How to Watch the Marvel Movies In Order
These days it seems like a new Marvel movie or TV show is coming out every day and it’s crazy to think about how this massive cinematic universe only got started in 2007.
By now, just about everybody has seen at least some of the MCU. How could anybody make it this far without seeing Iron Man, The Avengers, Infinity War, etc.? But have you seen the world’s most ambitious cinematic franchise all the way through?
You may think you have, but it can be easy to miss some chapters along the way, especially if you relied on the “Marvel Cinematic Universe in Timeline Order” option on Disney+. The official MCU streaming app didn’t come out for quite some time after the MCU was underway, and the rights to many of these movies and shows lay elsewhere.
My wife isn’t the nerd I am and hadn’t seen very many MCU movies or any of the shows when we first started dating, so we’ve spent the past four years working our way through the saga. Along the way, I’ve compiled this complete guide on how to watch the Marvel Cinematic Universe in order, including all of the movies and TV shows, and one-shot specials. I’ve also included a section with only the movies.
How to Watch the Marvel Movies in Order
Here’s the TL;DR list on how to watch JUST the movies in order. Scroll down for the full list including TV shows and one-shot specials. If you want to know my justification for where each movie/show is placed, as well as a synopsis of each, then scroll past the lists.
Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)
Captain Marvel (2019)
Iron Man (2008)
Iron Man 2 (2010)
The Incredible Hulk (2008)
Thor (2011)
The Avengers (2012)
Iron Man 3 (2013)
Thor: The Dark World (2013)
Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)
Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
Guardians of the Galaxy: Volume 2 (2017)
Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)
Ant-Man (2015)
Captain America: Civil War (2016)
Black Widow (2021)
Black Panther (2018)
Doctor Strange (2016)
Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
Thor: Ragnarok (2017)
Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018)
Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
Avengers: Endgame (2019)
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021)
Eternals (2021)
Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019)
Spider-Man (2002)
Spider-Man 2 (2004)
Spider-Man 3 (2007)
The Amazing Spider-Man (2012)
The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014)
Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)
X-Men: First Class (2011)
X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009)
X-Men (2000)
X2 (2003)
X-Men: The Last Stand (2006)
The Wolverine (2013)
X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014)
X-Men: Apocalypse (2016)
Dark Phoenix (2019)
Deadpool (2016)
The New Mutants (2020)
Deadpool 2 (2018)
Logan (2017)
Doctor Strange: Multiverse of Madness (2022)
Daredevil (2003)
Elektra (2005)
Blade (1998)
Blade II (2002)
Blade: Trinity (2004)
Fantastic Four (2005)
Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (2007)
Deadpool & Wolverine (2024)
Thor: Love and Thunder (2022)
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022)
Ant-Man & The Wasp: Quantumania (2023)
Guardians of the Galaxy: Volume 3 (2023)
The Marvels (2023)
Captain America: New World Order (July 26, 2024)
Thunderbolts (December 20, 2024)
Blade (February 14, 2025)
Deadpool 3 (May 3, 2025)
Fantastic Four (May 2, 2025)
Avengers: The Kang Dynasty (May 1, 2026)
Avengers: Secret Wars (May 7, 2027)
MCU Watch Order with Movies and TV Shows
Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)
Agent Carter (One-Shot)
Agent Carter: Seasons 1-2
Captain Marvel (2019)
Iron Man (2008)
Iron Man 2 (2010)
The Incredible Hulk (2008)
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Thor's Hammer (One-Shot)
Thor (2011)
The Consultant (One-Shot)
The Avengers (2012)
Item 47 (One-Shot)
Iron Man 3 (2013)
All Hail the King (One-Shot)
Agents of SHIELD: Season 1: Episodes 1-7 (2013)
Thor: The Dark World (2013)
Agents of SHIELD: Season 1: Episodes 8-16 (2013-2014)
Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)
Agents of SHIELD: Season 1: Episodes 17-22 (2014)
Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
I Am Groot
Guardians of the Galaxy: Volume 2 (2017)
Daredevil: Season 1
Jessica Jones: Season 1
Agents of SHIELD: Season 2: Episodes 1-18
Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)
Agents of SHIELD: Season 2: Episodes 19-22
Daredevil: Season 2: Episodes 1-11
Luke Cage: Season 1: Episodes 1-2
Daredevil: Season 2: Episodes 12-13
Luke Cage: Season 1: Episodes 3-13
Iron Fist: Season 1
Agents of SHIELD: Season 3: Episodes 1-19
Ant-Man (2015)
Captain America: Civil War (2016)
Black Widow (2021)
Agents of SHIELD: Season 3: Episodes 20-22
The Defenders: Season 1
Agents of SHIELD: Season 4: Episodes 1-6
Black Panther (2018)
Doctor Strange (2016)
Agents of SHIELD: Season 4: Episodes 7-8
Agents of SHIELD: Slingshot: Episodes 1-6
Agents of SHIELD: Season 4: Episodes 9-22
Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
Thor: Ragnarok (2017)
Inhumans: Season 1
The Punisher: Season 1
Runaways: Season 1
Agents of SHIELD: Season 5: Episodes 1-10
Jessica Jones: Season 2
Agents of SHIELD: Season 5: Episodes 11-18
Cloak & Dagger: Seasons 1-2
Luke Cage: Season 2
Iron Fist: Season 2
Daredevil: Season 3
Runaways: Season 2
Jessica Jones: Season 3
Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018)
Agents of SHIELD: Season 5: Episodes 19-22
Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
Agents of SHIELD: Seasons 6-7
Runaways: Season 3
Avengers: Endgame (2019)
Loki Seasons 1-2
WandaVision
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021)
Eternals (2021)
Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019)
Spider-Man (2002)
Spider-Man 2 (2004)
Spider-Man 3 (2007)
The Amazing Spider-Man (2012)
The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014)
Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)
What If…?
