The Marvel Cinematic Universe can catch flak for its frequent over-reliance on humor and silliness. However, most of the time, the comedy works and gets countless laughs out of audiences. Some of the funniest characters in the Marvel Studios world are the heroes who push the plot forward and play an integral role within the Avengers, constantly fighting to protect the planet.
When used correctly,these heroes' distinctive humor adds great contrast to the story unfolding on screen; when it cuts and things get serious, the moment suddenly feels far more dire. To see a character that's inherently silly, like Scott Lang (Paul Rudd), get urgent and scared makes for a stark contrast that forces moments to be more effective. These are the funniest characters in the MCU, and this list will rank them based on how funny they are and how important their humor is to their characterization.
10 Sam Wilson/Falcon/Captain America
Played by Anthony Mackie
Image via Marvel Studios
Initially introduced in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) made for some great comedic relief in the otherwise dramatic political thriller. Moving forward, Wilson continued to be a more comedic character, which made him the perfect pair for the more serious and straight-laced Steve Rogers (Chris Evans).
Whether he's asking Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) to thank and pet his bird drone, Red Wing, or his kinda love-hate relationship with Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan), Sam Wilson has brought some great laughs to the MCU. Now that he's Captain America, there's a chance Wilson may lose some of his biting and dry humor, but fans of the character hope that he brings some of it over to the red, white and blue mantle.
Release Date April 4, 2014
Runtime 136 Minutes
Writers Christopher Markus , Stephen McFeely
9 Scott Lang/Ant-Man
Played by Paul Rudd
Image via Marvel Studios
The Ant-Manfranchise has always been far more comedic compared to the rest of the Marvel Cinematic Universe lineup. Thus, its star, Scott Lang, is the source of most of that humor, aided by the fact that he's played by the legendary comedic force that is Paul Rudd.
Known for being a comedic actor in the first place by starring in outright classics like Clueless and Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, Rudd is practically an expert at comedic acting at this point. While he may be an expert thief, Ant-Man is portrayed as a bit more of a bumbling compared to the rest of the Avengers. It's easy to treat the character as a joke, but Rudd's endless charm goes a long way in making him both endearing and enjoyable on screen.
Writers Edgar Wright , Joe Cornish , Adam McKay , Paul Rudd , Stan Lee , Larry Lieber
8 Mantis
Played by Pom Klementieff
Image via Marvel Studios
Brought into the fold in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, everyone immediately fell in love with the newest character on the block, Mantis (Pom Klementieff). Unlike other heroes, she isn't funny because she cracks jokes; instead, this adorable alien gets laughs out of her childlike innocence and naiveté.
Despite being absurdly powerful, Mantis has a very homeschooled kid vibe, being sheltered all her life by her previous master, Ego the Living Planet (Kurt Russell).So, when put next to the rest of the Guardians, who are all extremely experienced space-goers, this underappreciated MCU character brings a ton of humor out of her extremely lovable and fun personality.
Release Date May 5, 2017
Runtime 136 minutes
WritersJames Gunn , Dan Abnett , Andy Lanning , Steve Englehart , Steve Gan , Jim Starlin
7 Korg
Played by Taika Waititi
Image via Marvel Studios
Korg (Taika Waititi) is another hero who doesn't find himself cracking jokes all that often. His humor stems from his amazing personality and the voice of Taika Waititi. First introduced in Thor: Ragnarok, this unusual but much-welcome rock-made alien had audiences dying of laughter from the first minute, thanks tohis blunt demeanor and soft voice, which make him such a good contrast to Thor (Chris Hemsworth).
He may be a large rock gladiator, but Korg is actually quite a harmless and unassuming, almost childlike guy, which is funny in and of itself. Korg can say the wildest and most random things at times, subverting every expectation and making light of pretty much anything. One of the best examples is when the Asgardians are leaving what's left of Asgard in Thor: Ragnarok, and Korg monologues dramatically about how the foundations could become a "haven", only for it to blow up a moment later.
Release Date November 3, 2017
Runtime 130 minutes
Writers Eric Pearson , Craig Kyle , Christopher L. Yost
6 Rocket Raccoon
Played by Bradley Cooper
Image via Marvel Studios
One of the best characters from the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise is, by far, Rocket Raccoon (Bradley Cooper). His success isnot just because of the impeccable and surprisingly dark writing(thanks to James Gunn) that moved audiences all around the world but also because of his great humor that fits the dynamic of the Guardians perfectly.
