How to watch MCU movies and series in 2026
What is the correct order to watch the Marvel movies? It is a simple question... until time travel, the multiverse, Disney+ series, alternate realities, and movies like Deadpool & Wolverine or The Fantastic Four: First Steps start popping up.
That is why we have prepared this guide with a very specific goal: so you can know which Marvel movie or series to watch next without getting lost along the way.
Here you will find the chronological order of the MCU movies, an explanation of where the series fit in, the release order by phases, and the most common questions about the timeline.
Quick answer: if you only want to watch the Marvel movies in chronological order, start with Captain America: The First Avenger, continue with Captain Marvel, and follow through to Spider-Man: Brand New Day. In this guide, we also distinguish the titles that belong to alternate realities so as not to pretend that the entire MCU fits into a single timeline.
For fans and collectors, you can explore our Marvel merchandise collection and also discover our selection of items inspired by The Avengers.
Chronological order of Marvel movies
The following list is intended for a marathon focused on the Marvel Cinematic Universe movies and follows the main narrative continuity without attempting to place every flashback, post-credits scene, or time jump in an independent position.
Marvel maintains an official Disney+ timeline that is much broader because it incorporates series seasons, specials, and other content. That is why there may be small differences between a movie list and the complete MCU timeline.
| No. | Movie | Approximate Era | Contribution to the timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Captain America: The First Avenger | 1940s | Steve Rogers, Hydra, and the origin of one of the MCU's great symbols |
| 2 | Captain Marvel | 1995 | Carol Danvers, the Skrulls, the Kree, and Nick Fury's early years |
| 3 | Iron Man | 2008 | The true cinematic starting point of the MCU |
| 4 | The Incredible Hulk | 2010 | Bruce Banner and the origin of the Hulk within this continuity |
| 5 | Iron Man 2 | 2010 | Expands Tony Stark's world and prepares for the Avengers' assembly |
| 6 | Thor | 2010 | Introduces Asgard, Thor, Loki, and the mythological side of the MCU |
| 7 | The Avengers | 2012 | First great assembly of the heroes |
| 8 | Iron Man 3 | 2013 | Direct consequences of the battle of New York |
| 9 | Thor: The Dark World | 2013 | The Aether and an important piece of the future cosmic conflict |
| 10 | Captain America: The Winter Soldier | 2014 | Hydra, S.H.I.E.L.D., and one of the saga's major turning points |
| 11 | Guardians of the Galaxy | 2014 | Expands the MCU to space and introduces new cosmic pieces |
| 12 | Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 | 2014 | Immediately continues the Guardians' story |
| 13 | Avengers: Age of Ultron | 2015 | New heroes, Sokovia, and the aftermath of the Avengers |
| 14 | Ant-Man | 2015 | Introduces Scott Lang and the Quantum Realm |
| 15 | Captain America: Civil War | 2016 | Splits the Avengers and completely shifts the group's balance |
| 16 | Black Widow | 2016 | The main story takes place after Civil War |
| 17 | Black Panther | 2016 | Wakanda and T'Challa take on a central role |
| 18 | Spider-Man: Homecoming | 2016 | Peter Parker continues his story after Civil War |
| 19 | Doctor Strange | 2016-2017 | Introduces mystic arts and new rules for the universe |
| 20 | Thor: Ragnarok | 2017 | Thor, Loki, and Hulk are set on a path to the next great battle |
| 21 | Ant-Man and the Wasp | 2018 | The Quantum Realm gains fundamental importance |
| 22 | Avengers: Infinity War | 2018 | Thanos takes his plan to a definitive scale |
| 23 | Avengers: Endgame | 2018-2023 | Closes the Infinity Saga and changes the MCU forever |
| 24 | Spider-Man: Far From Home | 2024 | First major post-Endgame chapter focused on Peter Parker |
| 25 | Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings | 2024 | Introduces Shang-Chi and expands the mystic component |
| 26 | Eternals | 2024 | A cosmic, age-old perspective on Earth |
| 27 | Spider-Man: No Way Home | 2024 | The multiverse definitely moves to the forefront |
| 28 | Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness | 2024 | Expands alternate realities and the consequences of the multiverse |
| 29 | Thor: Love and Thunder | c. 2025 | Continues Thor's story and expands his cosmic journey |
| 30 | Black Panther: Wakanda Forever | c. 2025 | Continues Wakanda's story and introduces new threats |
| 31 | Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania | Post-Blip era | The Quantum Realm becomes a much more important piece |
| 32 | Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 | Post-era | Closes the great journey of the Guardians |
| 33 | The Marvels | Post-era | Unites the stories of Carol Danvers, Kamala Khan, and Monica Rambeau |
| 34 | Deadpool & Wolverine | Multiverse | Connects different realities and characters from other Marvel eras |
| 35 | Captain America: Brave New World | Post-era | Sam Wilson fully assumes the weight of the Captain America legacy |
| 36 | Thunderbolts* | Post-era | Brings together several secondary characters from the new MCU generation |
| 37 | Spider-Man: Brand New Day | 2026 | Continues Peter Parker's story in a new stage of the MCU |
The timeline above should be understood as a viewing order, not a second-by-second reconstruction of the timeline. Some movies span several years, include prologues or epilogues at different dates, or overlap with events from other stories.