X-Men: First Class (2011)
X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009)
X-Men (2000)
X2 (2003)
X-Men: The Last Stand (2006)
The Wolverine (2013)
X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014)
X-Men: Apocalypse (2016)
Dark Phoenix (2019)
Deadpool (2016)
The New Mutants (2020)
Deadpool 2 (2018)
Logan (2017)
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022)
Daredevil (2003)
Elektra (2005)
Blade (1998)
Blade II (2002)
Blade: Trinity (2004)
Fantastic Four (2005)
Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (2007)
Deadpool & Wolverine (2024)
Hawkeye
Moon Knight
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022)
Echo
She-Hulk: Attorney at Law
Ms. Marvel
Thor: Love and Thunder (2022)
Werewolf by Night
The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special
Ant-Man & The Wasp: Quantumania (2023)
Guardians of the Galaxy: Volume 3 (2023)
Secret Invasion
The Marvels (2023)
Agatha All Along (2024)
Upcoming MCU Films & Series
Eyes of Wakanda (2024)
Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man (2024)
Captain America: Brave New World (February 14, 2025)
Daredevil: Born Again (March 2025)
Ironheart (2025)
Thunderbolts (May 2, 2025)
The Fantastic Four: First Steps (July 25, 2025)
Blade (November 7, 2025)
Vision Quest (2026)
Avengers: Doomsday (May 1, 2026)
Avengers: Secret Wars (May 7, 2027)
MCU Timeline
Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)
Despite being titled “The First Avenger,” Captain America’s origin story was actually the fifth movie released in Phase One and tells of his rise from a scrawny kid from the Bronx to America’s first super soldier.
Technically this isn’t the first movie chronologically, because the overall bulk of the movie is purely a flashback from “Fury’s Big Week” in 2008 in which Iron Man 2, the Hulk, and Thor all took place. But that flashback does take place in midst of World War II and it sets the framework of saga to come.
Many movies in this franchise cover weeks, months, or even years, so when I place them it will be based on where the bulk of the film takes place, or where it makes the most sense to view it.
Where to stream Captain America: Disney+.
Agent Carter (One-Shot)
The fourth One-Shot was released on the Iron Man 3 DVD bonus features as part of Phase Two, and takes place about a year after WWII concluded. The 15-minute short film follows Peggy Carter as she adjusts to post-war life at the SSR, the precursor agency to SHIELD. The continuity of this is a little off compared to the series it spawned, but it’s still worth a watch.
Where to stream Agent Carter: Disney+.
Agent Carter (2015-2016)
This ABC original series was the second TV show set in the MCU and was inspired by the One-Shot short film. It ran for two seasons, taking place in the late 1940s, before being canceled due to low TV ratings. With the growth of streaming networks and the creation of Disney+, my fingers are crossed that we’ll get a revival in the near future.
While this show is technically a sequel to the One-Shot, it’s honestly more of a remake. Don’t expect it to make sense as a sequel. It does, however, do an excellent job of setting up some of the subplots in Agents of SHIELD.
Where to stream Agent Carter: Disney+.
Captain Marvel (2019)
The 21st movie produced in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is the second movie chronologically, and was used to introduce the powerful titular character who was desperately needed to bolster the Avengers roster in Endgame.
Most of this movie takes place in 1995, long after the world had forgotten about Captain America and long before Iron Man launched a superhero arms race around the globe. It also brings Phil Coulson back to the big screen for the first time since 2012’s The Avengers, but not in as big of a role as I would’ve liked.
Where to stream Captain Marvel: Disney+.
Iron Man (2008)
The most ambitious franchise in cinematic history all started here. This movie revolutionized the superhero genre and set the precedents that have now become formulaic for the Disney-lead super universe.
Where to stream Iron Man: Disney+.
Iron Man 2 (2010)
The opening sequences of Iron Man 2 are concurrent to the final scene of the original film, and the bulk of the story takes place about six months after Tony Stark’s first super-suited escapades. The events of this movie take place during Fury’s Big Week, almost concurrent to Thor and Hulk.
Viewers are first introduced to Black Widow in this film, and James Rhodes is recast with Don Cheadle.
Where to stream Iron Man 2: Disney+.
