Tom Power, senior entertainment reporter
X-Men 97 is out now on Disney plus. Even though it isn't technically an MCU project, we've updated this guide's various sections to reflect its arrival, added an X-Men specific section for their various movie and TV outings, and included in the latest information we have on other forthcoming movies and TV shows. Lastly, we've retooled our rankings section to include Rotten Tomatoes scores instead of IMDb ratings.
Want the definitive lowdown on how to watch the Marvel movies in order? You've come to the right place. In this guide, you'll learn the two best ways to stream every Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) film and TV show to date, as well as which method is best if you're a first-time viewer.
Our MCU movies in order guide is packed with other important information, too. From vital information on every forthcoming Marvel Phase 5 and Marvel Phase 6 project and where you can stream each current entry (spoiler: most are on Disney Plus), there's plenty to wrap your eyes around with our Marvel expert's help. So, what are you waiting for? Throw on your favorite Marvel superhero cosplay and dive in!
What's the best order to watch the Marvel movies for the first time?
Gearing up to stream the Marvel movies in order for the first time? You should opt for the release date method, which we explain in more detail later in this article.
Streaming some of the best superhero films and best Disney Plus shows in chronological order is great if you're an established fan. Doing so gives you a new perspective on how events play out and means you won't get bored of watching them in the same order time and again.
However, if you watch them in chronological order, things become messy from an MCU timeline perspective. Streaming them in a linear fashion means that events depicted in one film can bizarrely precede what happens in another.
A classic example of this is 2010's Captain America: The First Avenger, which is primarily set during World War II, but whose ending takes place in 2010 with Steve Rogers waking up in 'present day' New York and meeting Nick Fury. However, we're supposed to meet Fury in 2008's Iron Man first. So, if you watch the Marvel movies in order of chronology, you'll meet Fury in Cap's maiden film first before seeing him in Iron Man, which can makes things tricky to follow from a timeline viewpoint.
Watching the Marvel movies chronologically, then, isn't a good place to start for first-timers. If that's you, stick with the release date order method.
How to watch the Marvel movies in chronological order
Best for: MCU fans who want to try something new.
Here's how to watch the Marvel movies in chronological order, aka the year they're set. We've listed every film and TV show in the order they take place on the Marvel timeline, which are denoted by the year in which they're set.
Thanks to Avengers: Endgame, which takes place in 2023, the MCU timeline has become more complex. Luckily, the Marvel movies timeline has become much easier to follow, with Marvel releasing an Official Timeline book that reveals when most films and TV series takes place. Even better, in February, Marvel debuted three new MCU timelines on Disney Plus that make things even easier to follow. With that vital information now available to us, we can definitively state when each film and TV series takes place. Well, except for X-Men 97, an animated sequel to X-Men: The Animated Series that sits independent of the MCU. We've tacked that on at the end of this section to avoid any confusion.
Captain America: The First Avenger
Cap's first adventure was the fifth Marvel movie released in theaters. However, it's set in the 1940s, so stream this one first when watching the films chronologically.
Captain Marvel
Carol Danvers didn't burst onto the scene until MCU Phase 3, but her origins story is set in 1995.
The film that kickstarted the MCU is technically the third Marvel movie in order of chronology. Tony Stark's heel turn from weapons expert to superhero takes place between February and May 2008.
Following swiftly on its predecessor's heels, Stark's second solo flick occurs between May and June 2010.
The Stark MCU appearances keep coming – this time, he cameos at the end of the Hulk's first (and only) solo MCU movie, which also takes place in mid-2010.
The god of thunder stormed his way into the MCU in mid-2010, around the same time as The Incredible Hulk and Iron Man 2.
With the MCU's original major players established, we finally got the superhero movie of our dreams when the Avengers officially formed in May 2012.
Thor's second cinematic adventure is set in late 2013.
Iron Man's third and final solo movie takes place around Christmas 2013.
