Marvel Movies in Order: The Complete MCU Watch Order
Here are all the Marvel movies in order as an interactive checklist, so you can tick off every MCU film and show as you watch.
Pick a route, pick release or chronological order, then tick each title when you finish it.
Can you finish in time?
Route: ·
Coming up in the MCU
US dates. Month-only dates are Marvel announcements without a day yet.
Updated 23 October 2026 · Dates checked against Marvel.com and Wikipedia · Chronological order from Disney+'s official MCU timeline · Free, no sign-up, no ads · Unofficial fan guide, not affiliated with Marvel Studios or Disney
You can follow the list in release order, the way audiences first saw it, or in the chronological order of the in-story timeline. Release order is the safer pick for a first watch, while chronological order works well for a rewatch.
As of 23 October 2026 there are 38 released MCU films and 69 MCU titles in total once you add the Disney+ series seasons, specials and One-Shots. The 38 films run about 83 hours, and everything together comes to roughly 191 hours.
In the checklist above you can switch between release and chronological order, mark each title as watched and filter by phase or character. Your progress stays in this browser, and you can export it or copy a share link to carry on from another device.
How to watch Marvel movies in order
There are two common ways to work through the MCU, and the checklist supports both. Release order follows the US release dates from Iron Man (2008) to Spider-Man: Brand New Day (2026). Chronological order follows the story calendar that Disney+ publishes, which starts in World War II with Captain America: The First Avenger.
1
Pick a route
First watch covers 34 films plus WandaVision, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier and both seasons of Loki, about 96 hours. Road to Doomsday is Marvel's own catch-up list, and Everything adds every series, special and One-Shot.
2
Pick an order
Release order shows titles as audiences first saw them. Chronological order follows the in-story timeline, and Recommended is release order with small fixes, such as watching the One-Shots next to the films they belong to.
3
Tick as you watch
The bar at the top shows how many titles and hours you have left. Series are split by season, and you can count episodes one at a time.
If you only want the films, the MCU watch order in release order is the simplest plan: one film after another, with the post-credits scenes setting up the next one. The full chronological order guide explains where titles like Captain Marvel and Black Widow move when you sort by story year.
MCU watch order by phase
Marvel Studios groups its films and series into phases. Phases One to Three form the Infinity Saga, which ends with Avengers: Endgame, and Phases Four to Six form the Multiverse Saga, which ends with Avengers: Secret Wars in December 2027.
| Phase | Films | Film hours | All MCU titles | All hours (≈) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phase One | 6 | 12.4 | 9 | 12.7 |
| Phase Two | 6 | 12.6 | 8 | 13.1 |
| Phase Three | 11 | 24.9 | 11 | 24.9 |
| Phase Four | 7 | 16.3 | 18 | 59.0 |
| Phase Five | 6 | 12.5 | 15 | 54.1 |
| Phase Six | 2 | 4.3 | 8 | 27.4 |
| Total | 38 | 83.1 | 69 | 191.2 |
Phases Four and Five are where the hours pile up, because most of the Disney+ series sit there. Our MCU phases guide lists every film and show in each phase and explains what links them.
What's not in the MCU: X-Men, Blade, Fantastic Four (pre-2025)
Many Marvel films were made by other studios before Marvel Studios began the MCU, and they sit outside its timeline. The 20th Century Fox X-Men films run from X-Men (2000) to The New Mutants (2020), and Fox also made Fantastic Four films in 2005, 2007 and 2015.
Blade (1998), Blade II (2002) and Blade: Trinity (2004) came from New Line Cinema, and Sony's Spider-Man films with Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield are separate too. Some of these characters cross into the MCU later, in Spider-Man: No Way Home, Deadpool & Wolverine and the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday.
Our X-Men movies in order guide covers the Fox films in release and chronological order. In the checklist you can switch on Fox and Sony films under Advanced if you want them in your list.
