For fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), following the order of the movies can be a bit confusing. With multiple franchises and spin-offs, it can be hard to know where to start and what order to watch them in. In this article, we will break down the order of the Marvel movies.
Phase One
Phase One of the MCU consists of six movies that were released between 2008 and 2012. These films established the core characters and storylines that would later interconnect in future movies. The order for Phase One is as follows:
- Iron Man (2008)
- The Incredible Hulk (2008)
- Iron Man 2 (2010)
- Thor (2011)
- Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)
- The Avengers (2012)
Phase Two
Phase Two continued the interconnected storyline, introducing new characters and expanding on existing ones. This phase also saw a darker tone in some of the films. The order for Phase Two is as follows:
- 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)
In this movie, Tony Stark faces his toughest challenge yet when he comes face-to-face with a new enemy known as The Mandarin.
Thor must team up with his brother Loki to save Asgard from Malekith, an ancient enemy who seeks to destroy the universe.
Captain America teams up with Black Widow and new ally Sam Wilson to take down a new threat from within S.H.I.E.L.D.
A group of misfits come together to save the galaxy from a powerful villain known as Ronan the Accuser.
The Avengers must come together again to stop Ultron, an artificial intelligence that seeks to destroy humanity.
Scott Lang, a former thief, must help his mentor Dr. Hank Pym protect the Ant-Man suit from falling into the wrong hands.
Phase Three
Phase Three saw the introduction of new franchises and characters, while also continuing storylines from previous films. This phase also included some of the highest-grossing Marvel movies to date. The order for Phase Three is as follows:
Captain America: Civil War (2016)
The Avengers are divided when a government regulation requires them to be held accountable for their actions.
Doctor Strange (2016)
A former surgeon must learn the mystical arts in order to protect Earth from a powerful enemy known as Kaecilius.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)
The Guardians continue their adventures while uncovering the mystery of Peter Quill’s parentage.
Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
Peter Parker balances his life as a high school student and superhero while facing off against the villainous Vulture.
Thor: Ragnarok (2017)
Thor must escape an alien planet and team up with new allies to stop his evil sister Hela from destroying Asgard.
Black Panther (2018)
T’Challa, the newly crowned king of Wakanda, must defend his country from a new threat while also confronting his past.
Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
The Avengers and their allies must come together to stop the powerful Thanos from obtaining all six Infinity Stones and destroying half of the universe.
Ant-Man and The Wasp (2018)
Scott Lang teams up with Hope van Dyne as they try to rescue her mother from the quantum realm while also dealing with a new villain known as Ghost.
Captain Marvel (2019)
Set in the 90s, Captain Marvel follows Carol Danvers as she becomes one of the universe’s most powerful heroes while also uncovering secrets about her past.
Avengers: Endgame (2019)
The surviving Avengers must find a way to reverse the damage caused by Thanos in Infinity War and restore balance to the universe.
Conclusion
Now that you know the order of the Marvel movies, you can watch them in chronological order and follow along with the interconnected storyline. From Phase One to Phase Three, each movie builds upon previous ones, leading up to epic conclusions like Avengers: Endgame. So grab some popcorn, settle in, and enjoy one of the most exciting cinematic universes ever created.