Wondering what order to watch the mcu movies in? It is a question many folks ask, and for good reason. The Marvel Cinematic Universe, or MCU, is a massive collection of stories, and figuring out where to begin or how to rewatch it can feel a bit tricky. You might feel a little lost with so many films and shows to pick from, so we are here to help.
There are, you know, a couple of main ways to approach an mcu rewatch if you want to have some sense of order. Some people like to watch everything just as it came out in theaters, which is a pretty common way to go about it. Others, though, prefer to see the story unfold in its true timeline, from the very first event to the latest one.
Now suit up, because we're bringing a list of the marvel movies in order to you. This guide will help you sort through all the different ways to enjoy these fantastic tales. Just a heads up, there might be spoilers ahead for the entire marvel cinematic universe, so proceed with a bit of care if you haven't seen everything.
Table of Contents
- Understanding the Marvel Cinematic Universe
- Watching Marvel Movies by Release Date
- Watching Marvel Movies in Chronological Order (Story Timeline)
- Choosing Your Marvel Watch Through: Release vs. Chronological
- Frequently Asked Questions About Marvel Movies
Understanding the Marvel Cinematic Universe
It's interesting to note that, in short, all mcu movies are marvel movies, but not all marvel movies are part of the mcu. This distinction is quite important for anyone trying to figure out a watch order. The MCU is a shared story world, where characters and events from one film or show connect with others. It's like one big, long story told in many different parts, you know, all building on each other.
Other Marvel films, like those from different studios, might feature characters you know, but they don't connect to the main MCU storyline. So, when we talk about watching all marvel movies in order, we are usually talking about the ones that truly belong to this specific connected world. This helps keep things, you know, a bit clear.
For your timekeeping benefit, here's a list of every single mcu title, both movies and tv shows, in chronological order. So far, the mcu consists of 36 movies, 31 seasons of tv shows, two specials, and eight one-shots. That is quite a lot of content to get through, so having a good plan really helps. We will focus mostly on the movies here, but it's good to remember the other parts too.
Watching Marvel Movies by Release Date
One of the simplest ways to watch all marvel movies in order is to follow the way they came out in theaters. This is, in a way, how most people first experienced the story. The creators put them out this way for a reason, building suspense and introducing new characters at just the right moments. This list includes all the movies in the marvel cinematic universe (mcu) arranged by their release dates, which is a pretty straightforward approach.
Every marvel watch through should begin with Iron Man if you go by release date. This film kicked everything off, setting the tone for what was to come. It introduced Tony Stark, a very clever inventor, and gave us a look at the kind of heroes we would meet later. The order in which they were released also shows how the story grew over time, adding more heroes and bigger threats as things went on.
Phase One: Building the Foundation
Phase One really started the whole thing. It brought together the first group of heroes who would become the Avengers. This part of the story, you know, set up the big team-up that everyone was waiting for. It introduced key characters and gave them their own beginnings before they all joined forces. This section is very important for seeing how the universe first took shape.
- Iron Man (2008): This is where it all began, with Tony Stark becoming a hero. It pretty much showed what the MCU would be like.
- The Incredible Hulk (2008): A different look at Bruce Banner and his powerful alter ego. It was, you know, a bit darker.
- Iron Man 2 (2010): Tony Stark deals with new challenges and introduces more characters like Black Widow. It shows his struggles, actually.
- Thor (2011): We meet the god of thunder from Asgard, who learns about life on Earth. It was quite a big step for the universe.
- Captain America: The First Avenger (2011): This film takes us back in time to meet Steve Rogers, a very brave soldier. It sets up a lot of the history, you know.
- The Avengers (2012): The first big team-up, bringing all these heroes together to save the world. It was, like, a huge event.
Phase Two: Expanding the Universe
After the first big team-up, Phase Two started to really spread out the story. It showed us what happened after the Avengers saved the day, and it introduced even more new characters and ideas. This phase, you know, explored different parts of the universe, both on Earth and in space. It also started to hint at bigger things to come, which was pretty exciting.
