MCU Timeline: How to Watch All the Marvel Movies in Order
The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) has grown into a pop-culture juggernaut since Robert Downey Jr. first suited up as Iron Man in 2008. With over 30 films and dozens of Disney+ shows, the MCU timeline can be overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be.
Whether you're a die-hard fan rewatching the saga or a newcomer diving into the multiverse, this guide walks you through all the ways you can watch the Marvel movies in order chronologically, by release date, or even by IMDb rating.
Where to Watch Marvel Movies
Most Marvel movies are available on Disney+, including the full Infinity Saga, the newer Multiverse Saga, and most Disney+ exclusive series like Loki, WandaVision, and Moon Knight.
Some titles like the Tom Holland Spider-Man trilogy and The Incredible Hulk might be found on Netflix or Amazon Prime Video depending on your region.
How to Watch the Marvel Movies in Chronological Order
Want to experience the MCU as it happened in the Marvel Universe? Here’s the chronological order of all the MCU movies and series as of mid-2025:
MCU Movies in Timeline Order:
- Captain America: The First Avenger (1942)
- Captain Marvel (1995)
- Iron Man (2008)
- Iron Man 2 (2011)
- The Incredible Hulk (2011)
- Thor (2011)
- The Avengers (2012)
- Iron Man 3 (2012)
- Thor: The Dark World (2013)
- Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)
- Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
- Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2014)
- Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)
- Ant-Man (2015)
- Captain America: Civil War (2016)
- Black Widow (2016)
- Spider-Man: Homecoming (2016)
- Doctor Strange (2016-17)
- Black Panther (2017)
- Thor: Ragnarök (2017)
- Avengers: Infinity War (2017)
- Ant-Man and the Wasp (2017)
- Avengers: Endgame (2017-2022)
- Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2023)
- Spider-Man: Far from Home (2023)
- Eternals (2023)
- Spider-Man: No Way Home (2024)
- Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2025)
- Thor: Love and Thunder (2025)
- Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2025)
- Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2026)
- Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2026)
- The Marvels (2026)
- Deadpool & Wolverine (out of timeline)
- Captain America: Brave New World (2027)
- Thunderbolts (2027)
- Fantastic Four (2028)
- Avengers: Doomsday (2028)
Marvel Movies in Release Order
Some purists say you should always start with Iron Man (2008) and experience the story the way fans did in real-time. Here's the complete MCU release order:
Phase 1 – Origin Stories
- Iron Man (2008)
- The Incredible Hulk (2008)
- Iron Man 2 (2010)
- Thor (2011)
- Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)
- The Avengers (2012)
Phase 2 – Expanding the Universe
- 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 3 – The Infinity Saga
- Captain America: Civil War (2016)
- Doctor Strange (2016)
- Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)
- Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
- Thor: Ragnarök (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 4 – New Worlds
- Black Widow (2021)
- Shang-Chi (2021)
- Eternals (2021)
- Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)
- Doctor Strange 2 (2022)
- Thor: Love and Thunder (2022)
- Wakanda Forever (2022)
Phase 5 & Beyond
- Quantumania (2023)
- Guardians Vol. 3 (2023)
- The Marvels (2023)
- Brave New World (2025)
- Thunderbolts (2025)
- Fantastic Four (2025)
- Avengers: Doomsday (2026)
- Avengers: Secret Wars (2027)
Watch by IMDb Score: Highest Rated Marvel Movies
Want to binge only the best-reviewed films? Here’s a quick breakdown of top MCU movies by IMDb score:
- Avengers: Infinity War – 8.4
- Avengers: Endgame – 8.4
- Spider-Man: No Way Home – 8.2
- The Avengers – 8.0
- Iron Man – 7.9
- Guardians of the Galaxy – 8.0
- Thor: Ragnarok – 7.9
- Civil War – 7.8
- Winter Soldier – 7.7
- Guardians Vol. 3 – 7.9
So, What’s the Best Way to Watch Marvel?
There’s no one "right" way to experience the MCU. If you want to understand the full arc and appreciate Easter eggs, watch in release order. If you're after the story flow, go chronological.
Either way, buckle up it’s going to be an epic ride.
Whether you're catching up or revisiting the saga, the MCU is a universe that rewards fans who pay attention. Pick the order that works for your style and let the stories unfold.