If you’re a fan of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), then you know that there are a lot of movies to watch. With the release of Avengers: Endgame, many people are wondering what is the best order to watch the Marvel movies before seeing this epic conclusion. In this article, we will explore different viewing orders and help you decide which one is best for you.
Chronological Order
One popular way to watch the Marvel movies is in chronological order. This means watching them in the order in which events occur within the MCU timeline. The chronological order of the movies is as follows:
1. Captain America: The First Avenger (takes place during WWII)
2. Captain Marvel (takes place in 1995)
3. Iron Man (takes place in 2010)
4. Iron Man 2 (takes place after Iron Man)
5. The Incredible Hulk (time unspecified, pre-Avengers)
6. Thor (takes place six months before Avengers)
7. The Avengers
8. Iron Man 3 (takes place six months after The Avengers)
9. Thor: Dark World (post-Avengers, pre-Ultron)
10.
Captain America: Winter Soldier (post-Avengers, pre-Ultron)
11. Guardians of the Galaxy (sometime in 2014)
12. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
13. Avengers: Age of Ultron
14. Ant-Man
15. Captain America: Civil War
16. Spider-Man: Homecoming (post-Civil War/pre-Infinity War)
17. Doctor Strange
18. Black Panther
19.Thor Ragnarok
20.Avengers Infinity War
Pros:
- You get to see how events unfold chronologically.
- You get a better understanding of character arcs and plot points.
Cons:
- The movies were not necessarily released in this order, so some references may not make sense if you haven’t seen the previous movies in release order.
Release Order
Another way to watch the Marvel movies is in release order. This means watching them in the order they were released to the public. The release order of the movies is as follows:
1. Iron Man (2008)
2. The Incredible Hulk (2008)
3. Iron Man 2 (2010)
4. Thor (2011)
5. Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)
6.
The Avengers (2012)
7. Iron Man 3 (2013)
8. Thor: Dark World (2013)
9. Captain America: Winter Soldier (2014)
10. Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
11. Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)
12. Ant-Man (2015)
13.Captain America:Civil War( 2016 )
14.Doctor Strange( 2016 )
15.Guardians of Galaxy Vol 2( 2017 )
16.Spiderman Homecoming( 2017 )
17.Thor Ragnarok( 2017 )
18.Black Panther( 2018 )
19.Avengers Infinity War( 2018 )
20.Captain Marvel( 2019 )
Pros:
- You get to see how the MCU evolved over time.
- You get a better understanding of how characters were introduced and developed.
Cons:
- The timeline can be confusing if you’re not paying close attention.
- You may miss out on some important plot points if you’re not watching chronologically.
Hybrid Order
A third way to watch the Marvel movies is in a hybrid order. This means watching them in a combination of chronological and release order. Here is an example of a hybrid order:
1. Captain America: The First Avenger
2. Iron Man
3. Iron Man 2
4. The Incredible Hulk
5. Thor
6.
The Avengers
7. Iron Man 3
8. Thor: Dark World
9. Captain America: Winter Soldier
10. Guardians of the Galaxy
11.Avengers: Age of Ultron
12.Ant-Man
13.Captain America:Civil War
14.Doctor Strange
15.Guardians of Galaxy Vol 2
16.Spiderman Homecoming
17.Thor Ragnarok
18.Black Panther
19.Avengers Infinity War
20.Captain Marvel
Pros:
- You get the best of both worlds by seeing some events unfold chronologically while also experiencing the evolution of the MCU.
- You get a more balanced viewing experience.
Cons:
- The timeline can still be confusing if you’re not paying close attention.
Conclusion
In conclusion, there is no right or wrong way to watch the Marvel movies before Endgame, but each viewing order has its pros and cons. If you’re a stickler for timelines and want to see events unfold in chronological order, then go with that method.
If you want to experience the evolution of the MCU, then release order may be for you. And if you want a more balanced viewing experience, then try out a hybrid order.
Remember: No matter which viewing order you choose, make sure to enjoy the ride and get ready for an epic conclusion in Avengers: Endgame.