The Incredible Hulk (2008)
The second installment of the MCU is an interesting one because it remains one of the least successful films in the entire franchise in terms of both gross and critical reception. Interestingly enough, it’s not an origin story. Due to how recently a previous Hulk movie had been released (2003) and the high levels of consumer awareness for the character, this movie jumps straight into Bruce Banner’s life post-transformation.
Starring Edward Norton as the titular character, prior to being recast for Avengers, this Hulk movie takes place in Fury’s Big Week and remains the only standalone Hulk film in the MCU at press time.
Where to stream The Incredible Hulk: Disney+.
The Consultant (One-Shot)
The Consultant also takes place during Fury’s Big Week as a direct follow-up to both Iron Man 2 and The Hulk. This one-shot reunites us with Phil Coulson, Jasper Sitwell, General Ross, and Tony Stark.
Where to stream The Consultant: Disney+.
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Thor’s Hammer (One-Shot)
This fifteen-minute short film was included on the Captain America Blu-ray release and takes place during Fury’s Big Week, which, come to think of it, was also a pretty big week for Phil Coulson.
Where to stream A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Thor’s Hammer: Disney+.
Thor (2011)
The original Thor film finally brought this iconic comic book character to the big screen for the first time and also introduced several characters such as Hawkeye and Loki, who would go on to be huge MCU characters outside of the Thor franchise. Thor is arguably the most important origin story in setting up the Avengers and it co-stars my favorite Avenger, Phil Coulson.
Where to stream Thor: Disney+.
The Avengers (2012)
Taking place about a year after Fury’s Big Week, The Avengers was the most ambitious crossover event of all time until later MCU installments continued to up the ante. A direct sequel to Thor, the film catapulted Marvel into the spotlight and paved the way for the MCU to become the most successful franchise of all time just a few installments later. It also set the formula for all future MCU films.
Where to stream The Avengers: Disney+.
Item 47 (One-Shot)
Item 47 is a fun little micro-film starring two new characters in the weeks following the Avengers incident. It shows normal humans living in the wake of the Avengers era, and it’s a concept that I wish Marvel would explore more of. There’s no reason the MCU couldn’t include real human dramas in timelines such as the Blip, to show how the superheroes and villains impact very real people.
Where to stream Item 47: Disney+.
Iron Man 3 (2013)
The final chapter of the Iron Man trilogy takes place in December of 2012, seven months after the Battle of New York, and follows Tony’s struggles with PTSD while facing a terrorist threat. There’s a lot about this movie that I don’t like, but I’ll save that for another blog.
Where to stream Iron Man 3: Disney+.
All Hail The King (One-Shot)
This 15-minute follow-up to Iron Man 3 was included in the Thor: The Dark World DVD and features Trevor Slattery in prison. This one-shot successfully retcons the terrible Mandarin from Iron Man 3 and is crucial for setting up Shang Chi and the Ten Rings in Phase Four.
Where to stream All Hail the King: Disney+.
Agents of SHIELD (Season 1: Episodes 1-7)
The original MCU television show wasn’t what I wanted or expected when it first came out. I was hoping for a show with Nick Fury, Maria Hill, Hawkeye, Black Widow, Sharon Carter, etc. But what we got was even better: a whole slate of new beloved characters and a lot of behind-the-scenes looks at the world between movies.
This ABC series is the perfect in-between for explaining events going on in the buildup to and wake of the big screen events. The first seven episodes take place in the immediate aftermath of Iron Man 3 and continue to follow the Extremis storyline.
Where to stream Agents of SHIELD: Disney+.
Thor: The Dark World (2013)
The second Thor movie, in my opinion, serves as a sort of conclusion to a trilogy including Thor and The Avengers. After this movie, you won’t see Jane Foster again until Love and Thunder.
Where to stream Thor: The Dark World: Disney+.
Agents of SHIELD (Season 1: Episodes 8-16)
Episode 8 takes place immediately after The Dark World, though it doesn’t really affect the plot of SHIELD that much. From here on the show begins building towards The Winter Soldier and it does so fabulously.
Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)
My absolute favorite MCU installment, the Hurt Locker of superhero movies, The Winter Soldier is the climax of Agents of SHIELD and fundamentally alters the future of the franchise. It also, unfortunately, caused a major pivot in the timeline of Agents of SHIELD, that was a little too soon in my opinion.
Where to stream The Winter Soldier: Disney+.
Agents of SHIELD (Season 1: Episodes 17-22)
The fallout from The Winter Soldier makes for the absolute best episodes of Agents of SHIELD. The end of season one is, in my opinion, more exciting and memorable than the majority of MCU movies.
Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
Guardians was a bit of a risk when it first came out, taking place almost entirely off Earth with few existing characters. It was an instant success, however, and builds on the infinity stone timeline setting up Infinity War.
Where to stream Guardians of the Galaxy: Disney+.
I Am Groot
This very skippable series of animated shorts takes place in between the first two Guardians of the Galaxy movies and shows Groot’s childhood after his adult form was destroyed and reborn in the first Guardians film.
Guardians of the Galaxy: Volume 2 (2017)
The second Guardians installment can be watched immediately after its predecessor. It bears little relevance to the rest of the MCU, other than character development for the Guardians, but was still quite enjoyable.
