How to Watch Marvel Movies in Order: A Comprehensive Guide

Introduction

Do you want to watch Marvel movies in order but don’t know where to start? With so many movies and series in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), it can be overwhelming to figure out the best order to watch them in. But don’t worry, this guide will provide you with all the information you need to enjoy the Marvel movies in the order that best suits you.

Why is it important to know the order of Marvel movies? Well, with so many interconnected stories and characters, watching the MCU movies in the wrong order could lead to confusion and spoil the surprises. Therefore, it’s crucial to follow a viewing order that makes sense in terms of the storylines and character developments.

In this article, we will go over different viewing orders and discuss their pros and cons. From chronological and release orders to hybrids and character-based orders, we’ve got all the options covered.

Chronological Order

Watching Marvel movies in chronological order means watching them in the order in which the events depicted in each movie occurred. This means that the first movie to watch would be “Captain America: The First Avenger,” which is set in the 1940s, followed by “Iron Man,” “Iron Man 2,” “The Incredible Hulk,” “Thor,” and so on.

The advantage of watching the Marvel movies in chronological order is seeing how the story unfolds in a clear and coherent way. It also allows for a better understanding of the series’ timeline and character development. However, it can be a bit challenging to follow as it jumps back and forth in time, and it may take longer to get to the famous Avengers movies.

Our recommended viewing order for the chronological order is as follows:

1. Captain America: The First Avenger (takes place during WWII)
2. Captain Marvel (takes place in 1995)
3. Iron Man (takes place in 2010)
4. Iron Man 2 (takes place after Iron Man)
5. The Incredible Hulk (time unspecified, pre-Avengers)
6. Thor (takes place six months before Avengers)
7. The Avengers (takes place in 2012)
8. Iron Man 3 (takes place six months after The Avengers)
9. Thor: Dark World (post-Avengers, pre-Ultron)
10. Captain America: Winter Soldier (post-Avengers, pre-Ultron)
11. Guardians of the Galaxy (sometime in 2014)
12. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (after Guardians)
13. Avengers: Age of Ultron (takes place in 2015)
14. Ant-Man (takes place in 2015)
15. Captain America: Civil War (post-Ultron, pre-Infinity War)
16. Spider-Man: Homecoming (post-Civil War, pre-Infinity War)
17. Doctor Strange (takes place in 2016)
18. Black Panther (takes place in 2017)
19. Thor: Ragnarok (post-Ultron, pre-Infinity War)
20. Avengers: Infinity War (takes place in 2017)
21. Ant-Man and The Wasp (ambiguous, but fits nicely between IW and Endgame)
22. Avengers: Endgame (starts in 2017, finishes in 2022)
23. Spider-Man: Far From Home (post-Endgame)

Release Order

Watching Marvel movies in release order means watching them in the order in which they were released in theaters. The first movie to watch would be “Iron Man,” followed by “The Incredible Hulk,” “Iron Man 2,” “Thor,” and so on.

The advantage of watching the Marvel movies in release order is experiencing the movies in the same order as the general public and seeing how the MCU evolved over time. It also allows for a more straightforward and less confusing viewing experience. However, the downside is that it can be harder to follow the overall story and character development, especially in the later films, which have a lot of references to previous movies.

Our recommended viewing order for the release order is as follows:

1. Iron Man (2008)
2. The Incredible Hulk (2008)
3. Iron Man 2 (2010)
4. Thor (2011)
5. Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)
6. The Avengers (2012)
7. Iron Man 3 (2013)
8. Thor: Dark World (2013)
9. Captain America: Winter Soldier (2014)
10. Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
11. Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)
12. Ant-Man (2015)
13. Captain America: Civil War (2016)
14. Doctor Strange (2016)
15. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)
16. Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
17. Thor: Ragnarok (2017)
18. Black Panther (2018)
19. Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
20. Ant-Man and The Wasp (2018)
21. Captain Marvel (2019)
22. Avengers: Endgame (2019)
23. Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019)

Hybrid Order

Watching Marvel movies in a hybrid order means combining elements from both chronological and release orders while also taking into account individual preferences. For example, some fans prefer to start with the origin story of a character and then follow the release order for the rest of the movies.

