How to watch the Marvel movies in order (release and chronological)

By Bradley Russell
Contributions from
Jack Shepherd
 last updated

Here's how to watch the Marvel movies in order ahead of Guardians of the Galaxy 3

Chris Evans in Avengers: Endgame, part of how to watch the Marvel movies in order
(Image credit: Marvel Studios)

Need to know how to watch the MCU in order? There are dozens of Marvel shows and movies that make up Kevin Feige and Marvel Studios' grand vision for an interconnected universe – and each one is important.

With that in mind, you’ll need to know how to get from A, to B, all the way through to Z without missing anything. That’s where we come in: below, we've put together the complete MCU watch order, starting from Iron Man and heading all the way up to Marvel Phase 5 and Quantumania. With Guardians of the Galaxy 3 just around the corner, it makes sense to get your MCU marathons started sooner rather than later.

For those who want to mix it up, we've even dotted together the confusing muddle that is the Marvel timeline to bring you a guide on how to watch the Marvel movies in chronological order. We even go deeper and explain what is and isn't canon in the MCU, plus which movies are currently available to stream on Disney Plus.

For all that, and more, join us as we run down how to watch the Marvel movies in order. For more, here are all the upcoming Marvel movies and shows to look forward to.

MCU order: all 42 Marvel movies and shows

Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) in Secret Invasion

(Image credit: Marvel Studios)

How to watch the Marvel movies in order – release order

Best for: Newcomers to the Marvel movies.

First up, here's how to watch the Marvel movies in release order. Marvel films, we should note, are split into Phases, with the end of a Phase typically indicating a natural end to a story arc. The beginning of a Phase, therefore, signals the introduction of new, important characters. Below, we go through Phases 1 to 5 in release order. Yes, that includes WandaVision/Falcon and The Winter Soldier/Loki/Moon Knight/She-Hulk and so on. They're not movies, but the Disney Plus series are just as important to the overarching story.

Phase One:

Phase Two:

Phase Three:

Phase Four:

Phase Five:

  • 42. Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023)

Want to dive in right now? The majority of the Marvel movies are available on Disney Plus. If you want to check out the best deals for the streaming service, head over to our Disney Plus bundles page.


</strong></a>As you've probably heard, Disney Plus houses the biggest collection of Marvel movies of any streaming service, and it's a super cheap way to watch without spending a small fortune on DVDs and Blu-rays. Prices start at <strong>$6.99 / £5.99 / AU$11.99 per month </strong>(or <strong>$69.99 / £59.99 / AU$119.99 per year</strong>).<br> </p>" data-widget-type="deal" data-render-type="editorial">
Watch on Disney Plus (opens in new tab)

Watch on Disney Plus (opens in new tab)
 (opens in new tab)As you've probably heard, Disney Plus houses the biggest collection of Marvel movies of any streaming service, and it's a super cheap way to watch without spending a small fortune on DVDs and Blu-rays. Prices start at $6.99 / £5.99 / AU$11.99 per month (or $69.99 / £59.99 / AU$119.99 per year).

View Deal (opens in new tab)

We also know a fair amount of what's coming up in the future, with Marvel having laid out plans for Phase 5 – which has just begun – and beyond. Out of the current list, Deadpool 3 is the only one not explicitly tied to a Phase, though we're comfortable putting it alongside Blade for now as Fantastic Four is going to kick off Marvel's Phase 6.

Here's a taste of the Marvel movies coming out over the next few years – and for a full deep-dive, check out our explainer on all the upcoming Marvel movies and shows heading your way soon.