Where to stream Guardians of the Galaxy: Disney+.
Daredevil (Season 1)
Daredevil marked a bold new direction for the MCU before it had fallen into many of the formulaic tropes it now follows. While Marvel had no interest in R-rated films, the producers had no interest in a watered-down version of the character. The decision was made to bundle Daredevil with some lesser-known characters in a Netflix-original series building up to a Defenders crossover event.
To this day, Daredevil remains one of the most brutal and gritty installments in the entire MCU.
Where to stream Daredevil: Disney+.
Jessica Jones (Season 1)
Speaking of the lesser-known characters introduced through Netflix. Jessica Jones takes place not long after Daredevil, though the only crossover between the two shows is the minor character of Claire Temple, and you don’t need to have seen Daredevil to keep up with Jones. I love this series because while the rest of the MCU is focused on world conquering or world destruction, Jones is simply dealing with a narcissistic ex boyfriend.
Where to stream Jessica Jones: Disney+.
Agents of SHIELD (Season 2: Episodes 1-18)
Season Two picks up not long after the first season ends and they could be watched back-to-back without the interlude for Guardians of the Galaxy and the Netflix show. There’s no crossover, however, so do whatever order you prefer.
Season Two continues the fallout from Winter Soldier, as SHIELD takes the fight to HYDRA while the US government relentlessly pursues them. It also begins the buildup towards the Inhumans storyline and sets up Age of Ultron.
Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)
Age of Ultron is one of the more forgettable Avengers movies, despite being fairly good. Ultron introduces us to Scarlett Witch, Quicksilver, and Vision, while sewing the seeds of discord that lead to Civil War.
Where to stream Age of Ultron: Disney+.
Agents of SHIELD (Season 2: Episodes 19-22)
The final three episodes of Season Two wrap up the Ultron tie-ins while building to a dramatic showdown with the Inhumans and multiple exciting cliffhangers. The finale opens the doors to a much larger slate of superpowered characters in the near future, though it appears that Marvel has decided to scrap that planned storyline outside of this show.
Daredevil: Season 2: Episodes 1-11
The second season of Daredevil is, in my opinion, one of the more exciting installments in the Defenders saga due to the introduction of Punisher.
Luke Cage: Season 1: Episodes 1-2
There’s some slight overlap between Daredevil and Luke Cage, but it’s minimal and you have to really be paying attention to catch it. Hint, it’s Turk. But you can easily watch all of Daredevil Season 2 first before starting Luke Cage if you don’t want to break it up.
Where to stream Luke Cage: Disney+.
Daredevil: Season 2: Episodes 12-13
The season finale wraps up Daredevil’s entwinement with the Punisher while laying the groundwork for the Black Sky focus of Season Three.
Luke Cage: Season 1: Episodes 3-13
Luke Cage is a show that’s almost entirely isolated from the rest of the MCU and easily stands alone, with the only real crossover being Claire Temple’s character. It’s one of the more stylish and tonally unique shows in the entire MCU, grounded in a fairly realistic-feeling Harlem.
Iron Fist: Season 1
Iron Fist, like Luke Cage, is another mostly standalone show, though its buildup to Defenders is more in line with Daredevil than Luke Cage.
Where to stream Iron Fist: Disney+.
Agents of SHIELD: Season 3: Episodes 1-16
Season 3 is Marvel at its best. We finally learn the true history and purpose of HYDRA, the Inhumans begin to take their place in the MCU, and we get a lot of new superpowered friends and enemies in this season.
Ant-Man (2015)
An exciting return to comedy after the many gritty events since Guardians of the Galaxy, Ant-Man is an exciting origin story in the vein of Tales to Astonish. Not only do we get introduced to Scott Lang’s Ant-Man, but we also get the Wasp, Yellowjacket, as well as cameos from Howard Stark, Peggy Carter, and Falcon. Ant-Man takes place almost simultaneous to Civil War in its final scenes.
Where to stream Ant-Man: Disney+.
Captain America: Civil War (2016)
Civil War was an exciting and worthy successor to the gritty humanity of Winter Soldier but with a little more comedy from Ant-Man and the introduction of Spider-Man and Black Panther. Was it the grand epic that we got in the comic books? Not quite. More of a family feud than a civil war, but a great movie nonetheless. I just hope they’re not afraid to try and resuscitate the Civil War concept in the future, perhaps after the mutants are more fully integrated into society.
Where to stream Captain America: Civil War: Disney+.
Black Widow (2021)
Black Widow wasn’t a very timely release since it didn’t come out till after Endgame, but fans of the original female Avenger finally got the standalone film they’d been waiting nearly a decade for. With the exception of some early flashbacks to her childhood, this film mostly focuses on the fallout from Civil War and Natasha’s time on the run, clearing out the skeletons in her closet.
Where to stream Captain America: Civil War: Disney+.
Agents of SHIELD: Season 3: Episodes 20-22
After a brief Civil War break we return to Agents of SHIELD for the season finale and wrap up the Hive storyline while also introducing Season 4’s primary antagonist.
