The Marvel Cinematic Universe expanded to a level that was previously unheard of. Each film and television series has become an event for fans of the MCU. What began as a strictly cinematic series has expanded to include limited series on Disney Plus to further the stories of the Avengers and their various foes and allies. Before these limited series, however, there was the Marvel One Shot. These short films filled the gap between the earlier MCU films. While Disney Plus was able to delve into the Marvel world post-Avengers: Endgame with some epic and emotional storytelling, the Marvel One-Shots were smaller scale yet effective insights into the side stories that made up the MCU.
Sadly, there weren't too many One Shots produced once the MCU became much too large for shorts. But the ones that were produced provided some solid laughs and even introduced storylines that would play out years later in other films. These little shorts acted as a necessary bridge between the films of the MCU's first phase, and they did so in hilarious and impressive fashion. Check out how each Marvel One-Shot stacks up against each other.
5 Item 47
For a brief moment, Lizzie Caplan was part of the MCU when she appeared in the Marvel One Shot, Item 47. This hilarious short, set after the first Avengers film follows a couple as they go on a crime spree using a discarded weapon left behind by the invading Chitauri during the Battle of New York. The weapon, known as Item 47 is obviously sought after by the agents of S.H.I.E.L.D in this impressive, Marvel version of Bonnie and Clyde.
4 A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To Thor's Hammer
One of the best things about the Marvel One-Shots was the use of the Phil Coulson. His earlier appearances prior to Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D were far too brief. A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To Thor's Hammer offered more time with the fan favorite. Set between the events of Iron Man 2 and Thor, the short followed Agent Coulson as he sets off to New Mexico to investigate a mysterious object which would turn out to be Thor's fabled hammer, Mjolnir. Coulson's mission takes a detour as he has to foil a stickup at a convenience store.
3 The Consultant
The MCU became a reality when Tony Stark appeared in the post-credit scene of The Incredible Hulk. While it wasn't totally clear why Stark would have to talk to Thunderbolt Ross about the Avengers initiative, it was an intriguing setup that would be expanded on in the one shot, The Consultant. In it, Agent Coulson meets with Agent Jasper Sitwell to discuss the Avengers Initiative. They express their concerns over The World Security Council's plans to recruit Emile Blonsky for the team. Tasked with asking General Ross to release Blonsky from prison, the agents decide to send someone so annoying, that General Ross would refuse to release Ross. Tony Stark was that annoying man and the rest is history.
2 Agent Carter
Agent Peggy Carter became such an important fixture of the MCU, and it was the Marvel One Shot that helped further her character. Agent Carter takes place after the events of Captain America: The First Avenger. Despite helping Captain America defeat the Red Skull, her talents as a spy are still underutilized by the SSR. Carter doesn't take that lightly however, and sets out to crack a case on her own. The short helps fill the gap between The First Avenger and the founding of S.H.I.E.L.D as the film ends with Howard Stark recruiting Carter in helping found the famed organization. The Agent Carter One Shot is notable as it led to the short-lived but well-received spinoff tv series, Agent Carter.
1 All Hail The King
Iron Man 3 was a financial and critical success; however, one of the film's most infamous changes polarized many. Despite being billed as the lead villain, The Mandarin, Ben Kingsley turned out to be an actor simply pretending to be the terroristic villain. While Iron Man 3 was well received, some were disappointed that the old shellhead never faced off against his comic book nemesis. All Hail The King helps correct that change.
The short film followed Kingsley's character, the drunken thespian Trevory Slattery, as he is interviewed for a documentary in prison after the events of Iron Man 3. Kingsley continued to impress as the boozy would-be villain and there was even an appearance by Iron Man 2 villain, Justin Hammer played by the hilarious Sam Rockwell. Most importantly, the one-shot helped retcon the Mandarin from Iron Man 3 when it is revealed that there was in fact a man known as the real Mandarin of the Ten Rings organization, and he was none too pleased with Slattery's portrayal of him. Impressively, this plot point would not be revisited for nearly a decade until Shang Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings was released in 2021. There, Wenwu, the man Slattery was impersonating, is revealed to have held Slattery captive for years.