8 Worst MCU Post-Credit Scenes of All Time, Ranked

Image via Marvel Studios Published Jul 30, 2026, 3:52 PM EDT Ryan Menezes has written and edited for Cracked.com for 12 years, has written for Mental Floss, and has edited for Listverse and Grunge.com. His longest and most in-depth articles have covered movies and TV shows, with a special focus on how they changed between conception and when they reached the screen. That includes comparing adaptations to their original works, comparing finished movies to their screenplays, and documenting various disasters that popped up during production. Sign in to your Collider account There is officially just one reason that you’re allowed to use a phone while in a movie theater: to open up Google and ask, “Does [movie name] have a post-credits scene?” With Marvel movies, these scenes have traditionally been essential viewing, and when people walked out right as the credits began, fans snickered at these fools missing out. As the years went by, however, and the movies got worse, some people switched and decided leaving early is best, and the fools are the ones who sit through credits just to see an ad. Let’s run through a few of the especially poor scenes the MCU has come up with. Some of the worst are from recent bombs, of course, but a few others are older and might surprise you. 8 Peter Gets a Projector Image via Walt Disney Pictures Captain America: Civil War introduced Spider-Man (Tom Holland) and Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman) to the MCU, so naturally, its post-credit scenes teased these characters’ future movies. With Peter Parker, this came in the form of Peter returning to his Queens apartment (fine), settling down in his room, and turning on a new gadget, which projects an image of his mask on the ceiling. If you know the comics well, perhaps you were excited to see the first cinematic appearance of Peter’s Spider-Signal. If so, perhaps you were disappointed that the gadget played no great role in his adventures to come. As for everyone else, they just scratched their heads and wondered what they were looking at — not in the sense that they were now pumped to find out in the next movie, but just that they were less moved by the scene because it meant nothing to them. Best-case scenario, they now searched the web for a “post-credits scene explained” article, which is great for websites that make those articles, but it’s not really the way all viewers like experiencing movies. 7 A Snotty Memorial Image via Walt Disney Pictures At the end of Black Widow, Yelena (Florence Pugh) runs into Valentina (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) at the grave of Natasha (Scarlett Johansson). The two already know each other, and Valentina gives Yelena a new assignment to kill Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner). That should be a good enough hook, as we all know that you have to kill whoever your boss tells you to kill, but Valentina also gives Yelena some extra incentive: Hawkeye is the person responsible for her sister’s death. This claim is true from a certain point of view, but it deflates the tension here because it turns Yelena's motive for going after Hawkeye into a misunderstanding that can be cleared up. And clearing this up shouldn’t be so hard. Despite all the talk of Black Widow having no family, she’s world-famous, and the whole world knows about Thanos and the stones, so we have to assume the world was told how she heroically sacrificed herself. (We have to assume, unless we follow the Marvel TV shows, which actually confirm that the whole world does know this.) However, none of that is the real reason this scene is so annoying. The real reason is this begins as a solemn epilogue with Yelena paying respects at Natasha’s grave, and then the scene interrupts it with a joke, as Valentina loudly blows her nose. Marvel is infamous for undercutting serious moments with jokes, and this one doesn’t even work. Valentina softly sniffing, then going straight to her next line (revealing she’s not sad, just allergic) would be funnier. 6 Thanos Reminds Us He Exists Image via Walt Disney Pictures When Thanos (Josh Brolin) appeared at the end of Avengers: Age of Ultron, put on his glove, and said, “Fine, I’ll do it myself,” the whole theater cheered. It was quite a change from the last Avengers film, when he showed up and smiled, and the whole theater was confused because they didn’t know who he was. But as exciting as it might be for Thanos to tease finally getting serious, it made no sense as a post-credits scene for this movie. No one in this movie failed to fetch the stones for Thanos. They did before, but not now, so what’s he reacting to here? Including this scene in 2015 is also silly because when Thanos does go after the first stones, he gets them easily, in a matter of days. Why is he putting the glove on and declaring his mission now if he’s actually not going to get around to it for another three years? Perhaps it’s because he knows he’s being filmed, in which case he should look right into the camera and wink. Collider Exclusive · Marvel Personality Quiz Which MCU Hero Are You? Spider-Man · Daredevil · Iron Man · Punisher · Thor · Cap Six heroes. One destiny. Answer 10 questions to discover which Marvel Cinematic Universe hero shares your personality, values, and fighting spirit. Will you swing, fly, or thunder your way to glory? 