All Marvel Movies in Chronological Order Including X-Men

How to read this guide: release order vs timeline order

There are two common ways to watch Marvel movies: by theatrical release order and by in‑universe chronological order. Release order reflects how audiences originally experienced the stories and shapes ongoing character arcs, while timeline order follows the internal chronology of events, which is useful for understanding cause and effect. The X‑Men films exist in a separate continuity (often called Earth‑10005 in the MCU’s multiverse language) and are not part of the main MCU timeline. This guide lists all core MCU features in both orders and notes where the X‑Men fit relative to the MCU schedule.

Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) movies in release order

Released as of 2025, the MCU comprises 30 narrative feature films produced and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures under the Marvel banner. This is the sequence most viewers encounter in theaters and on streaming, preserving the intended narrative progression, post‑credit scenes, and long‑term character development. Below is a compact overview of the MCU by release date, runtime, directors, and box‑office performance.

Quick reference: MCU features by release order

MCU movies in chronological/timeline order

Viewing the MCU by internal chronology helps connect character origins and events that occur concurrently across storylines. This timeline starts before Iron Man and ends after The Marvels, reflecting the current state of official MCU continuity as of 2025. Note that Eternals is set across centuries and intersects multiple eras, and Shang‑Chi’s Ten Rings mythology ties into ancient history; Deadpool & Wolverine (2024) is treated as the final chronological entry to date.

Chronological sequence (early to late)

1. Captain America: The First Avenger (World War II, set primarily in the 1940s)
2. Agent Carter (TV series, used here as a reference point; not a film)
3. What If…? (2021) (animated anthology, multiverse-focused)
4. Black Widow (set between Civil War and Infinity War)
5. Iron Man (modern era baseline, 2008‑2010)
6. Iron Man 2
7. The Incredible Hulk
8. Thor
9. Marvel’s The Avengers
10. Iron Man 3
11. Thor: The Dark World
12. Captain America: The Winter Soldier
13. Guardians of the Galaxy
14. Avengers: Age of Ultron
15. Ant-Man
16. Captain America: Civil War
17. Spider‑Man: Homecoming
18. Doctor Strange
19. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
20. Thor: Ragnarok
21. Black Panther
22. Avengers: Infinity War
23. Ant‑Man and the Wasp
24. Avengers: Endgame
25. Spider‑Man: Far From Home
26. Eternals
27. Shang‑Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
28. Spider‑Man: No Way Home
29. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
30. Thor: Love and Thunder
31. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
32. Ant‑Man and the Wasp: Quantumania
33. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
34. The Marvels
35. Deadpool & Wolverine

Where the X‑Men fit: continuity context

The X‑Men films (including related Wolverine and Deadpool features) are not part of the MCU. They belong to 20th Century Studios’s X‑Men cinematic universe (Earth‑10005 in multiverse terms), with timelines that existed largely parallel to the MCU but are now in a distinct branch following Disney’s acquisition of 21st Century Fox. As of the latest canonical announcements, X‑Men titles such as Deadpool & Wolverine are marketed as multiverse arrivals rather than retcons of the established MCU Earth‑199999 continuity. There are no current plans to integrate the X‑Men into the core MCU timeline; future interactions will occur through multiverse storytelling and potential cross‑event arcs.

Key releases and milestones at a glance

How to choose an order based on your goals

• First‑time viewer wanting character growth and intended narrative: follow release order.
• Viewer interested in cause‑and‑effect within the MCU timeline: follow timeline order, noting that some films (e.g., Eternals) intersect multiple eras.
• Fans of X‑Men or Fox properties: these exist in a separate continuity and should be treated as multiverse entries, not MCU canon.
• Completionists: combine both orders and cross‑reference mid‑credit and post‑credit scenes to track setup and payoffs.

Methodology and notes

Box‑office figures are rounded worldwide gross estimates from publicly reported studio and industry sources (e.g., Box Office Mojo). Release and story dates reflect the most widely accepted official timelines; where studio sources differ, we prioritize the production studio’s stated intent. This guide is updated periodically to reflect new canonical releases and confirmed continuities.

Quick links

• Jump to release order list
• Jump to chronological timeline
• X‑Men continuity explained