Few superhero franchises have had quite the journey of “X-Men.” From the original 2000 movie that helped usher in the modern superhero era to Hugh Jackman’s emotional farewell in “Logan,” the franchise has delivered some genuinely brilliant highs, as well as a fair few forgettable lows. Across 14 movies, we’ve had time travel, mutant cures, apocalyptic villains, alternate timelines and, of course, plenty of Wolverine. However, the X-Men are far from finished.
Marvel Studios is finally bringing the mutants into the MCU with its new “X-Men” movie, which is set to hit theaters on May 5, 2028. Marvel unveiled its new ensemble at D23, with Sadie Sink set to play Jean Grey alongside Kit Connor as Cyclops, Christopher Abbott as Professor X, Inde Navarrette as Rogue, Maya Boyd as Storm and Samara Weaving as Emma Frost. Adam Driver will also join the cast as the villainous Mister Sinister, with “Thunderbolts” director Jake Schreier at the helm.
With a whole new era of mutants on the horizon, there's never been a better time to look back at the movies that started it all. Here’s how all 14 “X-Men” movies rank, from worst to best.
14. ‘X-Men Origins: Wolverine’ (2009)
It makes sense to put “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” at the bottom, because while Hugh Jackman is still excellent as Logan, the movie does very little with one of Marvel’s most interesting characters. The prequel explores Wolverine’s early life, his relationship with Victor Creed (Liev Schreiber) and the Weapon X experiment that bonds adamantium to his skeleton. There is plenty of action, but the story is weighed down by a convoluted plot, particularly questionable interpretations of established characters, and a heavily criticized depiction of Deadpool that sowed frustration among comic book fans. It’s watchable, but compared with what came later, it is easily one of the weakest entries.
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13. ‘The New Mutants’ (2020)
“The New Mutants” had a genuinely interesting idea, but unfortunately its troubled production and eventual release worked against it. The movie follows five teenage mutants who are held inside a mysterious institution where they are supposedly being treated for their powers. As their fears begin manifesting as terrifying visions, they realize they may not be there for the reasons they were told. The horror-inspired approach could have given the “X-Men” universe something different, particularly with a cast including Anya Taylor-Joy and Maisie Williams, but the finished movie never reaches its potential. The film ultimately feels too small and underdeveloped to make much of an impact.
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12. ‘Dark Phoenix’ (2019)
![Dark Phoenix | Final Trailer [HD] | 20th Century FOX - YouTube](https://img.youtube.com/vi/azvR__GRQic/maxresdefault.jpg)
“Dark Phoenix” had almost everything it needed to be a fitting conclusion to the original “X-Men” saga: a talented cast, an iconic comic-book storyline and years of established history behind Jean Grey. Instead, it became one of the franchise’s biggest disappointments. The story follows Jean (Sophie Turner) after a space mission goes wrong, leaving her with an enormous new power that she struggles to control. Soon, the X-Men must decide whether they can save her or stop her. Unfortunately, the movie was heavily criticized for its rushed storytelling, underdeveloped characters and lack of emotional weight. Plus, news of Disney acquiring Fox made the film feel like a narrative dead end.
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11. ‘X-Men: Apocalypse’ (2016)
![X-Men: Apocalypse | Official Trailer [HD] | 20th Century FOX - YouTube](https://img.youtube.com/vi/PfBVIHgQbYk/maxresdefault.jpg)
“X-Men: Apocalypse” is a classic example of a superhero movie that tries to go bigger without necessarily becoming better. Set in the 1980s, it introduces Apocalypse (Oscar Isaac), an ancient and immensely powerful mutant who awakens after thousands of years and decides that humanity must be destroyed. The movie brings together Professor X (James McAvoy), Magneto (Michael Fassbender), Mystique (Jennifer Lawrence), Jean Grey (Turner) and Cyclops (Tye Sheridan), giving the franchise plenty of familiar faces and some impressive action sequences. There are some genuinely fun moments here, particularly with the younger X-Men, but Apocalypse himself never feels as compelling as the movie clearly wants him to be.
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10. ‘X-Men: The Last Stand’ (2006)
“X-Men: The Last Stand” is the most frustrating movie on this list because there is a genuinely good film buried somewhere inside it. The story tackles two major comic-book ideas at once: the mutant “cure”, which offers mutants the chance to become human, and Jean Grey’s (Famke Janssen) transformation into the powerful Phoenix. The problem is that the movie tries to cram so much into its relatively short runtime that many of its characters and storylines never receive enough room to breathe. It also made some controversial choices with major characters. There is some impressive spectacle here, but the rushed storytelling prevents it from delivering the emotional impact its big moments deserve.
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9. ‘The Wolverine’ (2013)
Surprisingly, “The Wolverine” was a major improvement over “X-Men Origins: Wolverine,” giving Hugh Jackman a much more thoughtful solo story and introducing Logan to a completely different setting. After the events of “The Last Stand,” Wolverine travels to Japan, where he becomes caught up in a conflict involving yakuza, samurai, an old acquaintance and a powerful industrialist family. More importantly, the film explores Logan’s relationship with his own mortality, giving Jackman more emotional material to work with than the previous “Wolverine” movie. The final act does become a little too dependent on conventional superhero spectacle, but the story makes this a worthwhile adventure.
