Considering that the average movie is now over two hours long, a few minutes of it might seem rather insignificant or unimportant. But everything changes when those minutes comprise the opening scene of the film. In that case, that sequence becomes a fundamental part of the production, as it is the one in charge of hooking the audience into the movie. This is something that the MCU knows very well. Throughout their extensive lineup of films and TV series, they have managed to deliver to fans what they really want: a thrilling introduction to a gripping fresh story, either with well-loved characters from Marvel Comics or with new ones yet to be introduced.

When looking at all the productions that make up the MCU so far, starting from Iron Man, which launched the universe, to, more recently, Thor: Love and Thunder, it’s pretty clear that Marvel Studios has gotten pretty good at kicking things off with a bang. In those first few minutes, they do whatever it takes to convey the essence of the film or show. They’ve delivered funny scenes, others with more emotional overtones, and those that tie together different MCU productions — you name it, they’ve got it. And while it’s easy to dismiss the opening scenes due to the significance of the main events of the story, some of them are still fondly remembered by fans today. Let’s check out some of the best ones.

8 Thor: Ragnarok

     Marvel Studios

The 2017 film Thor: Ragnarok kicks off with the God of Thunder locked in a cage, recapping his latest adventures. He seems to be speaking to the audience, but in reality he is talking to a prisoner’s corpse. Eventually, Thor finds out that he is being held by Surtur, someone he thought had been killed by his father. This Fire Demon then tells him about Ragnarok and his intentions to destroy Asgard after he unites his crown with the Eternal Flame in Odin’s vault. Ultimately, Thor manages to break free, defeat Surtur and steal his crown, but not before deploying his sarcastic sense of humor in an effort to annoy his enemy.

7 Avengers: Infinity War

The third installment in the Avengers saga, Avengers: Infinity War takes a whole different approach to what we are used to in the MCU: it kicks off in complete silence. Immediately afterwards, it presents a desolate spaceship where Asgard’s survivors are traveling, intercepted by Thanos and his allies. He already possesses the Power Stone, and threatens Loki that he will kill Thor if he doesn’t give him the Tesseract. The hero assures him that the Tesseract was destroyed on Asgard, but his brother later admits that he has it. Even though the Hulk shows up to help them, Thanos prevails, claiming the Space Stone and murdering Loki and Heimdall.

6 Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness

     Marvel Studios / Disney

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness kicks off with an action-packed sequence: America Chavez and a Variant of Strange are running away from a demon while searching for the Book of Vishanti. While Strange is trying to steal Chavez’s power, he gets killed by the demon, and the girl opens a portal, which transports them both to a different universe. In it, the Stephen Strange we all know wakes up from a nightmare before attending the wedding of Christine Palmer, for whom he still has strong feelings. But halfway through the party, he is forced to leave to fulfill his duties, as a monster strikes the city, and it seems to be after a very familiar girl: America Chavez.

5 Avengers: Age Of Ultron

Avengers: Age of Ultron is the 2015 sequel to The Avengers, and bearing in mind the amount of work that went into bringing this group of superheroes together, introducing them in this new movie battling side-by-side from the get-go makes perfect sense, since that’s what fans were hoping for. In this sequel, the Avengers find themselves in Sokovia, striking a Hydra stronghold to retrieve Loki’s scepter. But this time around, these heroes find themselves up against two very dangerous opponents: Pietro and Wanda Maximoff, a pair of twins with some very special abilities.

4 Spider-Man: No Way Home

The 2019 film Spider-Man: Far From Home wraps up with a fatal outcome for Spider-Man: Quentin Beck, better known as Mysterio, released a viral video implicating the superhero in his murder and making him look extremely bad. To top it all off, he also exposed his civilian identity to the entire city, making him a public enemy. In 2021, Spider-Man: No Way Home picks up on this scene, and Peter Parker and MJ’s subsequent escape, as they find themselves surrounded by civilians, in a hilarious yet stressful sequence. Eventually, they both make it back to Peter’s apartment, where, at the same time, Aunt May and Happy are engaged in a crucial conversation about their relationship.

3 Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 holds a certain similarity to Avengers: Age Of Ultron, honoring the fans’ desire to witness this new ensemble of heroes working together. The film starts with a very brief scene set in 1980, with Peter Quill’s parents on a road trip, followed by the man revealing a strange looking plant to his sweetheart. From there, the production jumps ahead 34 years and introduces the Guardians of the Galaxy fighting a monster. However, despite the group’s collective efforts, one of its members doesn’t seem to understand the severity of the situation: instead of fighting, Baby Groot wanders around the battlefield dancing to “Mr. Blue Sky” by Electric Light Orchestra.

2 Iron Man

Iron Man is the movie that kicked off the MCU, and to be honest, it really did an outstanding job of setting the tone for all subsequent productions. It introduces Tony Stark, currently in Afghanistan on business. While being escorted in a military vehicle, the tycoon enjoys a drink and makes a few jokes with the soldiers. But things quickly escalate: the truck is attacked, and he is wounded by an explosive device from his own company. After that, Tony is kidnapped, something that later leads to the conception of Iron Man.

1 Avengers: Endgame

Avengers: Endgame’s opening scene taps into viewers’ deepest emotions, especially regarding their own family. The movie opens with Clint Barton, better known as Hawkeye, enjoying a day with his family. After teaching his daughter how to shoot, the pair head off to join the rest of the Bartons for lunch. But suddenly, the whole family vanishes into thin air, leaving Hawkeye alone and bewildered, unable to comprehend what has happened. That heartbreaking scene set the tone for the final installment of The Avengers, or at least the last one with the familiar group of heroes, action-packed, but also filled with drama and nostalgia.