The essentials in 30 seconds: since 2012, the Avengers saga has included four films released in theaters—The Avengers, Avengers: Age of Ultron, Infinity War, and Endgame—and a highly anticipated fifth film, Avengers: Doomsday, scheduled for late 2026. Based on critics’ scores, box-office performance, and fan opinion, Avengers: Endgame and Infinity War clearly lead the ranking, followed closely by the groundbreaking 2012 film. Below, you’ll find our full ranking, a comparison table, and a selection of merchandise for each feature film.
For more than a decade, the Avengers films have shaped the Marvel fan calendar. Every release is an event: queues outside cinemas, theories flooding social media, and box-office records falling one after another. But not every installment is created equal. Between the groundbreaking 2012 film, the darker 2015 sequel, the cosmic two-part saga of Infinity War/Endgame, and the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday, which will soon close out a new era, it’s hard to make sense of them without a proper ranking.
In this article, we review the four Avengers films released so far, explain why they rank in this order according to critics and fans, and take stock of expectations surrounding Avengers: Doomsday. Throughout the article, you’ll also find a selection of merchandise to keep the saga going at home.
How are the Avengers films ranked?
To establish this ranking, we compared several criteria: the average critics’ score (aggregated from the main specialized platforms), audience and fan reception, worldwide box-office revenue, and the film’s impact on the MCU’s subsequent development. A film can be a huge commercial success without necessarily receiving the highest critical ratings—as is the case with several installments in the saga. We therefore weighted these criteria to produce a ranking that reflects the overall consensus as accurately as possible.
A quick reminder for those discovering the saga: to properly place each film within the MCU's overall chronology, visit our page All Avengers Films in Chronological Order. And for an even broader overview including the heroes' solo films, head to our MCU Guide in Chronological Order.
The ranking of the 4 Avengers films released in theaters
1. Avengers: Endgame (2019) — the saga's pinnacle
Unsurprisingly, Avengers: Endgame tops our ranking. Concluding Thanos's Snap and ten years of the MCU, the film achieves a rare feat: satisfying both critics and the general public while shattering worldwide box-office records, with more than $2.7 billion in total revenue. The famous "portals" sequence bringing all the heroes together remains one of the most frequently referenced scenes in the history of superhero cinema. To understand how Tony Stark reversed the course of events, our article on Iron Man's Nano Gauntlet: How Tony Stark Defeated Thanos explains the entire mechanics of the resolution.
Featured product
Iron Man MK85 Figure with Helmet – Avengers Endgame Collection
The armor worn by Tony Stark during the final battle of Endgame, reproduced with meticulous attention to detail.
87,90 €
View product2. Avengers: Infinity War (2018) — the most ambitious
Coming just behind it, Infinity War is often considered by fans to be the saga's most ambitious film. Bringing more than twenty heroes together on screen while giving the supervillain, Thanos, real depth was quite a challenge. The film ends with one of the most memorable finales in mainstream cinema: half the universe reduced to ashes. To fully understand this event, our article Thanos's Snap: What Really Happened takes an in-depth look at the consequences of this act. The film also benefits from the wealth of related merchandise, available in our Avengers Infinity War collection.
Featured product
Avengers Infinity War T-Shirt – Logo and Characters Collage for Men
A T-shirt featuring all the film's heroes in a graphic collage, perfect for showing your passion every day.
45,90 €
View product3. The Avengers (2012) — the founding film
It's impossible to discuss the saga without looking back at the very first film. Released in 2012, The Avengers laid the foundations for what would become the most profitable cinematic universe in history, bringing Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, Hulk, Black Widow, and Hawkeye together on screen for the first time. The film surprised audiences with its ability to balance humor, action, and dramatic stakes, driven by Joss Whedon's energetic direction. To relive this legendary first meeting, our article How the Avengers Met for the First Time goes behind the scenes of this union. Products inspired by this cult film remain among the most sought-after items in our Avengers 2012—The Film collection.
4. Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)—the most divisive
The saga's second installment, released in 2015, remains the most divisive of the bunch. Although it was a major commercial success, critics faulted it for its denser screenplay and an antagonist—Ultron, the artificial intelligence created by Tony Stark—considered less developed than Thanos. Nevertheless, the film remains vital to the saga: it introduces Vision, develops Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver, and lays the groundwork for the tensions that would lead to Civil War. To learn everything about this robotic villain, check out our article Ultron: The AI That Wanted to Destroy Humanity. Collectors will appreciate our Avengers: Age of Ultron collection, which brings together figurines and merchandise from this period.
Want to bring this robotic villain home? The Ultron Revoltech Yamaguchi Figurine - Articulated Monochrome PVC (€107.90) faithfully recreates his iconic robotic design and is fully articulated.
