Top 20 Best Decisions Made by Marvel

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has had a lot of people that have contributed to its overall success. However, it’s hard not to attribute at least a decent chunk of its success to Marvel Studios president, Kevin Feige. He envisioned Marvel's interconnected universe. His passion for the material is evident and his bold choices on what to greenlight has led to some unexpected successes for the franchise. A lot of cinematic universes have sprung up since the MCU began, but few of them have had the same kind of success. Part of that is likely because they didn’t have someone overseeing their films with as much enthusiasm as Feige.

“Daredevil” is one of the best superhero shows ever made, and its lead actor Charlie Cox helped make it so. Cox plays Matt Murdock, a.k.a. Daredevil, the blind lawyer turned vigilante superhero. He absolutely nails not only the physicality of the role, with his convincing blind mannerisms and superb execution of choreography in the now legendary fight scenes, but also Matt Murdock’s heart. Whether he’s delivering a speech in a courtroom or to the Punisher on a rooftop, Cox always brings his A-game. And given his appearance in more MCU properties recently, we’re positively ecstatic that he’s sticking around!

J.K. Simmons is J. Jonah Jameson - full stop! Rarely has an actor been so utterly perfect for a role. Simmons perfectly captures the news magnate’s blustering, larger-than-life personality. He’s easily one of the highlights of the Sam Raimi “Spider-Man” trilogy with his rapid-fire delivery and his hilarious self-centered attitude. So, when the character returned in the MCU, it may have been a no-brainer to bring Simmons back, even if he can no longer pull off Jameson’s flat-top. But we still have to applaud Marvel Studios for doing it anyway.

If the MCU had a star early on, it was arguably Tony Stark. So Marvel could easily have built the Avengers, and therefore the Infinity Saga, solely around him. But instead, Marvel gave Captain America the leadership role. His first film may not have been a smash hit, but his brand grew as the character grew, becoming more successful and more charismatic as time went on. Not only could he kick ass, but Steve Rogers pulled on our heartstrings with his speeches too. Cap was always worthy, it just took audiences, and some Avengers, a while to see that.

One of the most iconic catchphrases for Marvel comics is “Avengers assemble!” Usually delivered by Captain America, this line was much anticipated by Marvel fans to see delivered on the big screen. The MCU teased it several times, first with the title of the first “Avengers” movie, which is “Avengers Assemble” in the UK and Ireland. Additionally, Cap almost says the line at the conclusion of “Age of Ultron.” However, it isn’t until the finale of “Avengers: Endgame” that he finally delivers it. The heroes have all returned through portals to face Thanos and his armies, and right when everything is at its peak hype: “Avengers!...Assemble.” The wait was SO worth it!

Superhero films during the ‘90s were more often misses than they were hits. Yet even so, the then-desperate Marvel gambled on the success of “Blade,” a darker property of theirs about the titular vigilante half-vampire vampire hunter. The edgy attitude of the film, along with its awesome action, and Wesley Snipes being perfectly cast as Blade helped propel “Blade” to being Marvel’s first successful adaptation. Marvel may not have gotten a big cut of the film’s success, but “Blade” helped pave the way for the Marvel renaissance of the last few decades.

“Spider-Man” films generally do well, but a theatrical animated film about a Spider-Man who’s not Peter Parker was still quite the roll of the dice, at least for executives. But thanks to the folks behind “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse”, the idea proved to be not only a financial success but also a hit with critics and audiences alike! The animation is incredible and gorgeous. The characters feel authentic and the performances are excellent. And the humor? Chef’s kiss! And its sequels are set to be just as exciting. After so many “Spider-Man” stories, Marvel needed to do something different, and these movies feel like fresh and dazzling takes on the hero - make that heroes!

In another perfect match between actor and role, Ryan Reynolds is so much like Deadpool, we wouldn’t be surprised if the character reached out across universes and controlled him like a puppet! Reynolds imbues the irreverent, immortal mercenary with the endlessly amused glee that he deserves, while also delivering Wade Wilson’s rare serious moments with conviction. The “Deadpool” movies probably could have been made without Reynolds involved, but we’d argue that they’d be nowhere near as successful without his effortless charisma and cheeky humor. And with Deadpool’s forthcoming entrance into the MCU, Reynold is bound to continue killing it in the role. We’d start a pool about it.

The road map to the MCU wasn’t exactly clear cut in the beginning. The plan to build up to a confrontation with Thanos was there, but exactly how wasn’t decided on until 2014. It was here that “Avengers: Infinity War” was first announced, and that it would have 2 parts. This decision turned out brilliantly for a number of reasons. From a financial perspective, obviously 2 movies will make more money than 1! But it worked out wonderfully for the story too! “Infinity War” was able to give Thanos the proper development, as well as deliver a monumental cliffhanger that got everyone hyped for the sequel. And “Endgame” had more room to pay tribute to films before and deliver an epic, satisfying finale.

Marvel movies usually feature a lot of in-jokes and Easter eggs. And while those are fun, the most beloved recurring elements of Marvel films are Stan Lee’s cameos. The legendary late Marvel Comics creator appeared in almost every Marvel theatrical film ever made. Lee usually only had a line or two, but, whether he’s giving hope to Spider-Man or getting Tony Stark’s name wrong, his presence rarely fails to make Marvel fans laugh or warm our hearts. Lee may have passed on, but his legacy in comics and on film is one we’ll always treasure.

