The short answer
To watch the Marvel movies in order of release, start with Iron Man (2008) and finish with Spider-Man: Brand New Day (2026), 38 films in all. In story order, the Marvel Cinematic Universe starts in World War II with Captain America: The First Avenger and ends, for now, with Brand New Day. Next up is Avengers: Doomsday, the 39th film, in theaters December 18, 2026, per Disney’s official film page.
- Total released: 38 Marvel Studios movies, from Iron Man (May 2, 2008) to Spider-Man: Brand New Day (July 31, 2026)
- First in story order: Captain America: The First Avenger (set 1943 to 1945), then Captain Marvel (set 1995)
- Best order for first-timers: release order, because later films assume you saw the earlier ones
- Where to stream: 37 of the 38 films are on Disney+ in the US; Brand New Day is rent or buy only (checked November 10, 2026)
- Before Doomsday: our five-film short list is Endgame, No Way Home, Deadpool & Wolverine, Thunderbolts* and The Fantastic Four: First Steps
38
MCU movies released, 2008 to 2026
37
Of them streaming on Disney+ (US)
6
Phases so far, across two sagas
Dec 18
Avengers: Doomsday, film No. 39
In this article
The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is the shared world of films and Disney+ series that Marvel Studios, the Disney-owned studio run by Kevin Feige, has built since Iron Man in 2008. Because the stories cross over constantly, the order you watch them in really does matter. However, the release order and the story order are not the same, and the gap between them gets wider every year.
This guide lists all the Marvel movies in order both ways, explains the tricky placements, and then gives a short, practical watch list for Avengers: Doomsday. In addition, it shows where each film streams in the US. Release dates come from Marvel Studios’ published schedule as compiled in Wikipedia’s list of MCU films, timeline placements follow GamesRadar’s MCU timeline (updated November 9, 2026), and streaming was checked on JustWatch on November 10, 2026.
What are the Marvel movies in order of release?
The Marvel movies in order of release run from Iron Man on May 2, 2008, to Spider-Man: Brand New Day on July 31, 2026, for 38 films. Marvel groups them into numbered phases, which are batches of connected releases that each build to a big team-up. So if you have never seen the MCU, this is the order to follow.
| # | Movie | US release date | Phase |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Iron Man | May 2, 2008 | One |
| 2 | The Incredible Hulk | June 13, 2008 | One |
| 3 | Iron Man 2 | May 7, 2010 | One |
| 4 | Thor | May 6, 2011 | One |
| 5 | Captain America: The First Avenger | July 22, 2011 | One |
| 6 | The Avengers | May 4, 2012 | One |
| 7 | Iron Man 3 | May 3, 2013 | Two |
| 8 | Thor: The Dark World | November 8, 2013 | Two |
| 9 | Captain America: The Winter Soldier | April 4, 2014 | Two |
| 10 | Guardians of the Galaxy | August 1, 2014 | Two |
| 11 | Avengers: Age of Ultron | May 1, 2015 | Two |
| 12 | Ant-Man | July 17, 2015 | Two |
| 13 | Captain America: Civil War | May 6, 2016 | Three |
| 14 | Doctor Strange | November 4, 2016 | Three |
| 15 | Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 | May 5, 2017 | Three |
| 16 | Spider-Man: Homecoming | July 7, 2017 | Three |
| 17 | Thor: Ragnarok | November 3, 2017 | Three |
| 18 | Black Panther | February 16, 2018 | Three |
| 19 | Avengers: Infinity War | April 27, 2018 | Three |
| 20 | Ant-Man and the Wasp | July 6, 2018 | Three |
| 21 | Captain Marvel | March 8, 2019 | Three |
| 22 | Avengers: Endgame | April 26, 2019 | Three |
| 23 | Spider-Man: Far From Home | July 2, 2019 | Three |
| 24 | Black Widow | July 9, 2021 | Four |
| 25 | Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings | September 3, 2021 | Four |
| 26 | Eternals | November 5, 2021 | Four |
| 27 | Spider-Man: No Way Home | December 17, 2021 | Four |
| 28 | Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness | May 6, 2022 | Four |
| 29 | Thor: Love and Thunder | July 8, 2022 | Four |
| 30 | Black Panther: Wakanda Forever | November 11, 2022 | Four |
| 31 | Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania | February 17, 2023 | Five |
| 32 | Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 | May 5, 2023 | Five |
| 33 | The Marvels | November 10, 2023 | Five |
| 34 | Deadpool & Wolverine | July 26, 2024 | Five |
| 35 | Captain America: Brave New World | February 14, 2025 | Five |
| 36 | Thunderbolts* | May 2, 2025 | Five |
| 37 | The Fantastic Four: First Steps | July 25, 2025 | Six |
| 38 | Spider-Man: Brand New Day | July 31, 2026 | Six |
| 39 | Avengers: Doomsday (upcoming) | December 18, 2026 | Six |
How many Marvel movies are there?
