The entertainment industry has made plenty of investments in bringing movies to the big screens. Many of these endeavors became massive successes which ultimately spawned a franchise. With that said, one such franchise that continues to dominate the box office and fans worldwide would be none other than the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It started in 2008 with the movie Iron Man; the MCU has since released a series of films that share an interconnecting narrative. Well, with multiple projects slated to release in the coming years, it’s safe to say this journey is far from over.
So, while we’re at it, how about we take a look at some of the coolest moments to ever come from the MCU?
He’s A Friend From Work
While Chris Hemsworth’s previous two solo outings as the god of thunder Thor had more serious tones, Thor: Ragnarok takes credit for giving the character and his story a more vibrant twist. One of the movie’s iconic scenes is when Thor reunites with Hulk and explains that Hulk’s a friend from work to the surprised Grandmaster. As it turns out, that line wasn’t in the original script: it was suggested by a kid from Make A Wish who visited the set in the middle of production.
Fanboying On Set
Despite garnering a high degree of fame for their work under the spotlight, actors are still prone to geeking out and fanboying. Well, that’s precisely what happened to Ant-Man actor Paul Rudd during the production of Captain America: Civil War. This was the actor’s first time working with some of the MCU’s biggest names, including the film’s titular lead Chris Evans. With that said, Rudd took the opportunity many of us can only dream of doing. When Evans left Captain America’s iconic shield with the prop guy, Rudd borrowed it and played around with it before returning it. Suffice to say, he got to hold the shield twice: one behind-the-scenes and the other on-screen before the epic Team Cap V Team Iron Man fight.
Phil Coulson’s Sacrifice
Besides the franchise’s lead heroes, the MCU has also had its fair share of beloved side characters. One notable example is Clark Gregg’s Phil Coulson. After landing his first acting credit as the character in the first Iron Man movie, Agent Coulson became a recurring character for the next films, further establishing his fan-favorite status. After seeing him sacrifice himself in the first Avengers film, all that build-up undoubtedly added to the audiences’ impact. So that’s what getting attached to a character does.
Dancing Baby Groot
By this point, previous MCU outings focused only on one hero save for the Avengers films. The 2014’s Guardians of the Galaxy was a surprise hit for many, considering it revolved around characters many moviegoers didn’t recognize at the time. Suffice to say, Marvel’s investments in this one paid off in the end. With that said, fans instantly fell in love with Groot, and the scene of him dancing is undoubtedly the cherry on top.
A Bargain with Dormammu
At this point, we expect superhero movies to end with a big battle between the heroes and their adversaries. Well, 2016’s Doctor Strange decided to change things by an impressive degree. While Benedict Cumberbatch’s titular character does fight with the big bad, Dormammu, it’s not in the way viewers expected, resulting in one of the most distinct face-offs in the MCU.
I Am Iron Man
Of course, the MCU wouldn’t have happened if it weren’t for its first outing, Iron Man, garnering massive praise and recognition. With that said, a good portion of that credit also goes to Robert Downey Jr.’s flawless performance as the titular hero. It’s also no surprise one of the MCU’s most iconic lines comes from Tony Stark himself, a statement he says at the start and end of his journey: “I am Iron Man.”
Everyone’s Favorite Watcher
If there’s one other thing fans look forward to in every Marvel movie besides the superheroes and villains, it would be Stan Lee’s cameos. The late comic book writer often appeared in a small role in just about every film, and his scenes are always memorable. While these stints were just there for comedic relief, Lee’s appearance in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 adds a new degree of relevance to his cameos: turns out, he’s a Watcher observing every event in the universe. ‘Nuff said.