- Quick Summary: This guide explains how to watch Marvel movies in chronological order, tracing the MCU timeline from Captain America: The First Avenger through the Infinity Saga and newer alternate-reality stories. Most of these stories are available to watch on Disney+.
Watching the Marvel movies chronologically offers a different perspective on the MCU, allowing you to follow Steve Rogers’ World War II origins to the cosmic adventures that shape the Infinity Saga and beyond. However, the chronological timeline can be confusing, particularly as newer movies introduce stories set in different eras and alternate realities.
This guide breaks down how to watch every Marvel movie in chronological order, explaining where each film fits in the MCU timeline and what to expect from its story.
Every Marvel Movie in Chronological Order
Here’s every Marvel movie in chronological order, from the earliest events in the MCU timeline to its latest adventures.
Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)
Set in 1942, Captain America: The First Avenger tells the origin story of how frail Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) becomes the MCU superhero many fans love.
After receiving the Super-Soldier Serum, Rogers transforms into the super-soldier Captain America during World War II and battles HYDRA as he tries to stop the Red Skull (Hugo Weaving) from using the Tesseract to rule the world.
The film also explores Rogers’ connection to Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan), who would go on to become a major part of the MCU.
- Where to Watch: Disney+
The Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025)
Marvel’s First Family finally made their way to the MCU with The Fantastic Four: First Steps.
Set in an alternate retro-futuristic world of the 1960s, the film follows the Fantastic Four – Reed Richards (Pedro Pascal), Sue Storm (Vanessa Kirby), Ben Grimm (Ebon Moss-Bachrach), and Johnny Storm (Joseph Quinn) – as they face the planet-devouring cosmic threat of Galactus (Ralph Ineson) and his herald, the Silver Surfer (Julia Garner), while protecting their world.
While this film is set in the '60s, it actually takes place in an alternative timeline to the bulk of the MCU movies. That means you could also watch it after Thunderbolts and not be out of place. In fact, watching it later in the MCU timeline could be beneficial due to the way it sets up the events of Avengers: Doomsday... We won't give anything else away.
- Where to Watch: Disney+
Captain Marvel (2019)
Set in 1995, Captain Marvel tells the story of how Carol Danvers (Brie Larson) becomes Captain Marvel and gains incredible powers as she uncovers the truth about her past and the Kree-Skrull conflict.
The film also reveals how she meets Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) and introduces the technology that leads to his iconic pager, which becomes an important connection to the greater MCU.
- Where to Watch: Disney+
Iron Man (2008)
The first movie that started the MCU, Iron Man introduces the world-famous industrialist and master engineer Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.), who builds the first Iron Man suit to escape terrorists after being captured. But despite being known as a billionaire weapons manufacturer, he later uses the suit to become the superhero everyone knows and loves.
As the film introduces Tony as one of the MCU’s central heroes, its post-credits scene featuring Nick Fury sets the stage for the formation of the Avengers.
- Where to Watch: Disney+
Iron Man 2 (2010)
Tony Stark faces new enemies and government pressure as he refuses to share his Iron Man suit technology, despite the consequences that are slowly killing him. Here, he goes up against Russian scientist Ivan Vanko (Mickey Rourke), who creates his own version of the suit and plots revenge against the Stark family.
The sequel also introduces Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson), aka Black Widow, further expanding the group of heroes who would eventually become the Avengers.
- Where to Watch: Disney+
The Incredible Hulk (2008)
The Incredible Hulk shows how Bruce Banner (Edward Norton; later changed to Mark Ruffalo) becomes the monstrous Hulk after being used in a military experiment to reinvigorate the “super-soldier” program through gamma radiation. As he goes on the run, he tries his best to find a cure.
The film establishes Hulk as another major MCU hero, with Tony Stark’s appearance connecting his story to the upcoming Avengers team.
- Where to Watch: Disney+
Thor (2011)
Thor (Chris Hemsworth) is banished from Asgard and sent to Earth to learn humility after reigniting an ancient war. Stripped of his powers and his hammer, Mjolnir, he must prove himself worthy while his brother, Loki (Tom Hiddleston), plots to take the Asgardian throne.
In addition to introducing Thor, Loki, and Asgard, the film also introduces the Nine Realms, establishing characters and mythology that would become a major part of the MCU.
