfying as fans hoped.The finale was rushedand made Kingpin’s final scene with Maya confusing. Besides, little time was spent with supporting characters, making it hard to care about them.
9What If…? Season 3
Animated Series - Released In December 2024
What If…?is more difficult to place. While season 1 of the show had its ups and downs, season 2 was fantastic. Sadly,season 3 was not able to maintain that high level, ranking lower than other Phase 5 releases.
The animated show did not explore meaningful scenarios as much as it should have.What If…?season 3’s dance battle betweenEternals' Kingo and Agatha Harkness showed howthe series settled on “fun” instead of awe.
What If…?season 3 also served as the final season of the animated series. To that end, it did a good job.The Watcher and Captain Carter’s stories were wrapped up nicely, ending the journeys of the show’s main characters.
8Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man
Animated Series - Released In January 2025 (Still Airing)
Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Manhas only recently started airing its first season. However, it was enough to rank the Marvel series above the other Phase 5 projects shown on the list so far. More Spider-Man is always good.
It also helps that there is so much love put into the series. From the animated style being an homage to the comics to classic and new characters being mixed toMCU references and more, this is a fun Spider-Man story.
As the season is still far from over, and the animated style does present some stiffness, the show has to rank relatively low. However,Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Mancould end up deserving a higher positionas its twist-filled season progresses.
7Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania
Movie - Released In February 2023
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumaniais one of the MCU’s most criticized projects.The movie was tasked with introducing Kang the Conqueror, the MCU’s new main villain after Thanos. While Jonathan Majors was good as Kang, the character died easily.
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Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars have the chance to bring back exciting villains that were gone too soon to join Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom.
Besides that,the third Ant-Man movie was filled with CGI. That was to be expected of a Quantum Realm-set film. However, the special effects were not well-polished, making scenes feel off and backgrounds look fake.
There are some good character moments in there. Ant-Man, Cassie, and others have a heartwarming dynamic.Janet van Dyne’s connection to Kang was also intriguing. However, choices like the film’s take on MODOK led to the film never fully taking off.
6The Marvels
Movie - Released In November 2023
The Marvelsis another MCU movie that received a lot of criticism. TheCaptain Marvelsequel bombed at the box office. Despite the original breaking the $1 billion mark,The Marvelsbecame the lowest-grossing MCU movieso far.
However,The Marvelsis not nearly as bad as its box office makes it seem. Sure,the villain, Dar-Benn, was rather dull. But aside from that, the film was a fun ride banking on the chemistry of its lead trio.
Ms. Marvel and Monica Rambeau had very different relationships with Captain Marvel. This kept things dynamic, andthe exploration of the MCU’s cosmic side was exciting. Finally,The Marvelsintroduced a new X-Men universe and started the Young Avengers.
5Agatha All Along
Live-Action Series - Released In September 2024
From this point forward, every Phase 5 Marvel project was fantastic.Developed byWandaVision’s Jac Schaeffer,Agatha All Alongshowed that the MCU’s magic side is quite fun. Focusing on a minor Marvel character, the show did a great job.
Agatha All Alongwas created due to the love for Kathryn Hahn’s Agatha Harkness. While some thought the spinoff series did not make sense, the concept ofthe Witches' Road offered an intriguing setup.
As the coven walked the Road, a lot of twists and turns kept things interesting.Teen being the Scarlet Witch’s son, Billy Maximoff, and Rio Vidal being Lady Death were major reveals that paid off earlier plotlines. The series also showed Agatha’s growth as a person.
4What If…? Season 2
Animated Series - Released In December 2023
WhileWhat If…?season 3 is located near the bottom of the list, season 2 was much better. The show still had fun crossovers and scenarios, butthe stories were more intricate than season 3’s episodes.
What If…?is a series where there are endless possibilities. As such,Marvel decided to do everything it could in season 2. From creating original characters to exploring new time periods to MCU retellings and more, every episode delivered.
Season 2 of the animated series felt like Marvel had found its groove with the show. There was a nice mix of bigger and smaller MCU characters. It also markedthe conclusion of Strange Supreme’s story, which was the show’s strongest arc.
3Loki Season 2
Live-Action Series - Released In October 2023
Marvel Studios' experimentation with Disney+ led to a high volume of shows. Of those first few projects, onlyLokimanaged to come back for a season 2 out of the live-action series. This speaks volumes.
Lokiseason 2 showed that live-action Marvel series did not have to feel rushed.
Lokiseason 1 set up a tense season 2. The show hit the ground running when it came back, focusing on how Kang the Conqueror’s variants and the TVA couldevolve the MCU’s Multiverse Saga.
In the end,Lokiseason 2 was nearly perfect. The seriesgave perfect endings to all of its characters. First and foremost was Tom Hiddleston’s Loki, who became the protector of the multiverse.Lokiseason 2 showed that live-action Marvel series did not have to feel rushed.
