Watch Marvel in Order

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is a massive, interconnected story that spans across multiple timelines and a ton of different characters. It’s possible, to a point, to watch each individual movie on its own, but if you’re looking for the full Marvel experience, it’s best to go in order. That way, you can watch the films as they were made and see how the story evolved over time as Kevin Feige and his team worked out the kinks.

The current timeline begins with 2008’s Iron Man, introducing Robert Downey Jr.’s cocky industrialist and the hints of something bigger. From there, the films build up to a big showdown between the heroes and an interstellar Really Bad Guy called Thanos. His quest to collect the Infinity Stones has impacted the entire universe. It’s an epic fight that culminates in this year’s Avengers: Endgame and last month’s Spider-Man: Far From Home.

But if you’re just getting into the MCU, knowing which Watch order for Marvel Movies can be confusing. There are a few different orders that fans can follow depending on what makes the most sense for them. One popular method is to watch the films in release date order, which starts with IRON MAN and ends with Nia DaCosta’s latest installment. Another is to go in chronological order, which changes things up a bit but gives a better sense of how the MCU grew and evolved over the years.

Should I Watch Marvel in Order?

Whichever order you choose to follow, we recommend that you always watch the films all the way through the credits — because Marvel Studios loves tucking little story tidbits and payoffs in during and at the end of their movies. It’s a studio calling card and it helps to keep the flow of the overall story humming along smoothly.

Once you’ve finished the first batch of Marvel films, it’s time to move on to the next set of releases. The next one on the list is CAPTAIN MARVEL, which moves up to take the place of IRON MAN as the proper MCU kickoff. Set in the ’90s, it’s a blast of nostalgia with plenty of Blockbuster and Nine Inch Nails and an origin story for Carol Danvers that feels more like Phase One than anything that came before it.

This is followed by BLACK PANTHER, which picks up right where CIVIL WAR left off. Then you can move on to SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING, which is only a few months after that and focuses on Peter Parker.

You can then continue on in production order until you get to Guardians of the Galaxy, which is only a week after CIVIL WAR. And don’t skip Captain America: The Winter Soldier, which is a great caper film and provides a strong foundation for the rest of the series.

From there, you can finally finish with this year’s Spider-Man: Far From Home, which takes place directly after Avengers: Endgame and offers a nice coda to the Infinity Saga as we say goodbye to some of the characters. And, of course, don’t forget to stay tuned for the next chapter of the MCU, which is still a mystery at this point.