The Defenders (2017)
At long last, though with less fanfare than The Avengers, we finally get our second superhero team-up of the MCU. The Defenders awkwardly assembles Netflix’s mightiest heroes in an enjoyable miniseries event that ties up The Hand saga. This isn’t the last installment in the Netflix universe, but it is the only time we see them all teamed up.
Where to stream The Defenders: Disney+.
Agents of SHIELD: Season 4: Episodes 1-6
Back to SHIELD, we get some of the most exciting episodes of the series thanks to the introduction of an old familiar flaming face. Whether you prefer Robbie Reyes or Johnny Blaze, we can all agree the Ghost Rider is a badass no matter who he possesses. We also get a reordered SHIELD under a new director and a Quake on the run.
Black Panther (2018)
In the continuing wake of Civil War we get our first glance of Wakanda and the culture of the world’s most secret civilization. Black Panther feels a tad disconnected from the greater MCU, which is a good thing, and its only real tie-in is a cameo at the end of the film.
Where to stream Black Panther: Disney+.
Doctor Strange (2016)
An exciting new addition to the Avengers lineup, Doctor Strange is a taste of the chaotic multiversal madness to come. This movie introduces nothing but new characters, which is a breath of fresh air in the endlessly connected MCU.
Where to stream Doctor Strange: Disney+.
Agents of SHIELD: Season 4: Episodes 7-8
Back to SHIELD we go just long enough to wrap up the Ghost Rider/Darkhold saga
Agents of SHIELD: Slingshot: Episodes 1-6
Now we take a brief pause on SHIELD for more SHIELD - this time in microdoses. During a brief midseason pause we get a YouTube special staring YoYo Rodriguez. The miniseries takes place during season 4’s timeline, but with frequent flashbacks to the time between seasons 3 and 4.
Where to stream Agents of SHIELD: Slingshot: YouTube.
Agents of SHIELD: Season 4: Episodes 9-22
After our brief break from SHIELD we return to SHIELD from SHIELD. The remainder of SHIELD’s fourth season is a deep plunge into the not-so-distant future of lifelike androids and a brief detour into the Matrix itself.
Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
Another direct sequel to Civil War, Homecoming actually starts off prior to Spidey’s scenes in Captain America, coasts through his POV during the airport battle, then strands him back in the mundane world of friendly neighborhood crimefighting. We finally see The Vulture on the big screen and get to see a whole new world of Peter Parker - this time coexisting with a much larger universe than we saw in the previous series.
Where to stream Spider-Man: Homecoming: Disney+.
Thor: Ragnarok (2017)
The perfect bridge film between Age of Ultron and Infinity War, Ragnarok is a true epic journey from Earth to Asgard with a few other realms along the way. Our titular hero is reunited with Loki and Hulk and also meets Doctor Strange along the way in a movie that’s by far one of the funniest and most upbeat apocalypses of all time.
Where to stream Thor: Ragnarok: Disney+.
Inhumans (2017)
Easily the most skippable installment in the entire MCU, Inhumans ran for only 8 episodes as a spinoff of Agents of SHIELD, but lacks any crossover whatsoever to the rest of the universe. Kind of. There’s one tiny tie-in to Doctor Strange 2, but it’s rather insignificant. This universally hated series was canceled after an abysmal first season, but if you’re a ride-or-die Marvel fan like I am then you’ve got to watch it.
Where to stream Inhumans: Disney+.
The Punisher: Season 1
In my opinion, one of the best installments in the entire MCU - The Punisher picks up where Daredevil left off for the titular character, hiding in plain sight under an assumed identity. But of course the past catches up with him. There’s not a whole lot of crossover from this show to the rest of the MCU, save for Karen Page making an appearance. That’s actually the beauty of it - it feels like a war hero drama, not a superhero show.
Where to stream The Punisher: Disney+.
Runaways: Season 1
Runaways may have been written for teen audiences but it honestly holds up a lot better than some of the adult shows. This Hulu-original series stands alone from the rest of the MCU and features a group of teens who discover their cult-member parents are performing human sacrifices, and several of the kids discover they also have powers.
Where to stream Runaways: cwtv.com.
Agents of SHIELD: Season 5: Episodes 1-10
After season four’s cliffhanger ending we find our protagonists zipped off to a future where the Earth is destroyed and humanity clings to existence in a large space station run by Kree overlords. The SHIELD agents not only have to figure out how to return to their own time, but also must figure out how the Earth was destroyed and how they can prevent it.
Jessica Jones: Season 2
Back on Earth in the Sacred Timeline, Jessica Jones dives into her past and confronts the remnants of IGH and the doctor that gave her powers, while also learning more about what became of her family after their deaths.
Agents of SHIELD: Season 5: Episodes 11-18
The SHIELD team has returned to the Sacred Timeline but now it has to work to prevent the apocalyptic future they escaped from.
Cloak & Dagger: Seasons 1-2
This Freeform original ran from 2018 to 2019 and follows a pair of teenagers in New Orleans who discover powers in the wake of a drilling incident. Cloak and Dagger was one of my favorite comic book titles growing up but I wasn’t too much of a fan of the show. Although there are some references to the rest of the MCU, Cloak and Dagger operates in a silo and doesn’t cross over with anything but Runaways Season 3.
