In the first round of the MCU Madness tournament , BOTH Spider-Man films battle arguably two of the strongest "low-seed" movies in the field... and two Captains nonetheless. Spider-Man: Far From Home is the final installation of the Infinity Saga, as we follow Peter Parker in saying goodbye to the man who started it all. While on the other side Captain America: The First Avenger is one of the main reasons Phase One was able to launch said Saga. Will the wacky, world-traveling adventures of Spider-Man beat out the story of the MCU's original superhero? VOTE BELOW!
Released: 2019
Director: Jon Watts
Phase: 3
Box Office: $1,131,927,996
Synopsis: Peter Parker's (Tom Holland) relaxing European vacation takes an unexpected turn when Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) shows up in his hotel room to recruit him for a mission. The world is in danger as four massive elemental creatures -- each representing Earth, air, water and fire -- emerge from a hole torn in the universe. Parker soon finds himself donning the Spider-Man suit to help Fury and fellow superhero Mysterio (Jake Gyllenhaal) stop the evil entities from wreaking havoc across the continent.
Pros: The ultimate "palate cleanser" follows Peter Parker and his friends on a class trip to Europe following the events of Avengers: Endgame. Spider-Man: Far From Home gives us our first look at the world post-Thanos. Director Jon Watts and his team continue their success at merging together excellent storytelling and character building as we discover what the future of the MCU may look like with Spider-Man at the helm. Throw in an instant classic as your villain and some of the funniest supporting characters around and you have what many believe is one of the best Spidey films yet. It also holds some of the best visuals in the MCU so far, particularly in the Spidey vs. Mysterio sequences.
Cons: A lot of fans were not pleased with how quickly the MCU was to follow up the biggest movie of all time. On top of that, this film walks the line between a serious tribute to Iron Man and a comical relief to what is now referred to as "The Blip". The Infinity Saga swan song tries to do a lot at once while we say goodbye to our past, look into our future and also develop arguably one of the most important characters in the MCU.
Released: 2011
Director: Joe Johnston
Phase: 1
Box Office: $370,569,774
Synopsis: It is 1942 and the world is in the throes of war. Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) wants to do his part and join America's armed forces, but the military rejects him because of his small stature. Finally, Steve gets his chance when he is accepted into an experimental program that turns him into a supersoldier called Captain America. Joining forces with Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) and Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell), Captain America leads the fight against the Nazi-backed HYDRA organization.
Pros: Our very first look at who will eventually become the heart and soul of the MCU is in Captain America: The First Avenger. Like most Phase One movies, this movie does its primary job of world-building. Introducing important characters such as Steve Rogers, Peggy Carter, Bucky Barnes, and Hydra all in one film feels seamless in the MCU's first-period piece. It also sets up one of the greatest romances in the MCU as Steve reminds Peggy to "save him a dance" as he dives into the ice.
Cons: Much like Captain Marvel, many believe this movie feels out of place. Being set over 60 years before the events of Iron Man sets fans back as we ramp up to our first Avengers film (as you can very bluntly see in the end-credit scene.) And while the world-building of this movie makes the future movies easier to follow, many believe Rogers' character arc in this film to be rather flat.
Other Round 1 Matchups:
#10 Doctor Strange vs. #23 The Incredible Hulk
#11 Spider-Man: Homecoming vs. #22 Captain Marvel
