Marvel Movies in Order: How to Watch the MCU
The Marvel Cinematic Universe is the biggest interconnected franchise ever made, and that scale is exactly what makes the watch order question intimidating. The good news: release order works, full stop. It's how the story was designed to unfold, with each film assuming you've seen what came before it and nothing that came after. Here's the Infinity Saga — the complete 23-film arc that ends with Endgame — in release order.
Phase One: assembling the team
- Iron Man (2008) — Where it all starts.
- The Incredible Hulk (2008) — The most skippable film in the saga.
- Iron Man 2 (2010)
- Thor (2011)
- Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)
- The Avengers (2012) — The first payoff.
Phase Two
- Iron Man 3 (2013)
- Thor: The Dark World (2013)
- Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014) — A high point — don't skip.
- Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
- Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)
- Ant-Man (2015)
Phase Three: the endgame
- 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 conclusion of the 23-film arc.
- Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019) — The epilogue.
What about chronological order?
Chronological order (starting with Captain America: The First Avenger, then Captain Marvel) rearranges the saga by in-universe date. It's a fun novelty for a rewatch, but it buries Iron Man — the film that teaches you how the MCU works — deep in the list, and it spoils several reveals. First-timers should stick to release order.
The honest shortcut
If 23 films is too many: Iron Man, The Avengers, The Winter Soldier, Guardians, Civil War, Ragnarok, Black Panther, Infinity War, Endgame. That nine-film spine gives you the full arc and everything essential. MCU films mostly live on one platform per country, but the Spider-Man entries are often licensed elsewhere — search each film on this site to see the exact picture where you are.