Marvel has delivered some truly unforgettable moments over the years—massive crossovers, shocking twists, and characters we’ve come to love like family. But let’s be honest: not every entry in the Marvel saga has been a home run. Even the most loyal fans can admit that a few of these movies missed the mark. Whether it’s a poor story, cringeworthy pacing, or simply plain trying too hard, these are five Marvel movies that fans tend to have a hard time defending—even if they saw them more than once, in the hopes they’d improve.
5. Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania
Paul Rudd’s charm has kept the Ant-Man movies going for years, but this third entry felt too far off track. What began as a smart, down-to-earth heist tale abruptly descended into a multiverse mess. Visually, the movie was overpacked and strangely two-dimensional.
The humor didn’t stick like it had previously, and the heart that made the first two films have their special zing was drowned in the quantum slush. The Kang introduction was meant to be a game-changer, but it played more like a narrative detour that did not lead anywhere significant. To a lot of fans, this one was more of a misstep than a must-watch.
4. Captain America: Brave New World
Transferring the Captain America responsibility from Steve Rogers to Sam Wilson was bound to be difficult. Sadly, Brave New World trips over its own feet more often than it takes flight. Anthony Mackie is genuine in his portrayal, but the film itself is caught in the middle of being respectful of the past while also creating something new.
Throw in some quirky casting decisions and special effects that never quite work, and it becomes somewhat of a puzzler. It wants to be deep and serious, but can’t quite keep it together. Though it had flashes of potential, they were frequently bogged down by a clumsy plot and identity crisis.
3. The Marvels
This one was set up for something big—a team of three heroes, intergalactic landscapes, and the opportunity to shake up the familiar formula. But rather than a new direction, The Marvels became a hodgepodge of ideas that never quite coalesced. Tonally, it jumped all over the place—from quirky sitcom-style gags to grim emotional beats—all within minutes of each other.
The film just felt rushed, like it was trying to check every box without letting anything breathe. Still, Iman Vellani’s portrayal of Kamala Khan was a bright spot, bringing some much-needed heart and energy to the mix.
2. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
It’s hard to have this one on the list, given how much the first movie won over fans with its humor, heart, and soundtrack. But by the third entry, all that sparkle was gone. Instead of the typical crazy fun, Vol. 3 went full-on tragedy, with Rocket’s dark past leading the way.
It wasn’t that the film didn’t have depth—it was more like tonal whiplash that left fans pining for the colorful chaos and camaraderie the Guardians had built their brand on. As a finale, it didn’t exactly hit the emotional payoffs many were expecting, and the energy that made this crew so endearing was muffled.
1. Iron Man 2
When the MCU was still getting its footing, Iron Man 2 was a much-hyped sequel that ultimately felt. wrong. Even with a solid cast and Robert Downey Jr. still on fire, the film attempted to accomplish too much too soon. It added new characters, established future plotlines, and built out the world, but in doing so, sacrificed the clear focus that made the first Iron Man work so well.
The bad guy came across flat, the pacing dragged at times, and the entire movie stumbled to recapture the magic that began it all. It wasn’t a catastrophe, but certainly one of the weaker installments in the series.
Despite these missteps, Marvel’s cinematic history is still something to admire. Every studio has its bad day and cannot always make a fan favorite. Yet as these five movies show us, even superheroes can’t escape the occasional misstep.