Before the highly anticipated release of Thor: Love and Thunder turns that franchise into quadrilogy, fans are likely to go back and watch the previous three movies starring the MCU god. Trilogies are nothing new in the superhero genre, with a few dating back to the '90s and some quadrilogies going back even further.
The difficult thing to do is pinpoint which trilogy is the greatest. It's interesting to note that many of these have at least one entry that brings it down, making it even tougher to figure out, though the average ratings on IMDb can help rank them.
Blade (1998-2004) - 6.5
Stream All Three On Netflix
People have pointed to X-Men, Spider-Man, and even Iron Man as the superhero films to really kickstart the genre but that honor actually goes to Blade. Based on a Marvel Comics character who is half-human/half-vampire, the 1998 original (7.1) was an impressive success.
Wesley Snipes was widely praised for his work in all three movies and bringing in acclaimed director Guillermo Del Toro for the sequel (6.7) was a welcome addition. Unfortunately, Blade: Trinity was considered the weak link (5.8) in the series.
Sam Raimi's Spider-Man (2002-2007) - 7.0
Stream All Three On TNT & TBS
While Blade did start the string of successful superhero movies, it was 2002's Spider-Man (7.4) that truly showed how big of a blockbuster this genre could be. Sam Raimi infused the popular character's story with his own trademarks, making it something special. Spider-Man set the tone for superhero movies going forward.
Two years later, Spider-Man 2 (7.4) came along and redefined the genre. Nearly two decades and multiple Spider-Man actors later and it still holds up as one of the greatest superhero films ever crafted. Alas, Spider-Man 3 (6.2) proved to be a pretty big miss thanks to overcrowding it in terms of storylines and villains.
Unbreakable (2000-2019) - 7.1
Stream Unbreakable On Prime/Rent Split & Glass On Vudu
Nobody really expected M. Night Shyamalan's 2000 hit Unbreakable (7.3) to spawn a sequel, let alone an entire trilogy. The film was a box office success and was lauded for everything from the screenplay to the cinematography to the performances, especially from Bruce Willis.
Shyamalan had some misses in his career before turning things around with 2016's Split (7.3), which told a totally separate story until Willis appeared at the end, connecting the films. It all came together in 2019's Glass (6.6), though it was the first of these movies to be met with a lukewarm response.
X-Men (2000-2006) - 7.1
Stream All Three On Disney+
Thanks to the popularity of their animated TV shows in the '90s, Spider-Man and X-Men were Marvel's most bankable characters entering the 2000s. X-Men (7.3) capitalized on that, becoming a hit though it strayed from some of the goofier aspects of the comics.
Similar to the Raimi Spidey movies, X2 (7.4) was mostly seen as an improvement for deepening the story and featuring a heartbreaking ending. Unfortunately, this again fell victim to the final installment curse as The Last Stand (6.6) couldn't wrap things up in a satisfying way. The same thing happened after two strong entries in the prequel films years later.
Wolverine (2009-2017) - 7.1
Stream Origins On Disney+/The Wolverine On HBO Max/Logan On Freevee
Hugh Jackman's portrayal of Wolverine was such a hit in the X-Men movies that he got his own spin-off trilogy. It looked like it might not get off the ground though as X-Men Origins: Wolverine (6.5) was critically panned.
However, 2013's The Wolverine (6.7) improved things and focused more on the titular character's standalone adventure than trying to introduce characters like Deadpool to the mix. Unlike other hero series, this average score was boosted by the incredible final entry and best X-Men movie ever, Logan (8.1) which ended the story in perfect fashion and earned an Adapted Screenplay Oscar nomination.
Thor (2011-2017) - 7.2
Stream All Three On Disney+
Like the Wolverine trilogy, Thor is a character who really stepped up to end the trilogy. He debuted in 2011 with Thor (7.0) and that was followed up with Thor: The Dark World (6.8) which were both largely considered to be fine MCU films and nothing more.
Chris Hemsworth got more comfortable in the role in The Avengers team-up movies over time, which when combined with Taika Waititi taking over as director, turned Thor: Ragnarok (7.9) into a huge success. It turned things around, made the movie more fun than ever, and is leading to the first fourth solo entry for an MCU character.
Iron Man (2008-2013) - 7.3
Stream All Three On Disney+
The Marvel Cinematic Universe is the biggest film franchise in history, specifically from a box office standpoint. None of that could be possible without 2008's Iron Man (7.9). Robert Downey Jr. delivered a rockstar performance that helped turn a "B" or "C" level hero into a superstar.
2010's Iron Man 2 (6.9) was considered good but ultimately disappointed after the original. Then, Iron Man 3 (7.1) stepped things up even if some fans weren't happy with the Mandarin plot twist. It was also the first solo MCU movie to gross $1 billion, which has become more common ever since.
Captain America (2011-2016) - 7.5
Stream All Three On Disney+
Like Thor, Captain America is someone who joined the MCU in 2011. The First Avenger (6.9) took things to the '40s to tell an important origin story that remained relevant until Avengers: Endgame. However, it was when The Russo Brothers took over as directors that the trilogy became great.
2014's The Winter Soldier (7.8) is often mentioned as the best solo movie in the entire MCU. Meanwhile, Civil War (7.8) had so many heroes involved that it might as well have been an Avengers film. It wrapped up Cap's story to that point (especially with Bucky) expertly and introduced both Black Panther and Spider-Man to the franchise.
MCU Spider-Man (2017-2021) - 7.7
Stream Homecoming On Starz/Far From Home On FXNow/Rent No Way Home On Apple TV
While Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield are loved as their respective Peter Parkers, it was Tom Holland who perfected the role. After stealing the show in Civil War, he was given his first solo outing in 2017's Homecoming (7.4), which avoided the overdone origin story and included a great villain in the Vulture.
The sequel, Far From Home (7.4) continued on the successful formula of the first including a standout villain and the John Hughes-like dialogue. The trilogy ended with No Way Home (8.3) which is one of the most ambitious films ever made, bringing Holland, Garfield, and Maguire together along with villains of the past.
The Dark Knight (2005-2012) - 8.5
Stream Batman Begins & The Dark Knight On HBO Max/Rent The Dark Knight Rises On Vudu
Tim Burton changed things for Batman with his darker take on the character but Joel Schumacher's campier style led to the character being dormant on the big screen for nearly a decade. Then Christopher Nolan came along and made things gritty with his origin story, Batman Begins (8.2).
While that was a success, it was nothing compared to The Dark Knight (9.0) which became the first superhero film to gross $1 billion and earned Heath Ledger an Academy Award win. The final entry, The Dark Knight Rises (8.4) wasn't perfect but did receive strong critical and commercial praise.