If you’re a fan of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), you may be wondering what the correct order is to watch the movies. With so many films and TV shows in the franchise, it can be confusing to figure out where to start and what comes next. In this article, we’ll break down the correct order to watch the Marvel movies and provide some context for each film.
Phase One: The Beginning
The MCU officially began in 2008 with Iron Man, starring Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark. This film introduces us to the character of Iron Man and sets up his role as a hero in the MCU. It’s important to start here because it establishes much of what will come later in the franchise.
The correct order for Phase One is:
- Iron Man (2008)
- The Incredible Hulk (2008)
- Iron Man 2 (2010)
- Thor (2011)
- Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)
- The Avengers (2012)
Phase Two: Building Toward Infinity
After the huge success of The Avengers, Marvel began building toward a bigger storyline that would culminate in Avengers: Infinity War. Phase Two introduces new characters and storylines while continuing to develop those introduced in Phase One.
The correct order for Phase Two is:
- Iron Man 3 (2013)
- Thor: The Dark World (2013)
- Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)
- Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
- Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)
- Ant-Man (2015)
Phase Three: The Beginning of the End
Phase Three is where things really start to come together. With the introduction of new characters like Doctor Strange and Black Panther, as well as the return of old favorites like Spider-Man, Phase Three builds toward the ultimate showdown with Thanos in Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame.
The correct order for Phase Three is:
- Captain America: Civil War (2016)
- Doctor Strange (2016)
- Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)
- Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
- Thor: Ragnarok (2017)
- Black Panther (2018)
- Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
- Ant-Man and The Wasp (2018)
- Captain Marvel (2019)
- Avengers: Endgame (2019)
The Future of the MCU
With Avengers: Endgame, the MCU wrapped up its first major storyline. But that doesn’t mean it’s over. Marvel has announced several new movies and TV shows that will continue to expand the universe in new and exciting ways.
Some upcoming MCU projects include:
- The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, a TV series on Disney+.. which follows Sam Wilson/Falcon and Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier after the events of Endgame.
- Black Widow, a movie about the titular character’s past before the events of Endgame.
- The Eternals, a movie about a group of immortal beings who have existed for thousands of years.
No matter what comes next, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has given us some incredible movies and characters to enjoy. By following this correct order to watch the Marvel movies, you can fully appreciate the journey that these heroes have been on and prepare yourself for what comes next.