What about The Fantastic Four: First Steps?
This is where one of the most interesting exceptions appears.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps belongs to the MCU, but is set in an alternate reality with the aesthetic and context of the 60s. Marvel presents it precisely as a story set in a retro-futuristic world inspired by that decade.
That is why it is not convenient to treat it as if it were simply the 38th movie in a single 616 timeline.
For a timeline strictly based on the era in which events take place, it could be placed much earlier. For a narrative marathon, it makes more sense to watch it alongside the Multiverse Saga block and the new generation of characters.
The important idea is this: its temporal location belongs to another reality.
What is the chronological order of Marvel including the series?
This is where the modern MCU timeline becomes much more complex.
Marvel currently recognizes a Complete MCU Timeline on Disney+ that includes not only movies but also seasons of series and specials. The official guide begins with Eyes of Wakanda and advances to titles like Wonder Man and Daredevil: Born Again.
But that doesn't mean you have to intersperse dozens of series between the movies to enjoy a cinematic marathon.
For a simpler experience, these are the series that are most worth knowing:
| Series / special | When to watch | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| WandaVision | After Endgame | Fundamental to understanding Wanda's evolution and subsequent events |
| Loki – S1 | After Endgame | Directly opens the door to timelines and the multiverse |
| The Falcon and the Winter Soldier | After WandaVision | Develops the new Captain America legacy |
| Hawkeye | After Endgame and within the post-era block | Revisits Clint Barton and introduces Kate Bishop |
| Ms. Marvel | In the post-Blip era | Introduces Kamala Khan and connects to The Marvels |
| She-Hulk: Attorney at Law | Post-Blip era | Expands the urban and legal side of the MCU |
| Loki – S2 | After the multiverse expansion | Delves deeper into the timelines created after the first season |
| Secret Invasion | Multiverse Saga | Brings back Nick Fury and the Skrulls |
| Echo | Post-era | Continues the urban thread linked to Hawkeye |
| Agatha All Along | After WandaVision | Expands the magical component of the MCU |
| Daredevil: Born Again | Modern MCU era | Brings back Matt Murdock and delves into the street-level side of Marvel |
| Ironheart | Modern era | Continues some technological ideas introduced previously |
| Daredevil: Born Again S2 | 2026 | Directly continues Matt Murdock's story |
| The Punisher: One Last Kill | Modern era | Brings back Frank Castle's story in a special format |
Marvel places Daredevil: Born Again season 2 in 2026, with a premiere on Disney+ on March 24 of that year, while its official catalog also includes The Punisher: One Last Kill and Wonder Man among the content for this stage.
Do I have to watch all the series?
No. This is probably one of the most important questions in the entire guide.
If your goal is simply to watch the Marvel movies in chronological order, you can do the cinematic marathon without turning it into an endless list of seasons.
If, however, you want to understand the complete MCU and especially its multiversal part, then some series become much more relevant.
The difference between a movie guide and a complete MCU timeline must be clear. That prevents someone who just arrived at Marvel from encountering a list of dozens of seasons and ending up giving up before they start.
Release order of Marvel movies
Explore our complete collection of Marvel merchandise
The other great way to watch Marvel is to follow the order in which the movies hit theaters.
This journey has an obvious advantage: it allows you to experience the reveals, characters, and post-credits scenes roughly as the audience originally received them.
Phase 1
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Iron Man — 2008
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The Incredible Hulk — 2008
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Iron Man 2 — 2010
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Thor — 2011
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Captain America: The First Avenger — 2011
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The Avengers — 2012
Phase 2
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Iron Man 3 — 2013
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Thor: The Dark World — 2013
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Captain America: The Winter Soldier — 2014
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Guardians of the Galaxy — 2014
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Avengers: Age of Ultron — 2015
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Ant-Man — 2015
Phase 3
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Captain America: Civil War — 2016
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Doctor Strange — 2016
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Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 — 2017
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Spider-Man: Homecoming — 2017
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Thor: Ragnarok — 2017
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Black Panther — 2018
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Avengers: Infinity War — 2018
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Ant-Man and the Wasp — 2018
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Captain Marvel — 2019
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Avengers: Endgame — 2019
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Spider-Man: Far From Home — 2019
Phase 4
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Black Widow — 2021
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Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings — 2021
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Eternals — 2021
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Spider-Man: No Way Home — 2021
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Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness — 2022
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Thor: Love and Thunder — 2022
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Black Panther: Wakanda Forever — 2022
Phase 5
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Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania — 2023
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Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 — 2023
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The Marvels — 2023
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Deadpool & Wolverine — 2024
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Captain America: Brave New World — 2025
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Thunderbolts* — 2025
Phase 6
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The Fantastic Four: First Steps — 2025
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Spider-Man: Brand New Day — 2026
Marvel confirms that The Fantastic Four: First Steps premiered on July 25, 2025, and that Spider-Man: Brand New Day arrived in theaters on July 31, 2026.
