Spider-Man and the Avengers head to the sunlight in Avengers Infinity War and Endgame MCU concept art
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Kevin Erdmann
Published 23 minutes ago
Since 2019, Kevin Erdmann has been one of Screen Rant's Senior Staff Writers, covering all kinds of Superhero and Star Wars media with Easter egg breakdowns, theory pieces, breaking news, and more. A huge Star Wars & MCU fan, Kevin also loves Batman (because he's Batman), but could talk for hours about why Nightwing is DC's greatest hero.
With 8 years of total experience covering entertainment and pop culture, Kevin has gotten the chance to interview top creatives and talent, and has also attended major media events like Disney's D23 convention.
Majoring in Cinema Studies with a minor in Comics and Cartoon Studies from the UofO, Kevin lives in Oregon with his wonderful wife, adorable dog, and sinister cat who is no doubt currently plotting his demise.
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Most superheroes know how to make a truly epic entrance, and the heroes of the MCU are no exception. Some of the very best MCU moments of all time often involve a new hero showing up to the battle and ready to help save the world.
Whether it's Iron Man's flair for the theatrical or Wolverine finally giving the people what they want, the MCU has delivered some of the most iconic entrances in blockbuster history. In chronological order, here are 10 of our absolute favorite MCU entrances of all time.
Iron Man's Stark Expo Debut in Iron Man 2 (2010)
Iron Man landing at the Stark Expo in Iron Man 2
Across the MCU, Tony Stark made plenty of memorable entrances. An honorable mention from 2012's The Avengers is when Tony hacked into Black Widow's Quinjet speakers just to have "Shoot To Thrill" play while backing up Captain America for the very first time.
That said, few entrances have captured the full extent of Iron Man's ego and confidence like his Stark Expo debut in 2010's Iron Man 2. Flying through a trail of fireworks before landing on stage in front of multiple dancers, AC/DC's "Shoot To Thrill" is also blasting in the background of this scene.
Confirming that Iron Man had become both hero and massive celebrity in the public eye, Stark's entrance perfectly set the tone for the first MCU sequel film about Tony’s struggle with his new responsibility as a hero and his family's legacy.
Earth's Mightiest Heroes Assemble in The Avengers (2012)
Black Widow, Thor, Captain America, Hawkeye, Iron Man, and Hulk in the Battle of New York in The Avengers
The MCU delivered one of its most iconic moments during 2012's The Avengers. As Loki and his Chitauri army begin their invasion, the original six Avengers (Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, Hulk, Black Widow, and Hawkeye) finally arrive and assemble for the first time in a full 360-degree shot that instantly became a defining visual for the entire franchise.
This is the first time audiences saw Earth’s Mightiest Heroes standing united as one team, ready to face their first major threat together. As such, it remains an entrance that still gives epic chills over a decade later, a major cinematic crossover first (even when it was shown once more in 2019's Avengers: Endgame during the Time Heist).
Star-Lord's MCU Debut in Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
Peter Quill’s very first scene immediately separated 2014's Guardians of the Galaxy from every prior MCU film that had come before. Serving as his MCU debut, Star-Lord dancing across Morag world to “Come and Get Your Love” was unexpected, hilarious, and instantly iconic.
This key MCU entrance very much set and defined the entire movie’s tone, while also establishing Quill as a very different kind of Marvel hero compared to his original comics counterpart at the time.
Spider-Man With Cap's Shield in Captain America: Civil War (2016)
Spider-Man making his entrance with Captain America's shield in Captain America Civil War
Spider-Man’s arrival in the MCU was easily one of the biggest and most exciting moments in Marvel movie history. Spider-Man's debut in 2016's Captain America: Civil War felt like the perfect introduction for a character fans had waited years to see join the Avengers in an interconnected universe of live-action heroes.
Recruited by Iron Man, Spider-Man swings in and steals Captain America’s shield while debuting his brand-new MCU suit. The entire entrance is flawless, one of the most hyped and talked-about moments when it was first shown in Civil War's trailers.
Gladiator Hulk's Arena Entrance in Thor: Ragnarok (2017)
The Hulk in his gladiator armor on Sakaar in Thor Ragnarok
One can only imagine what the theater reaction would have been like had Bruce Banner's Hulk been hidden from Thor: Ragnarok's marketing. Nevertheless, Thor facing the Grandmaster’s champion on Sakaar was set up within the movie quite well. Even though audiences knew he was coming thanks to trailers, Hulk bursting through the arena doors in full gladiator armor still earned some major excitement.