There are 38 released Marvel Cinematic Universe movies as of November 10, 2026, and Avengers: Doomsday will be the 39th. That count covers Marvel Studios films only. Therefore, it leaves out Sony’s Venom and Spider-Verse films and the older Fox X-Men films, even though some of their characters now cross into the MCU.
The Infinity Saga, which ends with Avengers: Endgame and Spider-Man: Far From Home, accounts for the first 23 films. The Multiverse Saga, the current storyline about alternate realities, began in 2021 and will end with Avengers: Secret Wars on December 17, 2027.
What are the Marvel movies in chronological order?
In chronological (story) order, the Marvel movies start with Captain America: The First Avenger in the 1940s and end with Spider-Man: Brand New Day, which GamesRadar places in 2028 of the MCU calendar. Marvel has never published a complete in-universe calendar for its newest films, so the later placements below are informed estimates rather than official dates.
| # | Movie | When the story is set |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Captain America: The First Avenger | 1943 to 1945 |
| 2 | Captain Marvel | 1995 |
| 3 | Iron Man | 2008 |
| 4 | Iron Man 2 | 2010 |
| 5 | The Incredible Hulk | 2010 |
| 6 | Thor | 2010 |
| 7 | The Avengers | 2012 |
| 8 | Iron Man 3 | 2013 |
| 9 | Thor: The Dark World | 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 | Spider-Man: Homecoming | 2016 |
| 17 | Black Widow | 2016 |
| 18 | Doctor Strange | 2016 to 2017 |
| 19 | Black Panther | 2017 |
| 20 | Thor: Ragnarok | 2017 to 2018 |
| 21 | Ant-Man and the Wasp | 2018 |
| 22 | Avengers: Infinity War | 2018 |
| 23 | Avengers: Endgame | 2018 to 2023 |
| 24 | Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings | 2024 |
| 25 | Deadpool & Wolverine | 2024 |
| 26 | Spider-Man: Far From Home | 2024 |
| 27 | Spider-Man: No Way Home | 2024 |
| 28 | Eternals | 2024 |
| 29 | Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness | 2024 |
| 30 | Black Panther: Wakanda Forever | 2025 |
| 31 | The Marvels | 2025 |
| 32 | Thor: Love and Thunder | 2025 |
| 33 | Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania | 2026 |
| 34 | Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 | 2026 |
| 35 | Captain America: Brave New World | 2026 to 2027 |
| 36 | Thunderbolts* | 2027 |
| 37 | Spider-Man: Brand New Day | 2028 |
| 38 | The Fantastic Four: First Steps | 1960s, on a separate Earth (Earth-828) |
Marvel movies in chronological order: the tricky placements
- Captain Marvel: released in 2019 but set in 1995, so it comes second in story order and introduces a young Nick Fury.
- Black Widow: released in 2021 but set right after Captain America: Civil War, while Natasha Romanoff is on the run.
- The Fantastic Four: First Steps: takes place on Earth-828, an alternate Earth with a 1960s retro-future look. GamesRadar notes that Disney+ puts it at the end of its timeline, while Tom’s Guide lists it near the start; either works, because it does not touch the main timeline until Doomsday.
- Deadpool & Wolverine: opens in 2024 of the main timeline, but most of the action happens in other universes, which is how the Fox-era X-Men characters reach the MCU.
- Spider-Man: Brand New Day: GamesRadar sets it about four years after No Way Home, which makes it the latest point on the timeline so far.
Pro tip. Marvel’s Disney+ series fill gaps in the timeline, but none of the films require them. The one exception worth adding is Loki, since its two seasons explain the multiverse rules the Doomsday story builds on.
Should you watch Marvel movies in release or chronological order?
