X-Men Movies in Order: Release and Chronological Guide
Here are all the X-Men movies in order, by release date and by in-story timeline, from X-Men (2000) to Deadpool & Wolverine (2024).
Use the first table for a first watch and the second for the story order. Turn on Fox films in the checklist’s Advanced panel to track them.
Release dates, runtimes and timeline notes from Wikipedia’s X-Men film series article, checked 23 October 2026 · Unofficial fan guide
There are 14 X-Men films: 13 made by 20th Century Fox between 2000 and 2020, plus Deadpool & Wolverine, which Marvel Studios released in 2024. The 13 Fox films run about 26 hours, so a full X-Men marathon takes roughly two weekends.
The tricky part is the timeline, because X-Men: Days of Future Past rewrites history halfway through the series. This guide gives you both orders and explains the split. For the MCU itself, use the Marvel movies in order checklist.
X-Men movies in release order
Release order is the easiest way to watch the X-Men in order. You see the original trilogy first, then the prequels, and the cast changes make sense as they happen.
| # | Film | US release | Runtime | Studio |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | X-Men | 14 Jul 2000 | 1h 44m | 20th Century Fox |
| 2 | X2: X-Men United | 2 May 2003 | 2h 13m | 20th Century Fox |
| 3 | X-Men: The Last Stand | 26 May 2006 | 1h 44m | 20th Century Fox |
| 4 | X-Men Origins: Wolverine | 1 May 2009 | 1h 47m | 20th Century Fox |
| 5 | X-Men: First Class | 3 Jun 2011 | 2h 12m | 20th Century Fox |
| 6 | The Wolverine | 26 Jul 2013 | 2h 06m | 20th Century Fox |
| 7 | X-Men: Days of Future Past | 23 May 2014 | 2h 11m | 20th Century Fox |
| 8 | Deadpool | 12 Feb 2016 | 1h 48m | 20th Century Fox |
| 9 | X-Men: Apocalypse | 27 May 2016 | 2h 24m | 20th Century Fox |
| 10 | Logan | 3 Mar 2017 | 2h 17m | 20th Century Fox |
| 11 | Deadpool 2 | 18 May 2018 | 1h 59m | 20th Century Fox |
| 12 | Dark Phoenix | 7 Jun 2019 | 1h 54m | 20th Century Fox |
| 13 | The New Mutants | 28 Aug 2020 | 1h 34m | 20th Century Fox |
| 14 | Deadpool & Wolverine | 26 Jul 2024 | 2h 08m | Marvel Studios (MCU) |
X-Men movies in chronological order (in-universe)
The X-Men chronological order follows Wikipedia’s reading of the timeline. The original timeline runs from X-Men Origins: Wolverine to Days of Future Past, and the new timeline that Days of Future Past creates continues with Apocalypse and Dark Phoenix.
| # | Film | Timeline | Setting |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | X-Men Origins: Wolverine | Original timeline | Mostly 1845 to 1979 |
| 2 | X-Men: First Class | Original timeline | 1962 |
| 3 | X-Men | Original timeline | Contemporary |
| 4 | X2: X-Men United | Original timeline | Contemporary |
| 5 | X-Men: The Last Stand | Original timeline | Contemporary |
| 6 | The Wolverine | Original timeline | Contemporary |
| 7 | X-Men: Days of Future Past | Both: starts in the original future, rewrites 1973 | Partly 2023 and 1973 |
| 8 | X-Men: Apocalypse | New timeline | 1983 |
| 9 | Dark Phoenix | New timeline | 1992 |
| 10 | Deadpool | Loosely the new timeline | Contemporary |
| 11 | Deadpool 2 | Loosely the new timeline | Contemporary |
| 12 | Logan | Disputed (see below) | 2029 |
| 13 | The New Mutants | No clear link | Contemporary |
| 14 | Deadpool & Wolverine | MCU (multiverse) | Contemporary |
X-Men Origins: Wolverine comes first because most of it is set between 1845 and 1979, even though X-Men: First Class is set in 1962. Days of Future Past is split: it starts in a dark future in 2023 and sends Wolverine back to 1973 to stop the assassination of Bolivar Trask.
Where to start if you’ve never seen X-Men
Start with X-Men (2000) and watch in release order. The first two films, X-Men and X2, are also the two Fox films on Marvel’s official Avengers: Doomsday watch list, so they pay off twice.
If you would rather begin with a prequel, X-Men: First Class (2011) works as a standalone start. It introduces the young Charles Xavier and Erik Lehnsherr in 1962 and leads straight into Days of Future Past. Logan (2017) is best saved for later, because it closes Hugh Jackman’s run as Wolverine.