The advantage of a hybrid order is that it combines the best of both worlds, allowing for a coherent and satisfying viewing experience while also taking into account personal preferences. However, it can be challenging to come up with a personalized order that works for everyone.

Our recommended viewing order for the hybrid order is as follows:

1. Captain America: The First Avenger
2. Iron Man
3. The Incredible Hulk
4. Iron Man 2
5. Thor
6. The Avengers
7. Iron Man 3
8. Thor: Dark World
9. Captain America: Winter Soldier
10. Guardians of the Galaxy
11. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
12. Avengers: Age of Ultron
13. Ant-Man
14. Captain America: Civil War
15. Spider-Man: Homecoming
16. Doctor Strange
17. Black Panther
18. Thor: Ragnarok
19. Ant-Man and The Wasp
20. Captain Marvel
21. Avengers: Infinity War
22. Avengers: Endgame
23. Spider-Man: Far From Home

Phases-Based Order

Watching Marvel movies in phases-based order means watching them in the order in which they were released within each phase of the MCU. There are currently four phases, each consisting of several movies and leading to a big finale. Phase One begins with “Iron Man” and ends with “The Avengers,” while Phase Four includes the latest movies such as “Black Widow” and “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.”

The advantage of watching the Marvel movies in phases-based order is seeing how the MCU evolves and builds up to a grand climax. It also allows for a more manageable viewing experience, as each phase has a set of movies that can be watched independently of the other phases. However, it can be frustrating to wait for the next phase to be released or to watch a phase out of order.

Our recommended viewing order for the phases-based order is as follows:

Phase One

1. Iron Man
2. The Incredible Hulk
3. Iron Man 2
4. Thor
5. Captain America: The First Avenger
6. The Avengers

Phase Two

1. Iron Man 3
2. Thor: Dark World
3. Captain America: Winter Soldier
4. Guardians of the Galaxy
5. Avengers: Age of Ultron
6. Ant-Man

Phase Three

1. Captain America: Civil War
2. Doctor Strange
3. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
4. Spider-Man: Homecoming
5. Thor: Ragnarok
6. Black Panther
7. Avengers: Infinity War
8. Ant-Man and The Wasp
9. Captain Marvel
10. Avengers: Endgame
11. Spider-Man: Far From Home

Phase Four

1. Black Widow
2. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
3. Eternals
4. Spider-Man: No Way Home
5. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
6. Thor: Love and Thunder
7. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

Marvel One-Shots Order

Marvel One-Shots are a series of short films that were released between the Marvel movies. They are not essential to the overall storyline, but they provide additional context and information about the Marvel universe. The One-Shots can be found as bonus features on Blu-ray and DVD releases or streaming services such as Disney+.

The advantage of watching the Marvel One-Shots is that they add to the overall Marvel experience and provide an insight into some of the lesser-known characters. However, they are not essential to the main story and can be skipped without affecting the overall viewing experience.

Our recommended viewing order for the Marvel One-Shots is as follows:

1. The Consultant (2011) – found on Thor Blu-ray
2. A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Thor’s Hammer (2011) – found on Captain America: The First Avenger Blu-ray
3. Item 47 (2012) – found on The Avengers Blu-ray
4. Agent Carter (2013) – found on Iron Man 3 Blu-ray
5. All Hail the King (2014) – found on Thor: The Dark World Blu-ray

Character-Based Order

Watching Marvel movies in character-based order means watching them according to the character’s individual storyline. For example, starting with the Iron Man movies, then moving on to the Captain America trilogy, and finishing with the Thor and Guardians of the Galaxy movies.

The advantage of a character-based order is that it allows for a focused and coherent viewing experience, highlighting the individual characters’ developments. However, it can be challenging to come up with a personalized order that works for everyone.

Our recommended viewing order for the character-based order is as follows:

1. Iron Man
2. Iron Man 2
3. Iron Man 3
4. The Incredible Hulk
5. Captain America: The First Avenger
6. Captain America: Winter Soldier
7. Captain America: Civil War
8. Thor
9. Thor: Dark World
10. Thor: Ragnarok
11. Guardians of the Galaxy
12. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.