How to Watch the Marvel Movies In Order: The Ultimate Guide to Watching Every MCU Film

The ultimate guide for any Marvel fan or soon-to-be Marvel fan, Disney Fanatic breaks down the Marvel Cinematic Universe and helps any new fan navigate the complex world of the MCU.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has grown tremendously since it was first introduced to audiences with the Iron Man movie before the Walt Disney Company even bought the entertainment studio. When Iron Man came out in 2008, it was produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Paramount Pictures and began an understandable obsession with superhero movies.

Since then, Marvel and the Marvel Cinematic Universe have expanded, but that growth hasn’t necessarily been received well. So, what’s going on with Marvel?

About the Marvel Cinematic Universe

Marvel Studios is the genius behind the popularity of superhero movies and television shows today. They—after 2009, along with Disney—created the Marvel Cinematic Universe that has permeated through pop culture and became an inextricable part of the way in which it developed.

So, what do you need to know about the Marvel Cinematic Universe?

The MCU is based on the famous comics by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Steve Ditko, and many others. Marvel Comics was started in 1939 by Martin Goodman; it was known then as Timely Comics. In 1961, the Marvel era of the comics began with the launch of The Fantastic Four.

The Marvel film series began with Iron Man and has now expanded to include almost a hundred television shows, movies, and one-shorts. The television series side of the franchise kicked off with Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D in 2013.

What is the Order of Release, and Why is This Important?

The order of release is as simple as it sounds; it’s the order in which Marvel Studios released each of their movies, and one of the big reasons this is important is because Marvel has a tradition of adding in easter eggs to the end of their movies, often even having spoilers for upcoming releases.

If you’re a first-time Marvel movie-goer, then we highly recommend watching the movies in their order of release rather than the other option many fans choose to take: chronological order.

Here’s a great list of the Marvel movies in their order of release for you to enjoy:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCbysTew9EI&pp=ygUXbWFydmVsIG9yZGVyIG9mIHJlbGVhc2U%3D

How is the Order of Release Different from Chronological Order?

This brings us to the other question: what is the chronological order, and how does it differ from the order of release? The chronological order is the order of Marvel movies according to the storyline, and according to the time in which the movie itself was set.

Many Marvel fans swear this is the best way to enjoy a Marvel movie marathon, and Disney+ even has an option for fans to watch the Marvel movies in chronological order on the platform.

Here’s a list of the movies in their release order, including movies going to be released later this year:

The Infinity Saga

Phase One

• Iron Man – May 2008
• The Incredible Hulk – June 2008
• Iron Man 2 – May 2010
• Thor – May 2011
• Captain America: The First Avenger – July 2011
• Marvel’s The Avengers – May 2012

Phase Two

• Iron Man 3 – May 2013
• Thor: The Dark World – November 2013
• Captain America: The Winter Soldier – April 2014
• Guardians of the Galaxy – August 2014
• Avengers: Age of Ultron – May 2015
• Ant-Man – July 2015

Phase Three

• Captain America: Civil War – May 2016
• Doctor Strange – November 2016
• Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2 – May 2017
• Spider-Man: Homecoming – July 2017
• Thor: Ragnarok – November 2017
• Black Panther – February 2018
• Avengers: Infinity War – April 2018
• Ant-Man and the Wasp – July 2018
• Captain Marvel – March 2019
• Avengers: Endgame – April 2019
• Spider-Man: Far From Home – July 2019

The Multiverse Saga

Phase Four

• Black Widow – July 2021
• Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings – September 2021
• Eternals – November 2021
• Spider-Man: No Way Home – December 2021
• Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness – May 2022
• Thor: Love and Thunder – July 2022
• Black Panther: Wakanda Forever – November 2022

Phase Five

• Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania – February 2023
• Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 – May 2023
• The Marvels (AKA Captain Marvel 2) – November 2023

Why are MCU Fans Complaining About Phase 4?

Phase 4, as fans will see just above, included some of what many consider to be the worst Marvel movies released. Phase 4 followed Avengers: Endgame, a daunting task on its own, but also followed what was considered by many to be “the golden age” of superhero movies. Because of this, many films released for Phase 4 fell notably short of expectations.

This was so marked to some fans that they even went so far as to claim that Marvel has lost its magic touch. In addition, some fans took what some termed a “toxic” approach to their criticism, calling out Marvel for making more diverse films and shows, specifically expressing unhappiness with the female-led projects.

While these “review-bombers” were certainly a minority, as we’ve seen with The Little Mermaid, they can have far-reaching consequences.

Which Marvel Cinematic Universe Films Will Be Released in 2024?

When it comes to Marvel Cinematic Universe films being released in 2024, fans can expect the following:

• Deadpool 3 – May 3, 2024

Ryan Reynolds will finally make his MCU debut with the upcoming Deadpool 3 movie. The sword-flinging, fourth-wall-breaking, foul-mouthed superhero will finally be a part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and many fans can’t wait to see how he will fit in.

While little is known about the plot, we do know Hugh Jackman will be reprising his role as Wolverine, and he may meet Deadpool in a new reality. Along with Jackman and Reynolds, we know the cast will include Emma Corrin, Matthew Macfayden, and Rob Delany.

