18 best Marvel movies and shows on Disney+ to satisfy your superhero needs

If you’re a Marvel mega fan, you know that Disney+ is the place to get your fix.

The streaming service is superhero central, featuring nearly every movie in the MCU and a growing selection of exciting original series. While you should definitely spend some time venturing through all the Marvel content that the streaming service has to offer, here are some titles that can’t be missed.

Grab your cape because it’s time to run down the best Marvel shows and movies on Disney+ (in no particular order).

1. Thor: Ragnarok

Thor: Ragnarok is by far the best of the Thor movies. The superhero comedy — which has the god of thunder attempting to race home to fight against his vengeful sister — features the clever directorial skills of Taika Waititi, a colorful new planet, and a script that’s so witty it hurts. Not to mention, Chris Hemsworth’s Thor is backed up by an all-star cast including MCU favorites Tom Hiddleston and Mark Ruffalo, along with talents like Cate Blanchett, Jeff Goldblum, and Tessa Thompson. It all works to make this one of the funniest installments in the MCU. All of it.

How to watch: Thor: Ragnarok(opens in a new tab) is streaming on Disney+.(opens in a new tab)

2. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings

This first Marvel movie released exclusively in theaters since 2019 is also the first to feature an Asian-American hero, and on top of that it bore the unique responsibility of introducing the world to a potential new Avenger after the devastating events of Endgame. Luckily for those who had anything riding on the success of Shang-Chi — like co-writer/director Destin Daniel Cretton — the movie delivered on every level. 

Simu Liu’s performance as Shang-Chi instantly minted him as a relatable, badass street-level hero, who nonetheless can travel the multiverse. Shang-Chi’s presence, and the movie’s intimate focus on his broken family dynamics, made for a refreshing departure from big-budget superhero movies that bank all of their appeal on flashy CGI. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings also introduced an all-time great Marvel villain in Wenwu, played to dazzling perfection by Hong Kong screen legend Tony Leung. – Alexis Nedd, Senior Entertainment Reporter

How to watch: Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings(opens in a new tab) is now streaming on Disney+.(opens in a new tab)

3. WandaVision

WandaVision proved that Marvel could still be plenty of fun even when it wasn’t doing its usual thing. Instead of taking viewers on a gigantic world-saving mission, WandaVision transported fans to the quaint — if not a little spooky — sitcom life that Wanda and Vision are trapped in.

While they begin their journey in a black-and-white 1950s TV show, the decades start to flip by and the stakes heat up. Well-acted and stylish, it’s worth at least a couple of viewings to catch how all the puzzle pieces fit together.

How to watch: WandaVision(opens in a new tab) is streaming on Disney+.(opens in a new tab)

4. Black Panther

Black Panther isn’t just another Marvel movie. While it has all the makings of a superhero blockbuster — exhilarating action sequences, lovable heroes, and a high-stakes story — it also introduces us to the vibrant, fascinating world of Wakanda, which contains a compelling cast of characters that’s hard to match. Chadwick Boseman is incredible as the soon-to-be-king of the story, T’Challa, bringing a strength to the role that demands all attention.

How to watch: Black Panther(opens in a new tab) is streaming on Disney+.(opens in a new tab)

5. The Avengers

Maybe Iron Man kicked off the MCU as we know it, but The Avengers was the real showstopper. In addition to becoming the third-highest-grossing film of all time upon its release, The Avengers was the one that brought the gang together. For the first time ever, Iron Man, Captain America, Hulk, Thor, Black Widow, and Hawkeye were teaming up to save the city. It’s hard not to find some comfort in its familiarity.

How to watch: The Avengers(opens in a new tab) is streaming on Disney+.(opens in a new tab)

6. Captain America: The First Avenger

There are plenty of reasons to watch the first Captain America movie, including Chris Evans, Chris Evans, and Chris Evans. But really: Chris Evans makes Captain America fly off the comics and onto the screen with class. The World War II backdrop gave the MCU something new to work with, and the clever, thrill-filled narrative kept the story interesting.

How to watch: Captain America: The First Avenger(opens in a new tab) is streaming on Disney+.(opens in a new tab)

7. Captain America: The Winter Soldier

The first Captain America movie is great, but the second? Even better.

The Winter Soldier has a suspenseful plot. It has A+ action. It has solid character development. And it has the incredible Steve-Bucky friendship. Plus, why wouldn’t you want to revisit all the Captain America films as The Falcon and the Winter Soldier gets off the ground?

How to watch: Captain America: The Winter Soldier(opens in a new tab) is streaming on Disney+.(opens in a new tab)

8. Guardians of the Galaxy

A comedically mismatched group of heroes team up to save the galaxy while the grooviest soundtrack plays in the background? Yup, let’s go!

Guardians of the Galaxy is the perfect mix of zany, exciting, and funny. While the blockbuster’s spacey-retro aesthetic is a blast, its cast (Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Vin Diesel, and Bradley Cooper) has the chemistry to keep the momentum going.

How to watch: Guardians of the Galaxy(opens in a new tab) is streaming on Disney+.(opens in a new tab)

9. The Falcon and the Winter Soldier

The six-episode miniseries continues the journeys of Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) and Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie), having been handed Captain America’s shield several months earlier. The Falcon and the Winter Solider — while not devoid of traditional superhero thrill — spends most of its time richly developing its characters. But there’s no need to complain because, like with WandaVision, it’s done so well.

