The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is one of the most expansive and interconnected franchises in movie history, spanning dozens of films, multiple timelines, and an ever-growing list of heroes and villains. Whether you’re a first-time viewer or planning a full rewatch, figuring out the best way to watch Marvel movies can feel overwhelming.
This guide breaks down Marvel movies in order, including both release order and chronological timeline order, so you can choose the best viewing experience based on how you want to follow the story.
A quick note on scope: This guide covers the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU)—the interconnected films from Marvel Studios—plus the MCU-set Spider-Man movies starring Tom Holland. It is not a complete list of every film based on a Marvel character, so franchises such as X-Men, Venom, and earlier Spider-Man films are not included in the main viewing order.
Which Order Should You Watch Marvel Movies?
Before diving in, there are two main ways to watch the MCU:
Release Order (Recommended for most viewers)
- Matches how audiences originally experienced the story
- Preserves reveals, character arcs, and post-credit setups
- Best for first-time viewers
Chronological Order (Story timeline)
- Follows events in-universe
- Great for rewatches
- Helps clarify timeline connections
Marvel Movies in Order – Release
Watching Marvel movies in order of release is the easiest and most rewarding way to experience the MCU.
Phase 1 (The Beginning)
- Iron Man (2008)
- The Incredible Hulk (2008)
- Iron Man 2 (2010)
- Thor (2011)
- Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)
- The Avengers (2012)
This phase builds the foundation and introduces the core Avengers team.
Phase 2 (Expanding the Universe)
- Iron Man 3
- Thor: The Dark World
- Captain America: The Winter Soldier
- Guardians of the Galaxy
- Avengers: Age of Ultron
- Ant-Man
The MCU expands beyond Earth and introduces cosmic storytelling.
Phase 3 (Infinity Saga Climax)
- Captain America: Civil War
- Doctor Strange
- Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
- Spider-Man: Homecoming
- Thor: Ragnarok
- Black Panther
- Avengers: Infinity War
- Ant-Man and the Wasp
- Captain Marvel
- Avengers: Endgame
- Spider-Man: Far From Home
This phase concludes the Infinity Saga.
Phase 4–5 (Multiverse Saga Begins)
- Black Widow
- Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
- Eternals
- Spider-Man: No Way Home
- Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
- Thor: Love and Thunder
- Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
- Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania
- Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
- The Marvels (2023)
- Deadpool & Wolverine
- Captain America: Brave New World
- Thunderbolts* (2025)
- The Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025)
- Spider-Man: Brand New Day (2026)
The MCU shifts into multiverse storytelling and new heroes.
Marvel Movies in Order – Chronological
If you want to follow the story in timeline order:
- Captain America: The First Avenger
- Captain Marvel
- Iron Man
- Iron Man 2
- The Incredible Hulk
- Thor
- The Avengers
- Iron Man 3
- Thor: The Dark World
- Captain America: The Winter Soldier
- Guardians of the Galaxy
- Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
- Avengers: Age of Ultron
- Ant-Man
- Captain America: Civil War
- Black Widow
- Black Panther
- Spider-Man: Homecoming
- Doctor Strange
- Thor: Ragnarok
- Ant-Man and the Wasp
- Avengers: Infinity War
- Avengers: Endgame
- Spider-Man: Far From Home
- Spider-Man: No Way Home
- Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
- Eternals
- Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
- Thor: Love and Thunder
- Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
- Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania
- Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
- The Marvels
- Deadpool & Wolverine
- Captain America: Brave New World
- Thunderbolts*
- Spider-Man: Brand New Day
- The Fantastic Four: First Steps
👉 “This list reflects the MCU timeline based on in-universe events, though some films overlap slightly in time.” Note: Deadpool & Wolverine moves through multiple timelines, while The Fantastic Four: First Steps takes place in a separate universe. They are included here for MCU viewing purposes rather than as strictly linear Sacred Timeline events.
Want to follow the MCU through the story of its core team rather than every individual title? Read Seat42F’s Avengers timeline explained guide for the key events that take Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, Black Widow, Hulk and Hawkeye from separate heroes to Endgame and beyond.
Marvel Studios continues to expand the MCU.
The MCU doesn’t stop with movies—Disney+ shows like Loki and WandaVision play a major role in the timeline (see full breakdown below).
Best Marvel Movies to Watch First (Quick Start)
If you don’t want to watch everything, start with:
- Iron Man
- The Avengers
- Captain America: The Winter Soldier
- Black Panther
- Avengers: Infinity War
- Avengers: Endgame
This gives you the core MCU experience.
Understanding Marvel Phases
- Phases 1–3: The Infinity Saga — Iron Man through Spider-Man: Far From Home.
- Phase 4: The Multiverse Saga begins — the post-Endgame reset, new heroes and the first major Disney+ connections.
- Phase 5: The Multiverse Saga expands — bigger universe-building, new teams and escalating multiversal stakes.
- Phase 6: The Multiverse Saga continues — beginning with The Fantastic Four: First Steps and building toward the next Avengers event.
