The Marvel Cinematic Universe is one of the biggest franchises of all time, making it hard to position the Marvel movies in order to watch. At this stage, rewatching the franchise in full requires some serious homework, so some may choose instead to stick to the best MCU movies and TV shows instead. That is particularly true when you consider how much Marvel Studios’ creatives have tinkered with the timeline, retconning things along the way. Luckily though, anyone looking for how to watch the Marvel movies in order do have a road map provided by the films themselves.
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Success in Hollywood leads to longevity, and as the billions trickled in, Marvel Studios went from a bold idea to a multi-stranded goliath. Inevitably, that expansion led to more complexity in the timeline, as Kevin Feige’s team sought to keep hold of the unprecedented size of the shared universe. The scale of the franchise is awesome: the MCU has 6 Phases, planned right up to 2027, with numerous future MCU movies and TV shows yet to be revealed, and even before that, there are tens of movies and Disney+ shows to watch. Here’s every Marvel movie in order from 2008’s Iron Man to the Multiverse Saga…
Related: All Marvel Movies Releasing In 2024
The Best Order To Watch The MCU Movies
The best MCU movie viewing order is more creative than watching them in order of release. Several MCU releases have jumped around the timeline, with settings on the Marvel timeline before or after their year of release. As such, the most logical and best way to watch the MCU’s 33 movies is to watch their events in order. This order is confirmed by Marvel’s official timelines book, released in 2023.
Title
Years Set
Original Release Date
Captain America: The First Avenger
1943-1945
July 22, 2011
Captain Marvel
1989-1995
March 8, 2019
Iron Man
2008
May 2, 2008
The Incredible Hulk
2010
June 13, 2008
Iron Man 2
2010
May 7, 2010
Thor
2010
May 6, 2011
The Avengers
2012
May 4, 2012
Thor: The Dark World
2013
November 8, 2013
Iron Man 3
2013
May 3, 2013
Captain America: The Winter Soldier
2014
April 4, 2014
Guardians of the Galaxy
2014
August 1, 2014
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
2014
May 5, 2017
Avengers: Age of Ultron
2015
May 1, 2015
Ant-Man
2015
July 17, 2015
Captain America: Civil War
2016
May 6, 2016
Black Widow
2016
July 9, 2021
Black Panther
2016
February 16, 2018
Spider-Man: Homecoming
2016
July 7, 2017
Doctor Strange
2016-17
November 4, 2016
Thor: Ragnarok
2017
November 3, 2017
Ant-Man and the Wasp
2018
July 6, 2018
Avengers: Infinity War
2018
April 27, 2018
Avengers: Endgame
2018-2023
April 26, 2019
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
2024
September 3, 2021
Spider-Man: Far From Home
2024
July 2, 2019
Eternals
2024
November 5, 2021
Spider-Man: No Way Home
2024
December 17, 2021
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
2024
May 6, 2022
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
2025
November 11, 2022
Thor: Love and Thunder
2025
July 8, 2022
The Marvels
2025
November 10, 2023
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania
2025
February 17, 2023
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
2026
May 5, 2023
Marvel Movies In Order Of Release Date
Back when the MCU was still young, Kevin Feige announced his plans for multiple Phases of stories, introducing new characters and stories after the first run of Marvel movies up to The Avengers in 2012. Here’s every Marvel movie in order within that plan, broken down into Phases and the two Sagas – the Infinity Saga and the Multiverse Saga. This is the best way to watch Marvel movies in order of release date…
The Infinity Saga
MCU Phase One
Iron Man – May 2, 2008 The Incredible Hulk – June 13, 2008 Iron Man 2 – May 7, 2010 Thor – May 6, 2011 Captain America: The First Avenger – July 22, 2011 Marvel’s The Avengers – May 4, 2012
MCU Phase Two
Iron Man 3 – May 3, 2013 Thor: The Dark World – November 8, 2013 Captain America: The Winter Soldier – April 4, 2014 Guardians of the Galaxy – August 1, 2014 Avengers: Age of Ultron – May 1, 2015 Ant-Man – July 17, 2015
MCU Phase Three
Captain America: Civil War – May 6, 2016 Doctor Strange – November 4, 2016 Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2 – May 5, 2017 Spider-Man: Homecoming – July 7, 2017 Thor: Ragnarok – November 3, 2017 Black Panther – February 16, 2018 Avengers: Infinity War – April 27, 2018 Ant-Man and the Wasp – July 6, 2018 Captain Marvel – March 8, 2019 Avengers: Endgame – April 26, 2019 Spider-Man: Far From Home – July 2, 2019
The Multiverse Saga
MCU Phase Four