Where to stream Cloak & Dagger: Disney+.
Luke Cage: Season 2
Season Two of Luke Cage picks up right where the previous season left off, with Luke becoming a Harlem celebrity and continuing to battle with Mariah Dillard and Shades while also taking on a new threat in Bushmaster. Season 2 gives us some Heroes for Hire teasers and a guest appearance from Iron Fist, but ultimately goes in a surprising direction with a dramatic cliffhanger.
Iron Fist: Season 2
The second season of Iron Fist showcases Danny continuing to find his place in a foreign world while living with Colleen, trying to clean up Chinatown, and finding himself at odds with some former friends.
Daredevil: Season 3
The final season of Netflix’s Daredevil series follows in the wake of Defenders with Matt Murdock missing and presumed dead. Wilson Fisk claws his way back into power once again in some fresh and exciting new ways.
Runaways: Season 2
The heroes are officially runaways in this season, hiding out in an abandoned underground mansion while contending with Pride and Jonah.
Jessica Jones: Season 3
The final season of Jessica Jones was a bit bland to me and washed out with Trish Walker melodrama. The two work through their own issues as they hunt a serial killer.
Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018)
The 20th film in the MCU takes us on our first deep dive in the Quantum Realm while laying the groundwork for the upcoming timey-wimeyness of Endgame.
Agents of SHIELD: Season 5: Episodes 19-22
As we near the Phase Three climax that is in Infinity War, Agents of SHIELD continues to do what it does best - bridge the gaps between the movies and interact with the films as closely as it can without actually tying directly in. The the planet seemingly on the brink of war, General Talbot continues to consolidate his power with the hope of becoming the Earth’s mightiest Avenger.
Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
It was all building to this. The crown jewel of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the greatest crossover event in the history of cinema. A direct sequel to Ragnarok, Infinity War introduces Thor to the Guardians of the Galaxy while war breaks out on Earth as Thanos gathers the last of the Infinity Stones.
Where to stream Avengers Infinity War: Disney+.
Agents of SHIELD: Seasons 6-7
The final two seasons of Agents of SHIELD take place during the blip, but inexplicably fail to address it. I’ve had a lot of creative differences with Marvel Studios over the years, but its handling of the blip was the biggest. Their decision to skip straight from Infinity War to Endgame while ignoring the blip in SHIELD and Runaways was such a bummer.
They had a unique opportunity to showcase a post-apocalyptic Earth and to let the agents of SHIELD help bridge the gap. But instead, we truck right along with nary a mention of any of the chaos.
That being said, these seasons were still enjoyable - taking our merry team on adventures across time and space. But the days of tying in with the greater MCU are over.
Runaways: Season 3
Like Agents of SHIELD, the final season of Runaways takes place during the blip, but doesn’t acknowledge it. We are introduced to the character of Morgan le Fay, the Runaways team up with Cloak and Dagger, visit the Dark Dimension, and get caught up in some Time-Wimeyness of their own.
Avengers: Endgame (2019)
The highest grossing film of all time (briefly) and the movie that officially kicks off the multiversal madness of Phase Four, Endgame officially introduces time travel to the MCU big screen as our heroes seek to undo the damage of Infinity War five years later.
Where to stream Avengers Endgame: Disney+.
Loki: Seasons 1-2
Loki is a direct sequel to Avengers: Endgame, following a variant form of Loki in one of the alternate timelines the Avengers accidentally create. This show goes behind the scenes of time itself, explaining just how the multiverse works.
Where to stream Loki: Disney+.
WandaVision (2021)
Another Disney+ original limited series in the wake of Endgame, this sitcom-themed show follows Wanda coping with the loss of Vision while introducing the character of Agatha Harkness and teasing the mutant universe.
Where to stream WandaVision: Disney+.
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (2021)
Set six months after Endgame, Sam Wilson tries to reject the mantle of Captain America, only to see it handed over to John Walker by the US government. We’re also introduced to Karli Morgenthau and reunited with Baron Zemo and Sharon Carter, two of my favorite Cap characters.
Where to stream The Falcon and the Winter Soldier: Disney+.
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021)
Shang-Chi is a far departure from the MCU we’ve come to know, focusing on entirely new characters and regions than any previous movie or show. Stylistically similar to Iron Fist, Shang-Chi’s only connection to the greater MCU is the character of Trevor Slattery from Iron Man 3.
Where to stream Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings: Disney+.
Eternals (2021)
Eternals was another attempt to break away from the characters and plotlines of the first three phases, and like Shang-Chi, it wasn’t super well received despite being a pretty fun movie. It’s very tonally unique and is more of a mythological epic than a traditional superhero movie.
Where to stream Eternals: Disney+.
Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019)
The final film of Phase Three, Far From Home reunites Peter with Nick Fury and Maria Hill, introduces the characters of Mysterio and fan-favorite J. Jonah Jameson, and teases the upcoming Secret Invasion.
Where to stream Spider-Man: Far From Home: Disney+.
