The Avengers (2012)

Whereas The Dark Knight helped to revolutionize the film world with its next-level storytelling, this team-up film from Marvel Studios made the concept of a shared movie universe a viable option. Blending together four headlining solo franchises proved to be a masterstroke and effectively solidified the Marvel Cinematic Universe, paying off years of effort in one fell swoop. Writer/director Joss Whedon may not have matched this achievement quite as successfully with his 2015 sequel, but the fact remains that The Avengers ushered in a new chapter in Hollywood, one that all other studios are now rushing to catch up to.