For the past decade and a half, Marvel has completely dominated the box office with some of the highest-grossing films ever produced with the likes of Avengers: Endgame and Spider-Man: No Way Home. Even the small screen has succumbed to Avengers fever with hit shows such as WandaVision, Loki, Moon Knight, Ms. Marvel, and the more recent She-Hulk: Attorney at Law. With Marvel’s Phase 4 currently underway and Kevin Feige revealing the slate for both Phases 5 and 6, we thought now would be a marvelous time to reflect on the earliest phases that got the MCU machine up and running.
Even though it seems like a no-brainer now, there was a time when the success of the MCU was not a sure thing, but thanks to the foundation laid by Phase 1 and Phase 2, it ensured the longevity of the interconnected universe for years to come. Phase 1 consisted of films that established the core heroes — Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Iron Man 2, Captain America: The First Avenger, and Thor before culminating with The Avengers. Phase 2 featured sequels that expanded upon the lore and deepened the character dynamics with Iron Man 3, Thor: The Dark World, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Guardians of the Galaxy, Ant-Man, and Avengers: Age of Ultron.
But which of the two initial phases packed more of a punch? So strap on your hot-rod red armor suit, get your arrows ready, and don’t make us angry cause it’s time to… FACE OFF!
This episode of Face Off is written by Matthew Hacunda, narrated by Shawn Knippelberg, and edited by Ric Solomon. But don’t let us have the final word — tell us in the comments which earliest phase of the Marvel Cinematic Universe is your preference — Phase 1 or Phase 2?