How to Watch Marvel Movies in Order 2024

Ever since Disney purchased the rights to produce the majority of the Marvel Comics comics content as movies and TV shows, the company has gone all-in. Now, the Marvel Comics Universe, or MCU, is one of the biggest and most successful movie franchises in history. And thankfully, almost every single MCU movie is easy to watch thanks to on-demand streaming TV options. There’s still a question of how to watch Marvel movies in order, however, and what order matters.

The Marvel Movies (And TV Shows) In Order

There are two schools of thought on how to watch the Marvel movies in order:

• In release order
• In chronological order

Some may feel vindicated by this statement, and others may be angry and alienated, but we’re taking a stance: The right way to view all Marvel movies is in chronological order. There are several reasons for that.

The movies build onto each other. If you watch them out of chronological order, you miss entire character backstories and subplots that weave their way through the content. Additionally, once Disney started adding in end credits scenes, they started hinting at what was next in the timeline. As it is, out-of-order viewing just doesn’t make sense unless you’ve already watched all of the movies before.

We’ll also add that because of how Disney is now using its TV content, we also recommend watching the TV series content, as well. That’s less of a priority for the vast majority of the movies currently available, but it is important going forward for Phase 4 of the MCU, starting with Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness.

If this is your first time watching all of the Marvel movies, we highly recommend watching them all in the following order. (If you’re an MCU vet, do whatever you want, you’ve earned your stripes!)

Here’s the complete MCU movie timeline in chronological order of events:

• Captain America: The First Avenger
• Captain Marvel
• Iron Man
• The Incredible Hulk
• Iron Man 2
• Thor
• Marvel’s 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
• Spider-Man: Homecoming
• Black Panther
• Doctor Strange
• Thor: Ragnarok
• Ant-Man and the Wasp
• Avengers: Infinity War
• Avengers: Endgame
• Spider-Man: Far From Home
• Eternals
• Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
• Spider-Man: No Way Home
• Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness

Briefly, let’s where you can watch each of these movies.

Captain America: The First Avenger

Captain America: The First Avenger was released on July, 2011. This film is included with a Disney+ subscription or it can be purchased digitally or rented elsewhere.

Captain Marvel

Captain Marvel was released on March 4, 2019. This film is included with a Disney+ subscription or it can be purchased digitally or rented elsewhere.

Iron Man

The first Iron Man movie was released on May 2, 2008. This film is included with a Disney+ subscription or it can be purchased digitally or rented elsewhere.

The Incredible Hulk

The movie that re-introduced the world to The Incredible Hulk was released on June 13, 2008. This film is included with a Disney+ subscription or it can be purchased digitally or rented elsewhere.

Iron Man 2

The follow-up to the first film starring Robert Downey Jr., Iron Man 2 was released on May 7, 2010. This film is included with a Disney+ subscription or it can be purchased digitally or rented elsewhere.

Thor

Marvel’s Thor first bolted into the movie theaters on May 2, 2011. This film is included with a Disney+ subscription or it can be purchased digitally or rented elsewhere.

The Avengers

The first Marvel hero mash-up was released on May 4, 2012. This film is included with a Disney+ subscription or it can be purchased digitally or rented elsewhere.

Iron Man 3

Coming fresh off the tragedies of The Avengers, Iron Man 3 was released on May 3, 2013. This film is included with a Disney+ subscription or it can be purchased digitally or rented elsewhere.

Thor: The Dark World

Things turned south for Thor in Thor: The Dark World when it was released on November 8, 2013. This film is included with a Disney+ subscription or it can be purchased digitally or rented elsewhere.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier

We won’t give spoilers, but in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, there’s a dramatic return. Released on April 4, 2014, this film is included with a Disney+ subscription or it can be purchased digitally or rented elsewhere.

Guardians of the Galaxy

Chris Pratt brought comedy and action to the forefront in the MCU with Guardian of the Galaxy, which was released on August 1, 2014. This film is included with a Disney+ subscription or it can be purchased digitally or rented elsewhere.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2

Starlord and gang returned in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, released May 5, 2017. This film is included with a Disney+ subscription or it can be purchased digitally or rented elsewhere.

Avengers: Age of Ultron

The team of heroes came back together to fight a new evil in Avengers: Age of Ultron, released on May 1, 2015. This film is included with a Disney+ subscription or it can be purchased digitally or rented elsewhere.

Ant-Man

Size matters in Ant-Man, first released on June 29, 2015. This film is included with a Disney+ subscription or it can be purchased digitally or rented elsewhere.