Captain America: The Winter Soldier
Set in early 2014, Cap's second solo flick was the first Marvel film to explore genres outside of the superhero field.
Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 1
Star-Lord's lovable ragtag crew were first introduced to a wider audience in spectacularly humorous and music-laced fashion in late 2014.
Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2
The Guardians' second movie takes place a few months after its first.
I Am Groot seasons 1 and 2
The first Marvel Disney Plus show to appear in this list, I Am Groot's family-friendly two-season series is set around Guardians Volume 2.
Avengers: Age of Ultron
The superhero ensemble reunited for another tentpole offering in May 2015 – this time, taking down the menacing AI/super-bot known as Ultron.
Earth's mightiest miniature hero made his in-universe debut in July 2015.
The third Captain America film was a mini-Avengers movie in all but name. It's set between May and June 2016, and sees the group disband over the divisive Sokovia Accords, though it also introduced us to two of the most beloved MCU heroes in Spider-Man and Black Panther.
The first Marvel Phase 4 flick, Black Widow was released in 2021 but is actually set just after Civil War's events.
Marvel's first Best Picture Oscar nominee takes place alongside Civil War and Black Widow in mid-2016.
Spider-Man: Homecoming
After confusing fans for years with its "eight years later" timecard, Spidey's first MCU solo movie is actually set in September 2016.
Spread across February 2016 and early 2017, this film introduced audiences to the Sorcerer Supreme. Or, rather, the former Sorcerer Supreme – Strange being replaced by Wong due to Infinity War's events, but more on that later.
Thor: Ragnarok
The last movie to launch in theaters before that Thanos moment, Thor: Ragnarok takes place in late 2017.
Avengers: Infinity War
The Marvel movie that changed it all. We witnessed our heroes lose for a first, catastrophic time in the third Avengers movie, which occurs in early 2018.
Events in Ant-Man's second film run concurrent to Infinity War.
Avengers: Endgame
This is where things get messy from a Marvel movies in chronological order perspective. Endgame begins in 2018 but ends in October 2023.
One of two Marvel TV shows to span the entire Marvel multiverse, Loki is best watched after Avengers: Endgame.
Set immediately after its predecessor, so stream this one after season 1.
Like Loki, What If...? is a multiversal affair. Neither season is set in a particular year, so they're best streamed after Endgame.
Per Marvel's Official Timeline book, this takes place in November 2023.
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
Shang-Chi's MCU debut contains flashbacks to his childhood, so it could be listed earlier. However, the bulk of the film is set in early 2024.
Marvel's Official Timeline book confirms this show takes place in May 2024.
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier
Sam Wilson and Buck Barnes' team up series is set in mid-2024.
Spider-Man: Far From Home
Occurs eight months after Endgame, aka around June and July 2024.
The official MCU Timeline book confirms it begins in mid-2024 and runs through to early 2025.
This one could technically be the first entry in our Marvel movies in chronological order list as it begins 7,000 years before 2010's Captain America. Like Shang-Chi, though, it's mostly set in late 2024.
Thanks to the Halloween and Christmas/Holiday season decorations seen throughout this movie, we know it's set in late 2024.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
Strange's multiverse-spanning sequel takes place after Spider-Man: No Way Home. Marvel's official timeline places it in November 2024, preceding what happens in Hawkeye.
Just like No Way Home, Hawkeye's first solo adventure occurs around Christmas 2024.
Set five months after Hawkeye's ending, which places it around May 2025.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
You'd think this one is set in 2024, given its main events take place a year after T'Challa dies. T'Challa appeared in 2023's Endgame, so that would make sense. However, it's set in May 2025.
The official Marvel timeline book places Kamala Khan's series in October 2025.
Thor's fourth solo movie is set in October 2025. We know this as he tells former flame Jane Foster that it's been over eight years since they split up. Meanwhile, he tells Loki in 2017's Ragnarok that the pair mutually broke up. Add eight years to 2017 and you get 2025. Simple.
