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The Ultimate MCU Timeline: Marvel Movies in Chronological Order

How to Watch Marvel Movies in Order: 2026 Guide

27th January 2026

This is the definitive linear path through the Marvel Cinematic Universe, combining the “Sacred Timeline” movies, the Disney+ originals, and the “Street Level” legacy shows (Daredevil, Luke Cage, etc.) which are now canon. How to use this guide: Eras 1-5 cover the “Infinity Saga” and the “Defenders Saga” (Street Level). Era 6 covers the “Multiverse Saga” and the new Phase 6 releases up to present day (Jan 2026). Era 1: The Origins & The Golden Age (1940s – 1995) The story begins with the creation of the Super Soldier and the early days of S.H.I.E.L.D. Captain America: The First Avenger (Set in WWII) Agent Carter (Seasons 1 & 2) Setting: 1946. Peggy Carter fights early Hydra threats. Captain Marvel (Set in 1995) Note: Introduces Nick Fury and the Skrulls. Era 2: The Assembly (2008 – 2012) The world discovers superheroes. Iron Man (2008) Iron Man 2 The Incredible Hulk Thor The Avengers (2012) Crucial Event: The “Battle of New York” changes the world and triggers the events of the TV shows below. Era 3: The Age of Miracles & The Defenders (2013 – 2015) While the Avengers handle global threats, “Street Level” heroes rise in New York City to fight the crime left in the Avengers’ wake. Iron Man 3 Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (Season 1, Ep 1-16) Thor: The Dark World Captain America: The Winter Soldier Watch Order: Watch this immediately after Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. ep 16 to see the fall of S.H.I.E.L.D. play out in real-time. Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (Season 1, Ep 17-22) Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 1 & Vol. 2 (Set in 2014) Daredevil (Season 1) Why here? Matt Murdock begins cleaning up Hell’s Kitchen after the Battle of New York. [Shop Amazon: Daredevil Complete Season 1 Blu-ray] Jessica Jones (Season 1) Avengers: Age of Ultron Ant-Man Era 4: Civil War & The Fracture (2016 – 2017) The Avengers split up. This period is dense with “Street Level” stories occurring simultaneously. Captain America: Civil War Black Widow (Set immediately after Civil War) Black Panther Spider-Man: Homecoming Luke Cage (Season 1) Iron Fist (Season 1) The Defenders (Limited Series) The Event: Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and Iron Fist team up against The Hand. The Punisher (Season 1) Doctor Strange (Spans 2016-2017) Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (Seasons 3-5) Note: Deals with Ghost Rider and the Kree/Inhuman conflict. Era 5: The Infinity War (2018 – 2023) The Snap occurs, and the universe enters five years of chaos. Thor: Ragnarok Ant-Man and the Wasp Avengers: Infinity War Avengers: Endgame (Spans 2018 – 2023) Era 6: The Multiverse Saga & The New World Order (2023 – 2027) Current Timeline. The Avengers are gone, the Multiverse is breaking, and new political powers (Kingpin, Red Hulk) are rising. The Post-Endgame Shuffle (2023-2024) Loki (Seasons 1 & 2) Timeline Note: Exists outside of time, but best viewed here to understand the Multiverse. WandaVision The Falcon and the Winter Soldier Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings Eternals Spider-Man: Far From Home Spider-Man: No Way Home The “Modern” Era (2025 In-Universe) Hawkeye Moon Knight She-Hulk: Attorney at Law Connection: Daredevil returns here with a lighter tone. Ms. Marvel Thor: Love and Thunder Black Panther: Wakanda Forever Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 Secret Invasion The Marvels The “Now” (2026-2027 In-Universe) This is the current cutting edge of the story as of early 2026. Echo Key Event: Kingpin begins his rise to political power. Deadpool & Wolverine Note: Deals heavily with the timeline and the “Fox Universe” legacy. [Buy on Amazon: Deadpool & Wolverine 4K UHD] Agatha All Along Daredevil: Born Again (Season 1) Timeline: Set in late 2026/early 2027. Matt Murdock and Kingpin (now Mayor Fisk) clash in a city where vigilantism is being outlawed. [Read the Inspiration: Daredevil “Born Again” Trade Paperback] Captain America: Brave New World Timeline: Early 2027. Sam Wilson faces President Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross (Red Hulk). Thunderbolts* Timeline: Mid-2027. A team of anti-heroes (Yelena Belova, Bucky Barnes, U.S. Agent) is assembled by Val for a black-ops mission. Ironheart Timeline: Set after Wakanda Forever and Brave New World. Timeline Divergence: The Retro-Future The Fantastic Four: First Steps Placement: Tricky. This movie takes place in an alternate universe (Earth-828) set in a retro-futuristic 1960s. When to watch: Chronologically, it happens in the “past,” but narratively it sets up the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday. We recommend watching it last (after Thunderbolts*) as a prelude to the timeline collision. [Pre-order Merch: Fantastic Four “First Steps” Apparel & Comics]

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The Ultimate MCU Timeline: Marvel Movies in Chronological Order

The Ultimate MCU Timeline In Chronological Order (2026)

