Summary

• MCU post-credit scenes have become popular among fans, creating excitement and speculation about future projects.
• Some post-credit scenes are forgettable and uneventful, like Thor's visit to Jane Foster in "Thor: The Dark World."
• Other post-credit scenes, like Bucky's memory return in "Captain America: The Winter Soldier," have significant character development and impact.

Though scenes after a (or in the middle of) a movie's credits have existed for decades, the MCU embraced and popularized them in a previously unseen way. Every time a new MCU movie comes out, dedicated fans sit through ten minutes of credits, eagerly awaiting a joke payoff or a quick tease of projects to come. It could be a cut-down version of a scene from another movie or new footage entirely, but it almost always stirs up a lot of debate and speculation among the fan base.

For better or worse, the post-credit scenes in the MCU sometimes get more attention than the movies themselves. From the very beginning of the cinematic universe, these movies have done a wonderful job of reminding audiences of ongoing and interconnected stories with teases and extras at the ends. From the huge reveals to the hilarious final jokes to the lackluster ones that didn't feel worth the wait, this is every big-screen post-credits scene so far in the MCU.

54 Thor And Jane Meet in London

Thor: The Dark World Second Scene

The least memorable MCU post-credits scene is attached to one of the least memorable MCU movies. After Thor: The Dark World’s credits have rolled, Thor comes to visit Jane Foster in London. It’s an uneventful scene that sets up nothing, especially as it seems to promote a relationship that wasn't followed up on for 9 years.

53 Natasha On The Run

Black Widow Scene 1

The MCU flashback adventure Black Widow filled in some gaps in Natasha Romanoff's journey. The first post-credit scene finds her with her new blonde hair as she talks about freeing some of her friends from prison. The credit scene functions little more than to bridge the gap between the events of this movie and Avengers: Infinity War and isn't particularly exciting, memorable, or important.

52 Pizza Poppa Is Free

Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness Scene 2

There were several reasons to be excited to see Sam Raimi return to the comic book world for the Doctor Strange sequel, including that it likely meant that Bruce Campbell was coming to the MCU. The iconic actor appears as Pizza Poppa, a street vendor who tries to pick a fight with Strange, only to be cursed with hitting himself over and over. After the final credits role, Pizza Poppa is shown still hitting himself until it finally stops, and he excitedly exclaims that it's over. It's a goofy, charming, but ultimately forgettable scene, especially compared to the one right before.

Sam Raimi is best known in the superhero movie genre for directing Spider-Man (2002) and its two sequels. However, he first dipped into the genre with Darkman (1990).

51 Thor Visits The Sanctum Sanctorum

Doctor Strange Scene 1

In the mid-credits scene of Doctor Strange, a teaser is shown for what was later a larger sequence in Thor: Ragnarok. On one hand, it's entertaining to see Strange interact with another character from the wider MCU, as his first solo outing is largely self-contained. However, there's little doubt that the premise seems forced - surely Asgardians have a better way to find their king than asking a wizard they don't know.

50 Goose Throws Up The Tesseract

Captain Marvel Scene 2

Of all the Avengers pets in the MCU, Goose is one of the cutest, even if he might be more dangerous than he seems. Goose helps explain a few mysteries in the MCU, from how Fury lost his eye to how the Tesseract was found. The second post-credit scene in Captain Marvel follows through on that second mystery as Goose is seen vomiting the Tesseract onto Fury's desk after eating it earlier. It doesn't contribute anything meaningful and isn't overly funny.

49 The Legendary Star-Lord Will Return

Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3 Scene 2

The post-credits scene in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is largely a retread of the final few moments before the credits. Peter sits at a table with his grandfather, and the two have some humorously mundane comments for each other. However, the tease that "The Legendary Star-Lord Will Return" came as a surprise, given it seemed as though Quill's time in the MCU may be over. Where Quill will show up next is a mystery, and it's unclear if he'll ever see his former team again.

48 The Falcon Knows A Guy

Ant-Man Scene 2

In a reused scene from Captain America: Civil War, Sam Wilson recommends “a guy” to help Captain America in his crusade against Iron Man. Despite this being an unoriginal scene, it is enticing because Ant-Man had only just been introduced in the preceding film, and there was excitement to see him the wider Avengers universe. It was part of the build-up to Civil War, and it also followed up on the memorable Ant-Man vs Falcon "fight" earlier in the movie.

47 Coulson Finds Thor's Hammer

Iron Man 2

Phil Coulson discovers an immovable hammer in the New Mexico desert at the end of Iron Man 2, which sets up 2011’s Thor in an exciting way. The scene is repeated in Thor, so it hasn't aged as well as other scenes featuring original content. That being said, it gets points for setting up a threat that's immediately followed up on, especially as the MCU has struggled to revisit most of its recent closing scenes.

46 Bucky Re

Captain America: The Winter Soldier Scene 2

Bucky takes a look at the Smithsonian’s Captain America exhibit and finds a memorial to himself, which kick-starts his memory. This scene works as a sign that the Winter Soldier will soon be de-brainwashed and fighting alongside his pal Steve as Bucky once again. It's notable as a scene that truly matters for character development and is a pivotal moment in Bucky's now long-running MCU journey.

45 Peter Gets A Spider-Signal

Captain America: Civil War Scene 2

After returning from his battle with half the Avengers, Peter Parker discovers the Spider-Signal in his web shooters. This was a great setup for Spider-Man: Homecoming, the movie that would expand Tom Holland’s Peter Parker into a fully fleshed MCU hero because it showed that he wouldn’t just be a kid from Queens with magical powers and a costume like before. Instead, he would have all kinds of Batman-like gadgets courtesy of his new friend Tony Stark. For better or for worse, this has defined Spider-Man's time in the MCU so far.