Is it better to watch Marvel in chronological or release order?
It depends on what you are looking for.
For a first-timer
Release order is usually the simplest option because it respects how the characters, connections, and surprises were originally introduced.
Additionally, some post-credits scenes work better when you already know what Marvel intended to present at that time.
For a second viewing
Chronological order is much more interesting once you already know the story.
It allows you to follow events as a continuous timeline, see how the characters evolve, and detect connections that might go unnoticed when the films are consumed over many years.
For someone starting from scratch
There is a third factor: you don't need to start with all 38 films.
A good guide should allow you to choose between:
Complete Marathon: every film in the MCU.
Marathon with series: films + the series that actually provide context.
Beginner's Route: the films necessary to understand the main arc.
This ability to choose your path is precisely one of the improvements incorporated into current viewing guides.
Which Marvel films are not in this chronology?
There is a very common confusion between Marvel and the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Not all films based on Marvel Studios characters are part of the same continuity.
For example, the old X-Men films, Sam Raimi's original Spider-Man trilogy, or the The Amazing Spider-Man films belong to other eras and universes.
The same goes for much of the Venom film series.
That doesn't mean they can't have a relationship with the multiverse. In fact, one of the characteristics of the Multiverse Saga is that Marvel can connect characters from different realities.
That is why this page uses the Marvel Studios MCU chronology as its axis, rather than a list of all cinematic adaptations based on Marvel comics.
Where does Spider-Man: Brand New Day fit in?
Spider-Man: Brand New Day is already part of the current MCU conversation, and it was released on July 31, 2026. Marvel presents it as Peter Parker's next cinematic adventure.
And what happens after 2026?
The Marvel timeline will continue to grow. The universe no longer functions as a chain of independent films, but as a combination of films, series, specials, different realities, and characters that reappear several years later.
The countdown to Avengers: Doomsday has already begun. The new Marvel Studios film will arrive in theaters in December 2026 and will bring together a huge number of characters linked to the Avengers, the Fantastic Four, and the X-Men..
Tips for a Marvel marathon
Don't try to watch everything at once
The MCU is best enjoyed in blocks.
A convenient option is to divide it into major eras: origins, the Infinity Saga, the transition to the multiverse, and the current era.
Don't confuse release with chronology
Captain America: The First Avenger was one of the first films chronologically, but it was not the first to arrive in theaters.
That is precisely the beauty of this guide.
Don't obsess over small overlaps
The Marvel timeline has films that take place over several years, scenes that occur on different dates, and characters who appear in overlapping storylines.
A useful list should organize the main story, not turn every time jump into a math problem.
Remember the post-credits scenes
They are especially important for the MCU.
When doing your first marathon, it's worth staying until the end of each film because some scenes set up characters, stories, or concepts that won't be developed until much later.
Frequently asked questions about the Marvel order
What is the first Marvel film in chronological order?
Among the MCU films, Captain America: The First Avenger is the usual start to the main chronology, although there are alternative contents and realities that can be set in earlier or different times.
What is the correct order to watch the Marvel films?
There are two main orders: chronological order and release order. Chronology places the stories based on when they happen; release order respects the sequence in which Marvel presented them to the public.
How many MCU films are there in 2026?
With Spider-Man: Brand New Day, the MCU has 38 films released by 2026, including The Fantastic Four: First Steps. This number does not include series or specials.
Do you have to watch the Marvel series to understand the films?
Not all of them. Some series expand on characters and concepts that later become important in the films, but a marathon focused exclusively on cinema can be followed without consuming the entire TV catalog.
Where does The Fantastic Four: First Steps fit in?
It is a special case because the story takes place in an alternative reality set in the 60s. Marvel presents it as part of the MCU, but it should not be treated as just another film within a single linear timeline.
Do Spider-Man, X-Men, and Venom belong to the same universe?
Not all of their films originally belong to the same continuity. The Multiverse Saga allows different realities to come into contact, but that does not mean that every Marvel film released over the last few decades is part of a single chronology.
The Marvel order we recommend for beginners
For a first marathon, a practical route is:
Release order → Infinity Saga → key subsequent films → essential series → multiverse era.
For a rewatch after having seen the MCU, the chronology is much more interesting because it allows you to rediscover connections and observe how stories separated by actual years of release dates fit together.
And for anyone simply wanting to know which Marvel film to watch next, this chronological table is the most convenient starting point.
Marvel has been building this universe for almost two decades, and at this point, the question is no longer just "which movie do I watch?", but "which version of the story do I want to explore?".
Marvel can also be taken off-screen
The Marvel universe doesn't end when the credits roll. For fans and collectors, you can explore our Marvel merchandise collection and also discover our selection of items inspired by The Avengers.