Marvel Phase 5:

  • Secret Invasion – June 21, 2023 (Disney Plus series)
  • Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 – May 5, 2023
  • The Marvels (AKA Captain Marvel 2) – November 10, 2023
  • Echo – TBC 2023/2024 (Disney Plus series)
  • Loki season 2 – TBC 2023/2024 (Disney Plus series)
  • Ironheart – TBC 2023/2024 (Disney Plus series)
  • Agatha: Coven of Chaos – TBC 2023/2024 (Disney Plus series)
  • Daredevil: Born Again – Spring 2024 (Disney Plus series)
  • Captain America: New World Order – May 3, 2024
  • Thunderbolts – July 26, 2024
  • Blade – September 6, 2024
  • Deadpool 3 – November 8, 2024

Marvel Phase 6:

TBA (unreleased):

  • Shang-Chi 2 – TBA
  • Nova – TBA
  • Armor Wars – TBA 
  • Wakanda/Okoye spin-off – TBA (Disney Plus series)
  • Wonder Man – TBA (Disney Plus series)
  • What If...? season 2 – TBA (Disney Plus series)
  • What If...? season 3 – TBA (Disney Plus series)
  • Spider-Man: Freshman Year – TBA (Disney Plus series)
  • Spider-Man: Sophomore Year – TBA (Disney Plus series)
  • Marvel Zombies – TBA (Disney Plus series)

How to watch the Marvel movies in order – chronological order

Infinity War

(Image credit: Disney Plus)

Best for: MCU veterans looking for a new way to watch. 

Want to see the MCU in a slightly differen light? Then you'll perhaps want to know how to watch the Marvel movies in chronological order. 

This one's a little less straightforward than the above list. Luckily, Marvel has revealed most of the official years in which each movie takes place. That goes right up to Falcon and the Winter Soldier, which fits snugly in-between Endgame and Far From Home and the likes of Hawkeye, which takes place around No Way Home. We've now reached 2025, with She-Hulk, Thor: Love and Thunder, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania seemingly all taking place in that not-so-far-flung future year. 

But be warned: Marvel occasionally takes creative liberties with the timeline order of some of these entries. Our list uses Marvel's own official order on Disney Plus as a guide, but some things might feel a little out of sorts if you think about it too hard. Looking at you, Werewolf by Night. And also for the completionists among you – the I Am Groot short 'First Steps' takes place before Guardians 2, while the rest of the shorts happen after that sequel. For now, we've put Quantumania as the most recent Marvel project, until it's added to Disney Plus in its official slot. 

  • 1. Captain America: The First Avenger (1942-1943)
  • 2. Captain Marvel (1995)
  • 3. Iron Man (2010)
  • 4. Iron Man 2 (2011)
  • 5. The Incredible Hulk (2011)
  • 6. Thor (2011)
  • 7. The Avengers (2012)
  • 8. Iron Man 3 (2012)
  • 9. Thor: The Dark World (2013)
  • 10. Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)
  • 11. Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
  • 12. Guardians of the Galaxy 2 (2014)
  • 13. I Am Groot (2014)
  • 14. Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)
  • 15. Ant-Man (2015)
  • 16. Captain America: Civil War (2016)
  • 17. Spider-Man: Homecoming (2016)
  • 18. Doctor Strange (2016-2017)
  • 19. Black Widow (2017)
  • 20. Black Panther (2017)
  • 21. Thor: Ragnarok (2017)
  • 22. Ant-Man and the Wasp (2017)
  • 23. Avengers: Infinity War (2017)
  • 24. Avengers: Endgame (2018-2023)
  • 25. Loki (outside of our conception of time, but around here!)
  • 26. What If...? (also outside of our conception of time!)
  • 27. WandaVision (2023)
  • 28. Falcon and the Winter Soldier (2023-2024)
  • 29. Shang-Chi and The Legend of the Ten Rings (2023-2024)
  • 30. Spider-Man: Far From Home (2024)
  • 31. Spider-Man: No Way Home (2024)
  • 32. Eternals (2024)
  • 33. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2024)
  • 34. Hawkeye (Christmas 2024)
  • 35. Moon Knight (2025)
  • 36. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2025)
  • 37. She-Hulk (2025)
  • 38. Ms. Marvel (2025)
  • 39. Thor: Love and Thunder (2025)
  • 40. Werewolf By Night (2025)
  • 41. Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special (2025)
  • 42. Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2025)

Non-MCU Marvel movies and shows in the MCU

Alfred Molina in Spider-Man 2

(Image credit: Sony)

Best for: Anyone who wants to fully appreciate No Way Home

Now we're getting to the confusing bit: the multiverse. Thanks to Spider-Man: No Way Home, we have had various Spider-Man villains from through the multiverse in the MCU, and to fully understand everyone's motives and intentions in No Way Home, you need to have watched a fair few older Spider-Man movies. 