Spider-Man (2002)
Long before the MCU, there was the original live action Spidey. And now, thanks to the multiverse, the OG Peter is officially cannon. While you can watch the original Spider-Man movies whenever you like, because they don’t interact with the greater MCU at all, it made the most sense to me to marathon them all right before No Way Home.
The first of the Tobey Maguireverse introduces us to the Green Goblin and is one of my favorite origin stories of any character ever. Probably just due to nostalgia.
Where to stream Spider-Man: Disney+.
Spider-Man 2 (2004)
Peter’s back and this time he’s taking on the fearsome Doctor Octopus in a movie that seamlessly blends superheroism with traces of Sam Raimi’s horror roots.
Where to stream Spider-Man 2: Disney+.
Spider-Man 3 (2007)
In the post-Avengers era it’s hard to believe that Spider-Man 3 was once reviled for having too many villains and subplots. Sure I was only in the seventh grade when this banger hit theaters, but I absolutely loved it. Venom, Sand-Man, New Goblin AND choreographed emo dance scenes? Masterpiece.
Where to stream Spider-Man 3: Disney+.
The Amazing Spider-Man (2012)
After Spider-Man 4 failed to launch, we instead got a reboot that was arguably much better than the original from a technical standpoint but still didn’t hit quite right for me. Andrew Garfield was probably the better Peter Parker, but I thought Tobey was a better Spider-Man. This time around we get Gwen Stacy as our love interest instead of MJ and the villain of choice is the Lizard.
Where to stream The Amazing Spider-Man: Disney+.
The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014)
This movie was a bit cheesy at times, but, to be fair, so is the rest of the Spiderverse. I wasn’t the biggest fan of Electro or of Dane DeHaan as Harry Osborn, but DeHaan crushed it as Green Goblin.
Where to stream The Amazing Spider-Man 2: Disney+.
Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)
They did it. Those crazy sons of a bitch, actually did it. This movie wasn’t as good as I wished it was. There were a lot of things I would have done differently. But as someone who grew up in the Spider-Man era of film, the nostalgia of seeing Tobey and Andrew back in the red and blue was unbelievable. The first live-action spider-verse movie not only brings back our past heroes but several of our favorite past villains as well - with some help from Doctor Strange too.
Where to stream Spider-Man: No Way Home: Prime Video.
What If…?
This animated series explores a whole bunch of fun hypothetical scenarios that could have happened somewhere out there in the multiverse. I was surprised by how much I liked this show, and even more surprised by the all-star cast. Almost all of the characters are voiced by the same actors who portray their big screen counterparts. We’ve also already seen one character from What If appear on the big screen in Multiverse of Madness, but I won’t spoil who it is.
Where to stream What If…?: Disney+.
X-Men: First Class (2011)
The fifth movie in the old Fox X-Men universe, this prequel also serves as a soft reboot of the franchise after the original trilogy ended in a manner many fans found unsatisfactory. Primarily set in 1962, First Class is a fun bit of historical fantasy tied up in the Cuban Missile Crisis.
Where to stream X-Men: First Class: Disney+.
X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009)
This much-maligned film is actually one of my favorites, despite its flaws. Origins was the original X-Men prequel film and explains why our titular protagonist has no memory of his past when he shows up in the original X-Men movie. Primarily taking place in 1979, it goes as far back as before the Civil War.
Where to stream X-Men Origins: Wolverine: Disney+.
X-Men (2000)
Long before anybody dreamed of an Avengers movie, X-Men was the original superhero team-up film - and Bryan Singer didn’t feel the need to build up to it with a bunch of origin stories. It suffers from some 90s cheese at times, but the original X-Men movie is one of my favorites.
Where to stream X-Men: Disney+.
X2 (2003)
Easily one of the best superhero films of all time, X2 does a better job of developing the characters introduced in the first film and focuses heavily on Wolverine’s background while setting the stage for the battle royale in the coming sequel.
Where to stream X2: Disney+.
X-Men: The Last Stand (2006)
A lot of people didn’t like The Last Stand, but I tend to look more favorably upon films that came out when I was a child. This movie is dripping with nostalgia for me and it’s pretty fun if you’re not a comic book purist.
Where to stream X-Men: The Last Stand: Disney+.
The Wolverine (2013)
The Wolverine is the only direct sequel to the original trilogy inasmuch as it actually continues a lot of the themes from the early films and explores Wolverine’s struggles with mortality and the loss of Jean Gray. While it really is a good movie, it’s still one of my least favorites for reasons I can’t quite put a finger on.
Where to stream The Wolverine: Disney+.
X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014)
While First Class began the process of rebooting the X-Men universe, this movie actually gave the studios the freedom to undo prior plot points by serving as a direct sequel to both The Wolverine and First Class. One of the more ambitious superhero films out there, Days of Future Past is a time-traveling adventure that features all your favorite characters from both the not-so-distant future and 1973.
Where to stream Days of Future Past: Disney+.
X-Men: Apocalypse (2016)
Apocalypse continues the prequel saga with a new foe, an ancient mutant, the ultimate harbinger of death and destruction. Apocalypse takes place in 1983 in the new timeline created by Logan’s exploits in the previous film.