Black Widow – July 9, 2021 Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings – September 3, 2021 Eternals – November 5, 2021 Spider-Man: No Way Home – December 17, 2021 Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness – May 6, 2022 Thor: Love and Thunder – July 8, 2022 Black Panther: Wakanda Forever – November 11, 2022
MCU Phase Five
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania – February 17, 2023 Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 – May 5, 2023 The Marvels – November 10, 2023 Deadpool 3 – July 26, 2024 Captain America: Brave New World – February 14, 2025
Marvel Studios changed the release dates of several Phase 5 and Phase 6 releases on November 10, 2023, after the conclusion of the Actors Strike
MCU Phase Six
Marvel’s Fantastic Four – May 2, 2025 Thunderbolts – July 25, 2025 Blade – November 7, 2025 Avengers: The Kang Dynasty – May 1, 2026 Avengers: Secret Wars – May 7, 2027
Upcoming MCU Movies After Phase 6
Armor Wars – TBA Shang-Chi 2 – TBA Untitled MCU mutants film – TBA Spider-Man 4 – TBA
How To Watch Marvel Movies In Order Of Major Events
Captain America: The First Avenger (1943-1945)
The US army develops the super soldier serum to help fight the war with the Nazis, creating Steve Roger’s Captain America (Chris Evans), and pitting him off against deadly HYDRA villain Red Skull. The first Infinity Stone, the Tesseract, debuts.
Captain Marvel (1989-1995)
Decades later, in 1989, Carol Danvers crashes her fighter jet before gaining superpowers, losing her memory, and entering the Kree/Skrull war that brings her back to Earth in 1995. 50 years after Peggy Carter helped create SHIELD, field agent Nick Fury investigates the alien invasion and teams up with the hero who becomes the inspiration for the Avengers Initiative.
Key Event: 1999 – Iron Man meets Aldrich Killian for the first time
2000s & 2010s
Iron Man (2008)
Billionaire tech mogul and problem child Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr) is kidnapped and creates the ultimate superhero armor, taking down terrorists and a threat to his family business. Nick Fury turns up to recruit him as an Avenger.
Iron Man 2 (2010)
Struggling with the toll the arc reactor in his chest is taking on his body, Tony Stark begins his almost decade-long struggle to keep his technlogy out of the wrong hands, as another rival tries to take him down.
Key Event: Mid-2000s – Bruce Banner is involved in a laboratory accident that transforms him into the Hulk.
The Incredible Hulk (2010)
While it came out second, The Incredible Hulk – a new reset for the character after Ang Lee’s Hulk (2003) – actually comes after the first Iron Man movies in the timeline. Brilliant scientist Bruce Banner (Ed Norton) is drawn back to the US after exiling himself, to find himself hunted by the military hell-bent on using his genetics as a weapon.
Thor (2010)
The MCU’s first introduction to ancient civilization the Asgardians sees heir-apparent to Odin’s throne, Thor (Chris Hemsworth), banished to Earth to work on his worthiness, as his brother Loki causes chaos at home.
The Avengers (2012)
Loki returns to wage war on Earth, with a Chitauri army borrowed from Thanos in tow. Nick Fury revives the Avengers Initiative (after scrapping it off-screen) to bring together Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. The second Infinity Stone debuts, in Loki’s scepter
Thor: The Dark World (2013)
In Fall 2013, reunited with his brother Loki (despite his universal crimes), Thor faces down another threat to the Nine Realms, as the Dark Elves seek to regain control of the third Infinity Stone (within their ancient weapon the Aether) which infects Jane Foster.
Iron Man 3 (2013-2014)
Tony Stark struggles to come to terms with the Battle of New York, developing PTSD just as an old business associate, Aldrich Killian re-emerges at the same time as a terrorist, The Mandarin vows to kill Iron Man after launching a series of attacks in Winter 2013.
Key Event: Early 2014 – Iron Man’s arc reactor is removed.
Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)
Steve Rogers is confronted with an unexpected face from his past as he battles mysterious HYDRA assassin The Winter Soldier and investigates a huge SHIELD betrayal. Sam Wilson debuts, becoming side-kick Falcon.
Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
In the Summer of 2014, immediately after the events of The Winter Soldier, the universe’s other premium superhero team – the far more grubby, far less morally perfect Guardians of the Galaxy – are thrown together. The fourth Infinity Stone, the Power Stone, plays a key part in bringing the anti-heroes together.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2014)
Almost immediately after the end of the first movie (in Fall 2024), the Guardians are once more faced with a universe-threatening villain, this time in the shape of Kurt Russell’s charming Ego. Baby Groot dances.
Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)
Back on Earth, Tony Stark’s obsession with saving Earth from every conceivable threat leads to the accidental creation of his own nemesis, warmongering robot Ultron (James Spader). The Avengers gain some new members, including Elizabeth Olsen’s Scarlet Witch.
Ant-Man (2015)
Still set in Marvel’s Phase 2, but after the events of Age Of Ultron, Ant-Man sees Paul Rudd’s Scott Lang recruited for a heist by the original Ant-Man, Hank Pym (Michael Douglas). The smallest (and biggest) Avenger’s origin story.
Key Event: February 2016 – Doctor Stephen Strange survives a car crash that irreparably damages his hands, ending his career as a surgeon.
Captain America: Civil War (2016)
Don’t call it an Avengers movie, but Captain America: Civil War is notable for including basically the whole Avengers cast, and bulking it out with the recruitment of both Ant-Man and Tom Holland’s brand new Spider-Man. The Avengers struggle with superhero registration, taking sides and ultimately fighting it out as dark secrets from the past threaten the oldest alliance.
Black Widow (2016)
Set in part in 1995 when Natasha is a child, Black Widow picks up after Captain America: Civil War, with Nat on the run and hunted. At the same time, she confronts her past and her dark origin story. Though released after Avengers: Endgame, it precedes its events by several years (apart from Black Widow’s post-credits scene).
Black Panther (2016)
After being introduced in Captain America: Civil War, Chadwick Boseman’s T’Challa returns home to Wakanda to face his destiny and duty as king, unaware that a challenge from a familiar face greets him.
Spider-Man: Homecoming (2016)
Spider-Man’s MCU origin begins, skipping the usual part about the spider bite and the dead uncle. Homecoming kicks off immediately after the events of Civil War’s big battle in Germany.
Doctor Strange (2016-2017)
Prodigious surgeon Doctor Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) seeks to overcome the effects of a devastating car crash, desperately turning to the Masters of the Mystic Arts. The fifth Infinity Stone, the Time Stone, debuts.
Thor: Ragnarok (2017)
4 years after the critical disappointment of The Dark World, Chris Hemsworth’s Thor returns for a somewhat unexpected third solo outing. With Odin’s reign ending, Thor and Loki must prevent the destruction of Asgard after Loki’s mischief threatened everything.
Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018)
Rudd’s Ant-Man and newly ascended hero Hope Van Dyne (the Wasp, played by Evangeline Lily) team up to rescue Hope’s mother Janet (Michelle Pfeiffer) from the Quantum Realm. Though released after Infinity War, Ant-Man and the Wasp precedes it (not just with its 1980s flashbacks), before the two crossover at the end.
Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
After the slow build of the Infinity Stones’ introduction across the Infinity Saga, Thanos dials things up, looking to combine the Stones to wipe out half of the universe’s living life. The shortest MCU movie in terms of time passing, Infinity War happens over only a matter of days. The final Infinity Stone – the Soul Stone – completes the collection.
2020s
Avengers: Endgame (2018-2023)
Picking up almost immediately after the events of Infinity War’s ending, Endgame is the second half of the culmination event, showing the aftermath of Thanos’ plan. Not long into the movie, the timeline jumps 5 years, skipping the MCU ahead of real-life by several years.
Shang-Chi and The Legend of the Ten Rings (2024)
After Endgame’s Blip, a new hero emerges. Simu Liu’s Shang-Chi faces his past and his destiny – both of which are told through flashbacks to 1996 – in an origin story introducing new dimensions to the MCU.
Spider-Man: Far From Home (2024)
Possibly set at exactly the same time as Shang-Chi, Spider-Man: Far From Home deals with the fallout from Endgame’s explosive ending as Peter Parker tries to rebuid his life. A new mentor emerges in the form of Jake Gyllenhaal’s Mysterio.
Eternals (2024)
Roughly eight months after the events of Avengers: Endgame (in Fall 2024), Earth’s oldest superheroes debut, revealing why they don’t interfere in any actual threat to the planet. Actually set over a timeline of thousands of years, Eternals is technically the longest of all MCU properties.
Spider-Man: No Way Home (2024)
The Multiverse Saga kicks off for real, as No Way Home brings variants to the main timeline. Originally intended to be set immediately after Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, No Way Home was shifted early, because of the real world pandemic.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2024)
As No Way Home’s ending comes at the end of 2024, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness kicks off around in Fall 2024. While it was supposed to take place prior to No Way Home, Multiverse of Madness’ events logically contradict Doctor Strange’s willing participation in No Way Home’s multiverse chaos. Unless he learns nothing.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2024-2025)
Though it kicks off with the tragic death of T’Challa in 2024, Wakanda Forever is set one year later in 2025, telling the story of the succession of Black Panther and the rise of a new threat from the seas, Namor the Submariner.
