35+ Marvel Movies: The Ultimate 2025 Guide To MCU Chronological And Release Order
Are you ready to dive into the most expansive and complex cinematic universe ever created? The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) now spans over 35 feature films, six distinct phases, and two massive sagas. As of December 2025, the timeline is more intricate than ever, with new Phase Six entries like The Fantastic Four: First Steps already starting to reshape the chronology.
Whether you are a newcomer seeking the foundational story of the Infinity Stones or a veteran preparing for the epic conclusion of the Multiverse Saga with Avengers: Secret Wars, understanding the correct viewing order is crucial. We break down the two essential ways to watch every single MCU movie, from the 1940s origins of Captain America to the multiversal chaos of the present day.
The Complete Marvel Cinematic Universe Movie List: The Biography of the MCU
The history of the MCU is broken down into two overarching storylines: The Infinity Saga (Phases 1-3) and The Multiverse Saga (Phases 4-6). This section serves as the definitive "biography" of the franchise, listing every movie by its official Phase and its original theatrical release date.
Phase One: Iron Man to The Avengers (The Beginning of the Infinity Saga)
- Iron Man (2008)
- The Incredible Hulk (2008)
- Iron Man 2 (2010)
- Thor (2011)
- Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)
- The Avengers (2012)
Phase Two: Iron Man 3 to Ant-Man
- Iron Man 3 (2013)
- Thor: The Dark World (2013)
- Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)
- Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
- Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)
- Ant-Man (2015)
Phase Three: Captain America: Civil War to Spider-Man: Far From Home (The Infinity Saga Conclusion)
- 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)
- Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019)
Phase Four: Black Widow to Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (The Start of the Multiverse Saga)
- Black Widow (2021)
- Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021)
- Eternals (2021)
- Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)
- Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022)
- Thor: Love and Thunder (2022)
- Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022)
Phase Five: Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania to Blade
- Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023)
- Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023)
- The Marvels (2023)
- Deadpool & Wolverine (2024)
- Captain America: Brave New World (2025)
- Thunderbolts* (2025)
- Blade (TBD 2025)
Phase Six: The Fantastic Four to Avengers: Secret Wars (The Multiverse Saga Conclusion)
- The Fantastic Four: First Steps (July 25, 2025)
- Spider-Man: Brand New Day (July 31, 2026)
- Avengers: Doomsday (December 18, 2026)
- Avengers: Secret Wars (May 7, 2027)
The Two Essential Ways to Watch the MCU
Choosing how to watch the MCU is the first big decision every fan faces. The two primary methods—Release Order and Chronological Order—offer vastly different viewing experiences. One is for watching the story unfold as the world did, and the other is for a seamless, continuous narrative flow.
1. Release Order: The Best Way for First-Time Viewers
Watching the movies in the order they were released is the most recommended approach for anyone watching the MCU for the first time. This is how Marvel Studios intended the story to be consumed. It preserves the mystery, the reveals, and the surprise post-credit scenes exactly as they were designed.
The Release Order aligns perfectly with the Phase structure. You start with Iron Man (2008) and end with the most current film, enjoying the gradual introduction of cosmic elements, the Multiverse concept, and key characters like Kang the Conqueror. This method ensures that narrative and visual effects improvements feel natural, and the emotional payoff of films like Avengers: Endgame is maximized.
2. Chronological Order: The Ultimate MCU Timeline Marathon
The chronological order is for dedicated fans who want to see the story unfold purely by the in-universe timeline, even if it means jumping between decades. This viewing order is perfect for a re-watch, providing a deeper understanding of character motivations and the historical context of the universe.
The key difference is that you start in the past. Captain America: The First Avenger is the first film, set during World War II. It is immediately followed by a significant jump to 1995 for Captain Marvel. The story then moves to the early 2000s for Iron Man, which kicks off the main modern-day narrative. This order is essential for understanding the foundations of S.H.I.E.L.D. and the origins of the Infinity Stones.
The Definitive Chronological MCU Movie Order (Updated 2025)
This list reflects the in-universe timeline, starting with the earliest events and moving forward to the Multiverse Saga. Note that the placement of some Phase Four and Five movies is approximate, as their exact timeline location relative to each other is often vague, but they are generally post-Blip events.
- 1. Captain America: The First Avenger (1942)
- 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. Thor: The Dark World (2013)
- 9. Iron Man 3 (2013)
- 10. Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)
- 11. Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
- 12. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2014)
- 13. Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)
- 14. Ant-Man (2015)
- 15. Captain America: Civil War (2016)
- 16. Black Widow (2016 - set between Civil War and Infinity War)
- 17. Black Panther (2017)
- 18. Doctor Strange (2017)
- 19. Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
- 20. Thor: Ragnarok (2017)
- 21. Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018 - leads directly into Infinity War)
- 22. Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
- 23. Avengers: Endgame (2023 - after the five-year "Blip")
- 24. Spider-Man: Far From Home (2024 - eight months after Endgame)
- 25. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2024)
- 26. Eternals (2024)
- 27. Spider-Man: No Way Home (2024)
- 28. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2025)
- 29. Thor: Love and Thunder (2025)
- 30. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2025)
- 31. Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2025)
- 32. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2026)
- 33. The Marvels (2026)
- 34. Deadpool & Wolverine (2026)
- 35. The Fantastic Four: First Steps (2026 - Approximate placement)
The Future of the MCU: The Multiverse Saga and Beyond
The current narrative arc, The Multiverse Saga, is building toward a conflict on a scale far beyond the battle with Thanos in the Infinity Saga. The key villain, Kang the Conqueror, and his variants are driving the plot across multiple realities, making the order of events increasingly important.
The upcoming films in Phase Six are the most critical to watch in release order, as they will directly set up the final two-part event: Avengers: Doomsday and the universe-shattering finale, Avengers: Secret Wars. The introduction of the Fantastic Four in The Fantastic Four: First Steps is a pivotal moment, as they are traditionally key players in the Secret Wars storyline from the comics.
Whether you choose to follow the story as it unfolded in real-time (Release Order) or as it happened in the fictional timeline (Chronological Order), the Marvel Cinematic Universe offers an unparalleled viewing experience. Grab your popcorn, clear your schedule, and prepare for a marathon that will take you from World War II all the way to the end of the Multiverse itself.
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