The first MCU Special Presentation is the most difficult production to pin down in this Marvel movies in order of chronology list. Our opinion? It's set in the MCU's 'present', which puts it in late 2025.
Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special
As it takes place prior to Guardians of the Galaxy 3, it's set around Christmas 2025.
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania
We originally thought this one ran concurrent to Black Panther 2, but the complete MCU timeline on Disney Plus places it between the Guardians' last two MCU outings. Therefore, it must take place in late 2025.
Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3
Given it follows their Holiday Special, Guardians Vol. 3 is set a few months after the above special's festive-themed events.
Set in the MCU's 'present'. The TV show's first episode confirms that this Nick Fury-starring series takes place in 2025.
The Marvels
Takes place not long after the end of Secret Invasion.
The long overdue sequel to beloved show X-Men: The Animated Series. Unlike its contemporaries, it sits independent of the MCU, so it's technically not part of the official Marvel timeline. As it's a Marvel Studios production, though, it's worth watching. To make things easier, we've stuck it at the end of this guide, but you can watch it any time you like.
How to watch the Marvel movies in release date order
Best for: first-time viewers.
Want to watch the Marvel movies in release date order? Try this list instead. You'll start with 2008's Iron Man and end with X-Men 97, which debuted with a two-episode premiere on Disney Plus in March.
As you'll be watching each film and TV show by the years they were released, it's an easier blueprint to follow than streaming them in chronological order.
- Iron Man (2008)
- The Incredible Hulk (2008)
- Iron Man 2 (2010)
- Thor (2011)
- Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)
- The Avengers (2012)
- Iron Man 3 (2013)
- Thor: The Dark World (2013)
- Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)
- Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
- Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)
- Ant-Man (2015)
- Captain America: Civil War (2016)
- Doctor Strange (2016)
- Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)
- Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
- Thor: Ragnarok (2017)
- Black Panther (2018)
- Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
- Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018)
- Captain Marvel (2019)
- Avengers: Endgame (2019)
- Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019)
- WandaVision (TV show, 2021)
- The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (TV show, 2021)
- Loki season 1(TV show, 2021)
- Black Widow (2021)
- What If...? (TV show, 2021)
- Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021)
- Eternals (2021)
- Hawkeye (TV show, 2021)
- Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)
- Moon Knight (TV show, 2022)
- Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022)
- Ms Marvel (TV show, 2022)
- Thor: Love and Thunder (2022)
- I Am Groot (TV show, 2022)
- She-Hulk: Attorney at Law (TV show, 2022)
- Werewolf by Night (TV special, 2022)
- Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022)
- Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special (TV special, 2022)
- Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023)
- Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023)
- Secret Invasion (TV show, 2023)
- Loki season 2 (TV show, 2023)
- The Marvels (2023)
- What If...? season 2 (TV show, 2023)
- Echo (TV show, 2024)
- X-Men 97 (TV show, 2024)
How to watch the Avengers movies in order
Best for: fans who only want to watch the Avengers movies.
We already covered the best way to stream the Avengers films in the sections above. If you only want to stream these specific Marvel movies in order, though, this is how to do so.
- The Avengers (2012)
- Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)
- Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
- Avengers: Endgame (2019)
How to watch the Netflix Marvel TV shows in order
Best for: viewers who want to understand Daredevil's MCU arrival.
She-Hulk episode 8 seemingly revealed Netflix's Daredevil TV show is canon in the MCU in September 2022. Brad Winderbaum, Marvel Studios' Head of TV, has since confirmed they're all officially canon in the MCU – and, with every Netflix Marvel TV show is available to stream on Disney Plus, now's as good a time as any to catch up on them if you missed them during their original runs on Netflix.
If you're wondering why we haven't included them in our chronological timeline section, we won't be doing so until Daredevil: Born Again – the sequel series to Netflix's Daredevil TV show – arrives on Disney Plus. Besides, we don't know when the Netflix Marvel shows are set, so we wouldn't want to complicate things further by incorrectly placing them on the definitive MCU timeline.
