While the number of Marvel Cinematic Universe releases in 2024 dipped compared to the previous year, the quality of the offerings rose from 2023. It’s possible that 2024 will be remembered as a restructuring year for the popular franchise, but what viewers received for the year is a good sign for the future of the MCU.

The lineup of MCU’s 2024 slate was diverse, with new one-off adventures for casual fans and exciting new content for the hardcore Marvel devotees who want to dig deeper into the universe’s lore. While fans wait for exciting new 2025 additions to the MCU in the form of The Fantastic Four and Thunderbolts*, we take a look back at the best and worst of the MCU 2024 releases.

5‘Echo’ (2024)

Created by Marion Dayre

Image via Disney+

Picking up after the events of Hawkeye, Maya López (Alaqua Cox) is on the run after shooting crime boss Wilson Fisk, aka the Kingpin (Vincent D’Onofrio), in the face. Taking refuge in her hometown in Oklahoma, Maya regroups while planning her next move to destroy the Kingpin’s empire. When her actions in New York catch up with her and her family, Maya will have to determine if she should go back to her old life or change the direction of her life while she still has time.

Cox does a solid job as Echo, but audiences are most likely happiest to see the return of Kingpin. D’Onofrio’s Wilson Fisk is set to cause problems for Marvel’s street-level heroes, with Echo transitioning the crime boss to his next rivalry against Daredevil (Charlie Cox) in the upcoming Daredevil: Born Again series. Echo didn’t suffer from the same bloated storytelling that the different Netflix series would sometimes get lost in, but the pacing made the episodes feel slower than they were. It’s unlikely we will see a second season of Echo, but if not, hopefully, Maya has a chance to spend more time in the world of Daredevil as a shaky ally.

4‘What If…?’ (2021-2024)

Created by A.C. Bradley

Image via Disney+

Based on the Marvel Comic book series of the same name, What If…? gives viewers a brief glance into what the Marvel world would look like if legendary characters like Iron Man or Thor made different decisions in the face of major events. Each episode will usually have an introduction by The Watcher (Jeffrey Wright), an omnipotent being who can only watch but never intervene in the events that play out before him. The third and final season of What If…? continues to explore the strange and fantastic with episodes that see major characters go on adventures in the Old West and hop in mech suits to battle towering monsters. Every story in What If…? promises unexpected turns that can easily end on a hopeful or melancholy note.

What If…? might have references too deep for casual or new fans, but the Marvel experts will have a great time seeing wildly different interpretations of key events that determined the world of Marvel heroes. The format to explore the alternate version of major moments allows freedom for any possibility, turning each episode into an exciting new opportunity to see characters act in ways they normally wouldn’t. What If…? makes good use of the anthology presentation while also combining the stories in an incredibly satisfying fashion that makes viewers want to watch it all again to see what they missed.

3‘Agatha All Along’ (2024)

Created by Jac Schaeffer

Image via Disney+

Agatha All Along follows Agatha Harkness (Kathryn Hahn) after she breaks free from the spell Scarlett Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) placed on her at the end of Wandavision. Shaking off the cobwebs of her mental prison, Agatha is hounded by a mysterious teen (Joe Locke) who asks her to accompany him on the fabled Witches’ Road. Although the Witches’ Road promises those who complete it anything they want, Agatha is at first reluctant to help. After eventually agreeing, Agatha recruits a small coven of local witches to unlock the Witches’ Road and brave the dangerous path. With a vengeful coven of witches on their trail, the newly formed coven must survive the road and the deadliest threat of all: Agatha herself.

A stand-alone story that doesn’t require extensive knowledge of previous films, Agatha All Along is not going to be the story of choice for Marvel fans seeking traditional superhero brawls, but it’s an interesting take on a dynamic character. The MCU should continue to experiment with shows like Agatha All Along because it’s that creativity that will find the next unlikely lightning in a bottle that will keep a franchise built on the status quo to stay fresh. Hahn was reliably entertaining in a role she clearly enjoys, but Patti LuPone has a standout performance as the witch Lilia Calderu, whose featured episode “Death’s Hand In Mine” is the best of the series.

2‘X-Men ’97’ (2024-)

Created by Beau DeMayo

Image via Disney+

Picking up right where the original X-Men: The Animated Series left off, the X-Men are figuring out how to work as a team in the absence of their leader, Professor X (Ross Marquand). While a Cyclops (Ray Chase)-led X-Men slowly discovers an emerging radicalized group of humans who want to hurt them, an unlikely old foe announces Professor X left him in charge of the school and the team. Over 12 episodes, X-Men ‘97 brings back old foes, like Mr. Sinister (Chris Britton) and Mojo (David Errigo), to give the heroic mutants trouble, while returning favorites like Cable (Chris Potter) join the X-Men to even the odds. X-Men ‘97 ensures even the smallest hero is given a moment to demonstrate a new and unique way to use their power that makes everyone wearing an X look like a trained master.

As a strong entry point into the world of X-Men, the success of X-Men ’97 will help to reacquaint old fans and educate new viewers about the mutants sworn to protect those who hate and fear them. With two more seasons already announced to continue the storylines, it’s going to be exciting to see if the creative team can maintain the quality of storytelling after setting such a high bar. While Deadpool & Wolverine was the biggest mainstream success for the MCU, X-Men ‘97 lovingly recreated the feeling of opening the first page of a comic book one episode at a time.

1​​​​​​​’Deadpool & Wolverine’ (2024)

Directed by Shawn Levy

The Merc with a Mouth made his way back to the big screen for a third outing, and this time he came with a friend. Deadpool & Wolverine was the lone MCU film released in theaters for 2024, and it didn’t star any of the characters that the franchise has been working to build over the last few years. Deadpool & Wolverine sees Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds) offered a chance to be in the MCU, but when he learns it’s at the cost of his home world and all his friends, he enlists the aid of Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) to ward off the threat. While the two start off on not-so-friendly ground, by the end of the film, Deadpool and Wolverine stab one another much less frequently.

Maybe it was the addition of Jackman as Wolverine or the curiosity to see an R-rated Disney superhero movie, but Deadpool & Wolverine outperformed both previous Deadpool films by a wide margin and had the second-highest worldwide box office of the year. Deadpool & Wolverine was a hit at a time when the MCU needed a hit, and Disney’s choice not to tinker with the film’s raunchy formula showed a flexibility with their content that paid off. Deadpool & Wolverine’s cameo-packed buddy film from the glory days of Fox superhero properties was a nice treat for longtime comic book fans and a sign that the mutants are not far off from invading the MCU in a big way.