Each and every single year, the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) grows by a couple of new films and soon, there will be a whole new crop of central characters. Looking at the collection of movies from the last decade, though, and what is to come, it’s hard to know how to watch things in the proper way. It’s time to check out just how to watch the Marvel Cinematic Universe in the correct chronological order and this will help your viewing enjoyment.
The MCU officially started in 2008 with the release of Iron Man and it has continued up through the release of Spider-Man: Homecoming last month. Now, just because things started with Robert Downey Jr., that doesn’t mean it is the start of the chronological order of how things are supposed to go.
If you want to watch the movies in the order they take place timeline wise, you need to jump around a bit. This is going to become extremely important to know as future movies are released because Marvel is not yet done screwing with time and space.
Making this more confusing than anything is that Captain Marvel will make her introduction into the MCU on March 8, 2019. While that movie will be released between the next two Avengers films, it actually takes place in the ’90s as reported by Cinema Blend .
Let’s start at the beginning, though.
Here is how the movies of the MCU should be watched if viewing them when they happen in time and not by release date.
1.) Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)
2.) Iron Man (2008)
3.) Iron Man 2 (2010)
4.) The Incredible Hulk (2010)
5.) Thor (2011)
6.) The Avengers (2012)
7.) Iron Man 3 (2013)
8.) Thor: The Dark World (2013)
9.) Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)
10.) Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
11.) Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)
Some may think that going into this spot will eventually be Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 which James Gunn revealed will be the likely name of the third film to Collider . The problem with that theory is that the Guardians are in Avengers: Infinity War which will happen later on in the timeline.
12.) Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)
13.) Ant-Man (2015)
14.) Captain American: Civil War (2016)
15.) Doctor Strange (2016)
16.) Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
While more films will be announced as time goes on, here are the upcoming movies that will need to find their place in the Marvel Cinematic Universe timeline.
- Thor: Raganrok – Nov. 3, 2017
- Black Panther – Feb. 16, 2018
- Avengers: Infinity War – May 4, 2018
- Ant-Man and the Wasp – July 6, 2018
- Captain Marvel – March 8, 2019
- Untitled Avengers film (Fourth) – May 3, 2019
- Untitled Spider-Man sequel – July 5, 2019
- Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 – Release date not yet scheduled
Now, as you may have noticed, this list is for all the movies in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Despite TV shows such as Agent Carter and Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. being connected to them, they are still actually separate.
In the same breath, the Marvel series on Netflix can also fit into timeline as well, but they are also separate. Daredevil , Jessica Jones , Luke Cage , and Iron Fist all start to chronologically come in rather late after Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 as shown by Express .
Netflix Unveils New Trailer for The Defenders at San Diego Comic-Con – https://t.co/iM1jjiPsLo https://t.co/thk5b6FBKZ pic.twitter.com/rMvVDWGwGQ
— Jason R. Fayling (@jfayling) July 25, 2017
The Punisher and The Defenders on Netflix will also be an extended part of this timeline along with the second individual seasons of each member of the team. Inhumans begins on ABC this September and it will also likely have connections as will season five of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. coming in January.
There are going to be a lot of changes arriving in the Marvel Cinematic Universe in the coming years as the Avengers story-arc will be ending and a brand new overall line will begin. The MCU has grown phenomenally in the first 10 years and it appears as if they are only just starting, but you now know how to chronologically start at the beginning. Whether it is Captain America, Spider-Man, or the Guardians, it’s always fun to know how things fit in order.
[Featured Image by Marvel Studios]