Before “Guardians of the Galaxy” came out in 2014, the interplanetary superhero team was far from a household name. And James Gunn wasn’t exactly a big name director either, best known for his films “Slither” and “Super”. Yet Marvel’s decision to take a risk on lesser known Marvel characters and an indie director paid off BIG time! The “Guardians” movies are some of the MCU’s most memorable, boasting plenty of humor, heart, action, and killer soundtracks. They catapulted Chris Pratt to super-stardom, made audiences fall in love with a talking tree, and there isn’t enough time in the day to discuss how hilarious Dave Bautista is as Dax.

Most superhero movies are limited to a PG-13 rating in order to broaden their audiences and take in a larger profit. Yet, surprising few fans (but probably a few executives), some of Marvel’s first big R-rated movies, “Deadpool” and “Logan” did huge business! The hard R-rating gave them the maturity, and immaturity, that they needed to do the source material justice. While a PG-13 version of “Deadpool” was subsequently released, reviews were decidedly mixed. Sure, violence and adult language aren’t requirements when catering to adult audiences . . . but they certainly didn’t hurt in these films!

It’s no secret that the Marvel Cinematic Universe has had something of a villain problem. And so with their first big crossover film, it was crucial that they find a big bad worthy of bringing Earth’s Mightiest Heroes together. Thankfully, with Loki… they got that and more! Although he began as Thor’s nemesis, Loki is charismatic enough to stand toe to toe with any of the Avengers. His wide appeal owes more than a little to actor Tom Hiddleston, whose performance has made Loki a fan favorite. Witty, sarcastic, ambitious, but also sympathetic, Loki broke the two-dimensional villain mold and helped make ”The Avengers” an incredible film.

“The Incredible Hulk” may not have been the massive hit that “Iron Man” was, but it was still reasonably well-received, and Edward Norton made for a memorable Bruce Banner/Hulk. Considering these facts, it was surprising (and a little worrying) at the time to hear that the role was being recast. Thankfully, Mark Ruffalo did a wonderful job of filling Norton’s shoes, arguably bringing even more nuance to Banner while making the Hulk much more relatable than in the 2008 film. Like Chris Evans as Captain America, he fits the role so well that, in hindsight, it’s difficult to imagine anyone else playing the character.

As brilliant as it was to cast acclaimed thespians like Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen in “X-Men”, we’d argue that it was even smarter to take a chance on then little known Australian actor Hugh Jackman. Jackman may not have had Wolverine's comic book build, at least in his first outings, but he has the attitude, able to embody Logan’s rage and regret in equal measure - as well as great comic timing when needed. Jackman went on to play the character for 17 years, showing a level of commitment and dedication to the role that few actors are willing to give. For fans, this translated into countless great moments, plus a level of slow-building character development rarely seen in an action franchise.

Given how many studios have attempted to emulate the concept since, it can be easy to forget just how revolutionary a superhero team-up movie was back in 2012. “The Avengers” blew audiences away, and multiple crossover films later, it still holds up. Part of what makes the film so successful, however, is the foundation that the MCU laid before it. Marvel released carefully crafted films for its individual heroes before attempting to bring them together. Not only did this create hype, but it also helped us get to know these versions of the characters in their own respective worlds before seeing them play off of one another. If only Marvel’s imitators had learned from their example…

There have been a lot of Spider-Men over the last couple of decades. That brings with it a risk of burnout and a whole lot of pressure for any newcomer to don the iconic outfit. But thankfully Marvel got it just right when they cast Tom Holland. Holland brings a wonderful, youthful enthusiasm to the role, and it’s infectious. His Peter Parker and Spider-Man are a pleasure to see in action, with an ideal balance between the character’s humorous and vulnerable sides. Holland’s casting also worked well for Marvel, since many of its male leads tend to be around the same age, and Holland’s youth gave younger audiences a hero to relate to.

Marvel Studios has kept a pretty tight leash on their directors, at least in the MCU. Their stringent set of guidelines and restrictions reportedly played a part in what drove Joss Whedon away after “Avengers: Age of Ultron.” Therefore, it’s great to see that they’ve lessened their hardline stance and have started allowing directors to have more input. James Gunn’s vision for “Guardians of the Galaxy” was mentioned earlier, but directors Taika Waititi and Ryan Coogler imprinted “Thor: Ragnarok” and “Black Panther” respectively with their own inimitable styles. And given that all three of these directors are slated to return for more, Marvel seems to realize they’ve got a good thing going.

Spider-Man is unequivocally Marvel’s biggest name hero … or at least he was before the MCU. But in the 1990s, Marvel sold off the movie rights to the character, along with many others. Fortunately, Marvel was able to achieve a deal with Sony that got us Tom Holland’s Spider-Man in their cinematic universe. In 2019, Marvel and Sony had a falling out over the future of the character, giving Marvel fans a collective heart attack; however, the companies were soon able to reach a new, rather secretive deal. What we do know is that there’ll be at least two more Spider-Man movies in the MCU… before we may have to panic again. Please don’t leave us Spidey!

Marvel Studios has made a lot of good decisions to get them where they are now, but none have paid quite as much as casting Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark, aka Iron Man. RDJ’s compelling and charismatic performance fit like a glove and was the perfect choice to kick off and often lead the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It doesn’t hurt that Downey’s personal journey paralleled Marvel’s own - both having fallen on hard times, but managing to dramatically turn their fortunes around. It’s fair to say that without Downey, we wouldn’t have the MCU as we know it. Thank you sir – you ARE Iron Man.