2022 certainly hasn't gotten off to a bad start, with Peacemaker and The Batman exceeding expectations and proving that DC can be relied upon for quality storytelling. For fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, however, the year won't really begin until Moon Knight premieres on Disney+.
From there, we're in store for what looks set to be an incredibly exciting year both on streaming and the big screen. With that in mind, we've now compiled a list of every confirmed Marvel Studios movie and TV show on the way in 2022 and ranked them from least to most anticipated.
As well as sharing some insights into what to expect from each of these Phase 4 projects, we explore what it is about them that has us hyped and, in some cases, not so hyped. We're sure you'll have your own rankings, so once you've read this feature, you can share them down in the comments section.
To take a look at this ranking, all you guys need to do is click on the "Next" button below!
8. What If...?
What If...? started off strong, but ended up being very hit-and-miss. Some episodes were great and others were downright forgettable, while inconsistent voice acting drove home the fact that animation isn't a genre Marvel Studios has quite managed to perfect in its first foray into this style of storytelling.
The show's second season is expected to arrive on Disney+ later this year, and while we're certainly intrigued to see where the story goes next - particularly in the wake of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness - it doesn't feel like essential viewing by any means. That's a shame, and as these episodes were already in production when the first batch dropped, we don't anticipate an uptick in quality.
Still, we're willing to give What If...? another chance as it was by no means awful. In fact, it was more good than bad; we just need Marvel Studios to fully embrace the premise in season 2.
7. Ms. Marvel
That first trailer for Ms. Marvel definitely impressed, and we're now vastly more excited for this show than we were a couple of weeks ago. Iman Vellani looks to be a perfect choice to bring Kamala Khan to life, while Marvel Studios is clearly not shying away from embracing the teenager's diverse world.
However, we can't help but be disappointed by the decision to give Ms. Marvel Green Lantern-style powers. We understand not making Kamala an Inhuman, but the hero creating a giant fist made from a purple energy construct doesn't quite land the same way as her classic Embiggening abilities from the comics. For some, it won't matter, but it's something that's dulled the excitement of many fans.
The show also looks a little small in scale right now. Our anticipation levels are likely to increase with more footage, but Marvel Studios might need to pull out all the stops with this marketing campaign.
6. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Black Panther was a masterpiece, so we're just as surprised as the rest of you to have ranked Ryan Coogler's sequel, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, so low here. It's not that we don't have faith in the filmmaker, but with the late Chadwick Boseman sadly not part of the movie, it's difficult to muster too much enthusiasm for this story without T'Challa and the actor who portrayed him.
Throw in the fact that Shuri becoming the new Black Panther isn't the most exciting prospect and rumours that Namor the Submariner and Doctor Doom will be thrown into the mix (along with the previously confirmed Ironheart), and it's beginning to feel like this sequel will be very busy.
We'll see what happens, and hope to be as blown away as we were back in 2018. For now, though, it's hard to say whether Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is going to be anywhere near as good as it might have been had Boseman not been taken from the world so prematurely.
5. The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special
We haven't included that mysterious Halloween Special here because it's still unclear whether that will debut on Disney+ this year. Directed by Michael Giacchino and starring Gael García Bernal as Werewolf by Night, it sounds pretty amazing, and would probably rank alongside this upcoming Holiday Special.
Directed by James Gunn and starring the Guardians of the Galaxy cast, the special is set between the events of Thor: Love and Thunder and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. That alone should make it essential viewing, and seeing these heroes celebrate Christmas promises to be a lot of fun.
We're assuming this will premiere in time for Christmas, and it will be interesting to see what sort of runtime it receives and how important it proves to be to the wider MCU. Chances are it's going to end by setting the stage for Vol. 3, so don't be surprised if Adam Warlock shows up for the first time.
4. Moon Knight
This feels a little bit like cheating because we were recently fortunate enough to watch the first four episodes of Moon Knight early. While the review embargo means we can't say too much here, rest assured that the Disney+ series doesn't disappoint, and establishes a thrilling new mythology for Marc Spector that's rooted more in authentic Egyptian mythology than him being a Batman-lite vigilante.
You'll know from the trailers that Oscar Isaac is bringing his A-Game here, and we hope Marvel Studios is able to stick the landing. If so, the MCU will have one of its weirdest, most compelling new heroes to date, and a character who can usher in a new era of supernatural storytelling.
Fans have been waiting a long time to see Moon Knight in action, and it's only because our next entries are a little grander in scale that it's sat right in the middle of this ranking. Don't let that fool you into thinking Moon Knight shouldn't be a priority when it debuts on March 30, though.
3. Doctor Strange In The Multiverse of Madness
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is either going to be one of Marvel Studios' best movies or an absolute mess. Sam Raimi has directed a lot of great films and quite a few stinkers over the course of his career, while extensive reshoots point to there being some early issues we hope have since been resolved (the claim is that they were just adding more cameos).
Those cameos are one of the most exciting aspects of this sequel, of course, but also a little worrying. The concept of Variants is an intriguing one, but depending on how appearances from the likes of Professor X and Captain Carter are handled here, it's an idea that will either work amazingly in live-action or come across as confusing, and, dare we say it, even a little goofy and pointless.
That's worst-case scenario talk, though, and we're optimistic Doctor Strange will blow our minds the same way Spider-Man: No Way Home did. The potential to do so is certainly there, and that latest trailer suggested this movie stands a chance of leaving even the biggest sceptic's jaw on the floor.
2. She-Hulk
She-Hulk is a great character and one who is, in many ways, vastly more interesting than her incredible cousin (that's Bruce Banner, FYI). Retaining her intelligence when she transforms, Jennifer Walters fighting crime in and out of the courtroom as She-Hulk is always fun to watch, and looks set to be a key part of this upcoming Disney+ series that's expected to premiere sometime in the Fall.
We're a little concerned about those reports of the hero breaking the fourth wall and taking this show to some wackier places, but those Daredevil rumours alone have us counting the days.
Throw in The Abomination's return and the fact that we'll see more of Mark Ruffalo's Hulk, and this could quite easily be Marvel Studios' most ambitious small screen project to date. We can't wait to see what She-Hulk brings to the table moving forward too, and expect Tatiana Maslany to have a bright (green) future as this character. Recent promo art also confirmed that the actress looks perfect as the hero.
1. Thor: Love and Thunder
Thor: Love and Thunder is fast approaching, but as we write this, there's still no sign of a trailer for the movie. We've seen some merchandise and plenty of set photos, though, and those (combined with Taika Waititi being behind the camera) are more than enough for us to appoint this sequel #1 here.
In the movie, the God of Thunder will team up with Jane Foster - now the Mighty Thor - to battle Christian Bale's Gorr the God Butcher, and that alone has us psyched to see how this story plays out. Throw in Valkyrie's search for her Queen, and Love & Thunder cannot get here soon enough.
Thor: Ragnarok saved this character from becoming little more than a supporting player in The Avengers movies (fans and Chris Hemsworth seemed to be growing bored of the Thor we saw in those earlier adventures). Continuing to explore this funnier, more colourful take on the iconic superhero promises to be an absolute blast, and, let's face it, more Korg is never a bad thing...