- Where to Watch: Disney+
The Avengers (2012)
Nick Fury and the spy agency S.H.I.E.L.D. bring together Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, Hulk, Black Widow, and Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) for the first Avengers movie, The Avengers, to stop Loki and his invading army from conquering Earth.
Featuring their first-ever battle together, the film establishes the Avengers as the MCU’s main superhero team and introduces the Mind Stone, one of the six powerful Infinity Stones, through Loki’s scepter.
- Where to Watch: Disney+
Thor: The Dark World (2013)
After battling each other, Thor and Loki work together to stop the Dark Elf Malekith (Christopher Eccleston) from using the Aether to plunge the Nine Realms into darkness. The Aether is later revealed to be the Reality Stone, further connecting the movie to the Infinity Saga.
- Where to Watch: Disney+
Iron Man 3 (2013)
Tony Stark returns for his third standalone movie as he grapples with the aftermath of the Battle of New York in The Avengers, while a national terrorism campaign led by the mysterious terrorist known as the Mandarin unfolds across the US.
As the film explores Tony’s trauma following the battle, it also features his development beyond the Iron Man armor and shows that his identity as a hero extends beyond the suit.
- Where to Watch: Disney+
Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)
Steve Rogers, Natasha Romanoff, and the newly introduced Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) uncover a conspiracy within S.H.I.E.L.D. as they come face-to-face with the mysterious assassin known as the Winter Soldier.
The film reveals that Bucky Barnes survived his apparent death in Captain America: The First Avenger and also changes the MCU by dismantling S.H.I.E.L.D.
- Where to Watch: Disney+
Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
The MCU journey expands beyond Earth in Guardians of the Galaxy, introducing Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) and a group of extraterrestrial criminals who are forced to work together after discovering an Infinity Stone that could threaten the galaxy.
In addition to introducing the Guardians, the film also introduces Thanos (Josh Brolin) and the Power Stone, further expanding the Infinity Saga.
- Where to Watch: Disney+
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2014)
The Guardians continue their adventures in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 as they travel throughout the cosmos, helping Peter learn more about his mysterious parentage and uncovering the truth about his father, Ego (Kurt Russell).
The film deepens the relationships between the Guardians while introducing characters and events that become important to the MCU’s upcoming cosmic stories.
- Where to Watch: Disney+
Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)
After the intergalactic madness of the Guardians of the Galaxy movies, we return to Earth, where Tony Stark accidentally creates Ultron (James Spader).
Ultron is an artificial intelligence being, but one that goes rogue after realizing human extinction is the only way to achieve world peace. The Avengers assemble to stop Ultron from dropping the city of Sokovia from the sky.
- Where to Watch: Disney+
Ant-Man (2015)
Ex-con Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) gets out of jail with only one thing in mind: to see his daughter. To prove his worthiness to be her father, he must first find a real job.
Scientist Hank Pym (Michael Douglas), impressed by Scott after he tries to break into his home, offers him the chance to don a suit that lets him shrink while increasing his strength, all to pull off a heist to prevent shrink tech from being weaponized.
- Where to Watch: Disney+
Captain America: Civil War (2016)
What is essentially an Avengers film with a Captain America name, collateral damage from an Avengers mission prompts the UN to propose the Sokovia Accords in this movie, splitting the Avengers into Team Tony Stark, who supports government oversight, and Team Captain America, who resists it — all in favor of protecting his brainwashed friend, Bucky Barnes.
- Where to Watch: Disney+
Black Widow (2021)
After her story runs its course in the Infinity Saga, Marvel returns to Black Widow's origins after the events of Captain America: Civil War. Natasha Romanoff confronts the darkest parts of her past here and uncovers a conspiracy connected to the Red Room program that defined her growing up.
Black Widow also introduces Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh) and the Red Guardian (David Harbour), who later join the Thunderbolts*.
- Where to Watch: Disney+
Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
Taking place right after Civil War, Peter Parker (Tom Holland) tries to balance high school life in New York with his responsibilities as a street-level hero under Tony Stark's mentorship. In his debut film, Peter uncovers an illegal weapons ring run by the villainous Vulture (Michael Keaton).
- Where to Watch: Disney+ (US), Netflix (US), Sky (UK), BBC iPlayer (UK), Crave (Canada)
Black Panther (2018)
Following his father's death, T'Challa (Chadwick Boseman) returns home to Wakanda to assume the throne of this secret civilization. However, his reign is challenged by Erik Killmonger (Michael B. Jordan), a revolutionary with ties to Wakanda's past.