- Daredevil season 1 (April 2015)
- Jessica Jones season 1 (November 2015)
- Daredevil season 2 (March 2016)
- Luke Cage season 1 (September 2016)
- Iron Fist season 1 (March 2017)
- The Defenders (August 2017)
- The Punisher season 1 (November 2017)
- Jessica Jones season 2 (March 2018)
- Luke Cage season 2 (June 2018)
- Iron Fist season 2 (September 2018)
- Daredevil season 3 (October 2018)
- The Punisher season 2 (January 2019)
- Jessica Jones season 3 (June 2019)
How to watch the X-Men movies and TV shows in order
Best for: diehard X-Men fans and/or those wanting to catch up on the mutants' many projects.
We already have a dedicated guide on how to watch the X-Men movies in order. But, if you want a brief rundown on how to stream them (and any X-Men-adjacent flicks) via their release dates, read the list below.
- X-Men: The Animated Series (1992 – 1997)
- X-Men (2000)
- X-2: X-Men United (2003)
- X-Men: The Last Stand (2006)
- X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009)
- X-Men: First Class (2011)
- The Wolverine (2013)
- X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014)
- Deadpool (2016)
- X-Men: Apocalypse (2016)
- Logan (2017)
- Legion (2017 – 2019)
- Deadpool 2 (2018)
- Dark Phoenix (2019)
- The New Mutants (2020)
- X-Men 97 (2024)
What Marvel movies and TV shows are coming out soon?
Here's every Marvel movie and TV show coming in 2024 and beyond.
You should not, though, that Marvel is in the process of revising its release schedule. Indeed, in the wake of the 2023 Hollywood strikes, Marvel's firing of Jonathan Majors as Kang the Conqueror, and numerous other issues that have plagued the studio, it's regularly chopped and changed the order of its slate of movies and TV shows.
Indeed, Deadpool 3 is the only Marvel movie that'll arrive in 2024, with other theatrical releases seeing their launch dates swapped at will by the Disney subsidiary. Many of its forthcoming TV shows don't have confirmed release dates, either. As of March 2024, then, the below list is the most up-to-date guide we have on which productions will arrive (and, in some cases, when) soon.
- Deadpool and Wolverine (July 26, 2024)
- Agatha: Darkhold Diaries (TV show, expected in 2024)
- Eyes of Wakanda (animated TV show, expected in 2024)
- Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man (animated TV show, expected in 2024)
- Captain America: Brave New World (February 14, 2025)
- Thunderbolts (May 2, 2025)
- The Fantastic Four (July 25, 2025)
- Blade (November 7, 2025)
- Daredevil: Born Again (TV show, expected 2025)
- Avengers 5 (May 1, 2026)
- Avengers 6 (May 7, 2027)
- Armor Wars (TBC)
- Ironheart (TV show, TBC)
- Marvel Zombies (animated TV show, TBC)
- Spider-Man 4 (TBC)
- What If...? season 3 (TV show, TBC)
- Wonder Man (TV show, TBC)
How many Marvel movies are there?
33 MCU movies have been released so far. By the end of 2027, there could be 42 movies (if the above group isn't delayed further) to fit in our Marvel movies in order guide.
If you want to watch all of the Marvel movies in order, you'll need to set aside 4,351 minutes – that's over 72.5 hours or 3.02 total days. Add in every MCU TV show and specials, and it'll take around 7,615 minutes (126.9 hours or 5.28 days) to watch everything.
Now that Netflix's Marvel TV shows are also canon in the MCU, you can even add in its six shows' near-161-hour total runtime into the equation. Do that and you'll have to set aside 287.9 hours, or a monstrous 12 days, to stream every single piece of Marvel content. Phew!
Where to watch the Marvel movies
You can stream the vast majority of the Marvel movies in order, as well as the TV shows, on Disney Plus (read our Disney Plus review while you're here).
There are plenty of caveats to that, though.