Captain America: Civil War

Infighting among the heroes comes to bear in Captain America: Civil War, which was released to theaters on May 6, 2016. This film is included with a Disney+ subscription or it can be purchased digitally or rented elsewhere.

Black Widow

Perhaps one of the most misplaced films as far as its release date, Black Widow gives finally gave the titular character her much-needed background story when it was released on June 29, 2021. This film is included with a Disney+ subscription or it can be purchased digitally or rented elsewhere.

Spider-Man: Homecoming

Tom Holland finally reprised his role in Spider-Man: Homecoming, released June 7, 2017. Because this film is owned by Sony and not Disney, it’s not on Disney+. Instead, you can watch it with a subscription to Hulu, Starz, or The Roku Channel. You can also purchase it as a digital copy or rental copy elsewhere.

Black Panther

The late Chadwick Boseman entered the fray with his character’s backstory in Black Panther, which was released on January 29, 2018. This film is included with a Disney+ subscription or it can be purchased digitally or rented elsewhere.

Doctor Strange

Things got strange as Doctor Strange was released in theaters on October 20, 2016. This film is included with a Disney+ subscription or it can be purchased digitally or rented elsewhere.

Thor: Ragnarok

Has the end finally come to Asgard? Find out when you watch Thor: Ragnarok, which was first released on November 3, 2017. This film is included with a Disney+ subscription or it can be purchased digitally or rented elsewhere.

Ant-Man and the Wasp

Ant-Man gets small again in this sequel, Ant-Man and the Wasp, which now includes a new (old) love interest. First released on June 25, 2018, this film is included with a Disney+ subscription or it can be purchased digitally or rented elsewhere.

Avengers: Infinity War

The MCU entered its darkest phase with Avengers: Infinity War, which was released on April 23, 2018. This film is included with a Disney+ subscription or it can be purchased digitally or rented elsewhere.

Avengers: Endgame

It’s all led up to this in Phase 3. Avengers: Endgame release on April 26, 2019. This film is included with a Disney+ subscription or it can be purchased digitally or rented elsewhere.

Spider-Man: Far From Home

The multiverse makes its first real appearance in the MCU with Spider-Man: Far From Home, which debuted on June 26, 2019. As with other Spider-Man films in the MCU, Sony owns the rights and this film is not available on Disney+. You can find it as part of a subscription with Hulu and Sling TV. Otherwise, you’ll need to purchase it or rent it (physical or digital) elsewhere.

Eternals

Officially part of Marvel’s Phase 4, Eternals takes a very different approach to other MCU films. Released on November 5, 2021, this film is included with a Disney+ subscription or it can be purchased digitally or rented elsewhere.

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings

Marking the first Asian hero to grace the MCU, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings was released on September 3, 2021. This film is included with a Disney+ subscription or it can be purchased digitally or rented elsewhere.

Spider-Man: No Way Home

Spider-Man goes all-in on the multiverse with Spider-Man: No Way Home, which was released on December 17, 2021. Don’t look to Disney+ for this Sony-owned movie either. Instead, you’ll need a Starz subscription. Otherwise, look to purchase or rent the film from many other locations.

WandaVision

We know what you’re thinking: “Isn’t WandaVision a TV show?” Yes, it is. And while there are a slew of TV shows that add to the context presented in the MCU, this is the first one that is absolutely essential to watch. Released on January 15, 2021, The story of the Scarlett Witch post-Avengers is necessary to understand what’s happening in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. The only place to get this one is on Disney+.

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness

The most recent Marvel movie that’s currently available to stream as of this time of writing, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness released on May 6, 2022. It’s now available to stream on Disney+ or it can be purchased elsewhere.

Thor: Love and Thunder

What may be the final chapter for Chris Hemsworth’s Thor, Thor: Love and Thunder released into theaters on July 7, 2022. Its streaming home will be Disney+ around 45 days after the theatrical release.

What’s In Store for MCU Phase 4?

We’re now fully into Phase 4 of the MCU. Much of that content is TV-show forward, so if you’re a Marvel fan, make sure you have a Disney+ subscription. Disney plans to tie the TV content into the theatrical release content directly, so understanding the context for the movies will require you to be up-to-date on the TV shows.

Phase 4 content goes through 2023 and includes another Black Panther movie; Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3; a new Ant-Man and the Wasp film; a movie titled The Marvels which will feature Captain Marvel, Monica Rambeau (who is given more story in the WandaVision TV show), and Ms. Marvel (whose story is currently available as a Disney+ TV show); a newly re-invigorated Fantastic Four film; and a new iteration of Blade.