As the MCU shifts into its fifth phase with Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania next year, a lot of the original cast members that made the previous eras of Marvel movies so great have now passed the torch to a new generation. That means there are some big shoes to fill with some beloved stars now absent, but there are plenty of ways the new generation can ingratiate themselves with fans.
One of the best ways to do this is by showing behind-the-scenes content like gag reels that show the human side of performers as they goof around on set. Redditors who enjoyed the MCU gag reels that are already out had plenty of different opinions about which has been the best of the movies so far.
Doctor Strange (2016)
Though Marvel movies have gained a reputation for frustratingly brief blooper reels in recent years, with some no longer than a couple of minutes, Doctor Strange was a welcome departure from this. Redditor Hamton52 praises not just the gag reel but the "insanely in-depth BTS reel" as a whole, which included plenty of insight into the making of the movie.
The gag reel itself is also more extensive than usual and, as a result, gives a lot more glimpses of what it's like to work on a set full of cutting-edge visual effects work and top-notch actors. The latter is one of the biggest appeals of the Doctor Strange gag reel, as Benedict Cumberbatch, Tilda Swinton, and Mads Mikkelson are all award-winning performers outside of their role in the superhero franchise, so it's fun to see their lighter side.
Captain America: Civil War (2016)
Whereas Captain America: Civil War was a movie all about a deep divide tearing apart The Avengers, the story on set was instead about bringing together a bigger family than ever. Redditor shade_redd considers all of the Marvel gag reels to be funny but says that they "especially like the Civil War one."
There are plenty of reasons why it's one of the best as it shows some of the most hilarious MCU cast members including Robert Downey Jr. and Don Cheadle bouncing off each other, as well as being the first movie where Tom Holland showed why he was the perfect addition to the group. Along with the typical line flubs and physical accidents, a fly makes a special appearance to disrupt the cast at work.
Ant-Man (2015)
The first movie to introduce the iconic character of Scott Lang, Ant-Man proved there was room for a masterful comic actor like Paul Rudd in the MCU, and it was all the better for it. Of course, actors who are great at playing comedic characters aren't always funny behind the scenes, but this wasn't a problem with Rudd.
That's why the Ant-Man gag reel is many people's favorite in the MCU, including bugzkilla who was happy that "they had some fun on the Ant-man set!" and enjoyed watching their interactions. Though some complain that actors dancing plays too much of a part in modern blooper reels, especially since they do seem to have gotten shorter in general, the hilarious use of it in the Ant-Man gag reel "really made it."
Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
Aside from the presence of a few fixtures like Robert Downey Jr. and Jon Favreau, Spider-Man: Homecoming was largely defined by its entirely new and mostly significantly younger cast that includes the likes of Zendaya, Jacob Batalon, and of course, Tom Holland himself. This made for plenty of energy packed into a 2-minute blooper reel as they all found their feet.
Redditor Paronine was particularly surprised at how funny the Spider-Man: Homecoming gag reel is because they found a lot of the Marvel ones to be "kinda lackluster." Interactions between Holland and Batalon where they both manage to crack each other up are some of the highlights of a video even they had to admit was very "entertaining".
Thor: Ragnarok (2017)
Thor: Love and Thunder may have divided fans earlier this year, but that's partially because Thor: Ragnarok set such a high standard for the series. Humor was one of its strong points of course, so it's no surprise that the gag reel for the movie is just as hilarious. One Redditor felt that it's also one that's gone underrated despite being a "fine gag reel" in their opinion.
With characters like Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Cate Blanchett, and the lovably eccentric Jeff Goldblum all having their part to play in the blooper reel, it's no surprise that it's one of the best. It's not just comedy that made the movie great though, it's also the well-choreographed action and, luckily for fans of Thor's behind-the-scenes content, that means plenty of accidental hits and trips to show off the actors in a slightly more awkward situation.
Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)
With the benefit of hindsight, Captain America: The Winter Soldier is easily one of the most rewatchable MCU movies of phase 2, full of satisfying action as well as some real emotional weight that surprised fans when it first came out. However, just as quotable as any line from the movie is the iconic line from its gag reel that one Redditor only had to call out to get a ton of support.
When they commented "CUT THE CHECK", a lot of fans understood the reference and upvoted it as one of the best examples of an MCU gag reel. That's because it's the line Anthony Mackie quotes countless times in the reel whilst doing his Denzel Washington impersonation and entertaining his co-stars. That's just one highlight of a gag reel full of memorable moments.
The Avengers (2012)
If there's a movie that set the standard for a lot of the MCU movies that came after, it's the first Avengers movie starring the original line-up of Iron Man, Captain America, Hulk, Thor, Black Widow, and Hawkeye. Whilst it might have been outdone since then in terms of scale and terms of drama, not many Marvel movies since have managed to match it for the sheer amount of chemistry and comedy in a single blooper reel.
Redditor kerbal314 only regrets that they didn't see it sooner, praising the gag reel for being genuinely "hilarious!" With a smaller cast than later Avengers movies and a lot of the scenes taking place on a green-screen sound stage where there isn't much to do between takes, it's no surprise it brought out the comedian in more or less all of its stars.
Avengers: Endgame (2019)
It's only appropriate that the movie that brought together almost all of the actors that made the gag reels of previous MCU movies so great also has an excellent blooper reel itself. Redditor SimBobHard is one MCU fan grateful to have gotten such a good gag reel from the movie, comparing it favorably with previous movies and saying they hope it's the "start of a new trend" of great, well-put-together behind-the-scenes content.
With some scenes full of hilarious talent, it's hard to believe they managed to stop laughing long enough to shoot the movie. Not only that but the usually cool and collected Robert Downey Jr. getting unreasonably angry while struggling to close a car boot for a scene is something that all MCU fans should see. It's another gag reel where the only negative is that it's just a couple of minutes long.