The X-Men timeline before vs. after Days of Future Past
Before Days of Future Past, the X-Men timeline is the one from the original trilogy: X-Men, X2 and X-Men: The Last Stand, with Origins and The Wolverine filling in Logan’s past. The prequel First Class shows how Charles and Erik met in 1962.
After Days of Future Past, history changes from 1973 onward. The events of the original trilogy no longer happen the same way, which is why Apocalypse (set in 1983) and Dark Phoenix (set in 1992) retell some familiar stories with a younger cast.
The Deadpool films sit loosely in the new timeline. Logan is disputed: Hugh Jackman and director James Mangold have given different answers on where it fits, and The New Mutants has no clear link to either timeline.
X-Men in the MCU: Deadpool & Wolverine and beyond
Deadpool & Wolverine (2024) is the first Marvel Studios film to bring Fox’s mutants into the MCU. It is part of Phase Five, and it also brings back Channing Tatum as Gambit and Jennifer Garner as Elektra.
The next step is Avengers: Doomsday on 18 December 2026. Marvel’s official cast list includes Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, James Marsden, Rebecca Romijn, Alan Cumming, Kelsey Grammer and Channing Tatum. To see where that fits with the rest of the MCU, use the Marvel movies in order checklist or the MCU timeline.
Deadpool movies in order
There are three Deadpool movies so far. Watch them in release order, since each one builds on the last and Deadpool & Wolverine leans on the first two.
| # | Film | US release | Runtime | Rotten Tomatoes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Deadpool | 12 Feb 2016 | 1h 48m | 85% |
| 2 | Deadpool 2 | 18 May 2018 | 1h 59m | 83% |
| 3 | Deadpool & Wolverine | 26 Jul 2024 | 2h 08m | 77% |
Ryan Reynolds first played Wade Wilson in X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009), and the Deadpool films make fun of that version more than once. For how the Fox films score with critics, see our best Marvel movies ranking.
Many of these mutants now appear in the MCU too. You can look up each one, with first appearances, in our Marvel characters directory.
X-Men movies FAQ
What is the correct order to watch X-Men movies?
For a first watch, use release order: X-Men (2000), X2, X-Men: The Last Stand, X-Men Origins: Wolverine, X-Men: First Class, The Wolverine and Days of Future Past. Then come Deadpool, Apocalypse, Logan, Deadpool 2, Dark Phoenix, The New Mutants and finally Deadpool & Wolverine (2024). That keeps every recast and twist in the order it was planned.
Should I watch X-Men in release order or chronological order?
Release order works best the first time, because the prequels assume you know the original trilogy. Chronological order is better once you know the films, but it is messy: Days of Future Past creates a second timeline, so the in-story order splits in two. Our chronological table above follows Wikipedia’s reading, which is the clearest version available.
Is Deadpool part of the X-Men franchise?
Yes. Deadpool (2016) and Deadpool 2 (2018) were made by 20th Century Fox as part of its X-Men film series, and both feature X-Men characters such as Colossus and Negasonic Teenage Warhead. Deadpool & Wolverine (2024) moved the character into the MCU as a Marvel Studios film. Wikipedia places the first two loosely in the new timeline created by Days of Future Past.
Are X-Men movies part of the MCU?
The 13 Fox X-Men films are not part of the MCU, because 20th Century Fox made them separately from Marvel Studios, with their own continuity. Deadpool & Wolverine (2024) is the first X-Men film made by Marvel Studios and sits in Phase Five of the MCU. Marvel also includes X-Men and X2 in its official watch guide for Avengers: Doomsday.
Where does Logan fit in the X-Men timeline?
Logan (2017) is set in 2029 and is the last chronological film in most watch orders. Its exact timeline is disputed: Hugh Jackman and director James Mangold have given different answers about which timeline it belongs to. The safest choice is to watch it after Days of Future Past and the Deadpool films, as the end of Wolverine’s story.
What is the first X-Men movie?
X-Men, released in the US on 14 July 2000, is the first X-Men movie. It introduces Hugh Jackman as Logan, Patrick Stewart as Charles Xavier and Ian McKellen as Magneto. In story order, X-Men Origins: Wolverine comes first because much of it is set before 1979, but X-Men (2000) is still the best place to start.
Does Days of Future Past reset the X-Men timeline?
Yes, partly. In Days of Future Past, Wolverine goes back to 1973 to stop the assassination of Bolivar Trask, and that change creates a new timeline. Apocalypse (1983) and Dark Phoenix (1992) take place in that new timeline. The original trilogy still happened in the old one, which is why the two later films feel like a reboot with a younger cast.
Turn on Fox films in the checklist on our home page and tick each X-Men film as you go. For the characters, see the Marvel characters directory.