- Iron Man 3 (2013): Tony Stark deals with the aftermath of the New York battle and faces new threats. It shows a different side of him, actually.
- Thor: The Dark World (2013): Thor returns to Asgard to face a very old enemy. It builds on the cosmic side of things, you know.
- Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014): A spy thriller that changed a lot of what we thought we knew about certain organizations. It was very impactful.
- Guardians of the Galaxy (2014): A new team of space misfits goes on a cosmic adventure. It was, like, a really fun addition.
- Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015): The Avengers face a powerful robot villain they accidentally created. It was a big challenge for them, you know.
- Ant-Man (2015): We meet Scott Lang, a small hero with a big heart. It introduced a different kind of hero, actually.
Phase Three: The Infinity Saga's Peak
Phase Three brought the first big story arc, the Infinity Saga, to its powerful close. This is where all the different story threads started to come together for a huge, very dramatic finish. It introduced some truly powerful villains and made us care a lot about the heroes. This phase, you know, built up to some of the biggest moments in movie history, really.
- Captain America: Civil War (2016): Heroes take sides in a big argument, leading to a huge fight among them. It was, like, a very emotional film.
- Doctor Strange (2016): A brilliant surgeon learns about magic and other dimensions. It added a whole new element, you know.
- Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017): The space team continues their adventures and learns more about Peter Quill's family. It was pretty funny, too.
- Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017): Peter Parker balances high school life with being a friendly neighborhood hero. It was, you know, a fresh take.
- Thor: Ragnarok (2017): Thor tries to save Asgard from destruction in a very colorful and humorous adventure. It was quite different for him.
- Black Panther (2018): We visit the advanced nation of Wakanda and meet its king, T'Challa. It was, like, a truly important film.
- Avengers: Infinity War (2018): All the heroes come together to face the mighty Thanos. It was a very intense experience, you know.
- Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018): Scott Lang and Hope van Dyne go on a new adventure involving the Quantum Realm. It was a bit lighter after the big one.
- Captain Marvel (2019): We go back to the 1990s to learn about Carol Danvers, a very powerful hero. It shows her origins, actually.
- Avengers: Endgame (2019): The heroes try to undo Thanos's actions in a truly epic conclusion. It was, you know, the end of a big story.
- Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019): Peter Parker deals with the aftermath of big events while on a school trip. It wrapped up Phase Three, really.
Phase Four: New Beginnings
Phase Four started after the Infinity Saga ended, bringing in new stories and new heroes. This phase, you know, began to explore different ideas and introduce characters who would shape the future of the MCU. It also brought in more television shows that connected directly to the movies, which was a bit of a change. This section shows how the universe keeps growing, you know, in different directions.
- Black Widow (2021): Natasha Romanoff confronts her past in this solo adventure. It was a look back at her story, actually.
- Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021): A new hero with amazing martial arts skills enters the scene. It was a very exciting introduction.
- Eternals (2021): A group of ancient beings who have been watching humanity for centuries step forward. It introduced a lot of new ideas, you know.
- Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021): Peter Parker faces a challenge that brings in characters from other universes. It was, like, a huge fan favorite.
- Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022): Doctor Strange explores different realities with a new ally. It was pretty wild, you know.
- Thor: Love and Thunder (2022): Thor goes on a quest for inner peace but finds a new threat. It had a lot of humor, actually.
- Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022): The people of Wakanda fight to protect their home after a great loss. It was a very moving film.
Phase Five and Beyond: The Multiverse Saga
We are now moving into Phase Five, which is part of what is called the Multiverse Saga. This current part of the story, you know, promises to explore even more realities and bring in even more characters. It's a very exciting time for fans, as the stories continue to get bigger and more connected. The future looks pretty vast, actually, with many more adventures to come.
- Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023): Scott Lang and his family explore the Quantum Realm and face a new big bad. It was, you know, a strong start to this phase.
- Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023): The beloved space team goes on a very emotional final adventure together. It was a tear-jerker for many, actually.