The film is directed by Shawn Levy and written mainly by Rhett Reese Paul Wernick.

• Captain America: Brave New World (previously known as Captain America: New World Order) – July 26, 2024

SPOILER ALERT: This movie picks up from the events of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier television show, wherein Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) took on the mantle of Captain America after Chris Evans retired in Avengers: Endgame.

Julius Onah directs the film, which could see the return of the fan-favorite character, Bucky Barnes, AKA Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan); the highlight of the cast is Harrison Ford, however, who is replacing the late William Hurt as Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross.

• Thunderbolts – December 20, 2024

Thunderbolts is centered around a Suicide Squad-like task force, and the film features Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh), Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan), The Sentry (Steven Yeun), Red Guardian (David Harbour), US Agent John Walker (Wyatt Russell).

As Marvel explains, “A world without Avengers doesn’t mean there’s not a group of superheroes.”

What Can Fans Expect in the Next Phase of MCU?

We found out during SDCC 2022, that the next phase, Phase Six, begins with Fantastic Four and concludes with a two-part Avengers film series going into 2027. This will be the culmination of the Multiverse Saga, which leads us to believe Marvel will be playing with which realities these films are set in.

The inclusion of characters like Doctor Doom, Annihilus, and Galactus, as well as Kang’s (Jonathan Majors) involvement in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, has us wondering (given Marvel’s first family’s clear importance) how much of Phase 6 will actually take place outside the MCU as we know it.

As we know, Marvel kicked off Phase Five with the release of Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania earlier this year; here is the list of all the upcoming movies in Phase Five and Phase Six.

Phase Five

• Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania – February 2023
• Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 – May 2023
• The Marvels (AKA Captain Marvel 2) – November 10, 2023
• Deadpool 3 – May 3, 2024
• Captain America: Brave New World (previously known as Captain America: New World Order) – July 26, 2024
• Thunderbolts – December 20, 2024
• Blade – February 14, 2025

Phase Six

• Fantastic Four – May 2, 2025
• Avengers: The Kang Dynasty – May 1, 2026
• Avengers: Secret Wars – May 7, 2027

Beyond Phase Six

• Armor Wars – TBA
• Untitled Shang-Chi sequel – TBA
• Untitled Eternals sequel – TBA
• Untitled mutants film – TBA
• Untitled Spider-Man 4 – TBA

Daniel RADCLIFFE should definitely get a screen test for WOLVERINE. I really believe he could do it and give an AMAZING performance that would thrill and satisfy comic fans, new and old(er)😁. MARVEL Comics' X-MEN#XMEN #MCU pic.twitter.com/0MIxag6biX

— ᑕᕼEᑕKTᕼEᑕIᖇᑕᑌIT🌺🌼🌷🌞🌸🌴🍄🌿🍃 (@ChecKtheCircuiT) August 29, 2023

Why Do Fans Want to see Daniel Radcliffe play Wolverine in MCU?

In the middle of all of this, a little humorous reprieve is that many fans want to see one of the most popular actors of all time, Daniel Radcliffe, play a role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, particularly as Wolverine. After Radcliffe spent a lot of time working on his fitness and becoming, as the kids term it, “shredded,” fans have decided he’d be the perfect actor to play the iconic role.

After Radcliffe stripped down to his underwear for an… interesting (but incredibly well done) Season 4 finale of the show Miracle Workers, all fans were able to focus on was Radcliffe’s physique.

Another incredible season of @miracletbs! I feel like that last episode was Daniel Radcliffe's audition for Wolverine lol pic.twitter.com/QhxQcdEdYd

— JackSquatJB (Go watch my music parodies!) (@JackSquatJB) August 30, 2023

Is Disney Casting Daniel Radcliffe to Play Wolverine?

Per all reports from Radcliffe himself, at the moment, the answer is sadly no. Radcliffe himself has mentioned, as  Men’s Health reports, “Every time these rumors recirculate, Radcliffe rebuts them, calling it ‘incredibly flattering’ but confirming that he has never been in talks with Marvel Studios to play the famous clawed mutant.”

Radcliffe added when speaking to Jimmy Fallon in 2022, “I think it’s because Wolverine in the comics is fairly short. I think it’s people going, ‘Who’s a short actor? Him! He could maybe play him!'”

How do the Marvel Television Shows Fit In?

Finally, for some fans who are perfectly happy with the Marvel movies but are utterly confused by the Marvel television shows, here’s a helpful little guide for you. Various seasons of each show fit in at different points in the MCU movie chronology and can be watched in order for that special added viewing experience, (provided you’re willing to make the commitment, of course).

It should be noted that this is one of the other criticisms that Marvel fans have had about the current state of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The franchise has now become so extensive that many feel like it’s become too difficult to keep up with Marvel, leaving some fans to give up on keeping up with it or dissuading other new fans from joining at all.

This said, there are many who still eagerly await all of the new additions to the Marvel Cinematic Universe and are excited to see how the upcoming movies from Phase Six and beyond will enhance this already rich and complex world.

Do you plan to watch the Marvel Cinematic Universe films? Which order are you a bigger fan of—the release order or the chronological order? Let us know in the comments below!