🕷️Spider-Man 😈Daredevil 🤖Iron Man 💀Punisher ⚡Thor 🛡️Cap FIND YOUR HERO → 01 What drives you to do what's right? Choose the answer that feels most like you. AWith great power comes great responsibility — I protect those who can't protect themselves. BMy faith and my conscience — I believe justice must be served, even in the dark. CLegacy and ego, honestly — but I've learned that others depend on me now. DThe system failed. Someone has to make sure the guilty actually pay. EDuty to the innocent and honour to my name — I was born to protect realms. FThe values I was raised with — freedom, decency, and never backing down from a bully. NEXT QUESTION → 02 It's 2 AM. Where are you? Your answer says more about you than you'd think. ASwinging between skyscrapers, keeping an eye on the neighbourhood. BRunning rooftops in Hell's Kitchen, listening for trouble. CIn my lab, upgrading my suit with a cold cup of coffee nearby. DStaking out a target I've been tracking for three weeks. ESomewhere between the stars, or at a feast that got out of hand. FOn a morning run — I was up at 4, actually. Couldn't sleep. NEXT QUESTION → 03 How do you handle a villain who keeps escaping justice? Every hero has a method. What's yours? AWeb them up and leave them for the police — again. BBuild an airtight case and dismantle their entire operation from the inside. CDeploy a containment system I designed specifically for them. Tech wins. DMake sure they don't escape a third time. Permanently. EChallenge them to single combat. Honour demands a decisive end. FRally allies, adapt the plan, and bring them in — by the book, even if it's hard. NEXT QUESTION → 04 How do you feel about keeping a secret identity? The mask — or the lack of one — says everything. AEssential — my loved ones would be in danger if anyone found out who I am. BCritical — the mask protects my mission as much as my face. COverrated — I announced myself to the world and I'd do it again. DI'm a ghost. The less people know about me, the better. EMy name is known across the Nine Realms. There's no hiding it. FI don't hide — but I understand why some need to. Transparency builds trust. NEXT QUESTION → 05 You've lost someone important because of your heroism. How do you carry that? Every hero pays a price. The question is how they pay it. AWith guilt that never fully goes away — it pushes me to do better, every single day. BI channel it into purpose — their memory is the reason I keep fighting. CI buried myself in work for years. I'm only recently learning to face it. DIt transformed me completely. I'm not the same person I was before. EWith warrior's grief — I honour them by fighting with everything I have. FI keep moving forward. Stopping means letting the loss win. NEXT QUESTION → 06 What's your role when working with a team? Who you are under pressure is who you actually are. AThe enthusiastic wildcard who somehow makes it work — and keeps the mood up. BThe strategist who works best alone but shows up when it matters most. CThe one who funds it, equips it, and occasionally takes over the whole operation. DI don't do teams. I'm more effective operating solo, on my terms. EThe heavy hitter — I crash in, draw fire, and turn the tide of battle. FThe leader — I earn trust, build the plan, and make sure no one gets left behind. NEXT QUESTION → 07 Where do you draw the line between justice and revenge? The answer defines what kind of hero you really are. AClearly — I don't kill, and I wrestle with that line constantly. BI try to hold the line, but I've come terrifyingly close to crossing it. CPractically — I do what's necessary to protect people, including hard calls. DI crossed that line long ago. What I do is justice — the system just won't admit it. EIn battle, victory is justice. Mercy is earned — not automatic. FFirmly. The moment we abandon our principles, we become what we fight against. NEXT QUESTION → 08 When you're not saving the world, what does life look like? The person behind the mask is always the more interesting story. ATrying to juggle school, a part-time job, and not failing my friends. BWorking as a lawyer by day, fighting for justice in court and on the streets. CRunning a global company, attending galas, and pretending I'm sleeping enough. DQuiet. Isolated. Surviving with a clear mission and no distractions. ENavigating a bizarre and fascinating mortal world — coffee is extraordinary. FAdapting to a world decades ahead of everything I knew. Quietly, stubbornly. NEXT QUESTION → 09 What keeps you up at night? Fear is useful data — if you're honest about what you're actually afraid of. AThe people I couldn't save — and the ones I might not reach in time tomorrow. BWhether the monster I fight every night is starting to live inside me too. CThe threats I can see coming and whether my tech is actually good enough. DNothing. Silence is the only peace I get. I've made my choices. EWhether I'm truly worthy — of the hammer, of the throne, of the people I protect. FA world where no one stands up anymore. Where good people do nothing. NEXT QUESTION → 10 The battle is lost. You're outnumbered, outgunned, and exhausted. What do you do? This is your tiebreaker — choose carefully. ACrack a joke to buy a second, then find the one web shot that changes everything. BBlock out everything except the sound of the next threat — and keep going. CActivate the emergency protocol I built for exactly this scenario. Always have a plan. DI don't accept that it's lost. I keep fighting until I physically cannot anymore. ECall the lightning. All of it. The storm answers to me. FPick up the shield. Stand up. Because as long as I can stand, it's not over. REVEAL MY HERO → Your Hero Has Been Identified Your MCU Hero Is…Based on your answers, the Marvel hero who matches your spirit, values, and instincts has been revealed. 