Whether it is within the popular, ever-growing Marvel Cinematic Universe, or whether it takes place within its own sphere, comic book movies based on Marvel properties have proven to be a real hit. The superhero world is one that has exploded over the past decade, and that is why there are now seven full Marvel trilogies for people to enjoy.
While there is an array of quality within those films, with different styles and tones being showcased, each trilogy offers something totally unique, which shows the strength of Marvel films. Creating a compelling trilogy is never an easy feat, as these seven examples prove, but there are some truly amazing films within them.
The Wolverine Trilogy
While Wolverine has appeared in plenty of other films, he does have his own stand-alone trilogy which is a real mixed bag in of quality. It goes from the sublime in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, which is one of the poorest superhero films of all time.
Hugh Jackman does a great job in all three films, really investing and committing to making Wolverine feel important. However, the movies feel like three isolated films, with a real lack of storyline connecting them to make the trilogy feel like one long story. There are some great moments throughout, particularly in Logan, but when looking at it as a trilogy, things do fall a little flat.
Thor Trilogy
When watching all three Thor films back to back to back, it becomes clear that as a trilogy, they are very out of sync in of tone and character work. Each movie feels totally different and Thor himself is vastly different in each movie, which makes sense in of his character growing, but means that the movies feel disted.
The original two movies are both okay, and they build the world nicely but they never quite feel like they get to the same levels as other MCU movies. Yet the third installment is easily the strongest outing for Thor, yet it is so unique and different it feels more like a stand-alone than part of a trilogy of films.
Blade Trilogy
The without them, the MCU may never have happened.
Wesley Snipes brings an amazing performance to these films and the action within all three is very exciting with a great blend of martial arts helping to make this franchise feel unique. Sadly, the third movie is nowhere near the same level of quality with a major drop between them. However, this is a trilogy that still holds up and has a consistent tone throughout, which helps make it feel like one cohesive story.
Iron Man Trilogy
The movie that kickstarted it all as far as the MCU is concerned, the original Iron-Man still stands up as one of the strongest Marvel movies ever made. However, the following sequels saw a real drop in quality, and a big part of that was a lack of a convincing, or entertaining villain, which has been an issue for Marvel overall.
However, something that this trilogy does very well at is building the story of Robert Downey Jr. putting in great performances in all of them.
X-Men Trilogy
Granted, the final installment into this trilogy (X-Men: The Last Stand) isn't the strongest film ever, and certainly has its flaws, overall this is a sublime trilogy. Even in the final installment, the plot still links back and tries to move the franchise forwards, which is what any good movie should do.
But it really is the first two movies that this trilogy shines, with those films being two of the most important in making the comic book genre a hit amongst the public. The action and cinematography are fantastic, and the characters really develop throughout with their actions having consequences that create ripple effects throughout each movie, making the films link.
Spider-Man Trilogy
The Spider-Man trilogy is one that suffers the exact same problem as the X-Men trilogy in the sense that the final installment really lets things down. However, even that movie has some redeeming qualities (and we aren't talking about that meme-worthy dance).
However, aside from that, the first two movies are incredible and still stand up as arguably the best versions of the web-slinger. There is a very consistent theme and a story that runs through these movies as well, with Spider-Man maturing and understanding his powers and responsibility throughout them, which makes for a great trilogy overall.
The Captain American Trilogy
The ultimate hero who never does any wrong has produced the single greatest trilogy in Marvel history. Unlike the other examples on this list, there isn't a bad movie within this trilogy, with the quality being incredibly high for all three films from start to finish.
The action throughout the movies is gripping and the tone flows nicely from one film to the next. There's a great political storyline mixed in with the superhero action that grounds these movies in reality. Captain America grows massively as a character, with his relationship with Bucky being the prime focal point of the trilogy, which tells a beautiful story within itself.
