MCU Movies in Order: Release & Timeline Guide (2026)
The MCU has two correct watch orders — release date and in-universe timeline — and they are not the same list. Here is every Marvel film mapped both ways, plus exactly what to watch before Avengers: Doomsday.
Here is the fast answer: there are two correct ways to watch the MCU movies in order, and they are not the same list. Release order starts with Iron Man (2008), the film that launched the franchise. Chronological (timeline) order starts with Captain America: The First Avenger, which is set in the 1940s, decades before Tony Stark builds his first suit. For a first watch, release order wins — the Marvel Cinematic Universe was engineered as serialized storytelling, so its reveals and gut-punches only land if you see them in the sequence audiences did.
Below you'll find both complete lists, mapped to every Phase and Saga, plus the one thing newcomers actually want in 2026: exactly what to watch before Avengers: Doomsday arrives in theaters on December 18, 2026. By the time Doomsday lands, there will be 39 MCU feature films — so let's get you oriented.
Should you watch the MCU in release order or chronological order?
The difference between the two orders is simple but important. Release order is the sequence the films premiered in, from 2008's Iron Man onward. Chronological order reshuffles those same films by when the events happen in-universe, which means a 1940s war movie and a 1990s prequel jump to the front of the line.
Our verdict: watch the Marvel movies in release order for your first time through. Callbacks, cameos, and the franchise's signature long-game payoffs are built around the order audiences experienced them. Avengers: Endgame in particular only sings if you've taken the journey film by film. Save the chronological timeline order for a rewatch, when spoilers no longer matter and you want to see the story assembled like a jigsaw.
MCU movies in order of release date
This is how the saga unfolded for audiences — the definitive MCU movies in order of release list, organized by Phase and Saga.
The Infinity Saga (Phases One–Three)
Phase One
- Iron Man (2008)
- The Incredible Hulk (2008)
- Iron Man 2 (2010)
- Thor (2011)
- Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)
- The Avengers (2012)
Phase Two 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. Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015) 12. Ant-Man (2015)
Phase Three 13. Captain America: Civil War (2016) 14. Doctor Strange (2016) 15. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017) 16. Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017) 17. Thor: Ragnarok (2017) 18. Black Panther (2018) 19. Avengers: Infinity War (2018) 20. Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018) 21. Captain Marvel (2019) 22. Avengers: Endgame (2019) 23. Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019)
Marvel Studios framed that 23-film run as the complete Infinity Saga. If you only ever watch one stretch of the MCU, make it this one — and for a sense of how its capstone stacks up against history, see our look at the highest-grossing movie of all time.
The Multiverse Saga (Phases Four–Six)
After Far From Home, the franchise launched its next mega-arc — the Multiverse Saga — built on alternate realities, variants, and colliding timelines.
Phase Four 24. Black Widow (2021) 25. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021) 26. Eternals (2021) 27. Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021) 28. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022) 29. Thor: Love and Thunder (2022) 30. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022)
Phase Five 31. Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023) 32. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023) 33. The Marvels (2023) 34. Deadpool & Wolverine (2024) 35. Captain America: Brave New World (2025) 36. Thunderbolts* (2025)
Phase Six 37. The Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025) 38. Spider-Man: Brand New Day (2026) 39. Avengers: Doomsday (2026)
That brings the total to 39 films through Doomsday, with Avengers: Secret Wars slated to close the Saga in 2027.
What should you watch before Avengers: Doomsday?
Avengers: Doomsday opens December 18, 2026, with the Russo brothers directing and Robert Downey Jr. returning to the MCU — this time as the villain Doctor Doom. It's the climax the entire Multiverse Saga has been building toward, so a little prep pays off.
You don't need all 38 prior films to follow it, but here's the efficient path. Watch the Infinity Saga through Endgame for the emotional foundation. Then hit the Multiverse Saga's load-bearing entries: Spider-Man: No Way Home and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (which crack the multiverse open), Deadpool & Wolverine (which folds in the wider Marvel film universe), The Fantastic Four: First Steps, and Spider-Man: Brand New Day, which arrives in July 2026 — just months before Doomsday. If the multiverse premise is your favorite part, our roundup of the best sci-fi movies streaming and the best sci-fi movies of the 21st century make great companion viewing.
MCU movies in chronological order (timeline)
Ready for a rewatch? Here's the broad chronological order by in-universe timeline. The earliest events belong to Captain America: The First Avenger (set largely in World War II), followed by Captain Marvel (set in the 1990s). From there the modern era kicks off with Iron Man.
- Captain America: The First Avenger (1940s)
- Captain Marvel (1990s)
- Iron Man
- Iron Man 2
- The Incredible Hulk
- Thor
- The Avengers
- Iron Man 3
- Thor: The Dark World
- Guardians of the Galaxy (and Vol. 2)
- Captain America: The Winter Soldier
- Avengers: Age of Ultron
- Ant-Man
- Captain America: Civil War
- Black Widow
- Spider-Man: Homecoming
- Doctor Strange
- Black Panther
- Thor: Ragnarok
- Ant-Man and the Wasp
- Captain Marvel end-credits / Avengers: Infinity War
- Avengers: Endgame
The chronologically first MCU project is The First Avenger — but note the time travel in Endgame makes any "perfect" timeline impossible, which is exactly why we recommend release order first. After Endgame, the Multiverse Saga films broadly follow their release order on the timeline.
