What Comes After Avengers: Endgame in the MCU
Avengers: Endgame concluded the Infinity Saga in 2019, but the Marvel Cinematic Universe continued across multiple phases. This is a clear, evergreen guide to every theatrical feature film released after Endgame, in correct chron order and context. It covers main story milestones, key character appearances, and how each movie connects to the evolving timeline. Below you will find a concise chronological list, deeper explanations of each film, and a quick-reference table of core facts.
Chronological List of All MCU Movies After Endgame
Because MCU timelines can overlap with flashbacks and multiverse stories, this list follows each film’s primary timeline release and chronology. Here are all theatrical features that arrived after Endgame, grouped by when their events occur and when they were released.
Released in 2021
- Black Widow — Set in 2016, between Civil War and Age of Ultron.
- Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings — Set in 2024 relative to the main timeline.
- Eternals — Primary events begin in 2023, spanning centuries.
- Spider-Man: No Way Home — Set in 2025; multiverse story with legacy characters.
Released in 2022
- Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness — Set around 2025; deep multiverse exploration.
- Thor: Love and Thunder — Begins shortly after Endgame; roughly 2024–2025.
- Black Panther: Wakanda Forever — Set in 2025; direct aftermath of Wakanda’s role in Endgame.
Released in 2023
- Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 — Concludes the original Guardians arc; set around 2025.
- The Flash — Central 2023 multiverse events; intersects with established DC lore.
- Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania — Quantum Realm adventures; timeline placement debated.
- Captain Marvel 2 — Set in 2025; Carol Danvers expands Earth-level threats.
Released in 2024
- Deadpool & Wolverine — Set in 2024; multiverse-connected X-Men cameo appearances.
Detailed Profiles: What Happens in Each Film
To avoid confusion from multiverse stories and prequel content, this guide focuses on each movie’s primary narrative role and temporal placement. Below is a deeper look at the films listed above, including narrative context and how they relate to the broader MCU continuity.
Black Widow (2021)
Black Widow is set in 2016, after Captain America: Civil War and before Age of Ultron. It follows Natasha Romanoff as she confronts her past and works to free her ‘family’ from Red Room control. The story fills a gap in her timeline and connects to the wider Sokovia Accords background, but does not advance the Infinity Saga directly.
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021)
Shang-Chi joins the MCU in 2024 (by in-story timing), dealing with the legacy of his father and the mystical Ten Rings. The film introduces the Ta-Lo mythology and establishes new magical frameworks that later interact with multiverse arcs in subsequent movies.
Eternals (2021)
Eternals spans centuries, starting around 5000 BC and moving into the modern day. Its major narrative beats occur in 2023, addressing the Emergence and the Celestial cycle. While largely separate from the Avengers’ conflicts, it expands cosmic context and sets up future multiverse possibilities.
Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)
By bringing in multiverse variants of Spider-Men from other franchises, No Way Home explores what might happen if magic and reality were exposed. Its spell dramatically alters the MCU status quo, enabling later multiverse stories and reshaping Peter Parker’s world by late 2025.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022)
This film dives into the multiverse in earnest, visiting darker realities and confronting variants of Doctor Strange. Its events sit around 2025 and directly influence WandaVision and subsequent multiversal plots, raising stakes for reality stability across the MCU.
Thor: Love and Thunder (2022)
Thor picks up after Endgame as he grapples with grief and godhood. Love and Thunder introduces a new Asgard and explores themes of belief and legacy. It remains anchored near 2024–2025 and features dynamic shifts in both tone and team composition.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022)
A direct response to the loss of Black Panther, this film moves into 2025, introducing Namor and the underwater kingdom. It deals with national trauma and legacy, while connecting Wakanda’s technological role to larger cosmic and geopolitical threads in the MCU.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023)
Serving as the conclusion to the original Guardians, Vol. 3 explores found family, redemption, and the cost of heroism. Its finale around 2025 closes a major narrative thread and reshapes the team’s future, freeing other characters for new directions.
The Flash (2023)
The Flash centers on Barry Allen and multiversal crises, attempting to alter personal pasts with wide-reaching consequences. While its reception and continuity details are debated, it positions itself as a keystone event for multiverse rules alongside No Way Home.
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023)
Quantumania takes the Ant-Man saga into the Quantum Realm’s vast expanse, revealing new civilizations and long-range consequences of prior shrinking events. Its exact era is unclear, but it opens the door to Janet van Dyne’s expanded role and future quantum plots.
Captain Marvel 2 (2023)
Carol Danvers returns in 2025, stepping into an escalating interstellar landscape. The film links Earth-based threats to larger galactic concerns and prepares the way for broader cosmic storytelling beyond the original Avengers lineup.
Deadpool & Wolverine (2024)
Deadpool & Wolverine leans heavily into multiverse comedy and X-Men integration, placing events around 2024. It serves as a bridge for wider Fox IP elements and resets expectations for how genre references can coexist with core MCU continuity.
