Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)

Captain America: The First Avenger was a solid film, to be sure, but few have claimed the film was a milestone of superhero cinema. However, Joe and Anthony Russo brought real gravitas to the franchise with the sequel, which serves as a political thriller in the same way that The Dark Knight works as a crime drama. Featuring improved fight choreography, more elaborate action sequences and fun supporting roles for Scarlett Johansson and Anthony Mackie, Captain America: The Winter Soldier takes the series a step forward in every way, serving as perhaps the best entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe thus far. Enter Sebastian Stan as the unstoppable killing machine of the title, and the film finds the personal story at the heart of all the spectacle. We couldn’t be more excited about the Russos’ Captain America: Civil War, which could even top its predecessor.

What superhero sequels do you think are better than the original? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.