Our ranking of the best X-Men movies looks back at the legacy of the Marvel characters on screen as a new era is about to start at the MCU. With the OG X-Men actors set to appear in Avengers: Doomsday for a last hurrah and Kevin Feige's "10-year" plan for the mutants kicking off soon, we're expecting this list to keep growing in the upcoming years. For now, though, let's rank what's already out there.
The X-Men have had quite the journey on the big screen, as they were originally owned by Fox until Disney came in and eventually introduced them into the MCU. Since that's a recent development, most of the movies here belong to their first movie era, from the early box office hits that we can count among some of the best superhero movies of all time, to some disappointing sequels like Dark Phoenix. Some of these movies are not only beloved by fans around the world, but are critically acclaimed too.
14. Dark Phoenix
Year: 2019
Director: Simon Kinberg
Simon Kinberg’s redo of the Dark Phoenix Saga handed Sophie Turner the reigns to really kick it up a gear as Jean Grey. After coming into contact with the cosmic Phoenix Force, Jean now holds power like she's never known before and becomes a danger to everyone she loves. It's a much more intimate interpretation when compared to The Last Stand, and it clearly had potential.
Unfortunately, due to extensive reshoots and delays, the end result is underwhelming. Young Cyclops, Storm, and Nightcrawler are cast aside once again, and significant plots, such as Magneto's island of Genosha, are left unexplained. If the movie had come out before the news of the Disney/Fox merger, perhaps it would have had a chance to be one of the best action movies in the franchise, but instead, the X-Men fizzled out rather than left with a bang.
For more details on Jean Grey's time in the spotlight, check out our X-Men: Dark Phoenix review!
13. X-Men: Apocalypse
Year: 2016
Director: Bryan Singer
X-Men: Apocalypse had bags of potential, especially with Oscar Isaac as the eponymous villain. Yet, the movie fell flat. Criticized for its CGI-explosion of a finale, Apocalypse gave us a big bad from Ancient Egypt who wants to destroy Earth and rebuild it for the better.
His four horseman include Olivia Munn's Psylocke, Alexandra Shipp's Storm, Ben Hardy's Angel, and Michael Fassbender's Magneto. The newbies get little in the way of character or development, but props to them for trying their best with what they had. We get another fun scene with Evan Peter's Quicksilver, and the Phoenix power is teased in Jean Grey, but Apocalypse largely favours spectacle over substance.
Before you add this to your watch list read our 3-star X-Men: Apocalypse review first. Trust us.
12. Deadpool & Wolverine
Year: 2024
Director: Shawn Levy
Listen, Deadpool & Wolverine is tons of fun, and if you are a massive Marvel fan, you’ll have the time of your life. But, in order for this film to make sense you need to know about the TVA, the multiverse, and basically watch every movie and show in Marvel Phase 5. Even though this film finally gave us Hugh Jackman wearing yellow in Wolverine’s suit, we can’t justify ranking it any higher when it depends on some top-tier Marvel lore knowledge.
Set after the events of Logan, Deadpool must jump through multiple timelines in order to bring a living Wolverine variant back to his universe before it collapses. The hilarious duo struggle to work together, and we get to see plenty of cameos from X-Men movies and comics alike. This is one of the best Marvel movies in terms of a good time. But if you are looking for a deep story or some clear indication of the mutants’ future in the MCU, then you can easily give this one a miss.
For more information on the iconic frenemies, read our Deadpool & Wolverine review.
11. X-Men Origins: Wolverine
Year: 2009
Director: Gavin Hood
Remember when they introduced Deadpool, aka The Merc with the Mouth, and then they sewed his mouth shut? Don't worry, we've tried to erase it from our memory too. If you ignore the mess they made with Deadpool and Gambit, Origins: Wolverine is a fun look back at Logan and how he came to be full of adamantium.
Any time we get to spend with Jackman's Wolverine is a good time, but the movie just seemed a sad attempt at introducing some further iconic characters without any of the personality that made them so loveable to begin with. You heard it here first: GamesRadar+ will not accept another Gambit without the accent!
If you are a fan of crossovers, check out our handy guide on how to watch all the Marvel movies in order.
10. The New Mutants
Year: 2020
Director: Josh Boone
After suffering a rocky road to the big screen, Josh Boone's New Mutants offered a quieter X-Men Movie centring on five young mutants trapped in a sinister facility. It was another Fox outing that went through endless delays and reshoots to the extent that it became a joke beyond its control. It's clear that each of the new mutants really cared about this movie and where it could have gone.
Anya Taylor Joy's Magik was a rebellious highlight, and Maisie Williams' Rahne and Blu Hunt's Dani gave us a heart-warming LGBTQ+ relationship that was essentially the glue of the movie. In spite of this, New Mutants struggled to really take off, spending a little too much time setting up sequels that we'll never see. Here's hoping they bring Taylor Joy into the MCU...
Since writing our New Mutants review, we've grown a great appreciation for this film, but our critiques are still worth reading before you dive into it.
9. Deadpool 2
Year: 2018
Director: David Leitch
In the long-awaited sequel to the 2016 hit, Ryan Reynold's Deadpool finds himself protecting a young mutant from the authorities and those looking to weaponise his abilities. The fourth-wall-breaking anti-hero forms a new superteam to protect Russell (Julian Dennison) from the time-travelling Cable (Josh Brolin), albeit the team doesn't last long.
