The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) can be rather confusing for newcomers and casual viewers, and with the sheer amount of films out there, it’s hard (and daunting) to get into the epic superhero saga. After all, the MCU is a carefully crafted web in which each film plays a unique and far-reaching role, so missing just one could lead to gaps in your understanding of this convoluted fictional world. So, for those intending to watch the next Marvel film without watching (or re-watching) the previous ones, or for those who simply are having a hard time getting into or understanding the films, we got a brief summary of the most important points in each movie to make things a little easier for you.
It’s a long guide, but do take note of the order if you only want to watch the films and the series to get a hang of the key elements of the plot that will come back in future films. Obviously, this guide is filled with spoilers!
Warning: Spoilers ahead!
Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)
Fictional year: 1942
Captain Marvel (2019)
Fictional year: 1995
Iron Man (2008)
Fictional year: 2008
The Incredible Hulk (2008)
Fictional year: 2008
Iron Man 2 (2010)
Fictional year: 2010
Thor (2011)
Fictional year: 2011
The Avengers (2012)
Fictional year: 2012
Iron Man 3 (2013)
Fictional year: 2013
Thor: The Dark World (2013)
Fictional year: 2013
Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)
Fictional year: 2014
Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
Fictional year: 2014
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)
Fictional year: 2014
Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)
Fictional year: 2015
Ant-Man (2015)
Fictional year: 2015
Captain America: Civil War (2016)
Fictional year: 2016
Black Widow (2021)
Fictional year: 2016
Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
Fictional year: 2016
Black Panther (2018)
Fictional year: 2016
Doctor Strange (2016)
Fictional year: 2016-2017
Thor: Ragnarok (2017)
Fictional year: 2017-2018
Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018)
Fictional year: 2018
Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
Fictional year: 2018
Avengers: Endgame (2019)
Fictional year: 2023
Loki (2021)
Fictional year: 2012/2024?
WandaVision (2021)
Fictional year: 2023
Dr. Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022)
Fictional year: 2023
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (2021)
Fictional year: 2023
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021)
Fictional year: 2024
Eternals (2021)
Fictional year: 2023
Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019)
Fictional year: 2024
Hawkeye (2021)
Fictional year: 2024
Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)
Fictional year: 2024
Moon Knight (2022)
Fictional year: 2024?
Photos from: Sony Pictures and Marvel Studio