This shot of Gladiator Hulk charging into the arena undoubtedly delivered one of the MCU’s most epic entrances, while also being one of the funniest, as the debut was immediately followed by a delighted Thor yelling, “He’s a friend from work!”
This entrance re-established Hulk as a major MCU character who'd been missing since 2015's Age of Ultron, while also setting up the hilarious dynamic between Thor and Hulk that drove the rest of the 2017 film from director Taika Waititi.
Thor Arrives To Wakanda With Rocket & Groot in Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
Thor using lightning with Stormbreaker in Avengers Infinity War
There might not be a more epic entrance for an MCU hero than Thor's arrival at the Battle of Wakanda in 2018's Avengers: Infinity War. Armed with a new suit and the brand-new Stormbreaker, Thor immediately turns the tide of the battle with Rocket and Groot by his side.
Charging forward with a demand that Thanos be brought to him before a massive blast of devastating lightning, anyone who saw Infinity War in theaters during its opening weekend and beyond will likely remember the huge crowd cheers and overwhelming excitement. Thor never looked more epic (and arguably still hasn't since Infinity War's release).
Portals: Avengers Assemble in Avengers: Endgame (2019)
Portal scene in the Battle of Earth in Avengers Endgame
The single most emotionally overwhelming entrance in MCU history belongs to the final battle of 2019's Avengers: Endgame with its massive ensemble of heroes.
As magical portals open across the battlefield, every returning hero arrives in a moment that audiences will never forget, the culmination of 11 years of storytelling. Dozens of characters were united under Captain America’s leadership in a perfect cinematic crescendo, the ultimate payoff as Cap finally declares, “Avengers… assemble!” before they all charge at Thanos and his forces.
It really is the crown jewel of the entire MCU franchise. Nothing has matched it since, and likely never will (hard as future projects like Avengers: Doomsday may try).
Captain Marvel Arrives in Avengers: Endgame (2019)
Captain Marvel coming to the rescue in Avengers Endgame
When Thanos’ ship abruptly redirected its weapons toward the sky, the audience knew something massive was coming. Sure enough, Captain Marvel’s arrival at the battle by destroying Thanos' Sanctuary II was the perfect power flex by Carol Danvers, who at the time was one of the MCU's newest heroes.
Likewise, Captain Marvel's subsequent showdown with Thanos further confirmed her impressive power levels, a truly memorable entrance in 2019's Endgame.
Andrew Garfield/Tobey Maguire in Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)
Andrew Garfield returning as Spider-Man in 2021's Spider-Man No Way Home
Despite years of rumors, speculation, and incredibly high anticipations, few Spider-Man fans could have prepared for the emotional moment when Andrew Garfield and Tobey Maguire actually made their MCU debuts in 2021's Spider-Man: No Way Home, each playing their version of Peter Parker from alternate universes in the multiverse.
During the movie's initial release, Andrew Garfield’s showing up from a portal drew massive applause, immediately followed by Tobey Maguire’s similar entrance just a few moments later. The rest is history, with one of the most epic and nostalgic multiversal team-ups ever as the pair joined with Tom Holland's Spider-Man to take down their respective villains.
These debuts were emotional, surreal, and historic, culminating nearly 20 years of live-action Spider-Man movies by bringing together three generations of the Webslinger. As such, these dual entrances made No Way Home a once-in-a-lifetime cinematic celebration.
Wolverine Finally Wears His Mask in Deadpool & Wolverine (2024)
Hugh Jackman As Wolverine In Full Suit And Helmet Growling In Deadpool & Wolverine
Hugh Jackman returning as Wolverine instantly made 2024's Deadpool & Wolverine one of the most anticipated MCU projects ever. Likewise, the reveal of Logan finally wearing a comic-accurate yellow-and-blue suit for the first time in live-action after nearly 25 years playing the character was a huge draw for longtime X-Men fans.
That said, the true cherry on top came in the movie's third act when Logan joins Deadpool's side to fight all his multiversal variants known as the Deadpool Corps.
Donning his iconic black mask for the first time in the character's cinematic live-action history, Jackman's Wolverine had never made a better entrance ahead of a fight, especially while finally fighting alongside Deadpool as a truly epic rendition of Madonna's "Like A Prayer" plays in the background.
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