Do you need to watch the Disney+ shows to follow the MCU movies?
You can follow the films on their own. But several Disney+ shows connect directly to the movies, so the fullest MCU movies and shows in order experience slots them in. WandaVision leads into Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness; Loki expands the multiverse stakes that ripple all the way toward Doomsday. Treat the series as connective tissue, not required homework. For more bingeable, tightly written television beyond Marvel, our guide to the best limited series to stream is a strong next stop.
Where to watch and where to start on a deadline
Nearly every MCU film streams on Disney+, the franchise's primary home, though availability for a few earlier titles can vary by region. Short on time? Build a greatest-hits spine: Iron Man, The Avengers, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Guardians of the Galaxy, Captain America: Civil War, Black Panther, Thor: Ragnarok, Avengers: Infinity War, and Avengers: Endgame. That run hits the biggest turning points without the full marathon. If you're in the mood for more epic, ambitious filmmaking afterward, see our best movie trilogies feature and our Denis Villeneuve movies ranked deep dive.
The bottom line
For most viewers, release order is the definitive way to watch the MCU movies in order — begin with Iron Man, ride the Infinity Saga through Endgame and Far From Home, then move into the Multiverse Saga across Phases Four, Five, and Six. Save the chronological timeline order for a rewatch once you know the secrets. And if you're catching up for the big one, the road to Avengers: Doomsday (December 18, 2026) runs through The Fantastic Four: First Steps and Spider-Man: Brand New Day — 39 films deep and counting. Bookmark this guide; with Secret Wars on the horizon, the map isn't finished yet.
Further reading: Robert Downey Jr. on Wikipedia · Where to watch on JustWatch.
Sources
Frequently Asked Questions
How many MCU movies are there in 2026?
By the time Avengers: Doomsday opens on December 18, 2026, there will be 39 MCU feature films. Doomsday is the 39th, following Spider-Man: Brand New Day (July 31, 2026) earlier in the year. The total began with Iron Man in 2008 and runs through the entire Infinity Saga and Multiverse Saga. Avengers: Secret Wars, slated for 2027, will then become the 40th film and close out the Multiverse Saga.
What is the first MCU movie to watch?
For a first watch, start with Iron Man (2008). It launched the franchise and the Infinity Saga in release order, and its post-credits scene introduces the larger shared universe. If you are watching by in-universe timeline instead, start with Captain America: The First Avenger, which is set in the 1940s, followed by Captain Marvel, set in the 1990s. Most viewers should stick with release order on a first run-through.
Should you watch the Marvel movies in release order or chronological order?
Release order is the better choice for a first watch. The MCU was built as serialized storytelling, and its reveals, cameos, and emotional payoffs land hardest in the sequence audiences originally saw. Avengers: Endgame in particular only sings if you have taken the journey film by film. Chronological (timeline) order is best saved for a rewatch, once spoilers no longer matter and you want to see the story reassembled. Endgame's time travel also makes any perfect chronological order impossible.
What order should I watch Marvel movies before Avengers: Doomsday?
You do not need all 38 prior films. Watch the Infinity Saga through Avengers: Endgame for the emotional foundation, then hit the load-bearing Multiverse Saga entries: Spider-Man: No Way Home and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (which crack the multiverse open), Deadpool & Wolverine (which folds in the wider Marvel film universe), The Fantastic Four: First Steps, and Spider-Man: Brand New Day, which arrives July 31, 2026 just months before Doomsday lands December 18, 2026.
Do you need to watch the Marvel TV shows to follow the movies?
No, you can follow the main movie arc without them. But a few Disney+ series connect directly to films, so they enrich the experience. WandaVision sets up Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, and Loki expands the multiverse stakes that ripple toward Avengers: Doomsday. Treat the shows as connective tissue rather than required homework. If you want the fullest version of the story, slot WandaVision and Loki in before their related films.
Is Avengers: Doomsday the last MCU movie?
No. Avengers: Doomsday, opening December 18, 2026, is the climax the Multiverse Saga has been building toward, with the Russo brothers directing and Robert Downey Jr. returning as the villain Doctor Doom. But it is not the finale. Avengers: Secret Wars is slated to close the Multiverse Saga in 2027, making it the saga's true capstone. So Doomsday is the penultimate chapter of the current mega-arc rather than the end of the MCU.
What are the MCU Phases and Sagas in order?
The MCU is grouped into Sagas, each split into Phases. The Infinity Saga covers Phases One through Three (Iron Man in 2008 through Spider-Man: Far From Home in 2019), 23 films. The Multiverse Saga covers Phases Four through Six: Phase Four runs Black Widow through Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Phase Five runs Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania through Thunderbolts*, and Phase Six runs The Fantastic Four: First Steps, Spider-Man: Brand New Day, and Avengers: Doomsday.
Where can I stream the MCU movies?
Disney+ is the franchise's primary streaming home, and nearly every MCU film is available there, though availability for a few earlier titles can vary by region. If you are short on time, build a greatest-hits spine: Iron Man, The Avengers, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Guardians of the Galaxy, Captain America: Civil War, Black Panther, Thor: Ragnarok, Avengers: Infinity War, and Avengers: Endgame. That run hits the biggest turning points without committing to the full 39-film marathon.
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