Watch the Marvel movies in order of release if it is your first time, and switch to chronological order only for a rewatch. Release order keeps every twist and post-credits scene in the sequence the filmmakers intended. By contrast, story order front-loads Captain Marvel, which spoils reveals that were built for audiences who had already seen a decade of films.
| If you are… | Best order | Why |
|---|---|---|
| New to the MCU | Release order | Mysteries, cameos and post-credits scenes land as planned |
| Rewatching everything | Chronological order | Character arcs, like Steve Rogers’ and Natasha’s, play out in one line |
| Short on time before Doomsday | Our short list | Five films cover nearly every character Marvel has confirmed for Doomsday |
| Watching with kids | Release order, by saga | Phase One films are shorter and simpler; you can stop after Endgame |
Common mistakes when watching Marvel movies in order
- Skipping post-credits scenes: many of them set up the next film, so let the credits roll.
- Starting with Captain Marvel: it is first in story order, but it works far better after Infinity War.
- Assuming everything is on Disney+: Spider-Man: Brand New Day is rent or buy only right now.
- Counting Sony and Fox films: Venom, the Spider-Verse films and the 2000s X-Men films are separate franchises, even when characters cross over.
Which Marvel movies should you watch before Avengers: Doomsday?
If you only have a weekend, watch these five Marvel movies in order before Avengers: Doomsday: Endgame, Spider-Man: No Way Home, Deadpool & Wolverine, Thunderbolts* and The Fantastic Four: First Steps. These are our picks, not Marvel’s, chosen because together they cover the returning Avengers, the multiverse, the X-Men crossover, the New Avengers and the Fantastic Four.
Marvel’s own countdown list is longer: the studio’s official Disney+ guide names 15 titles, starting with X-Men (2000). We break that list down on our Avengers: Doomsday page, and our upcoming Marvel guide has a quicker catch-up list, so here we focus on why each pick matters.
1. Avengers: Endgame (2019) — Best for the returning Avengers
Endgame is where Steve Rogers, Thor and Scott Lang left off, and Marvel has confirmed Chris Evans returns as Steve Rogers in Doomsday. As a result, his ending here is the one emotional beat you need fresh.
- Runtime: 181 minutes, per the Motion Picture Association’s The Credits
- Stream: Disney+
- Skip if: you saw it in theaters during the September 2026 Endgame Encore re-release
2. Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021) — Best for multiverse rules
No Way Home shows what happens when other universes spill into the MCU, which fits Doomsday’s official synopsis about heroes from three universes on a collision course.
- Stream: Disney+ (also on FXNow and a Starz channel, per JustWatch)
- Pair with: Loki seasons 1 and 2 if you want the deeper explanation
3. Deadpool & Wolverine (2024) — Best for the X-Men crossover
Deadpool & Wolverine is the bridge between the Fox X-Men films and the MCU. That matters because Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, James Marsden, Rebecca Romijn, Alan Cumming, Kelsey Grammer and Channing Tatum all appear on Doomsday’s official cast list.
- Stream: Disney+
- Who should skip: younger kids, since it is rated R (per JustWatch’s US listing)
- Add-on: X-Men (2000) for Professor X and Magneto
4. Thunderbolts* (2025) — Best for the New Avengers
Thunderbolts* introduces the antihero team that ends the film as the “New Avengers,” and Florence Pugh, Sebastian Stan, David Harbour and Lewis Pullman are all in the Doomsday cast.
- Stream: Disney+
- Why now: it sets up the current state of the Avengers on Earth
5. The Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025) — Best for Doctor Doom
Doctor Doom is a Fantastic Four villain, so First Steps is the most direct setup for Robert Downey Jr.’s new role. Moreover, Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn and Ebon Moss-Bachrach all return in Doomsday.
- Stream: Disney+
- If you watch only one: make it this one
Watch out. Spider-Man: Brand New Day is the newest Marvel film, yet it is not on Marvel’s official Doomsday list, and it is rent or buy only in the US as of November 10, 2026. So watch it if you are a completist, but it is not essential homework.
Where can you stream the Marvel movies in order?
Disney+, Disney’s subscription streaming service, carries 37 of the 38 released Marvel movies in the US, according to JustWatch’s listings on November 10, 2026. The one exception is Spider-Man: Brand New Day, which Sony distributes; it is available to rent or buy on digital stores but not on any US subscription service yet.
