The Marvel Cinematic Universe has expanded exponentially over the years, but the MCU’s Phase 1 had many elements that helped set up the cinematic universe that are now missed in the franchise the MCU has become. The MCU’s Phase 1 consists of six movies. Those are: Iron Man (2008), The Incredible Hulk (2008), Iron Man 2 (2010), Thor (2011), Captain America: The First Avenger (2011), and The Avengers (2012).
The MCU has had an uneven start to its Multiverse Saga. Phase 4 featured a few highs among some uncharacteristic lows for the shared universe, followed by the release of Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania to kickstart Phase 5, which also failed to garner the level of praise expected for the introduction of Kang the Conqueror. While not everything was perfect in the MCU’s early days, Phase 1 has many great aspects that the present universe is missing.
12 Cinematic Universes Were New And Marvel Movies Felt Fresh
The success of the MCU’s effort to unite different hero franchises into a single universe urged many studios to attempt doing the same, but no one has ever been able to recreate the level of success Marvel has had. Back in Phase 1, there were no real blockbuster cinematic universes for audiences to compare to the MCU. Marvel Studios had an ambitious plan to set up ten years of interconnected storytelling and did so wonderfully. The MCU’s Phase 1 was something that had never been seen before on that scale, which made Marvel movies fresh and exciting, something that is now criticized as missing from the MCU’s most recent phases.
11 Marvel Movies Took Risks Because They Had Something To Prove
While the MCU has recently been criticized for playing it safe, Phase 1 could not bank on an existing safety net, having to take risks as Marvel did not have the film rights for its biggest characters. Marvel had been going through major financial issues, and the creation of the MCU was a big gamble. The casting of Robert Downey Jr. as the MCU’s first hero was one of the riskiest moves Marvel could have made, given the actor’s heavily publicized past troubles. However, it paid off when Iron Man became a resounding success and built the foundation for the highest-grossing cinematic franchise in history.
10 Each MCU Phase 1 Movie Was Different Than The Last
The MCU’s Phase 1 movies all felt different from each other. While the MCU has been criticized for relying on its “Marvel formula,” Phase 1 was a breath of fresh air. Iron Man Tony Stark introduced the MCU with a war-based story; The Incredible Hulk was a sci-fi adventure; Iron Man 2 launched Stark as a full-on superhero; Thor was a space fantasy epic; Captain America: The First Avenger was a World War 2 story, and The Avengers was a historic crossover event. Each movie also felt visually different from one another.
9 The MCU Was Easier To Follow Since There Were Fewer Movies
The MCU’s Phase One consists of 6 movies over five years, starting with 2008’s Iron Man and concluding with 2012’s The Avengers. Compared to the enormous output the MCU has had recently, with Disney+ helping Marvel venture into different formats, it was far easier to follow the entire cinematic universe than it is now. To compare, Phase 4 released 17 projects over two years, almost triplicating Phase 1’s output in half the time. Thankfully, Marvel seems to be correcting course a bit regarding release frequency with Phase 5 Disney+ shows release plan to address its pacing issues.
8 MCU Phase 1 Had A Clear Ending: Setting Up The Avengers
While the MCU has been criticized lately for not having a clear goal, which is largely due to Phases 4 and 5 not having an Avengers movie, the MCU’s Phase 1 had the clear ending of setting up The Avengers. Every movie released in Phase 1 introduced a member of the MCU’s premiere superhero team. Iron Man, The Hulk, Captain America, and Thor all had solo movies to set up their roles in The Avengers, while Black Widow was introduced in Iron Man 2 and Hawkeye debuted in Thor.
7 The MCU Phase 1 Movies Were Given Time To Be Great
Phase 1 allowed the MCU to bloom organically, with no rush to get the cinematic universe going. That practice’s triumph was both evidenced by the MCU’s unprecedented success and Marvel’s biggest rival, DC, failing in its attempt to rush a Justice League movie instead of growing the DCEU first. Phase 1 had the longest duration of all MCU phases, taking place over five years, allowing movies the necessary time to get their story and special effects right. The MCU’s current VFX issues stem largely from the short deadlines that the studio now works with, which Phase 1 did not have to struggle with.
6 Phase 1 Set Up An Entire Saga With The Introduction Of 2 Infinity Stones
Phase 1 set up a whole decade of Marvel movies by introducing the first two Infinity Stones that would later be violently pursued by Thanos in the Infinity Saga’s climax. Captain America: The First Avenger saw the debut of the Infinity Stones in the MCU, with the Red Skull fighting to keep the Cosmic Cube known as the Tesseract — which possessed the Space Stone — to use for his nefarious purposes. The Avengers then introduced the Mind Stone, which was lodged within Loki’s scepter, with the team-up movie also featuring the debut of Josh Brolin as Thanos.
5 The MCU Was Carefully Expanded With Marvel One-Shots
Phase 1 introduced an interesting way of expanding the MCU through Marvel One-Shots. The format consists of direct-to-video short films that were used to expand the world of MCU movies. The films were included as part of the special features of MCU movies’ Blu-ray and digital distribution releases. The list of Marvel One-Shots includes The Consultant (2011), A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Thor’s Hammer (2011), Item 47 (2012), Agent Carter (2013), and All Hail the King (2014). The Marvel One-Shots have since stopped being produced by Marvel Studios, except for a series of mockumentary-styled Thor shorts.
4 MCU Phase 1 Movies Had More Grounded And Realistic Stakes
The difference between Phase 1 and the current state of the MCU is that Phase 1 felt like the superhero elements from Marvel Comics had been transported into the real world, while the MCU now feels like a living comic book universe that audiences get to drop in for a visit with every new project. Phase 1 did a great job of grounding the story and making every movie have realistic and significant stakes for the world and its characters. Now, with the wide array of projects, it feels like the MCU is always on the verge of being destroyed, which takes away what worked so well in Phase 1.
3 Agent Coulson, Nick Fury & SHIELD Played A Bigger Role In MCU Phase 1
SHIELD as a whole, and specifically Nick Fury and Agent Coulson, had a big role during the beginning of the MCU. Phase 1 saw SHIELD stretch its influence over the MCU, with Fury slowly recruiting the Avengers. Coulson also had an integral role throughout Phase 1, which culminated in his death during The Avengers, which was the event the team needed to bond over in order to become the team Marvel fans know and love. After Phase 1, SHIELD’s role progressively diminished, as did Fury’s, who will now get to finally lead his own project with Disney+’s Secret Invasion, and Coulson’s, who was sent to lead Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
2 Iron Man’s Suits Looked Better Than They Do Now
The practical effects used to create Iron Man’s suits in Phase 1 looked fantastic, with the suits being realistically brought to life. Over the years, the MCU started to use the practical effects less than it did during Phase 1, relying more on digital enhancements. As of Downey’s last MCU appearance as Iron Man in Avengers: Endgame, Marvel is at a stage where the Iron Man suit is almost always fully CGI, which matches the suits nowadays being created by nanotechnology in the MCU, although it lessens the visual impact and realism of Iron Man’s Phase 1 suits.
1 The MCU’s Humor Made More Sense
One of the most frequent complaints about recent MCU projects is the franchise’s use of humor. While movies such as Guardians of the Galaxy and Thor: Ragnarok have managed to excel in their use of comedy, other projects have suffered from undercutting serious moments with quips and jokes. The recent negative reception of Thor: Love and Thunder largely centered on the movie’s failing to let its emotional beats hit without constant jokes. Phase 1, where the characteristic MCU humor was present but tailored to each specific movie and character, is a lesson the Marvel Cinematic Universe must relearn.
