How to Watch the MCU in Order
The Marvel Cinematic Universe spans 30+ films and multiple TV series. Whether you are watching for the first time or doing a rewatch, here is every way to experience the MCU.
Release Order (Recommended for First-Time Viewers)
Release order preserves the surprises and narrative reveals as Marvel intended:
Phase One: The Avengers Assembled
- Iron Man (2008)
- The Incredible Hulk (2008)
- Iron Man 2 (2010)
- Thor (2011)
- Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)
- The Avengers (2012)
Phase Two
- 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)
Phase Three
- 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)
Phase Four and Beyond
- Black Widow (2021)
- Shang-Chi (2021)
- Eternals (2021)
- Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)
- Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022)
- Thor: Love and Thunder (2022)
- Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022)
- Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023)
- Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023)
- The Marvels (2023)
- Deadpool & Wolverine (2024)
Chronological Order (Best for Rewatches)
- Captain America: The First Avenger (set in 1940s)
- Captain Marvel (set in 1995)
- Iron Man (2010)
- Iron Man 2 / The Incredible Hulk / Thor (2011, roughly concurrent)
- The Avengers (2012)
- Continue by MCU timeline dates through to Avengers: Endgame and beyond
Where to Stream MCU Movies
Most MCU films are available on Disney+. Some Spider-Man films are on Netflix or available for rental. Use our Where to Watch tool for specific titles.
MCU TV Series Watch Order
For the complete Disney+ series guide, see our Marvel Disney+ Shows page. TV series should be watched between their corresponding films for the best experience.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I skip any MCU movies?
For the core storyline, the essential films are: Iron Man, The Avengers, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Guardians of the Galaxy, Avengers: Age of Ultron, Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Infinity War, and Avengers: Endgame. Everything else enriches the experience but is not strictly required.
Should I watch the Disney+ shows?
WandaVision, Loki, and Hawkeye directly impact the film storylines. Others are more self-contained. At minimum, watch WandaVision before Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