These take place on three alternative timelines: one where Tobey Maguire is Spider-Man, another where Andrew Garfield is Spidey, and a third where Tom Hardy's Eddie Brock becomes the villain Venom. For a full deep dive into watching these movies, then check out our guide to how to watch the Spider-Man movies in order.

Then there's The Defenders, which are sort of part of the MCU, but also sort of not. They start very much linked to the movies, and then gradually lose all connection – thanks mainly to originally being Netflix products. Now, though, they are all on Disney Plus, and if you want to tackle Daredevil, Iron Fist, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and The Punisher, then you're going to want to know the watch order. Luckily, we have exactly the piece you're after: how to watch The Defenders Saga in order. Daredevil's story, which started in She-Hulk and will continue in Born Again in 2024, loosely picks up where the Netflix series left off. Those three seasons on Netflix haven't been declared officially canon, but Charlie Cox's return is about as close as we'll get to confirmation that The Defenders Saga semi-existed in the MCU.

How to watch the Marvel movies in order on Disney Plus

marvel movies order on Disney Plus

(Image credit: Marvel Studios)

Best for: People with a Disney Plus subscription

Disney Plus has changed the streaming game. A huge competitor to Netflix and Amazon Prime, Disney's entry into the online content wars has made a huge impact, bringing all of the Mouse's classic movies into one place. There are also original series, plus the majority of the Marvel movies. 

Below, find all the Marvel movies on and coming to Disney Plus. Note: You will not find The Incredible Hulk or most of the Spider-Man movies on Disney Plus. This is because the rights to Hulk belong to Universal, while the rights to Spider-Man are with Sony – though Far From Home is available in the UK and Homecoming is being added to Disney Plus on May 12.

Quantumania is not yet on the service, but we can expect it sometime over the next few months. 

  • Iron Man
  • Thor
  • Iron Man 2
  • Captain America: The First Avenger
  • The Avengers
  • Iron Man 3
  • Captain America: The Winter Soldier
  • Thor: The Dark World
  • Guardians of the Galaxy
  • Spider-Man: Homecoming [streaming from May 12]
  • Avengers: Age of Ultron
  • Ant-Man
  • Captain America: Civil War
  • Doctor Strange
  • Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
  • Thor: Ragnarok
  • Black Panther
  • Avengers: Infinity War
  • Captain Marvel
  • Ant-Man and the Wasp
  • Avengers: Endgame
  • Spider-Man: Far From Home 
  • WandaVision
  • The Falcon and the Winter Soldier
  • Loki
  • Black Widow
  • What If...?
  • Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
  • Eternals
  • Hawkeye
  • Moon Knight
  • Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
  • Ms. Marvel
  • She-Hulk
  • Thor: Love and Thunder
  • Werewolf By Night
  • Black Panther: Wakanda Forever 

That's how to watch the Marvel movies in order. So, what are you waiting for? If you haven't got Disney Plus, then here are the latest Disney Plus sign-up deals around the world. Now that the Disney Plus free trial is no more, it's the best way of getting maximum value for money.

For more on movie watch orders, check out our expansive piece on how the watch the DC movies in order, how to watch the Star Wars movies in order, and how to watch the X-Men movies in order.

Bradley Russell
Bradley Russell

I'm the Entertainment Writer here at GamesRadar+, focusing on news, features, and interviews with some of the biggest names in film and TV. On-site, you'll find me marveling at Marvel and providing analysis and room temperature takes on the newest films, Star Wars and, of course, anime. Outside of GR, I love getting lost in a good 100-hour JRPG, Warzone, and kicking back on the (virtual) field with Football Manager. My work has also been featured in OPM, FourFourTwo, and Game Revolution.

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