- Where to Watch: Disney+
Doctor Strange (2016)
Dr. Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch), a brilliant but arrogant neurosurgeon, debuts here, seeking a healing journey after a car accident destroys his hands, only to uncover the mystic arts and the duty to protect Earth from cosmic threats.
- Where to Watch: Disney+
Thor: Ragnarok (2017)
Imprisoned on the garbage planet Sakaar, Thor must win a gladiator trial duel against the Hulk and race back to Asgard to stop his ruthless sister, Hela (Cate Blanchett), from bringing about Ragnarok.
Thor: Ragnarok leads directly into Avengers: Infinity War in its post-credit scene as Thanos's ship intercepts the Asgardian refugees.
- Where to Watch: Disney+
Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018)
While under house arrest following the events of Civil War, Scott Lang teams up with Hope van Dyne (aka The Wasp) and Hank Pym on a mission into the Quantum Realm to rescue Janet van Dyne (Michelle Pfeiffer).
But first, they must face and defeat Ava Starr, also known as Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen), who also seeks Hank's Quantum Lab, which could save her own life.
- Where to Watch: Disney+
Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
The Avengers and the Guardians of the Galaxy finally unite in a desperate struggle to prevent Thanos, the biggest threat to the MCU so far, from collecting all six Infinity Stones and wiping out half of all life in the universe.
This is arguably the best movie in the MCU, subverting your expectations throughout, and it perfectly sets up the ultimate ending to the Infinity Saga in Endgame. Speaking of which...
- Where to Watch: Disney+
Avengers: Endgame (2019)
Five years after Thanos snapped away half of the universe's population, the surviving Avengers execute a "time heist" to retrieve the Infinity Stones from the past and undo the tragedy that struck Earth-616.
If you haven't seen Endgame, it's arguably worth watching for its ending alone. Nothing defines "epic" more than the film's final battle.
- Where to Watch: Disney+
Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019)
Moving back to a more grounded MCU story, a simple school trip to Europe ends in disaster as Peter Parker grieves the loss of Tony Stark while being recruited by Nick Fury to face mysterious creatures infiltrating his vacation. Spider-Man gets a new ally named Mysterio (Jake Gyllenhaal), whose true colors get revealed as the movie progresses.
- Where to Watch: Disney+ (US), Fubo (US), Netflix (Canada), Crave (Canada), BBC iPlayer (UK)
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021)
Shang-Chi (Simu Liu) is forced to confront his past when he is drawn into the web of his father's powerful Ten Rings organization. He must prevent an ancient evil from being unleashed before it's too late.
- Where to Watch: Disney+
Eternals (2021)
Eternals follows the group of Eternals, as the movie title already explains, a race of immortal beings who lived on Earth and shaped its history and civilizations. They emerge from hiding after thousands of years to protect Earth from their ancient counterparts, the Deviants.
The ensemble cast includes Gemma Chan, Richard Madden, Kumail Nanjiani, Lia McHugh, Brian Tyree Henry, Lauren Ridloff, Barry Keoghan, Don Lee, Kit Harington, Salma Hayek, and Angelina Jolie, making it one of the most star-studded MCU movies outside of the Avengers.
- Where to Watch: Disney+
Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)
In Spider-Man: No Way Home, Peter Parker turns to Doctor Strange after his identity destroys the life he knows, but a magical mistake draws powerful outsiders into his world and forces him to confront what being Spider-Man really means.
The film features the team-up of all Spider-Man live-action actors: Tom Holland, Tobey Maguire, and Andrew Garfield, as well as the appearances of the villains that Maguire and Garfield faced in their past films.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022)
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness follows Strange as he teams up with a mysterious teenage girl who can travel across multiverses to battle other-universe versions of himself, which threaten to wipe out the multiverse. They seek help from the Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) and Wong (Benedict Wong) to uncover the mystery.
Aside from the core characters in the Doctor Strange corner of the MCU, it also features the multiversal variants of fan-favorite Marvel characters such as Professor Xavier, Reed Richards, and more.
- Where to Watch: Disney+
Thor: Love and Thunder (2022)
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In Thor: Love and Thunder, Thor enlists the help of Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson), Korg (Taika Waititi), and ex-girlfriend Jane Foster to fight Gorr the God Butcher (Christian Bale), who intends to make the gods extinct.
