Deadpool and Wolverine are headed to the MCU with the highly anticipated Deadpool & Wolverine! It’s a huge change and a poignant farewell to the era of 20th Century Fox’s long running X-Men franchise. To celebrate the move, we looked back at all fourteen films and ranked the mutant adventures from worst to best!
14. The New Mutants (2020)
This one barely counts. After years of delays and a reportedly disastrous production, The New Mutants was quietly released amidst the Covid-19 pandemic. Despite featuring a strong cast, including a young Anya Taylor-Joy, the film failed on nearly all levels. What could have been an incredibly unique, standalone horror entry in the popular mutant series was instead a massive miss that quickly disappeared from memory.
13. Dark Phoenix (2019)
The prequels came to a close with yet another attempt at the popular Dark Phoenix storyline. Unfortunately for Fox (and for audiences) the second swing at the hero turned villain plotline was even messier and more disastrous than the previous. The entire film felt dull and lazy. What an incredibly disappointing way to end things.
12. X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009)
By this time Hugh Jackman’s portrayal of Wolverine had become iconic. So much so that he was given his first standalone film. As the title would suggest, it’s an origin, telling the story of Logan’s journey to becoming an X-Man and explaining how he got his signature shiny claws. One major problem was that… this story had already been explored in X2. The film features some of the most horrendous CGI in the franchise and worst of all, they completely ruined the first live action depictions of Gambit and Deadpool.
11. X-Men: Apocalypse (2016)
The prequel series certainly started out strong, but after the critical success of the first two films, there was a stumble. Fans weren’t happy with the depiction of Apocalypse, one of the X-Men’s most formidable foes. Despite having Oscar Isaac under the blue paint, the villain fell flat and so did the storyline.
10. X-Men: The Last Stand (2006)
The third and final installment of the original trilogy is widely considered to be the weak link in an otherwise strong chain of films. It certainly doesn’t live up to the quality of the original two; however, upon a revisit I’d say we may have treated the film too harshly. It boasts an array of fun characters, impressive action and elevated stakes.
9. The Wolverine (2013)
It’s somewhat surprising that Wolverine was given a second chance as a solo star following the critical and audience backlash that Origins faced. However, with James Mangold taking over as director and a much stronger script to work with, the sequel proved to be a huge improvement upon its predecessor. Placing Logan in Japan and taking away his powers and abilities for a significant chunk of the runtime were smart choices to set this entry apart.
8. X-Men (2000)
The movie that started it all. Blade is often credited with saving Marvel and launching the comic book movie trend, and that may be true. However the massive success of X-Men, and then Spider-Man shortly after, proved that a PG-13 movie based on comic book characters could launch a franchise and be a box office success.
7. Deadpool (2016)
Ryan Reynolds will always be synonymous with Deadpool. Sure, his first portrayal in Origins was pretty terrible, but that wasn’t his fault, and he set out to prove that by bringing his version of the character to the big screen. With an R-rating, the ‘Merc with a Mouth’ had free reign to bring the violence and inappropriate humor of the comics to the big screen, and audiences loved it.
6. X-Men: First Class (2011)
Following The Last Stand, Fox set out to reignite the franchise with a prequel series showcasing Charles Xavier and Magneto as young adults learning to master their powers. The cast was perfect, and the storytelling was sharp. What could have felt like a cheap cash-grab, exceeded all expectations. Sure, the timeline doesn’t make sense, but seeing the formation of the X-Men is so great that the discrepancies can be overlooked.
5. X2 (2003)
Isn’t it great when a sequel improves upon the original? That’s exactly what X2 did. With the introduction of new characters and a focus on Wolverine’s mysterious past, the second entry in the series kicks things up a notch. From the memorable White House opening to the adrenaline fueled raid on the X-Men mansion, this film is an action-filled crowd pleaser from start to finish.
4. Deadpool & Wolverine (2024)
It was tough to place this one within the ranking, primarily because its so new and I’m not sure how well it will hold up over time. Still, it’s among the most entertaining and hilarious movies I’ve experienced in theaters, and for that, it’s earned its place high on this list. Hugh Jackman’s return to Wolverine is perfection and the no character is better suited to take on the multiverse than Deadpool himself. Sure, it’s fan-service, but it’s fan-service done right.
3. Deadpool 2 (2018)
The introduction of Cable — the future son of Cyclops and Jean Grey — and time travel injected into the Deadpool franchise made for a fun twist. What’s interesting about the sequel, is that there is no real villain or central antagonist. The film also shows us a softer side of Wade Wilson while turning up the stunts and action. Oh, and of course it’s hilarious.
2. X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014)
Days of Future Past merges the original trilogy and the prequel series by sending Wolverine back in time to change the past and save the future. It’s a Terminator level paradox. Hugh Jackman had made a brief cameo appearance in First Class, but here he gets to take center stage, teaming up with the new cast of younger actors and the results are better than anybody imagined. Bryan Singer returns to direct after departing from the franchise, and his skills and understanding of the characters are evident.
1. Logan (2017)
It’s the perfect sendoff to an iconic character. Hugh Jackman famously took a pay cut in order to get the green light for this R-rated, darker take on the leather-clad hero. Loosely adapted from the popular comic Old Man Logan, we see the mutant in a way we’ve never seen him before. Through the addition of Laura (X-23), Logan is given a reason to live and something to fight for. On top of the amazing action set pieces, Logan features a heartbreaking performance and ending that could make even the toughest mutant shed a tear or two.
Do you agree with our ranking? Let us know in the comments, and lets hope for a new series of adventures within the MCU!
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