Deadpool 2 didn't quite have the effortless wit that the first movie did, but it provided enough laughs to get fans excited about the third instalment and introduced the great Zazie Beetz as Domino. It's a great movie, and if it had been part of the MCU, it would have easily made our list of the best Marvel movies as well.
Want more merc with a mouth action? Read our Deadpool 2 review.
8. The Wolverine
Year: 2013
Director: James Mangold
Wolverine fights Ninjas!!!! In The Wolverine, Logan visits Japan to see an old friend whose life he saved years before. But, of course, it's never that simple, and he soon gets dragged into a conspiracy and winds up fighting for his life.
Though the villains are a little lacking, director James Mangold showed his real understanding of the beloved mutant here before he got to try his hand once more in 2017's Logan. We see Logan tackle guilt and PTSD following the events of The Last Stand, and are reminded once more of his immense power and how he will never forget Jean Grey.
If you love this movie as much as we do and are a gamer, check out our guide on Marvel Wolverine's PS5.
7. X-Men: The Last Stand
Year: 2006
Director: Brett Ratner
It's a bit controversial, we know, but The Last Stand isn't that bad, guys! Yes, they tried to squeeze a little too much in by tackling the Dark Phoenix Saga and the mutant cure, but there was real heart in everything they tried to achieve. The Last Stand is one of the best examples of how Marvel's mutants act as an allegory for real-world prejudice.
When Worthington Labs announce a cure for the mutant gene, lines form around the block full of young mutants trying to avoid the hate and fear they suffer every day. But, as Storm says, "They can't cure us because there is nothing wrong with us." On top of that, The Last Stand arguably has one of the best scores in the X-Men cinematic universe.
The Last Stand is packed, so if you like to organize plotlines, check out our list of the best Wolverine stories of all time.
6. Deadpool
Year: 2016
Director: Tim Miller
Fans had waited years for someone to do Deadpool justice, and thankfully, Ryan Reynolds did not disappoint. With crude humour and some tongue-in-cheek fourth-wall-breaking hijinks, there was a new kind of anti-hero on the block – one who wasn't afraid to make fun of the Wolverine.
Introducing Colossus and the Negasonic Teenage Warhead alongside a memorable soundtrack, Reynolds walked into the role like it was the one thing he was born to do. Though the sequel didn't quite match the first, we're sure we can expect more greatness from the quick-witted mercenary in the coming years.
This movie blew us away; read our Deadpool review for more details!
5. X-Men: Days of Future Past
Year: 2014
Director: Bryan Singer
This is where it all got a little confusing, but at least it was epic. In Days of Future Past, various timelines are formed by Wolverine's actions when he goes back to the '70s in a bid to stop Bolivar Trask (Peter Dinklage) from creating the mutant-annihilating Sentinals. Although Mystique had the same idea and wires quickly get crossed.
Young Charles Xavier meets old Charles Xavier, and worlds collide in spectacular fashion. We also got to meet Evan Peter's fan-favourite Quicksilver in that iconic jailbreak scene! It's perhaps the most confident of the four 'Young X-Men' movies, and it was quite the cinematic event to see both casts together. For that, Days of Future Past is a worthy top-five contender.
Read our X-Men: Days of Future Past review for more information on this overlooked gem.
4. X-Men: First Class
Year: 2011
Director: Matthew Vaughn
With plans to start a whole new trilogy showing the origin of Xavier's beloved X-Men, Matthew Vaughn's First Class combined epic superhero training montages with the style of the swinging '60s. Showing fans how Charles and Eric (God-tier casting in James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender) came to be friends (and then enemies) and revealing just how Charles ended up in the chair, First Class gave us a glimpse into the past and tied up various loose ends – while leaving the future wide open. No easy feat.
Let's give this underrated hit some love! Check out our X-Men: First Class review.
3. X-Men
Year: 2000
Director: Bryan Singer
The movie that started it all. The Wolverine and Rogue get taken in by Professor X, who looks after a special school for mutants. However, not only are they hiding from the world around them, but also another group of disenfranchised mutants led by the Magneto.
X-Men helped establish the modern superhero movie, following in the footsteps of Blade and spawning this great franchise. The cast is all excellent, but Jackman as Wolverine is the real highlight. No wonder they gave him a spin-off trilogy.
While our X-Men review is a bit harsh, we've come to realize that it's one of the best superhero movies of all time.
2. X2: X-Men United
Year: 2003
Director: Bryan Singer
Improving on the original by focusing on Wolverine's story while also expanding the battle between Professor X and Magneto. The sequel takes the X-Men in an even darker direction, showing the world that superhero movies could be serious before The Dark Knight and Batman Begins did.
It's a shame the phoenix that rises at the end didn't lead to a better movie, yet X2 stands as its own superhero masterpiece. The series wouldn't best this one until, the next entry on our list.
Need more convincing? Well, read our 4-star X-Men 2 review for more information.
1. Logan
Year: 2017
Director: James Mangold
A moving western wrapped up in superhero clothing, James Mangold's Logan barely left a dry eye in the house. Set far in the future, where no mutants have been born for over a decade, we find Logan taking care of a deteriorating Xavier somewhere along the Mexican border.
When he's faced with a (sort of) daughter in the form of Dafne Keen's brilliant Laura/X23, Logan is finally forced to confront his own mortality and make peace with his past. This is a unique movie with a stunning score from Marco Beltrami – and there was no question it would take the number one spot.
If you want to know more about the top dog (or should we say top Wolverine) in this list, check out our Logan review for more details.
And that's all the X-Men movies ranked, folks! For more, check out our guide to the upcoming superhero movies heading your way.
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