By the time Avengers: Endgame rolls around next month, the Marvel Cinematic Universe will be 21 movies deep. From the original six Avengers to the latest additions of Black Panther and Captain Marvel, the MCU is as expansive of a shared universe as Hollywood has ever seen.
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With such a large movie universe in tow, we here at ComicBook.com decided to help you out and release a viewing order you should watch the movies in should you desire to do some binge-watching ahead the release of Endgame.
We’ve decided to include Captain Marvel in the viewing order since it’s released this week and since it’s set in the 1990s, it should be the second movie you watch behind Captain America: The First Avenger. With it set to star Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), it’s best to get that out of the way as you progress towards the Iron Man trilogy and The Avengers.
As you get deeper into the MCU, the viewing order is a little more flexible. We placed both Guardians of the Galaxy films ahead of Avengers: Age of Ultron because those movies take place roughly about the same time — although admittedly, they could be viewed anytime before Avengers: Infinity War.
Moving towards Captain America: Civil War, three MCU movies take place shortly afterward — Black Panther, Spider-Man: Homecoming, and Ant-Man and the Wasp. In fact, those three movies tie directly into the events of Civil War, thus resulting in their close proximity to the third Captain America flick.
Doctor Strange was another loose cannon since it doesn’t necessarily tie into the other events of the Marvel Cinematic Universe — but since Dr. Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) has a quick cameo in Thor: Ragnarok, we felt it fit the best right before the Taika Waititi hit.
Thor: Ragnarok is the most organic lead-in to Avengers: Infinity War which, in turn, should be the last movie you watch before heading to theaters in April.
Keep scrolling to see which order you need to watch the MCU movies in before you head out to theaters for Avengers: Endgame!
Captain America: The First Avenger
Official synopsis: Marvel’s “Captain America: The First Avenger” focuses on the early days of the Marvel Universe when Steve Rogers volunteers to participate in an experimental program that turns him into the Super Soldier known as Captain America.
Watch on Amazon Prime, Google Play, iTunes, Vudu, and YouTube
Released on July 19th, 2011
Captain Marvel
Official synopsis: The story follows Carol Danvers as she becomes one of the universe’s most powerful heroes when Earth is caught in the middle of a galactic war between two alien races.
Watch in theaters
Will release on March 8th, 2019
Iron Man
Official synopsis: 2008’s Iron Man tells the story of Tony Stark, a billionaire industrialist and genius inventor who is kidnapped and forced to build a devastating weapon. Instead, using his intelligence and ingenuity, Tony builds a high-tech suit of armor and escapes captivity. When he uncovers a nefarious plot with global implications, he dons his powerful armor and vows to protect the world as Iron Man.
Watch on Amazon Prime, Google Play, iTunes, Vudu, and YouTube
Released on May 2nd, 2008
The Incredible Hulk
Official synopsis: In this new beginning, scientist Bruce Banner desperately hunts for a cure to the gamma radiation that poisoned his cells and unleashes the unbridled force of rage within him: The Hulk. Living in the shadows–cut off from a life he knew and the woman he loves, Betty Ross–Banner struggles to avoid the obsessive pursuit of his nemesis, General Thunderbolt Ross and the military machinery that seeks to capture him and brutally exploit his power. As all three grapple with the secrets that led to the Hulk’s creation, they are confronted with a monstrous new adversary known as the Abomination, whose destructive strength exceeds even the Hulk’s own. One scientist must make an agonizing final choice: accept a peaceful life as Bruce Banner or find heroism in the creature he holds inside–The Incredible Hulk.
Watch on Amazon Prime, Google Play, iTunes, Vudu, and YouTube
Released on June 13th, 2008
Iron Man 2
Official synopsis: With the world now aware that he is Iron Man, billionaire inventor Tony Stark faces pressure from all sides to share his technology with the military. He is reluctant to divulge the secrets of his armored suit, fearing the information will fall into the wrong hands. With Pepper Potts and “Rhodey” Rhodes by his side, Tony must forge new alliances and confront a powerful new enemy.
Watch on Amazon Prime, Google Play, Hulu, iTunes, Vudu, and YouTube
Released on May 7th, 2010
Thor
Official synopsis: As the son of Odin, king of the Norse gods, Thor will soon inherit the throne of Asgard from his aging father. However, on the day that he is to be crowned, Thor reacts with brutality when the gods’ enemies, the Frost Giants, enter the palace in violation of their treaty. As punishment, Odin banishes Thor to Earth. While Loki, Thor’s brother, plots mischief in Asgard, Thor, now stripped of his powers, faces his greatest threat.
Watch on Amazon Prime, Google Play, iTunes, Vudu, and YouTube
Released on May 2nd, 2011
Marvel’s The Avengers
Official synopsis: Marvel Studios presents in association with Paramount Pictures “Marvel’s The Avengers”–the super hero team up of a lifetime, featuring iconic Marvel super heroes Iron Man, the Incredible Hulk, Thor, Captain America, Hawkeye and Black Widow. When an unexpected enemy emerges that threatens global safety and security, Nick Fury, Director of the international peacekeeping agency known as S.H.I.E.L.D., finds himself in need of a team to pull the world back from the brink of disaster. Spanning the globe, a daring recruitment effort begins.