🕷️ Spider-ManYou carry the weight of the world on shoulders that are younger than they should have to be — funny, loyal, and endlessly self-sacrificing. You do the right thing not because it's easy, but because no one else will. You understand that responsibility isn't a burden you choose — it's one that finds you. Whether it's a neighbourhood mugging or a multiverse crisis, you show up. Peter Parker's lesson — that great power demands great responsibility — isn't a slogan to you. It's the code you live by, even when it costs you everything. 😈 DaredevilYou fight in the shadows between law and chaos, guided by a fierce moral compass that refuses to let the guilty walk free. You use every tool available — your mind, your body, your faith — to protect those the system overlooks. You've looked into the darkness and chosen not to become it, though the line has never been easy. Matt Murdock's duality — champion in the courtroom, devil in the alley — mirrors your own. Relentless, conflicted, and unwilling to stop. That is exactly you. 🤖 Iron ManBrilliant, driven, and occasionally insufferable — but always the person who solves the unsolvable problem. You lead with your mind and back it up with resources, innovation, and a stubbornness that borders on heroic. You started out looking out for yourself, but somewhere along the way the world became your responsibility. Tony Stark's arc — from ego to sacrifice — is your arc too. You build, you plan, and when the moment comes, you're willing to give everything. Because in the end, you're Iron Man. 💀 The PunisherYou've been through fire that would break most people — and it did change you, completely. What's left is unyielding, relentless, and operating by a code forged in grief. You don't ask for forgiveness, and you don't expect gratitude. You see a corrupt, broken world and you've decided to do something about it, consequences be damned. Frank Castle's war is born from love twisted by loss — and so is yours. Uncompromising and unflinching — the world may not agree with your methods, but your conviction is absolute. ⚡ ThorPowerful, proud, and on a lifelong journey to become worthy of the legend you carry. You lead with strength but have learned — sometimes painfully — that true greatness comes from humility and growth. You're larger than life, yet more vulnerable than you let on. Thor's story is one of transformation: from arrogant prince to worthy king, from isolated warrior to beloved protector. You bring the storm when it's needed — and the warmth when it matters just as much. 🛡️ Captain AmericaYou believe in something bigger than yourself — and you fight for it even when the world has moved on and nobody else will. You don't bully the small guy, and you never stop when it gets hard. Steve Rogers didn't become a hero when he got the serum — he was always one. So were you. Your strength isn't in your fists; it's in your refusal to compromise what's right, no matter the cost. In a world full of people taking the easy road, you're the one who picks up the shield and stands up — every single time. ↻ RETAKE THE QUIZ 5 Marvel Moves in One Direction Image via Walt Disney Pictures At the end of The Eternals, the remaining characters are standing together somewhere when, out of nowhere, Harry Styles arrives. Apparently, he’s playing a character named Starfox, also known as Eros, also known as Thanos’ brother, but he just looks like Harry Styles. His presence is something we must not condone. For context, Christopher Nolan had recently put Styles in Dunkirk. This makes sense, as many directors commit crimes. Nolan has since directed two movies about men guilty of unleashing disasters upon the world, and these are both widely interpreted as expressions of Nolan’s own guilt at convincing the world Harry Styles should act. Styles himself has committed several offenses (“Watermelon Sugar,” “As It Was”), for which he has yet to see the inside of a jail cell, and they may be sufficient to ensure he never seeks an acting role again. 