In addition, Tom’s Guide notes that Disney publishes its own MCU timeline order, so you can follow either order inside one app. For current plan costs, see our streaming prices guide or Disney’s official Disney+ site.
| Movie or group | US streaming (November 10, 2026) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Iron Man through Thunderbolts* (33 films, not counting the Spider-Man titles below) | Disney+ | Includes The Incredible Hulk and every Avengers film |
| Spider-Man: Homecoming, Far From Home, No Way Home | Disney+ | Sony-made; also on some live TV services, per JustWatch |
| The Fantastic Four: First Steps | Disney+ | The most recent MCU film on Disney+ |
| Spider-Man: Brand New Day | Rent or buy only | Sony has not announced a subscription streaming home |
| Avengers: Doomsday | Theaters only from December 18, 2026 | No same-day Disney+ release, per Disney |
Are the Spider-Man movies on Disney+?
Yes, the three earlier Tom Holland Spider-Man films are on Disney+ in the US, according to JustWatch. However, Spider-Man: Brand New Day is not, and because Sony, not Disney, distributes it, Sony has not announced where it will stream.
What are the Marvel phases, in order?
Marvel’s phases are the studio’s own chapters: Phases One to Three make up the Infinity Saga, and Phases Four to Six make up the Multiverse Saga. Each phase ends with, or builds toward, a major crossover.
| Phase | Years | Movies released | Starts with | Ends with |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| One | 2008 to 2012 | 6 | Iron Man | The Avengers |
| Two | 2013 to 2015 | 6 | Iron Man 3 | Ant-Man |
| Three | 2016 to 2019 | 11 | Captain America: Civil War | Spider-Man: Far From Home |
| Four | 2021 to 2022 | 7 | Black Widow | Black Panther: Wakanda Forever |
| Five | 2023 to 2025 | 6 | Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania | Thunderbolts* |
| Six | 2025 to 2027 | 2 so far | The Fantastic Four: First Steps | Avengers: Secret Wars (December 17, 2027) |
Meanwhile, Marvel has already dated films for 2028, starting with an X-Men movie, but those belong to the next saga and appear in our upcoming Marvel guide.
Our verdict
For a first watch, take the Marvel movies in order of release, from Iron Man to Brand New Day; it is the order the story was designed to unfold in, and 37 of the 38 films are on Disney+. For a rewatch, chronological order is a fun way to see Steve Rogers’ and Natasha Romanoff’s arcs as one story.
If Avengers: Doomsday on December 18 is your deadline, however, skip the full marathon. Instead, watch Endgame, No Way Home, Deadpool & Wolverine, Thunderbolts* and The Fantastic Four: First Steps, and you will know nearly everyone on the official cast list.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the correct order to watch Marvel movies?
The best order for most people is release order, starting with Iron Man (2008) and ending with Spider-Man: Brand New Day (2026). That way, every cameo, twist and post-credits scene lands as intended. For a rewatch, chronological order starts with Captain America: The First Avenger, set during World War II, followed by Captain Marvel, set in 1995.
How many Marvel movies are there in 2026?
There are 38 released Marvel Cinematic Universe movies as of November 10, 2026. Only one of them is a 2026 release, Spider-Man: Brand New Day on July 31, while Avengers: Doomsday, the 39th film, opens December 18. The count includes only Marvel Studios films, so it excludes Sony’s Venom and Spider-Verse films and Fox’s older X-Men films.
What is the first Marvel movie in chronological order?
Captain America: The First Avenger is first in chronological order, because most of it is set from 1943 to 1945 during World War II. Captain Marvel comes next, set in 1995. Iron Man, the first film released, is third in story order. The Fantastic Four: First Steps is set in the 1960s but takes place on a separate Earth.
What should I watch before Avengers: Doomsday?
Our short list is Avengers: Endgame, Spider-Man: No Way Home, Deadpool & Wolverine, Thunderbolts* and The Fantastic Four: First Steps. Together they cover the returning Avengers, the multiverse, the X-Men crossover, the New Avengers and Doctor Doom’s Fantastic Four links. Marvel’s official Disney+ countdown guide is longer, with 15 titles starting with X-Men from 2000.
Are all Marvel movies on Disney+?
Almost. In the US, 37 of the 38 released Marvel Cinematic Universe movies stream on Disney+, according to JustWatch on November 10, 2026. The exception is Spider-Man: Brand New Day, which Sony distributes; it is rent or buy only for now. Avengers: Doomsday will play only in theaters from December 18, 2026.
Do you need to watch every Marvel movie before Doomsday?
No, you do not need all 38 films. The Thunderbolts* and Fantastic Four: First Steps films matter most because their characters are central to the Doomsday cast. Endgame, No Way Home and Deadpool & Wolverine fill in the Avengers, multiverse and X-Men background. Older solo films are optional, though they make the payoffs feel bigger.