None of the Spider-Man movies – those in and outside of the MCU – are available on Disney Plus UK. British-based fans can catch Spider-Man: Homecoming, Spider-Man: Far From Home, Spider-Man: No Way Home, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, Venom, and Morbius on Netflix instead.
In the US, the Tobey Maguire Spider-Man trilogy, Andrew Garfield's The Amazing Spider-Man movies, Spider-Man: Homecoming, Spider-Man: Far From Home, and Venom are available on Disney Plus. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse and the two Andrew Garfield-starring Spidey films are also available on Netflix. No Way Home and Into the Spider-Verse are only available on Fubo. Echo can be watched on Hulu until early April as well.
Meanwhile, Australian viewers can stream Tobey Maguire's movies on Netflix, Binge, and Foxtel, while the Garfield-led movies are on Netflix. Spider-Man: Homecoming can be streamed on Binge and Foxtel, Far From Home is on Disney Plus, Netflix, and Prime Video, and No Way Home is viewable on Netflix and Foxtel. Lastly, Into the Spider-Verse is on Netflix, Prime Video, Binge, and Foxtel, while Across the Spider-Verse is available on Binge and Prime Video.
Marvel movies in order: all MCU films and TV shows ranked
For us, the four Avengers movies are the best MCU films, but the whole thing is subjective. You can check our best Marvel movies piece for more on our rankings of each flick.
We've also listed the Marvel movies and TV shows in order based on their Rotten Tomatoes critical scores. So, if you want to know what other people think of each MCU film and series, Sony's Spider-Man Universe flicks, and Netflix's Marvel TV shows, read on.
- Ms Marvel (2022) – 98%
- Black Panther (2018) – 96%
- Avengers: Endgame (2019) – 94%
- Iron Man (2008) – 94%
- The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special (2022) – 94%
- Thor: Ragnarok (2017) – 93%
- Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021) – 93%
- Daredevil (2015 - 2018) – 92%
- Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017) – 92%
- Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.1 (2014) – 92%
- WandaVision (2021) – 92%
- Hawkeye (2021) – 92%
- Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021) – 91%
- Captain America: Civil War (2016) – 91%
- The Avengers (2012) – 91%
- Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019) – 91%
- What If...? (2021 - 2023) – 91%
- Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014) – 90%
- Doctor Strange (2016) – 89%
- Werewolf by Night (2022) – 89%
- I Am Groot (2022 - 2023) – 88%
- Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018) – 87%
- Loki (2021 - 2023) – 87%
- Luke Cage (2016 - 2018) – 87%
- Agent Carter (2015 - 2016) – 86%
- Moon Knight (2022) – 86%
- Avengers: Infinity War (2018) – 85%
- Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017) – 85%
- The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (2021) – 85%
- Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022) – 83%
- Ant-Man (2015) – 83%
- Jessica Jones (2015 - 2019) – 83%
- Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023) – 82%
- Captain America: The First Avenger (2011) – 80%
- Captain Marvel (2019) – 79%
- Black Widow (2021) – 79%
- Iron Man 3 (2013) – 79%
- The Defenders (2017) – 78%
- Thor (2011) – 77%
- She-Hulk: Attorney at Law (2022) – 77%
- Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015) – 76%
- Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022) – 73%
- Iron Man 2 (2010) – 72%
- Echo (2024) – 71%
- Thor: The Dark World (2013) – 67%
- The Incredible Hulk (2008) – 67%
- The Punisher (2017 - 2019) – 65%
- Thor: Love and Thunder (2022) – 63%
- The Marvels (2023) – 62%
- Venom: Let There Be Carnage (2021) – 57%
- Secret Invasion (2023) – 53%
- Eternals (2021) – 47%
- Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023) – 46%
- Iron Fist (2017 - 2018) – 37%
- Venom (2018) – 30%
- Morbius (2022) – 15%
For more Marvel movies in order content, find out how to watch the Spider-Man movies in order and/or check out our Marvel villains ranked list.