- The Marvels (2023): Captain Marvel, Ms. Marvel, and Monica Rambeau team up. It was a fun triple hero story, you know.
Watching Marvel Movies in Chronological Order (Story Timeline)
Here's how to watch all 35 marvel movies chronologically in order of story. This way of watching lets you see the events unfold as they happened within the story itself, not just when they came out. It can give you a different sense of how everything connects, which is pretty neat. Some people feel this is the best way to truly grasp the flow of the overall narrative, you know, seeing the history as it plays out.
All that being said, here's the real order you should watch the movies if you want to follow the story's timeline. This means putting films that happen earlier in the story first, even if they were released much later. It's a bit like putting together a very big puzzle, you know, piece by piece to see the full picture.
Starting with The First Avenger
Every marvel watch through should begin with The First Avenger when you go by chronological order. This film is set during World War II, making it the earliest story in the MCU timeline. It introduces us to Captain America and the very first cosmic item, the Tesseract. This is, you know, a good starting point if you want to see the story from its absolute beginning, even before Iron Man's time.
Here is the mcu timeline as per chronological order, including the movies. This order tries to place each film where its main events fit into the overall story, which can sometimes mean jumping around release dates. It's a different way to experience the saga, giving you a fresh perspective, actually.
- Captain America: The First Avenger: Takes place in the 1940s.
- Captain Marvel: Set in the 1990s.
- Iron Man: The very first film released, but later in the timeline.
- Iron Man 2: Follows soon after the first Iron Man.
- The Incredible Hulk: Roughly around the same time as Iron Man 2.
- Thor: Also around the same period as Iron Man 2 and Hulk.
- The Avengers: The first big team-up, a significant event in the timeline.
- Thor: The Dark World: Occurs after The Avengers.
- Iron Man 3: Also takes place after The Avengers, showing Tony's struggles.
- Captain America: The Winter Soldier: A few years after The Avengers.
- Guardians of the Galaxy: Set in 2014, far away from Earth's events.
- Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2: Happens just a few months after the first Guardians film.
- Avengers: Age of Ultron: A major event in 2015.
- Ant-Man: Takes place shortly after Age of Ultron.
- Captain America: Civil War: Set in 2016, a big turning point.
- Black Widow: Takes place after Civil War, but before Infinity War.
- Spider-Man: Homecoming: Also set after Civil War.
- Doctor Strange: Events span from 2016 to 2017.
- Black Panther: Set in 2017.
- Thor: Ragnarok: Takes place around the same time as Doctor Strange and Black Panther.
- Ant-Man and the Wasp: Occurs just before Infinity War, and then during it.
- Avengers: Infinity War: A massive event in 2018.
- Avengers: Endgame: Begins in 2018, then jumps to 2023 for most of the film.
- Spider-Man: Far From Home: Set about eight months after Endgame.
- Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings: Takes place after Endgame.
- Eternals: Also set after Endgame.
- Spider-Man: No Way Home: Happens right after Far From Home.
- Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness: Set after No Way Home.
- Thor: Love and Thunder: Takes place after Endgame and other Phase Four films.
- Black Panther: Wakanda Forever: Set after Endgame and other Phase Four films.
- Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania: Occurs after the events of Phase Four.
- Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3: Takes place after Quantumania.
- The Marvels: Set after Ms. Marvel TV series and Secret Invasion.
Integrating TV Shows and Specials
For your timekeeping benefit, here's a list of every single mcu title, both movies and tv shows, in chronological order. While this article focuses mostly on the movies, it's good to remember that the MCU also includes many television shows and special presentations. These often fill in gaps between movies or introduce new characters and concepts that become important later. So far, the mcu consists of 36 movies, 31 seasons of tv shows, two specials, and eight one-shots. Including these makes the chronological order even more detailed and, you know, sometimes a bit more complex to follow.
The TV shows, like WandaVision or Loki, often pick up right after big movie events, or they show what other characters were doing during those times. For a truly complete chronological watch, you would need to weave these in at their proper points. This can be, you know, a very long watch through, but it gives a very full picture of the universe as it grows.

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