The film serves as the fourth installment in the Thor solo movies, and it was the film that brought Natalie Portman’s Jane Foster back to the MCU.
- Where to Watch: Disney+
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022)
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Black Panther: Wakanda Forever follows the people of Wakanda as they fight to protect their home from intervening world powers as they mourn the death of King T'Challa.
The sequel marks a loving tribute to the late Chadwick Boseman, who passed away before the production of the film. Shuri (Letitia Wright) took over the mantle as the new Black Panther.
- Where to Watch: Disney+
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023)
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania follows Scott Lang and Hope Van Dyne as they are dragged into the Quantum Realm, along with Hope's parents and Scott's daughter Cassie (Kathryn Newton). Together, they must find a way to escape while also facing the mysterious Kang the Conqueror.
While the film received mixed reviews from fans and critics, the debut of Jonathan Majors as Kang the Conqueror was welcomed and considered the highlight; however, controversy surrounding Majors' personal life has ultimately left him no longer a part of the MCU lineup.
- Where to Watch: Disney+
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023)
In Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, Peter Quill rallies his team to defend the universe and one of their own — a mission that could mean the end of the Guardians if unsuccessful.
It is the final installment in James Gunn’s trilogy and the final appearance of this iteration of the team, though some characters might still appear in future MCU projects.
- Where to Watch: Disney+
The Marvels (2023)
The Marvels follows Carol Danvers as her powers become entangled with those of Kamala Khan (Iman Vellani) and Monica Rambeau (Teyonah Parris), forcing them to work together to save the universe.
The film was a box-office bomb (a rare feat in the MCU), but it was praised by fans due to the chemistry of the three heroes. Through the post-credits scene, it debuts the first official integration of the Fox X-Men universe into the MCU.
- Where to Watch: Disney+
Deadpool & Wolverine (2024)
In Deadpool & Wolverine, Deadpool is offered a place in the MCU by the Time Variance Authority, but instead recruits a variant of Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) to save his universe from extinction.
This marks the first team-up between the fan-favorite characters, while also serving as their official debut in the MCU. It also brought back several characters from past Marvel movies in the pre-MCU era.
- Where to Watch: Disney+
Captain America: Brave New World (2025)
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Captain America: Brave New World follows Sam Wilson, the new Captain America, as he finds himself in the middle of an international incident and must discover the motive behind a nefarious global plan.
The film marks the big-screen debut of Sam Wilson as the new Captain America, following the events of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. It also brings back Samuel Sterns from The Incredible Hulk and features Harrison Ford as the new Thaddeus Ross, who transforms into the Red Hulk.
- Where to Watch: Disney+
Thunderbolts* (2025)
In Thunderbolts*, after finding themselves ensnared in a death trap, an unconventional team of antiheroes must go on a dangerous mission that will force them to confront the darkest corners of their pasts.
The film teams up some of the later fan-favorite characters of the MCU and, by the end, reveals that they are the "New Avengers". The post-credits scene is great, too, as it teases the events of Avengers: Doomsday.
- Where to Watch: Disney+
Spider-Man: Brand New Day (2026)
In Spider-Man: Brand New Day, a forgotten Peter Parker lives alone as a full-time Spider-Man until mounting pressure triggers a dangerous change and a powerful new enemy emerges.
The film is not just a continuation of Peter Parker's solo adventures in the MCU, but it also introduces Sadie Sink, whose character in the movie we won't spoil. However, we will say it sets up the Mutant Saga nicely for the next few years.
- Where to Watch: In theaters
Avengers: Doomsday (2026)
Avengers: Doomsday follows beloved heroes from three distinct universes as they’re set on a deadly collision course and face an existential threat unlike anything they’ve ever encountered.
The upcoming film will feature a crossover between the heroes in Earth-616, the Fantastic Four in Earth-818, and the X-Men from the Fox universe, and will debut Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom. The events will lead to Avengers: Secret Wars, which is the culmination of the Multiverse Saga.
- Where to Watch: Arriving in theaters on December 18, 2026
Final Summary
The MCU is a complicated beast that can become overwhelming with all the multiverse shenanigans, time jumps, and, not to mention, all the television series that play a more prominent role in more recent Marvel film releases. However, it's not completely unfollowable. Hopefully this guide has helped you track the MCU story from the very start to the very end.
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