Summary

• MCU post-credit scenes have become popular among fans, creating excitement and speculation about future projects.
• Some post-credit scenes are forgettable and uneventful, like Thor's visit to Jane Foster in "Thor: The Dark World."
• Other post-credit scenes, like Bucky's memory return in "Captain America: The Winter Soldier," have significant character development and impact.

Though scenes after a (or in the middle of) a movie's credits have existed for decades, the MCU embraced and popularized them in a previously unseen way. Every time a new MCU movie comes out, dedicated fans sit through ten minutes of credits, eagerly awaiting a joke payoff or a quick tease of projects to come. It could be a cut-down version of a scene from another movie or new footage entirely, but it almost always stirs up a lot of debate and speculation among the fan base.

For better or worse, the post-credit scenes in the MCU sometimes get more attention than the movies themselves. From the very beginning of the cinematic universe, these movies have done a wonderful job of reminding audiences of ongoing and interconnected stories with teases and extras at the ends. From the huge reveals to the hilarious final jokes to the lackluster ones that didn't feel worth the wait, this is every big-screen post-credits scene so far in the MCU.

54 Thor And Jane Meet in London

Thor: The Dark World Second Scene

The least memorable MCU post-credits scene is attached to one of the least memorable MCU movies. After Thor: The Dark World’s credits have rolled, Thor comes to visit Jane Foster in London. It’s an uneventful scene that sets up nothing, especially as it seems to promote a relationship that wasn't followed up on for 9 years.

53 Natasha On The Run

Black Widow Scene 1

The MCU flashback adventure Black Widow filled in some gaps in Natasha Romanoff's journey. The first post-credit scene finds her with her new blonde hair as she talks about freeing some of her friends from prison. The credit scene functions little more than to bridge the gap between the events of this movie and Avengers: Infinity War and isn't particularly exciting, memorable, or important.

52 Pizza Poppa Is Free

Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness Scene 2

There were several reasons to be excited to see Sam Raimi return to the comic book world for the Doctor Strange sequel, including that it likely meant that Bruce Campbell was coming to the MCU. The iconic actor appears as Pizza Poppa, a street vendor who tries to pick a fight with Strange, only to be cursed with hitting himself over and over. After the final credits role, Pizza Poppa is shown still hitting himself until it finally stops, and he excitedly exclaims that it's over. It's a goofy, charming, but ultimately forgettable scene, especially compared to the one right before.

Sam Raimi is best known in the superhero movie genre for directing Spider-Man (2002) and its two sequels. However, he first dipped into the genre with Darkman (1990).

51 Thor Visits The Sanctum Sanctorum

Doctor Strange Scene 1

In the mid-credits scene of Doctor Strange, a teaser is shown for what was later a larger sequence in Thor: Ragnarok. On one hand, it's entertaining to see Strange interact with another character from the wider MCU, as his first solo outing is largely self-contained. However, there's little doubt that the premise seems forced - surely Asgardians have a better way to find their king than asking a wizard they don't know.

50 Goose Throws Up The Tesseract

Captain Marvel Scene 2

Of all the Avengers pets in the MCU, Goose is one of the cutest, even if he might be more dangerous than he seems. Goose helps explain a few mysteries in the MCU, from how Fury lost his eye to how the Tesseract was found. The second post-credit scene in Captain Marvel follows through on that second mystery as Goose is seen vomiting the Tesseract onto Fury's desk after eating it earlier. It doesn't contribute anything meaningful and isn't overly funny.

49 The Legendary Star-Lord Will Return

Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3 Scene 2

The post-credits scene in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is largely a retread of the final few moments before the credits. Peter sits at a table with his grandfather, and the two have some humorously mundane comments for each other. However, the tease that "The Legendary Star-Lord Will Return" came as a surprise, given it seemed as though Quill's time in the MCU may be over. Where Quill will show up next is a mystery, and it's unclear if he'll ever see his former team again.

48 The Falcon Knows A Guy

Ant-Man Scene 2

In a reused scene from Captain America: Civil War, Sam Wilson recommends “a guy” to help Captain America in his crusade against Iron Man. Despite this being an unoriginal scene, it is enticing because Ant-Man had only just been introduced in the preceding film, and there was excitement to see him join the wider Avengers universe. It was part of the build-up to Civil War, and it also followed up on the memorable Ant-Man vs Falcon "fight" earlier in the movie.

47 Coulson Finds Thor's Hammer

Iron Man 2

Phil Coulson discovers an immovable hammer in the New Mexico desert at the end of Iron Man 2, which sets up 2011’s Thor in an exciting way. The scene is repeated in Thor, so it hasn't aged as well as other scenes featuring original content. That being said, it gets points for setting up a threat that's immediately followed up on, especially as the MCU has struggled to revisit most of its recent closing scenes.

46 Bucky Remembers

Captain America: The Winter Soldier Scene 2

Bucky takes a look at the Smithsonian’s Captain America exhibit and finds a memorial to himself, which kick-starts his memory. This scene works as a sign that the Winter Soldier will soon be de-brainwashed and fighting alongside his pal Steve as Bucky once again. It's notable as a scene that truly matters for character development and is a pivotal moment in Bucky's now long-running MCU journey.

