The Marvel Cinematic Universe is one sprawling, 23-film (and counting) saga. One of the most fun film adventures you can take is working your way through all of them - but it can be hard to know what order to watch them in. That's why we're here to give you the lowdown on how to watch the Marvel movies in chronological order.
The Marvel Movies In Chronological Order
Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)
Cast: Chris Evans, Hugo Weaving, Hayley Atwell, Sebastian Stan
Plot:
Steve Rogers, a rejected military soldier, transforms into Captain America after taking a dose of a "Super-Soldier serum". But being Captain America comes at a price as he attempts to take down a war monger and a terrorist organization.
Captain Marvel (2019)
Cast: Brie Larson, Samuel L Jackson, Jude Law, Ben Mendelsohn
Plot:
Carol Danvers becomes one of the universe's most powerful heroes when Earth is caught in the middle of a galactic war between two alien races.
Iron Man (2008)
Cast: Robert Downey Jr, Gwyneth Paltrow, Terrence Howard, Jeff Bridges
Plot:
After being held captive in an Afghan cave, billionaire engineer Tony Stark creates a unique weaponized suit of armor to fight evil.
Iron Man 2 (2010)
Cast: Robert Downey Jr, Mickey Rourke, Gwyneth Paltrow, Sam Rockwell
Plot:
With the world now aware of his identity as Iron Man, Tony Stark must contend with both his declining health and a vengeful mad man with ties to his father's legacy.
The Incredible Hulk (2008)
Cast: Ed Norton, Liv Tyler, Tim Roth, William Hurt
Plot:
Bruce Banner, a scientist on the run from the U.S. Government, must find a cure for the monster he turns into whenever he loses his temper.
Thor (2011)
Cast: Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Tom Hiddleston, Anthony Hopkins
Plot:
The powerful but arrogant god Thor is cast out of Asgard to live amongst humans in Midgard (Earth), where he soon becomes one of their finest defenders.
The Avengers (2012)
Cast: Robert Downey Jr, Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner
Plot:
Earth's mightiest heroes must come together and learn to fight as a team if they are going to stop the mischievous Loki and his alien army from enslaving humanity.
Iron Man Three (2013)
Cast: Robert Downey Jr, Gwyneth Paltrow, Guy Pearce, Ben Kingsley
Plot:
When Tony Stark's world is torn apart by a formidable terrorist called the Mandarin, he starts an odyssey of rebuilding and retribution.
Thor: The Dark World (2013)
Cast: Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Tom Hiddleston, Christopher Eccleston
Plot:
When the Dark Elves attempt to plunge the universe into darkness, Thor must embark on a perilous and personal journey that will reunite him with doctor Jane Foster.
Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)
Cast: Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Samuel L Jackson, Robert Redford
Plot:
As Steve Rogers struggles to embrace his role in the modern world, he teams up with a fellow Avenger and S.H.I.E.L.D agent, Black Widow, to battle a new threat from history: an assassin known as the Winter Soldier.
Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
Cast: Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Bradley Cooper, Vin Diesel
Plot:
A group of intergalactic criminals must pull together to stop a fanatical warrior with plans to purge the universe.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
Cast: Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Kurt Russell, Elizabeth Debicki
Plot:
The Guardians struggle to keep together as a team while dealing with their personal family issues, notably Star-Lord's encounter with his father the ambitious celestial being Ego.
Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)
Cast: Robert Downey Jr, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, James Spader
Plot:
When Tony Stark and Bruce Banner try to jump-start a dormant peacekeeping program called Ultron, things go horribly wrong and it's up to Earth's mightiest heroes to stop the villainous Ultron from enacting his terrible plan.
Ant-Man (2015)
Cast: Paul Rudd, Michael Douglas, Evangeline Lilly, Corey Stoll
Plot:
Armed with a super-suit with the astonishing ability to shrink in scale but increase in strength, cat burglar Scott Lang must embrace his inner hero and help his mentor, Dr. Hank Pym, plan and pull off a heist that will save the world.
Captain America: Civil War (2016)
Cast: Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr, Scarlett Johansson, Sebastian Stan
Plot:
Political involvement in the Avengers' affairs causes a rift between Captain America and Iron Man.
Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
Cast: Tom Holland, Michael Keaton, Robert Downey Jr, Zendaya
Plot:
Peter Parker balances his life as an ordinary high school student in Queens with his superhero alter-ego Spider-Man, and finds himself on the trail of a new menace prowling the skies of New York City.
Doctor Strange (2016)
Cast: Benedict Cumberbatch, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Rachel McAdams, Tilda Swinton
Plot:
While on a journey of physical and spiritual healing, a brilliant neurosurgeon is drawn into the world of the mystic arts.
Black Panther (2018)
Cast: Chadwick Boseman, Michael B Jordan, Lupita Nyongo'o, Danai Gurira
Plot:
T'Challa, heir to the hidden but advanced kingdom of Wakanda, must step forward to lead his people into a new future and must confront a challenger from his country's past.
Thor: Ragnarok (2017)
Cast: Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Cate Blanchett, Jeff Goldblum
Plot:
Imprisoned on the planet Sakaar, Thor must race against time to return to Asgard and stop Ragnarök, the destruction of his world, at the hands of the powerful and ruthless villain Hela.
Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018)
Cast: Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Michelle Pfeiffer, Michael Douglas
Plot:
As Scott Lang balances being both a superhero and a father, Hope van Dyne and Dr. Hank Pym present an urgent new mission that finds the Ant-Man fighting alongside The Wasp to uncover secrets from their past.
Black Widow (coming July 7 2021)
This movie hasn't released yet, but we know it will fit between the events of Civil War and Infinity War in the Marvel chronology.
Cast: Scarlett Johansson, Florence Pugh, David Harbour, Rachel Weisz
Plot:
A film about Natasha Romanoff in her quests between the films Civil War and Infinity War.
Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
Cast: Robert Downey Jr, Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Evans
Plot:
The Avengers and their allies must be willing to sacrifice all in an attempt to defeat the powerful Thanos before his blitz of devastation and ruin puts an end to the universe.
Avengers: Endgame (2019)
Cast: Robert Downey Jr, Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth
Plot:
After the devastating events of Infinity War, the universe is in ruins. With the help of remaining allies, the Avengers assemble once more in order to reverse Thanos' actions and restore balance to the universe.
Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019)
Cast: Tom Holland, Samuel L Jackson, Jake Gyllenhaal, Zendaya
Plot:
Following the events of Endgame, Spider-Man must step up to take on new threats in a world that has changed forever.
There's also several Marvel TV shows that fit into the in-universe chronological order, but very few of them directly link in with the events of the films. The two most recent Disney+ releases, WandaVision and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, both fit in between Endgame and Spider-Man: Far From Home.
So, there you have it - the definitive chronological order in which to watch the Marvel Cinematic Universe movies. We know what we'll be binging this summer...