4 Kang Attends the World Cup Finals Image via Walt Disney Pictures Of all the many post-credits scenes that teased plots that the MCU never followed up on, the end of Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania is the hardest to brush past. It shows off thousands of variants of Kang (Jonathan Majors), who the movie is selling as a multiversal threat, but thanks to Disney cutting ties with Majors, this plot will never be revisited. However, even if the Marvel timeline continued as planned and the next big movie were Avengers: Kang Dynasty, this scene would be absurd. The many Kang variants gather in a stadium and hoot and holler in merriment. Why? What are they celebrating? One of them just lost a fist fight to some guy named Scott (Paul Rudd). The idea of so many clones from across the multiverse gathering together may be too silly to put to screen. Yes, the Council of Kangs is an idea directly from the comics, but that doesn’t make it a good idea. And that doesn’t even get into how much people today associate the concept with having been parodied in Rick and Morty (one writer of which, incidentally, wrote the script for this movie). 3 A Beast in Another World Image via Walt Disney Pictures We were looking forward to ending this list by mocking the closing scene of The Marvels, in which Kamala Khan (Iman Vellani) meets Kate Bishop (Hailee Steinfeld) to form a team of “kid superheroes.” The Young Avengers is another concept that exists in the comics but still isn’t a good idea. As Kate notes in the scene, she’s not even a kid (Chris Evans was younger when they started shooting The Avengers than Steinfeld is now). It’s also absurd the way Kamala quotes a private conversation between Nicky Fury and Iron Man as though it’s a meme everyone knows. However, we can’t list that scene, on the small technicality that it’s not a post-credits scene at all. Though spiritually a post-credits scene, it takes place before that movie’s credits. So, let’s instead point to the movie’s actual post-credits scene, in which Monica Rambeau (Teyonah Parris) meets the X-Men. As a tease that the X-Men are joining the MCU, this falls somewhat flat. That’s because it takes place in another universe, and the MCU already showed one of our heroes meeting X-Men in another universe in the previous year’s Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness. As the triumphant return of Kelsey Grammar’s Beast, the scene doesn’t hit too hard either, as instead of actually seeing the guy in costume, we see an all-CGI version of the character. Though if Monica awoke in terror to a universe where everything is a CGI cartoon, we might have forgiven all. Image via Walt Disney Pictures That’s right: This list features two scenes from The Eternals. That’s because The Eternals is doubly bad at these. In the movie’s second post-credits scene, Kit Harington’s character Dane finds a sword. The sword is called the Ebony Blade and indicates Dane’s future as a character called the Black Knight, but we will likely never see Kit Harrington again in the MCU. The more exciting part of the scene is the offscreen voice of Mahershala Ali, portraying Blade (the character Blade, not the item the blade). This, too, is doomed to be one more post-credits tease that leads to nothing because it seems the long-in-development Ali Blade movie is not happening after all. But even if it were, this would be a pitifully underwhelming way of introducing the character to the universe. Why couldn’t we actually see Ali as Blade? Did they not have the money, having spent the entire post-credit budget on leprechauns and Harry Styles? Did they accidentally lend the Blade costume to some other vampire movie? 1 Oh No! The Others?! Image via Walt Disney Pictures “All you heroes protecting this world,” says Samuel Sterns (Tim Blake Nelson) to Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) at the end of Captain America: Brave New World. “Do you think you’re the only ones? Do you think this is the only world? We’ll see what happens when you have to protect this place from the others.” He’s talking here about other universes, but he’s calling them other worlds, and so, the casual viewer might think he’s warning about aliens. That makes for an absurd warning because everyone already knows aliens exist. Sam has fought aliens multiple times, and the MCU has had a bunch of adventures taking place in space. If you do understand he’s talking about other universes, that’s not much better. Yes, of course there are other universes, and if Sam doesn’t know that, we all still do. There was a whole movie already called The Multiverse of Madness. There was an even bigger movie, Spider-Man: No Way Home, where other universes cracked open the sky above New York. By the time of Deadpool and Wolverine, alternate universes and timelines (words the MCU now uses interchangeably) were fodder for nonstop jokes. This doesn’t even get into the multiverse references in Quantumania, The Marvels, or Loki. How, two-thirds into the MCU’s multiverse saga, were they still selling “other worlds” to us as a vague and previously unconsidered threat? They might as well have had Sterns look at Captain America and say, “Oh, this world of yours is now full of superheroes. But has it ever occurred to you that you may one day need to deal with super… VILLAINS?” Dramatic cut-to-black. Release Date February 14, 2025 Runtime 118 minutes Director Julius Onah Cast Sam Wilson / Captain America Thaddeus 'Thunderbolt' Ross / Red Hulk Captain America: Brave New World follows Sam Wilson as he steps into his role as the new Captain America. Navigating the complexities of geopolitics, Sam encounters an international incident involving a mysterious global plot. As tensions rise, he must uncover the mastermind behind the scheme to prevent worldwide chaos.