Watch on Amazon Prime, Google Play, iTunes, Vudu, and YouTube
Released on May 4th, 2012
Iron Man 3
Official synopsis: Marvel’s “Iron Man 3” pits brash-but-brilliant industrialist Tony Stark/Iron Man against an enemy whose reach knows no bounds. When Stark finds his personal world destroyed at his enemy’s hands, he embarks on a harrowing quest to find those responsible. This journey, at every turn, will test his mettle. With his back against the wall, Stark is left to survive by his own devices, relying on his ingenuity and instincts to protect those closest to him. As he fights his way back, Stark discovers the answer to the question that has secretly haunted him: does the man make the suit or does the suit make the man
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Released on May 3rd, 2013
Thor: The Dark World
Official synopsis: In the aftermath of Marvel’s “Thor” and “Marvel’s The Avengers,” Thor fights to restore order across the cosmos…but an ancient race led by the vengeful Malekith returns to plunge the universe back into darkness. Faced with an enemy that even Odin and Asgard cannot withstand, Thor must embark on his most perilous and personal journey yet, one that will reunite him with Jane Foster and force him to sacrifice everything to save us all.
Watch on Amazon Prime, Google Play, iTunes, Vudu, and YouTube
Released on November 8th, 2013
Captain America: Winter Soldier
Official synopsis: After the cataclysmic events in New York with The Avengers, Marvel’s “Captain America: The Winter Soldier,” finds Steve Rogers, aka Captain America, living quietly in Washington, D.C. and trying to adjust to the modern world. But when a S.H.I.E.L.D. colleague comes under attack, Steve becomes embroiled in a web of intrigue that threatens to put the world at risk. Joining forces with the Black Widow, Captain America struggles to expose the ever-widening conspiracy while fighting off professional assassins sent to silence him at every turn. When the full scope of the villainous plot is revealed, Captain America and the Black Widow enlist the help of a new ally, the Falcon. However, they soon find themselves up against an unexpected and formidable enemy–the Winter Soldier.
Watch on Amazon Prime, Google Play, iTunes, Vudu, and YouTube
Released on April 4th, 2014
Guardians of the Galaxy
Official synopsis: An action-packed, epic space adventure, Marvel’s “Guardians of the Galaxy,” expands the Marvel Cinematic Universe into the cosmos, where brash adventurer Peter Quill finds himself the object of an unrelenting bounty hunt after stealing a mysterious orb coveted by Ronan, a powerful villain with ambitions that threaten the entire universe. To evade the ever-persistent Ronan, Quill is forced into an uneasy truce with a quartet of disparate misfits–Rocket, a gun-toting raccoon; Groot, a tree-like humanoid; the deadly and enigmatic Gamora; and the revenge-driven Drax the Destroyer. But when Quill discovers the true power of the orb and the menace it poses to the cosmos, he must do his best to rally his ragtag rivals for a last, desperate stand–with the galaxy’s fate in the balance.
Watch on Amazon Prime, Google Play, iTunes, Vudu, and YouTube
Released on August 1st, 2014
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
Official synopsis: Set to the backdrop of ‘Awesome Mixtape #2,’ Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 continues the team’s adventures as they traverse the outer reaches of the cosmos. The Guardians must fight to keep their newfound family together as they unravel the mysteries of Peter Quill’s true parentage. Old foes become new allies and fan-favorite characters from the classic comics will come to our heroes’ aid as the Marvel cinematic universe continues to expand.
Watch on Amazon Prime, Google Play, iTunes, Netflix, Vudu, and YouTube
Released on May 5th, 2017
Avengers: Age of Ultron
Official synopsis: Marvel Studios presents “Avengers: Age of Ultron,” the epic follow-up to the biggest Super Hero movie of all time. When Tony Stark tries to jumpstart a dormant peacekeeping program, things go awry and Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, including Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, The Incredible Hulk, Black Widow and Hawkeye, are put to the ultimate test as the fate of the planet hangs in the balance. As the villainous Ultron emerges, it is up to the Avengers to stop him from enacting his terrible plans, and soon uneasy alliances and unexpected action pave the way for an epic and unique global adventure.
Watch on Amazon Prime, Google Play, iTunes, Vudu, and YouTube
Released on May 1st, 2015
Ant-Man
Official synopsis: The next evolution of the Marvel Cinematic Universe brings a founding member of The Avengers to the big screen for the first time with Marvel Studios’ “Ant-Man.” Armed with the astonishing ability to shrink in scale but increase in strength, master thief Scott Lang must embrace his inner-hero and help his mentor, Doctor Hank Pym, protect the secret behind his spectacular Ant-Man suit from a new generation of towering threats. Against seemingly insurmountable obstacles, Pym and Lang must plan and pull off a heist that will save the world.