Avengers: Doomsday is next. Here's what to watch first.
Avengers: Doomsday opens in US theaters on 18 December 2026. Marvel's official Countdown to Avengers: Doomsday list has 14 films and both seasons of Loki, about 41 hours in total, and it starts with two Fox X-Men films.
Pick the Road to Doomsday route in the checklist and enter the hours you can watch each week. The planner then gives you a finish date and tells you whether you will be ready in time. For the reasons behind each pick, and a shorter list, read what to watch before Avengers: Doomsday.
FAQ
How many Marvel movies are there in total?
As of 23 October 2026 there are 38 released Marvel Cinematic Universe films, from Iron Man (2008) to Spider-Man: Brand New Day (2026). Avengers: Doomsday will be the 39th when it opens on 18 December 2026, and Avengers: Secret Wars follows in December 2027. Add the 18 Fox X-Men and Fantastic Four films and the Sony Spider-Man and Venom films, and the wider Marvel film count passes 65.
What is the correct order to watch Marvel movies?
There is no single correct order, but release order is the one most fans recommend for a first watch. It starts with Iron Man (2008) and follows the US release dates, so every twist and cameo lands the way it was planned. Chronological order, which starts with Captain America: The First Avenger, is a good choice once you know the story. The checklist above lets you switch between the two at any time.
Should I watch Marvel movies in release order or chronological order?
Watch in release order if this is your first time through the MCU. Films were written for audiences who had seen the earlier ones, so release order keeps reveals such as the post-credits scenes intact. Chronological order is better for a rewatch, because it shows how the story fits together from World War II onward. If you are unsure, start with release order and save the timeline for later.
Where can I watch all the Marvel movies?
In the US, Marvel's See the Complete MCU Timeline on Disney+ article (updated 22 October 2026) lists every MCU film from Captain America: The First Avenger to The Fantastic Four: First Steps, including the three Spider-Man films with Tom Holland. Availability changes by country and over time, so check each title before you plan a marathon. Our where to watch guide links every film to JustWatch for your country.
What is the first Marvel movie I should watch?
Start with Iron Man (2008). It was the first MCU film released, it introduces Tony Stark and Nick Fury, and its post-credits scene sets up the Avengers. If you prefer chronological order, start with Captain America: The First Avenger instead, which is set during World War II. Both are good entry points, and the checklist can open on either one.
Do I need to watch every Marvel movie before Avengers: Doomsday?
No, you do not need all 38 films. Marvel's official Countdown to Avengers: Doomsday list has 14 films and both seasons of Loki, which comes to about 41 hours. If you are short on time, our shorter list focuses on the Avengers films, Loki, No Way Home, Thunderbolts* and The Fantastic Four: First Steps. Pick the Road to Doomsday route above to track the official list.
How long would it take to watch every Marvel movie?
The 38 released MCU films run about 83 hours in total, which is roughly three and a half days without a break. Adding every Disney+ series season, special and One-Shot brings the MCU to about 191 hours, and the series hours are estimates based on typical episode lengths. At six hours a week, the films alone take around 14 weeks.
Are the X-Men movies part of the MCU?
The Fox X-Men films from X-Men (2000) to The New Mutants (2020) were made by 20th Century Fox and are not part of the MCU timeline. Deadpool & Wolverine (2024) is the first Marvel Studios film to bring those characters into the MCU. Marvel also lists X-Men and X2 at the start of its Doomsday watch guide, and its official Doomsday cast includes Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen.
What is the difference between Marvel and MCU?
Marvel is the comics publisher and brand, owned by Disney, and its characters have appeared in films from many studios. The MCU, or Marvel Cinematic Universe, is the shared story that Marvel Studios began with Iron Man in 2008. So Blade (1998), the Fox X-Men films and Sony's earlier Spider-Man films are Marvel films, but they are not MCU films.
Pick a route, tick your first title and see how many hours you need before Doomsday.