Thor: Love and Thunder (2025)
While Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is the last movie of Phase 4, Thor: Love and Thunder potentially comes after it, as confirmed by a detail in Ms Marvel, dating it to some time in 2025. Until Marvel officially confirms the actual date, this one’s arguably the most complex one to place.
The Marvels (2025)
The Marvels picks up immediately after the events of Ms. Marvel, which is set in Fall 2025. It sees Captain Marvel, Monica Rambeau and Kamala Khan brought together on a mission to thwart new villain Dar-Benn.
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2025 or Early 2026)
Confirmed to be set after Wakanda Forever (which mentions Scott Lang’s book tour as confirmation), the third Ant-Man movie has to be set some time in late 2025 or 2026. In it, Scott Lang returns to the Quantum Realm to take on a formidable new threat: Kang the Conqueror.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3 (2026)
Set after the Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special, which is set in December 2025, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3 closes out the MCU story of the team of anti-heroes somewhere in the MCU’s present day of 2026.
Every Marvel Disney Plus TV Show In Order (By Release Date)
As well as Marvel’s MCU movies, there’s now a huge number of MCU TV shows, which kicked off with WandaVision in January 2021 at the start of Marvel’s Phase 4. The majority of Disney+’s MCU TV shows tie into or spin off from the mainline Marvel movie timeline, with events on the big screen shaping reactions in the shows. Marvel have also used the TV shows to introduce new characters like She-Hulk, Ms Marvel and Moon Knight, who could all step up to the movies, and any Avengers-level crossovers in future.
Do you need to watch the Disney+ MCU TV shows to understand the movies? Not entirely. Though the MCU’s TV shows tie in to the movies, most can be enjoyed separately, with limited or no impact on upcoming Marvel movies. The exception is Tom Hiddleston’s Loki, which introduced Kang, the TVA and the multiverse threat, and WandaVision, that set up Scarlet Witch’s villain twist in Doctor Strange 2, so it’s harder to justify skipping them Here’s every MCU Disney+ TV show in order of release date.
Phase 4
MCU Phase Four Disney+ Shows
WandaVision
January 15, 2021
The Falcon & The Winter Soldier
March 19, 2021
Loki
June 9, 2021
Marvel’s What If…
August 11, 2021
Hawkeye
November 24, 2021
Moon Knight
March 30, 2022
Ms. Marvel
June 8, 2022
She-Hulk: Attorney at Law
August 18, 2022
Werewolf by Night
October 7, 2022
The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special
November 25, 2022
Phase 5
MCU Phase Four Disney+ Shows
Secret Invasion
June 21, 2023
Loki Season 2
October 5, 2023
What If…? Season 2
December 22, 2023
Echo
January 2024
Daredevil: Born Again
2024
Agatha: Darkhold Diaries
Fall 2024
Ironheart
TBC
Upcoming MCU TV Shows After Phase 5
X-Men ’97 – 2024 Spider-Man: Freshman Year – 2024 Marvel Zombies – 2024 Untitled Wakanda series – TBC Wonder Man – TBC What If…? Season 3 – TBC Vision Quest – TBC
Where To Watch The Marvel Cinematic Universe On Streaming
The majority of the MCU’s Marvel movies are on Disney+ as part of a subscription. There are currently 2 Marvel movies not on Disney+, thanks to Sony owning Spider-Man’s movie rights:
Spider-Man: No Way Home (Watch on Starz)
You can watch every other Marvel Cinematic Universe movie on Disney+.
How To Watch MCU TV Shows & Marvel Movies In Order On Disney Plus
Iron Man The Incredible Hulk Iron Man 2 Thor Captain America: The First Avenger The Avengers Iron Man 3 Thor: The Dark World Captain America: The Winter Soldier Guardians of the Galaxy Avengers: Age of Ultron Ant-Man Captain America: Civil War Doctor Strange Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 Spider-Man: Homecoming Thor: Ragnarok Black Panther Avengers: Infinity War Captain Marvel Ant-Man and the Wasp Avengers: Endgame Spider-Man: Far From Home WandaVision The Falcon and the Winter Soldier Loki Black Widow What If…? Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings Eternals Hawkeye
Spider-Man: No Way Home is not available on Disney+, but can be streamed on Starz or rented on Apple TV.
Moon Knight Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness Ms. Marvel Thor: Love and Thunder I Am Groot season 1 She-Hulk Werewolf By Night Black Panther: Wakanda Forever The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3 Secret Invasion I Am Groot season 2
Key Release Dates Captain America: Brave New World