Comparative table of Avengers films
| Film | Year | Director(s) | Our ranking |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avengers: Endgame | 2019 | Anthony & Joe Russo | 1 |
| Avengers: Infinity War | 2018 | Anthony & Joe Russo | 2 |
| The Avengers | 2012 | Joss Whedon | 3 |
| Avengers: Age of Ultron | 2015 | Joss Whedon | 4 |
| Avengers: Doomsday | 2026 (upcoming) | Anthony & Joe Russo | Not ranked, highly anticipated |
This table confirms a clear trend: the further the saga progresses toward its climax (the Infinity War / Endgame duo), the higher the critical scores and audience reception climb. An encouraging sign for Avengers: Doomsday, which brings back the same directing duo as Infinity War and Endgame—the Russo brothers.
Avengers: Doomsday, the great hope for late 2026
It's impossible to rank the Avengers films without mentioning the saga's next major event: Avengers: Doomsday. This fifth film will bring together an extraordinary cast, featuring the highly anticipated return of Robert Downey Jr., this time as Doctor Doom, along with the arrival of the Fantastic Four and potentially the X-Men under the Avengers banner. To follow all the latest news about the film, check out our article Avengers Doomsday: Everything We Know About the Film, our Complete Avengers Doomsday Cast, and our breakdown of the Avengers Doomsday Trailer: All the Reveals.
On paper, all the ingredients are there for this film to rise straight to the top of our ranking: experienced directors, a massive cast, and stakes inherited from several Marvel sagas. It remains to be seen whether the gamble will pay off once the film is released in theaters. In the meantime, our article on the Release Date Countdown ensures you don't miss a thing, while the page Avengers: Doomsday (2026) — Everything to Know About the Film brings together all the information confirmed to date.
Featured product
Avengers Doomsday Poster - Heroic March Team Design
An unofficial poster celebrating the new team assembled for Doomsday, perfect for passing the time before its release.
29,90 €
View productOur favorite scenes and quotes from the saga
Beyond the overall ranking, each film has left its mark with specific scenes. The final battle in Endgame, Infinity War's "Wakanda Forever," and the heroes' first assembly in 2012: these are moments fans continue to cite years later. To relive the most memorable clashes, our article Top 5 Most Epic Avengers Battles takes an in-depth look at these sequences. And if you're looking to impress at your next fan gathering, our Top 10 Best Iconic Avengers Quotes is just what you need.
These iconic scenes also shaped the MCU's overall history, which is organized into several major phases. To understand where the Avengers movies fit within this broader chronology, take a look at our article The 6 MCU Phases Explained. You can also follow the technical and aesthetic evolution of the saga's most iconic hero in our article The Evolution of Iron Man's Armor Throughout the Movies.
Fans of collector's figurines will love the Funko Pop Avengers Thor - Endgame Stormbreaker Mjolnir #482 Figurine (€90.90), which immortalizes Thor wielding both his axe and hammer during the final scene of Endgame.
For collectors, each film also offers its share of merchandise to track down. The figurine from the very first film remains a must-have for those who want to trace the saga's origins — for example, you can find it with this Avengers 2012 Team Logo mouse pad (€29.90), a perfect nod to the founding film. Our Avengers Posters and Avengers Figurines collections bring together hundreds of items inspired by each feature film in the saga.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best Avengers movie according to critics and fans?
Avengers: Endgame generally ranks first, followed very closely by Avengers: Infinity War. The two films form a two-part story considered the pinnacle of the saga, both critically and commercially.
Should you watch the Avengers movies in release order?
Yes, it is highly recommended for properly following the characters' development and the narrative stakes that build from one film to the next. Visit our page All Avengers Movies in Chronological Order for a clear viewing order.
Why is Avengers: Age of Ultron rated lower?
The film's main weakness is a denser storyline, with numerous subplots to manage in a single feature, and a villain considered by some to be less charismatic than Thanos. It nevertheless remains essential to understanding the saga's continuation.
Will Avengers: Doomsday be the best film in the saga?
It's impossible to say before its release, but expectations are very high: the same directors as Infinity War and Endgame, a massive cast including the return of Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom, and the arrival of new heroes such as the Fantastic Four. All of this raises hopes for a new high point in the saga.
How many Avengers movies are there in total?
To date, four films have "Avengers" in their titles (2012, 2015, 2018, 2019), with a fifth, Avengers: Doomsday, expected in 2026, and a sixth already announced under the name Secret Wars.
Explore the Avengers Universe Further
- Secret Wars: Everything We Know About the Next Avengers Movie
- Ranking the Most Powerful Avengers
- Robert Downey Jr. Returns to the MCU as Doctor Doom
- The MCU Guide in Chronological Order
- Our full All Avengers Movies collection
Key takeaways
Four films, four atmospheres, one common thread: ten years of the MCU brought together in the Avengers saga. While Endgame and Infinity War remain the franchise's two undisputed high points, every installment has its place in the story and its share of die-hard fans—including the highly divisive Age of Ultron. While we await the release of Avengers: Doomsday at the end of 2026, which could well reshuffle this ranking, our store invites you to relive each film through our Avengers Endgame, Avengers Infinity War, and Avengers Doomsday 2026 collections. Enough to create your own ranking, with posters and figurines to back it up.