45 Peter Gets A Spider-Signal

Captain America: Civil War Scene 2

After returning from his battle with half the Avengers, Peter Parker discovers the Spider-Signal in his web shooters. This was a great setup for Spider-Man: Homecoming, the movie that would expand Tom Holland’s Peter Parker into a fully fleshed MCU hero because it showed that he wouldn’t just be a kid from Queens with magical powers and a costume like before. Instead, he would have all kinds of Batman-like gadgets courtesy of his new friend Tony Stark. For better or for worse, this has defined Spider-Man's time in the MCU so far.

44 Emergency Alert System

Ant-Man and the Wasp Scene 2

Scott’s giant ant plays his electric drums while an emergency alert system blares throughout the house, indicating Thanos’ snap has happened. This is a perfect blending of a wacky Ant-Man sight gag and the darker, heavier themes of the Avengers movies, making it the perfect bridge between the comedy of Ant-Man and the Wasp and the post-apocalyptic doom of Avengers: Endgame.

43 Tony Tells Bruce A Story

Iron Man 3

Tony Stark is lying on Bruce Banner’s couch like he’s a psychiatrist, telling him the whole story of the movie, and he realizes Bruce has slept through most of it. This would probably be funnier and work better if it wasn’t out of character for Bruce -- instead of being himself, he’s merely a pastiche of the "should care but doesn't" trope. It also perhaps hits a bit too close to home, given the lukewarm reception of Iron Man 3 compared to its two predecessors.

42 A Tease From The Avengers

Captain America: The First Avenger

Nick Fury tells Steve Rogers about the assignment he’ll take in The Avengers. This isn’t new material -- it’s a scene from The Avengers that’s been cut down to act as sort of a teaser trailer. Of course, that wasn't known when it first aired, and seeing the Star-Spangled Man with a Plan inching towards The Avengers still carries weight.

41 The Ten Rings Lives On

Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings Scene 2

Shang-Chi and his sister Xialing are another dysfunctional pair of MCU siblings, but they seem to patch things up by the end of the movie. However, the second credit scene suggests that Xialing might have some troubling ambitions of her own. Following the death of their father, Xialing is seen heading the Ten Rings and making some notable changes. Time will tell if her intentions are good or not, but the scene has been hampered for the time being by virtue of being ignored for several years and counting.

40 Added To The Collection

Thor: The Dark World Scene 1

This scene introduces the Collector, as Sif and Volstagg give him the Aether, unaware that he plans on tracking down the rest of the Infinity Stones. This scene sets up Guardians of the Galaxy, but it doesn’t introduce anyone that exciting. If Peter Quill or Groot had been in this mid-credits scene, that would be a different story.

39 Bucky As The White Wolf

Black Panther Scene 2

As amazing as Black Panther is, its final tease is just Shuri speaking to Bucky. It’s just a conversation, nothing too big or flashy, and it doesn’t set up anything particularly great about the following movie -- just that Bucky will be Bucky in it and not the Winter Soldier. Nevertheless, it's a fun bit of world-building that connects Wakanda to the wider MCU.

38 Too Many Sorcerers

Doctor Strange Scene 2

Karl Mordo strips Jonathan Pangborn of his magical powers, saying there are “too many sorcerers” out there. It sets the stage for Doctor Strange's friend to become his enemy, fulfilling Mordo's villainous origins from the comics. It makes for an exciting promise, but it ranks lower than it should by virtue of the set-up being completely ignored in the sequel.

37 The Mystery Of The Ten Rings

Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings Scene 1

Shang-Chi is a terrific solo adventure that allows the new MCU hero to thrive on his own. However, the first post-credit scene of the movie welcomes him into "the circus" with some fun cameos and an intriguing tease. After being summoned by Wong, Shang-Chi and Katy are shown meeting with Bruce Banner and Carol Danvers, who discuss the mysterious origins of the Ten Rings. Moreover, the scene mixes in comedy as it ends with Wong joining Shang and Katy at karaoke.

36 Tony Meets With Ross

The Incredible Hulk

Tony Stark tells a drunken Thaddeus Ross that a superhero team is being assembled. This introduced the idea that Iron Man and The Incredible Hulk took place in the same universe, but it didn’t bring them together in some grand way. Ross wouldn’t reappear in the MCU for another eight years when he returned to grill the Avengers about the Sokovia Accords. He wasn’t instrumental in their assembly like this scene suggests, but it's still an iconic moment for being the first tangible example of the MCU being a real shared universe.

35 Howard the Duck

Guardians of the Galaxy Scene 2

The second tag scene in Guardians of the Galaxy’s end credits sequence is less exciting than the first. The first showed fans that Groot was regrowing, while the second introduced a CGI Howard the Duck into the MCU. It's a fun nod made better by Howard's later appearance in the Endgame portal scene, but it doesn't go beyond a quick visual gag.