Rocket has a gruff, almost uncle-like demeanor; he puts up a wall that makes it look like he doesn't care, which fits perfectly with his witty and snippy humor style. Bradley Cooper's performance as the talking, gun and action-loving raccoon absolutely sells the character's demeanor and makes for some of the best moments in the Guardians of the Galaxy series.
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Guardians of the Galaxy
Release Date August 1, 2014
Runtime 121 minutes
WritersJames Gunn , Nicole Perlman , Dan Abnett , Andy Lanning
5 Peter Parker/Spider-Man
Played by Tom Holland
Before the one and only Peter Parker (Tom Holland) entered the Marvel Cinematic Universe, there weren't any kid heroes hopping around New York City, so he was truly the first of his kind.Spider-Man's young, naive and inexperienced character traits make for a great addition to the dynamics and chemistry across the Avengers. The wall-crawler makes for a great team-up character in each of his films.
The way Spider-Man carries himself compared to the rest of the Marvel Studios cast is what makes him so humorous to watch. He's like a kid sitting at the adults' table, trying his best to fit in. Not to mention, Spider-Man has always been a quippy character who loves to crack jokes to ease his nerves and mess with his villains. His laid-back charisma is a perfect fit for the MCU.
4 Thor Odinson
Played by Chris Hemsworth
Image via Marvel Studios
Thor didn't begin his tenure in the MCU as the jokey and fun character he is now. Early on, his humor derived from his fish-out-of-water status on Earth and overtly regal behavior, both of which worked well enough. The approach continued until Thor: Ragnarok, where Waititi reconfigured the character into the funnier version fans know today.
The new and comedic direction for Thor was immediately a success.The third solo outing for the character opened to both critical and fan acclaim and was a huge financial success. A huge part of the accomplishment was the positive fan reception to this new version of the character, which only continued in the final films of the Infinity Saga. Whatever one may think of Thor's now-largely comedic role in the MCU, the pivot was smart and allowed Hemsworth's comedic sensibilities to shine.
Drax the Destroyer (Dave Bautista) pretty much takes everything literally, so he doesn't get a lot of the jokes that Star-Lord (Chris Pratt) and the others constantly spit out, which adds a layer of humor to every interaction he has. When someone states that jokes will go over Drax's head, he replies, "Nothing goes over my head. My reflexes are too fast; I would catch it."
Drax the Destroyer pretty much takes everything literally, so he doesn't get a lot of the jokes that Star-Lord and the others constantly spit out.
He also simply has zero social skills at the end of the day. Drax is the definition of "no chill," a character who will say whatever's on his mind. This quality could get grating fast, but Bautista makes it work. While he may come from wrestling, it's clear that Dave Bautista is serious about being an actor, as he absolutely nails Drax's demeanor, making him one of the funniest characters in the Guardians team.
2 Peter Quill/Star-Lord
Played by Chris Pratt
Image via Marvel Studios
Peter Quill, unfortunately, had his entire childhood taken from him and suffered his fair share of loss. Still, his tragedy adds to the humor he brings into the fold, growing up in the ravenous crook guild known as The Ravagers. The Earth-born Guardian has a very witty yet immature comedic style that contrasts perfectly with the rest of the team.
The goofy but endearing Star-Lord is easily one of the main highlights of the Guardians of the Galaxy. His humor has such a disparity to his actions that both feel that much more impactful because of it. Plus, Chris Pratt comes from comedic work, most notably as the loveable dweeb Andy Dwyer from Parks and Recreation, so he is perfectly suited to take on a more comedic superhero role.
1 Tony Stark/Iron Man
Played by Robert Downey Jr.
Image via Marvel Studios
Tony Stark's (Robert Downey Jr.) nonchalant, playboy, billionaire lifestyle has made him arguably the funniest character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Oscar-winner Robert Downey Jr. brings his astounding improv skills to the table in every single Marvel Cinematic Universe he's involved in.
Iron Man's witty banter with himself and everyone else has become a staple of the MCU, largely defining the franchise's overall approach to humor. It's a huge part of what made Iron Man so beloved by fans. If Tony is on-screen, so long as things aren't super serious, there's a pretty good chance he's cracking a joke of some sort; he loves to deflect and keep things light. Stark was the main drive behind the MCU throughout the Infinity Saga, and humor was a crucial element to his success formula, leaving a mark on the franchise that few characters will ever be able to match — if any.
Release Date April 26, 2019
Runtime 181 Minutes
Writers Keith Giffen , Stan Lee , Larry Lieber , Don Heck , Jim Starlin , Joe Simon , Steve Englehart , Jack Kirby , Steve Gan , Bill Mantlo , Stephen McFeely , Christopher Markus
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