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8. ‘Deadpool 2’ (2018)
Following the enormous success of “Deadpool,” the sequel had the difficult job of proving that Ryan Reynolds’ foul-mouthed mutant could work just as well a second time. Thankfully, “Deadpool 2” largely succeeds. This time, Wade Wilson finds himself protecting a troubled young mutant who becomes the target of Cable (Josh Brolin), a time-travelling soldier from the future. The movie expands the world considerably, introducing characters including Domino (Zazie Beetz) and giving Deadpool his own unlikely team of mutants. It also balances the franchise’s trademark fourth-wall-breaking comedy with a surprisingly emotional story about grief, family and redemption.
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7. ‘X-Men’ (2000)
It’s impossible to overstate just how important “X-Men” was. Released in 2000, Bryan Singer’s movie helped demonstrate that superhero films could become genuine mainstream blockbusters, years before the MCU existed. The story introduces audiences to Professor X’s (Patrick Stewart) team of mutants, including Wolverine (Jackman), Storm (Halle Berry), Cyclops (James Marsden) and Jean Grey (Janssen), as they fight Magneto (Ian McKellen) and his Brotherhood while dealing with a world that fears and discriminates against mutants. It may look comparatively simple today, but “X-Men” laid the foundations for the modern superhero movie.
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6. ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ (2024)
“Deadpool & Wolverine” is essentially a celebration of everything that came before it. The movie brings Ryan Reynolds’ Deadpool into the MCU properly, while Hugh Jackman returns as Wolverine for one final, much-anticipated team-up. The story sees Deadpool recruited by the Time Variance Authority to help save his universe, forcing him to work alongside a version of Wolverine who is very different from the hero audiences remember. Its storyline can occasionally become convoluted, but that is hardly the main attraction. The real appeal is seeing these two characters finally share the screen, alongside a huge number of cameos and references to the wider Fox Marvel universe.
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5. ‘Deadpool’ (2016)
![Deadpool | Trailer [HD] | 20th Century FOX - YouTube](https://img.youtube.com/vi/ONHBaC-pfsk/maxresdefault.jpg)
“Deadpool” was the movie nobody was quite sure would work, and that uncertainty made its eventual success even more satisfying. Reynolds plays Wade, a former Special Forces operative turned mercenary who is diagnosed with cancer before undergoing a brutal experiment that leaves him scarred but gives him accelerated healing abilities. Now calling himself Deadpool, he sets out to find the man responsible. The film completely embraced the character’s R-rated personality rather than trying to fit him into the more conventional superhero formula. It proved audiences were ready for superhero movies that were violent, filthy and completely unapologetic.
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4. ‘X2’ (2003)
If “X-Men” proved that superhero movies could work, “X2” proved that sequels could be even better. The movie sees the X-Men facing a new threat when Colonel William Stryker (Brian Cox) launches an attack on Xavier’s school and begins hunting mutants. Forced to work alongside Magneto and his Brotherhood, the X-Men must put aside their differences while uncovering Stryker’s disturbing connection to Wolverine and Professor X. It gives far more characters meaningful material while also raising the emotional and political stakes of the original. Beneath all the spectacle, it still understands that the X-Men are fundamentally a story about prejudice and belonging.
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3. ‘X-Men: First Class’ (2011)
After the disappointment of “The Last Stand” and “Origins,” “X-Men: First Class” was exactly the reset the franchise needed. Rather than continuing with the original cast, the movie travels back to the 1960s to explore the origins of Charles Xavier and Erik Lehnsherr before they became Professor X and Magneto. James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender give the franchise a fresh energy, while their developing friendship provides the emotional centre of the story. The film also cleverly weaves the young mutants into the Cuban Missile Crisis, giving the superhero story a real historical backdrop. More importantly, it reminded audiences why this franchise was worth saving.
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2. ‘X-Men: Days of Future Past’ (2014)
“X-Men: Days of Future Past” somehow manages to do what should have been almost impossible: bring together the original cast and the younger “First Class” cast while telling a coherent time-travel story. In a dystopian future where mutant-hunting Sentinels have nearly wiped out mutants, Wolverine is sent back to 1973 to prevent a pivotal event that could change the course of history. The movie gives Jackman’s Wolverine a central role while allowing younger versions of Xavier, Magneto and Mystique to drive the past storyline. Ambitious, emotional and packed with spectacular moments, it is arguably the franchise at its most confident.
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1. ‘Logan’ (2017)
![Logan | Official Trailer [HD] | 20th Century FOX - YouTube](https://img.youtube.com/vi/Div0iP65aZo/maxresdefault.jpg)
“Logan” is the rare superhero movie that feels like something much bigger than a superhero movie. Set in a bleak near future, the film follows an aging and increasingly broken Wolverine as he cares for an ailing Professor X. His life changes when he encounters Laura, a young mutant with abilities remarkably similar to his own, forcing him back into a fight he no longer wants. James Mangold strips away much of the traditional superhero gloss and instead delivers a violent, emotional road movie about family, regret and letting go. Hugh Jackman and Patrick Stewart both deliver career-best work, while Dafne Keen makes Laura an unforgettable addition to the “X-Men” universe.
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