How to watch: The Falcon and the Winter Soldier(opens in a new tab) is streaming on Disney+.(opens in a new tab)

10. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is a Sam Raimi movie through and through. The filmmaker behind the Evil Dead series and Sony’s Tobey Maguire-led Spider-Man trilogy arrives in the MCU for the first time in the Doctor Strange sequel, which follows the eponymous Avenger as he labors to save an old friend while protecting a new one.

Multiverse just plain feels different from your typical MCU fare. That’s thanks largely to Raimi’s signature style, which blends elements of horror and camp in a potent mixture of dark comedy, tastefully over-the-top gore, and visually arresting imagery. – Adam Rosenberg, Senior Entertainment Reporter

How to watch: Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness(opens in a new tab) is now streaming on Disney+.(opens in a new tab)

11. Captain America: Civil War

For not being an Avengers movie, Civil War feels pretty darn big. Captain America and Iron Man gathering teams and going head-to-head over a disagreement that probably could have been solved with a few more minutes of conversation? We love to see it.

Civil War pulls a bunch of our favorite heroes (Black Panther, Spider-Man, Ant-Man, and more) into a slick battle that’s just as impressive on subsequent watches as it is on the first.

How to watch: Captain America: Civil War(opens in a new tab) is streaming on Disney+.(opens in a new tab)

12. Loki

Loki has always been one of the MCU’s most fun and dynamic side characters, thanks in large part to Tom Hiddleston’s charismatic performance. With Loki, the God of Mischief finally gets his time in the spotlight.

After the time heist events of Avengers: Endgame, Loki is recruited to the Time Variance Authority to hunt down a rogue Loki variant. Shenanigans through time and space ensue, helped along by Hiddleston’s great chemistry with co-stars Sophia Di Martino and Owen Wilson. Loki is both a fun ride and a compelling character study. Plus, it begins to usher in the much-hyped multiverse, so it’s sure to be essential to Phase Four of the MCU. – Belen Edwards, Entertainment Reporter

How to watch: Loki (opens in a new tab)is now streaming on Disney+.(opens in a new tab)

13. Avengers: Endgame

Yes, you can watch all the Avengers films on Disney+. But if you really want to pull at those heart strings, this is the one you need to go back to.

While Spider-Man: Far from Home technically closed out the Infinity Saga, Endgame sure felt like the end of an era, with many of the MCU’s biggest heroes saving the world together one last time. Featuring a stacked cast, a 3-hour runtime, and a long-awaited conclusion, it’s massive in every way possible. What better way is there to go out strong?

How to watch: Avengers: Endgame(opens in a new tab) is streaming on Disney+.(opens in a new tab)

14. Avengers: Infinity War

Whether you caught the Marvel bug later via Disney+ or spent a year waking up in cold sweats about Infinity War, nothing compares to the stomach drop at the end of Marvel’s most ambitious team-up until that point. Winter Soldier and Civil War directors Joe and Anthony Russo and writers Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely make the climax of Phase Three look easy with an impeccable balance of humor, action, tragedy.

Infinity War is barely weighed down by its mighty ensemble or the decade of mythology and plotting leading up to it. At the end of the day, it’s practically a standalone movie about a bunch of star-crossed heroes who need to defeat one single villain — and what a thrill it is to watch them try. – Proma Khosla, Entertainment Reporter

How to watch: Avengers: Infinity War (opens in a new tab)is now streaming on Disney+.(opens in a new tab)

15. What If…?

What If…? double dips for its Marvel thrills, serving up a series of fan wish fulfillment stories that playfully redefine our understanding of the MCU while also, in secret, building toward a knockdown finish that ties to the big picture.

The rotoscoped animation is gorgeous to look at, and getting just a few more adventures with Chadwick Boseman’s Black Panther is a real gift. But the biggest victory of What If…? is how much it becomes a product of the MCU in hindsight, and only by first completely deconstructing what we know about our favorite characters and stories. – A.R.

How to watch: What If…? (opens in a new tab)is now streaming on Disney+.(opens in a new tab)

16. Ant-Man

Paul Rudd made the MCU a little more fun by starring as Scott Lang, a former thief who hopes to stop Yellowjacket from turning new person-shrinking technology into a weapon for evil.

Though Ant-Man isn’t the most action-packed Marvel movie out there, its playful tone in combination with Rudd’s effortless charm makes it a cinematic delight that should not be skipped.

How to watch: Ant-Man(opens in a new tab) is streaming on Disney+.(opens in a new tab)

17. Iron Man

Iron Man wasn’t just a sparkling start to the MCU; it also reminded audiences just how cool superhero movies could be upon its release in 2008.

With a gripping narrative and an interesting hero — brilliant billionaire Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) — Iron Man pulled viewers into its high-tech universe while reviving a genre in the process. Though superhero blockbusters are commonplace now, it never hurts to go back to the beginning.

How to watch: Iron Man(opens in a new tab) is streaming on Disney+.(opens in a new tab)

18. Ms. Marvel

If Marvel Studios’ ongoing Phase Four has been defined by big swings, Ms. Marvel‘s may be the biggest.

The coming-of-age story follows Kamala Khan (Iman Vellani), an American-Pakistani teen who calls Jersey City home. This is Marvel’s take on the magical realism of Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, with Kamala’s inner life expressed visually on the screen as she contends with overprotective parents, high school life, and squaring her traditional Muslim upbringing with her modern teen existence. Also, there are superpowers.

Ms. Marvel stands out among other MCU fare for slowing down and taking the time up front to dive deep with its central characters, and for doing all of that through the perspective of an in-universe superhero fan. Kamala, for all the uniquely individual elements that shape her daily life, is just like the rest of us. – A.R.

How to watch: Ms. Marvel(opens in a new tab) is now streaming on Disney+.(opens in a new tab)