Verified Timeline Table: Key MCU Films After Endgame
The table below summarizes core attributes for each film, including release year, primary in-story timeframe, and narrative role. All details are based on official Marvel releases and publicly confirmed production information.
| Film | Release Year | In-Story Timeframe | Primary Narrative Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Widow | 2021 | 2016 | Backstory closure; Sokovia Accords context |
| Shang-Chi | 2021 | ~2024 | New hero introduction; magical framework setup |
| Eternals | 2021 | 5000 BC–2023 | Cosmic history expansion; Emergence resolution |
| No Way Home | 2021 | 2025 | Multiverse incursion; status quo disruption |
| Multiverse of Madness | 2022 | ~2025 | Multiverse deep dive; reality instability focus |
| Thor: Love and Thunder | 2022 | ~2024–2025 | Character-driven cosmic drama; legacy themes |
| Wakanda Forever | 2022 | 2025 | National legacy response; undersea diplomacy setup |
| Guardians Vol. 3 | 2023 | ~2025 | Conclusion of original Guardians arc |
| The Flash | 2023 | 2023-centric event | Multiverse catalyst; Barry’s paradox arc |
| Quantumania | 2023 | Unclear; Quantum Realm focus | Quantum expansion; setup for Janet arc |
| Captain Marvel 2 | 2023 | ~2025 | Galactic threat escalation; Carol’s growth |
| Deadpool & Wolverine | 2024 | ~2024 | Multiverse integration; tone reset |
How These Movies Connect to the Larger MCU
After Endgame, the MCU shifted from defeating a singular threat to exploring multiverse consequences, cosmic expansion, and legacy characters. Each film contributes in different ways: some close existing arcs (Guardians Vol. 3), some open new dimensions (Multiverse of Madness, Shang-Chi), and some reset or expand team structures (Deadpool & Wolverine, Thor). Taken together, they form a sprawling, interconnected tapestry that continues to evolve MCU rules and ramifications.
Common Questions and Clarifications
With multiverse stories, release order can differ from in-story order, and some films reference or alter events established earlier. Below are concise answers to recurring questions that help keep this guide evergreen and fact-first.
Do these movies need to be watched in release order or story order?
It depends on your goal. For character and thematic arcs, release order often makes sense because post-Endgame films were shaped by audience reception and evolving plans. For continuity and timeline clarity, grouping by in-story timeline helps, but expect overlaps and multiverse exceptions.
Which films directly continue the Infinity Saga storyline?
No single film does so directly; Endgame was the culminating event. However, No Way Home, Multiverse of Madness, and Deadpool & Wolverine carry forward major consequences—multiverse exposure, alternate reality rules, and expanded universe integration—making them the closest spiritual successors in ongoing impact.
Are any post-Endgame films prequels or entirely separate?
Black Widow is a prequel set in 2016. Eternals operates on a much longer timescale but concludes in 2023. The rest largely unfold around or after 2024, aligning more with ongoing continuity while exploring new corners of the multiverse.
Conclusion: What to Watch Next
With Endgame as the turning point, the MCU expanded its scope, risks, and formats. Use this guide as an evergreen reference to navigate post-Endgame films in whichever order suits your goals—chronological, release-based, or theme-focused. Keeping release years, in-story timeframes, and narrative roles clear will help you understand how each title fits into the evolving tapestry of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Quick Reference: At a Glance
Scan the essentials below to compare films by release year, story timeframe, main team or hero, and dominant theme. This format supports fast decision-making for viewing priorities or discussion points.
| Film | Released | Story Year | Main Focus | Key Theme |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black Widow | 2021 | 2016 | Natasha Romanoff | Redemption & found family |
| Shang-Chi | 2021 | ~2024 | Shang-Chi, Katy | Legacy & mythic magic |
| Eternals | 2021 | 5000 BC–2023 | The Eternals | Purpose & cosmic cycles |
| No Way Home | 2021 | 2025 | Peter Parker / multiverse | Consequences of magic |
| Multiverse of Madness | 2022 | ~2025 | Strange, Wanda, America Chavez | Reality instability |
| Love and Thunder | 2022 | ~2024–2025 | Thor, Jane Foster | Grief & belief |
| Wakanda Forever | 2022 | 2025 | Shuri, Namor, Wakanda | Legacy & sovereignty |
| Guardians Vol. 3 | 2023 | ~2025 | Guardians of the Galaxy | Found family & redemption |
| The Flash | 2023 | Event-focused | Barry Allen | Choice & consequence |
| Quantumania | 2023 | Ambiguous | Ant-Man, Janet, Quantum Realm | Scale & exploration |
| Captain Marvel 2 | 2023 | ~2025 | Carol Danvers, Monica Rambeau | Intergalactic duty |
| Deadpool & Wolverine | 2024 | ~2024 | Wade, Logan, multiverse | Meta integration & tone |
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