Callum Ward
Across 14 films, X-Men has been everything—groundbreaking, messy, poignant and downright ridiculous. It’s a series that reinvented the superhero genre before losing its grip on it, a franchise where timelines collapse as often as buildings. And yet, even at its weakest, there’s something fascinating about watching mutants wrestle not only with humanity, but with Hollywood’s ever-shifting expectations.
So here it is: every X-Men movie ranked from worst to best.
14. The New Mutants (2020)
After years of delays, The New Mutants arrived with all the impact of a damp sparkler. What was once pitched as a genre-bending superhero horror flick became a disjointed curiosity—not bad enough to hate, not bold enough to love. There are moments where you can glimpse the moody, claustrophobic teen drama it could have been, but the final product feels neutered and outdated, more like a contractual obligation than a creative statement.
13. Dark Phoenix (2019)
Dark Phoenix was supposed to be redemption for The Last Stand—a chance to finally do the Phoenix saga justice. Instead, it doubled down on the same mistakes. Sophie Turner does her best with a script that strips Jean Grey of emotional nuance, but the film just can’t find its soul. The muted tone, underwhelming action and abrupt finale make it feel like the franchise is limping to its end rather than soaring into rebirth.
12. X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009)
For years, this was the punchline of the series—and for good reason. Origins manages to make Wolverine, one of the most compelling comic-book characters ever, feel oddly generic. The CG claws, the cartoonish villains and the bizarrely defanged Deadpool all add up to a film that misunderstands its own protagonist. There’s fun to be had in its clumsy excess, but only if you squint hard enough.
11. X-Men: The Last Stand (2006)
You can almost feel the potential bursting at the seams here – a cast firing on all cylinders, a weighty premise about mutant “cures,” and a chance to pay off the emotional groundwork laid in X2. But then came studio interference, a rushed schedule, and Brett Ratner’s direction flattening everything into bombast. The result is chaotic, loud and occasionally moving, but mostly frustrating. It’s not the disaster some claim, just a missed opportunity of epic proportions.
10. X-Men: Apocalypse (2016)
There’s a sense of overconfidence to Apocalypse, as though the series thought it could coast on star power alone. Oscar Isaac is buried under purple makeup, the CGI gets out of hand and the stakes never feel real. Still, there are glimmers of greatness—Fassbender’s grief-stricken Magneto, the pure pop joy of Quicksilver’s set-piece and a few sharp reminders of how strong this ensemble once was.
9. Deadpool 2 (2018)
Bigger, louder, and a touch less charming than its predecessor, Deadpool 2 tries hard to outdo itself and occasionally succeeds. The humour still lands more often than not, but the emotional thread feels thinner this time around. That said, its willingness to parody X-Men tropes while still celebrating them earns it a respectable spot. The X-Force sequence alone—chaotic, self-aware brilliance—is worth the price of admission.
8. The Wolverine (2013)
After Origins, expectations were low, which makes The Wolverine such a pleasant surprise. James Mangold stripped things back, delivering a moody, grounded story about mortality and purpose. It stumbles in its final act (robot samurai, really?), but the first two-thirds are some of the tightest storytelling in the franchise. It’s Hugh Jackman in top form—weary, introspective, and finally given space to breathe.
7. Deadpool & Wolverine (2024)
Deadpool & Wolverine feels like both a victory lap and a resurrection. Ryan Reynolds’ snark collides perfectly with Hugh Jackman’s reluctant grit, giving the multiverse chaos a genuine heart. It’s messy in parts—as any Deadpool movie should be—but its energy, humour, and surprising emotional core make it a worthy late entry. Beneath the wisecracks lies a heartfelt farewell to the Fox era of mutants—and a wink to what comes next.
6. Deadpool (2016)
A film that shouldn’t have worked but absolutely did. R-rated superhero movies were still a rarity, and Reynolds’ passion project managed to turn budget limitations into creative fuel. The jokes hit, the action’s slick and the meta tone feels fresh even years later. What stands out most, though, is how genuinely it cares about its absurd love story—something missing from most comic-book films at the time.
5. X-Men (2000)
This is where it all began. X-Men may look modest now, but it laid the groundwork for everything that followed—not just within the franchise, but for modern superhero cinema in general. Bryan Singer’s restrained direction, paired with a perfectly cast ensemble, treated comic material with an earnestness that was rare at the time. It’s uneven, sure, but its legacy is undeniable.
4. X2 (2003)
Bigger, darker, and more confident than the original, X2 remains a model sequel. It expands the themes of identity and prejudice, introduces Nightcrawler in a jaw-dropping opening, and gives nearly every character something meaningful to do. The tone walks a fine line between comic-book fantasy and grounded drama, and somehow pulls it off. It’s still one of the best examples of how to balance action and allegory in superhero cinema.
3. Logan (2017)
Raw, emotional and unflinchingly violent, Logan broke free from the constraints of franchise filmmaking. James Mangold crafted a modern western disguised as a superhero film—a story about aging, loss and legacy. Jackman and Stewart deliver career-best performances, and the R-rating gives their farewell the honesty it deserves. Few comic-book movies have ever felt this personal or this final.
2. X-Men: First Class (2011)
After The Last Stand and Origins, the franchise needed saving, and First Class did exactly that. Matthew Vaughn reinvigorated the series with a sharp, stylish prequel that blended ’60s espionage with comic-book flair. McAvoy and Fassbender bring fresh life to Xavier and Magneto, turning their ideological conflict into something almost Shakespearean. It’s the rare reboot that honours what came before while carving its own path.
1. X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014)
Everything clicked here. Days of Future Past pulled together two generations of mutants, blended high-stakes sci-fi with genuine emotion, and somehow made sense of years of convoluted continuity. It’s the series’ high point: a film about second chances that feels like one for the franchise itself. The action sequences are kinetic, the performances are perfectly tuned, and the ending lands with unexpected grace.
It’s not just the best X-Men movie; it’s the moment the series remembered what it was capable of.