Watch on Amazon Prime, Google Play, iTunes, Vudu, and YouTube
Released on June 29th, 2015
Captain America: Civil War
Official synopsis: The next evolution of the Marvel Cinematic Universe brings a founding member of The Avengers to the big screen for the first time with Marvel Studios’ “Ant-Man.” Armed with the astonishing ability to shrink in scale but increase in strength, master thief Scott Lang must embrace his inner-hero and help his mentor, Doctor Hank Pym, protect the secret behind his spectacular Ant-Man suit from a new generation of towering threats. Against seemingly insurmountable obstacles, Pym and Lang must plan and pull off a heist that will save the world.
Watch on Amazon Prime, Google Play, iTunes, Vudu, and YouTube
Released on May 6th, 2016
Black Panther
Original synopsis: Marvel Studios’ “Black Panther” follows T’Challa who, after the death of his father, the King of Wakanda, returns home to the isolated, technologically advanced African nation to succeed to the throne and take his rightful place as king. But when a powerful old enemy reappears, T’Challa’s mettle as king—and Black Panther—is tested when he is drawn into a formidable conflict that puts the fate of Wakanda and the entire world at risk. Faced with treachery and danger, the young king must rally his allies and release the full power of Black Panther to defeat his foes and secure the safety of his people and their way of life.
Watch on Amazon Prime, Google Play, iTunes, Netflix, Vudu, and YouTube
Released on February 16th, 2018
Spider-Man: Homecoming
Official synopsis: A young Peter Parker/Spider-Man (Tom Holland), who made his sensational debut in Captain America: Civil War, begins to navigate his newfound identity as the web-slinging super hero in Spider-Man: Homecoming. Thrilled by his experience with the Avengers, Peter returns home, where he lives with his Aunt May (Marisa Tomei), under the watchful eye of his new mentor Tony Stark (Robert Downey, Jr.). Peter tries to fall back into his normal daily routine – distracted by thoughts of proving himself to be more than just your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man – but when the Vulture (Michael Keaton) emerges as a new villain, everything that Peter holds most important will be threatened.
Watch on Amazon Prime, Google Play, iTunes, Starz, Vudu, and YouTube
Released on July 7th, 2017
Ant-Man and the Wasp
Official synopsis: From the Marvel Cinematic Universe comes a new chapter featuring heroes with the astonishing ability to shrink: “Ant-Man and The Wasp.” In the aftermath of “Captain America: Civil War,” Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) grapples with the consequences of his choices as both a Super Hero and a father. As he struggles to rebalance his home life with his responsibilities as Ant-Man, he’s confronted by Hope van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly) and Dr. Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) with an urgent new mission. Scott must once again put on the suit and learn to fight alongside The Wasp as the team works together to uncover secrets from their past.
Watch on Amazon Prime, Google Play, iTunes, Netflix, Vudu, and YouTube
Released on July 6th, 2018
Doctor Strange
Official synopsis: From Marvel Studios comes “Doctor Strange,” the story of world-famous neurosurgeon Dr. Stephen Strange whose life changes forever after a horrific car accident robs him of the use of his hands. When traditional medicine fails him, he is forced to look for healing, and hope, in an unlikely place—a mysterious enclave known as Kamar-Taj. He quickly learns that this is not just a center for healing but also the front line of a battle against unseen dark forces bent on destroying our reality. Before long Strange—armed with newly acquired magical powers—is forced to choose whether to return to his life of fortune and status or leave it all behind to defend the world as the most powerful sorcerer in existence.
Watch on Amazon Prime, Google Play, iTunes, Vudu, and YouTube
Released on October 20th, 2016
Thor: Ragnarok
Official synopsis: Thor is imprisoned on the other side of the universe without his mighty hammer and finds himself in a race against time to get back to Asgard to stop Ragnarok—the destruction of his homeworld and the end of Asgardian civilization—at the hands of an all-powerful new threat, the ruthless Hela. But first he must survive a deadly gladiatorial contest that pits him against his former ally and fellow Avenger—the Incredible Hulk!
Watch on Amazon Prime, Google Play, iTunes, Netflix, Vudu, and YouTube
Released on November 3rd, 2017
Avengers: Infinity War
Official synopsis: An unprecedented cinematic journey ten years in the making and spanning the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe, Marvel Studios’ “Avengers: Infinity War” brings to the screen the ultimate, deadliest showdown of all time. As the Avengers and their allies have continued to protect the world from threats too large for any one hero to handle, a new danger has emerged from the cosmic shadows: Thanos. A despot of intergalactic infamy, his goal is to collect all six Infinity Stones, artifacts of unimaginable power, and use them to inflict his twisted will on all of reality. Everything the Avengers have fought for has led up to this moment – the fate of Earth and existence itself has never been more uncertain.
Watch on Amazon Prime, Google Play, iTunes, Netflix, Vudu, and YouTube
Released on April 27th, 2018
Before You Go
Avengers: Endgame hits theaters April 26th. Other upcoming Marvel Studios films include Captain Marvel on March 8th and Spider-Man: Far From Home on July 5th.
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