Each phase introduces:
- New heroes
- New threats
- Expanded storytelling
Where to Watch Marvel Movies
Most Marvel movies are available on Disney+, with some titles occasionally rotating to other platforms. Availability can vary, however: the MCU-set Spider-Man movies and The Incredible Hulk may move between services or be unavailable in certain territories because of separate licensing agreements.
Always check:
- Disney+
- Amazon rentals
- Apple TV rentals of purchases
Tips for Watching the MCU
- Watch post-credit scenes (they matter)
- Stick to release order if you’re new
- Use chronological order for rewatches
- Don’t skip key Avengers films
Now that you’ve seen how the Marvel movies fit together, here’s where the Disney+ shows fall in the MCU timeline.
Marvel Disney+ Shows in Timeline Order (How They Fit Into the MCU)
As the MCU expands, Marvel’s Disney+ shows have become essential to the overall story. These series introduce major characters, expand the multiverse, and directly connect to the movies.
If you want the complete Marvel timeline, here’s how the Disney+ shows fit into the MCU.
Disney+ Shows in Chronological Order
- WandaVision
👉 Set shortly after Avengers: Endgame
👉 Explores Wanda’s grief and sets up the multiverse
- The Falcon and the Winter Soldier
👉 Also post-Endgame
👉 Follows Sam Wilson’s path toward becoming Captain America
- Loki Season 1
👉 Begins during Avengers: Endgame through the time-heist timeline split
👉 Introduces the TVA, variants and the multiverse
- What If…?
👉 Explores alternate realities outside the main MCU timeline
👉 Best watched after Loki Season 1
- Hawkeye
👉 Takes place during the Christmas season after Endgame
👉 Introduces Kate Bishop and brings Clint Barton’s story into focus
- Moon Knight
👉 Mostly standalone
👉 Expands the supernatural side of the MCU
- Ms. Marvel
👉 Introduces Kamala Khan
👉 Leads directly into The Marvels
- She-Hulk: Attorney at Law
👉 Set after Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
👉 Connects several corners of the MCU through Jennifer Walters
- Secret Invasion
👉 Follows Nick Fury as he confronts a Skrull infiltration on Earth
👉 Best watched before The Marvels
- Loki Season 2
👉 Continues the TVA and multiverse storyline
👉 Sits outside a simple linear timeline, but follows Season 1 directly
- Echo
👉 Picks up Maya Lopez’s story after Hawkeye
👉 Connects directly to the street-level corner of the MCU
- Agatha All Along
👉 Returns to Westview in the aftermath of WandaVision
👉 Follows Agatha Harkness on a very different kind of magical journey
- Daredevil: Born Again
👉 Brings Matt Murdock and Wilson Fisk back to the MCU’s street-level world
👉 Works especially well after Echo
- Ironheart
👉 Follows Riri Williams after her introduction in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
👉 Expands the MCU’s technology-versus-magic side of the universe
Where the Shows Fit Into the Timeline
Most MCU Disney+ series take place after Avengers: Endgame, although several overlap and a few intentionally sit outside the normal timeline.
Post-Endgame Stories
These shows are broadly set in the years after Endgame and expand the MCU’s heroes, street-level stories, magic and cosmic corners:
- WandaVision
- The Falcon and the Winter Soldier
- Hawkeye
- Moon Knight
- Ms. Marvel
- She-Hulk: Attorney at Law
- Secret Invasion
- Echo
- Agatha All Along
- Daredevil: Born Again
- Ironheart
Multiverse and Alternate-Reality Stories
- Loki Seasons 1 and 2
- What If…?
These shows do not fit neatly into a single calendar-year order. Loki operates through the TVA and branches of time, while What If…? explores alternate versions of familiar MCU events. They are the best Disney+ starting points for viewers following the MCU’s multiverse storyline.
Do You Need to Watch the Shows?
Short answer: Not all of them—but some make the movies much richer.
The Disney+ shows are part of the MCU, but you do not need to treat every series as required homework. For a first-time watch, release order is still the easiest path. When a movie centers on a character or story introduced on Disney+, however, that show is well worth adding to your watchlist.
A few series directly feed into later films:
- WandaVision → adds essential context for Wanda in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
- The Falcon and the Winter Soldier → follows Sam Wilson’s journey toward becoming Captain America ahead of Captain America: Brave New World
- Ms. Marvel → introduces Kamala Khan before The Marvels
- Loki → provides the clearest foundation for the MCU’s multiverse and TVA storyline
- Hawkeye and Echo → deepen the MCU’s street-level world, including characters who continue into Daredevil: Born Again
The rest can be enjoyed as character-driven side trips into the larger universe. Watch what interests you, then use this guide to find the shows that connect most directly to the next movie on your list.
Best Disney+ Shows to Watch First
If you don’t want to watch everything, start with:
- WandaVision
- Loki
- The Falcon and the Winter Soldier
These have the biggest impact on the MCU storyline.
More Marvel Coverage
MORE MARVEL COVERAGE
Follow Seat42F’s Marvel coverage for the latest movie news, trailers, release dates, casting announcements, guides, reviews and more.
Thomas Miller is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Seat42F, covering television, movies and streaming entertainment. He launched Seat42F in 2007 and has spent nearly two decades covering the entertainment industry.