Where to stream X-Men Apocalypse: Disney+.
Dark Phoenix (2019)
Thanks to the timeline reset, the producers got another shot at the Phoenix storyline they pissed everybody off with in The Last Stand, and this time there’s an interesting new antagonist to go along with it. Although they left X-Men out of the title, this is very much a full-on X-Men film with all the same stars as the previous prequel films.
Where to stream Dark Phoenix: Disney+.
Deadpool (2016)
Everybody’s favorite anti-hero also got another crack at the big screen thanks to the timeline reset and this time he’s far truer to his comic-book self than the Origins version.
Where to stream Deadpool: Disney+.
The New Mutants (2020)
The New Mutants was an interesting attempt at expanding the franchise as Josh Boone attempted to take a horror-movie crack at the mutants. This one almost didn’t get released since it was still in production during the Disney acquisition of Fox, and it was the final X-Men movie produced by the old team.
Where to stream The New Mutants: Disney+.
Deadpool 2 (2018)
Deadpool 2 introduces us to one of my favorite comic-book characters, Cable, and the X-Force. It also dabbles in timey-wimeyness and helps set up Deadpool’s entry into the Sacred Timeline.
Where to stream Deadpool 2: Disney+.
Logan (2017)
Logan wasn’t the last X-Men movie released, but it serves as the grand finale to the Fox universe. Taking place in the dystopian near future of 2029, Logan and Professor X are old men in a world with no new mutants. Arguably the best film of the whole saga.
Where to stream Logan: Disney+.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022)
Easily a top-ten MCU film for me due to my love of horror, I couldn’t believe how much creative freedom Disney gave Sam Raimi here to make a full on Marvel horror film. Multiverse of Madness is a direct sequel to both No Way Home and WandaVision, while crossing over with X-Men, What If, and Inhumans in less direct ways.
Where to stream Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness: Disney+.
Daredevil (2003)
This 20th Century Fox classic was officially brought into the MCU multiverse two decades later via Deadpool & Wolverine.
Where to stream Daredevil: Disney+.
Elektra (2005)
This much maligned spinoff of Daredevil won’t be the last you see of Jennifer Garner as Elektra.
Where to stream Elektra: Max.
Blade (1998)
Blade II (2002)
Blade: Trinity (2004)
Fantastic Four (2005)
This unpopular Fantastic Four remains one of my all-time favorite Marvel movies primarily due to nostalgia. It’s the pinnacle of corniness but that’s honestly how most superhero movies were when I was growing up and it was just so much fun. The comic book adaptation of the film was my very first comic book, purchased at Starbase 21 in Tulsa, next door to the Casa Bonita before my brother’s birthday party. And now, thanks to Deadpool & Wolverine, it’s officially part of the Marvel Cinematic Multiverse.
Where to stream Fantastic Four: Disney+.
Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (2007)
I’ll defend the first Fantastic Four till I die but I will say this one left a lot to be desired. It’s still a mostly enjoyable ride thanks to a very likeable cast but I’m very much looking forward to the reboot.
Where to stream Rise of the Silver Surfer: Disney+.
Deadpool & Wolverine (2024)
Timey-wimeyness has ensued and Deadpool is officially part of the MCU, along with a whole mess of multiversal pals. In his quest to save the Fox Marvel Universe, now officially known as Earth-10005, he teams up with a Wolverine from a different universe and spends a lot of time in the lands of Loki - both at the Time Variance Authority and in The Void, where we run into a whole slew of characters from past X-Men and other old school Marvel films.
Where to stream Deadpool & Wolverine: Disney+.
Hawkeye
Hawkeye was fun, though quite forgettable. This limited series introduces us to Kate Bishop and Echo while reintroducing Kingpin for the first time since the old Netflix days. It serves as a sequel to both Avengers: Endgame and Black Widow and makes for some great holiday binging.
Where to stream Hawkeye: Disney+.
Moon Knight
Easily one of my favorite shows and one of the most tonally unique installments in the MCU, Moon Knight feels fairly isolated from the rest of the MCU, in a good way, and reminds me a bit of that old FX mutant series “Legion.” A journey through Egyptian mythology and the fractured psyche of multiple characters portrayed by Oscar Isaac in the body of a single man with dissociative identity disorder, Moon Knight has incredible standalone power while still leaving open the possibility of a sequel or tie-in to the greater MCU at a future date.
Where to stream Moon Knight: Disney+.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022)
Probably my least favorite film in the entire MCU, this Black Panther sequel struggles to crown a worthy successor in the wake of Chadwick Boseman’s untimely death. We do get a new Black Panther, and we’re introduced to Ironheart and Namor, but I don’t foresee any of those characters being particularly popular in the coming years.
Where to stream Black Panther: Wakanda Forever: Disney+.
Echo
A direct sequel to Hawkeye and probably one of our least favorite shows in the MCU, Echo was supremely disappointing for someone who was excited to see his home state of Oklahoma represented. This show focused entirely on representation and forgot to actually put together an entertaining plot.
Where to stream Echo: Disney+.