28th February 2026

“Trying to navigate the massive Marvel Cinematic Universe can be a daunting task for even the most dedicated fans. If you want the definitive way to watch every movie and series, you need the MCU timeline in chronological order. As of 2026, with the arrival of the Multiverse Saga’s climax, keeping track of the history has never been more vital. Our guide breaks down the entire journey from the 1940s to the present day.”  My face when I remembered I had to include Agents Of Shield, the One-Shots and the Netflix shows in this list. Full List: The MCU Timeline in Chronological Order (2026 Update) Phase 1: Starting the MCU Timeline in Chronological Order 1. Captain America: The First Avenger 2. Agent Carter Season 1 *4 3. Agent Carter Season 2 *4 4. Agent Carter One-Shot 5. Captain Marvel 6. Iron Man 7. Iron Man 2 8. The Incredible Hulk 9. The Consultant One-Shot 10. A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Thor’s Hammer One-Shot 11. Thor 12. The Avengers (aka Avengers Assemble) 13. Item 47 One-Shot Marvel Studios The Marvel Cinematic Universe An Official Timeline   Phase 2  I know the feeling Tone. 14. Iron Man 3 15. All Hail the King One-Shot 16. Agents of SHIELD Season 1, Episodes 1-7 *1 17. Thor: The Dark World 18. Agents of SHIELD Season 1, Episodes 8-16 *1 19. Captain America: The Winter Soldier 20. Agents of SHIELD Season 1 Episodes 17-22 *1 21. Guardians of the Galaxy 22. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2 23. Daredevil Season 1 *3 24. Agents of SHIELD Season 2, Episodes 1-10 *1 25. Jessica Jones Season 1*3 26. Agents of SHIELD Season 2, Episodes 11-19 *1 27. Avengers: Age of Ultron 28. Agents of SHIELD Season 2, Episodes 20-22 *1 29. Daredevil Season 2, Episodes 1-4 *3 30. Luke Cage Season 1, Episodes 1-4 *3 31. Daredevil Season 2, Episodes 5-11 *3 32. Luke Cage Season 1, Episodes 5-8 *3 33. Daredevil Season 2, Episodes 12-13 *3 34. Luke Cage Season 1, Episodes 9-13 *3 35. Ant-Man 36. Agents of SHIELD (season 3, eps 1-10) *1 37. Agents of SHIELD (season 3, eps 11-19) *1 38. Iron Fist Season 1 *3 Watching Phase 2 this way really helps the MCU timeline in chronological order feel more cohesive. Phase 3  Me by the end of this list probably. 39. Captain America: Civil War 40. Black Widow 41. Agents of SHIELD (season 3, eps 20-22) *1 42. The Defenders *3 43. Agents of SHIELD (season 4, eps 1-6) *1 44. Doctor Strange 45. Black Panther 46. Agents of SHIELD (season 4, eps 7-8) *1 47. Agents of SHIELD: Slingshot (season 1, eps 1-6) *1 48. Agents of SHIELD (season 4, eps 9-22) *1 49. Spider-Man: Homecoming 50. Thor: Ragnarok  The reaction of other people when I told them I was doing this article. 51. Inhumans *5 52. The Punisher *3 53. Runaways *6 54. Agents of SHIELD (season 5, eps 1-10) *1 55. Jessica Jones Season 2 *3 56. Agents of SHIELD (season 5, eps 11-18) *1 57. Cloak & Dagger Season 1 *7 58. Cloak & Dagger Season 2 *7 59. Luke Cage Season 2 *3 60. Iron Fist Season 2 *3 61. Daredevil Season 3 *3 62. Runaways Season 2 *6 63. The Punisher Season 2 *3 64. Jessica Jones Season 3 *3 65. Ant-Man and the Wasp *8 66. Avengers: Infinity War 67. Agents of SHIELD (season 5, eps 19-22) *1 68. Agents of SHIELD (season 6) *1 *2 69. Agents of SHIELD (season 7) *1 *2 70. Runaways Season 3 *2 *6 71. Avengers: Endgame Phase 4: The Multiverse Saga Begins Following the events of Endgame, the MCU timeline in chronological order becomes slightly more complex as it branches into the Multiverse. Loki Season 1 & 2: Technically takes place outside of time, but best viewed immediately after Endgame. *9 What If…? Season 1-3: Multiversal stories branching from the end of Loki. *10 WandaVision: Set 3 weeks after the Blip (2023). The Falcon and the Winter Soldier: 6 months after the Blip (2024). Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings: Set in early 2024. Eternals: Set in late 2024, concurrent with Spider-Man: Far From Home. *11 Spider-Man: Far From Home: Summer 2024. Spider-Man: No Way Home: Starts in Summer 2024 and ends in December 2024. Hawkeye: Christmas 2024. Moon Knight: Set in early 2025. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness: Set in 2025, following No Way Home. Ms. Marvel: Set in Autumn 2025. Thor: Love and Thunder: Set in late 2025. Werewolf by Night: Late 2025. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever: Set in late 2025. The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special: December 2025. Phase 5: Variance in the MCU Timeline in Chronological Order Phase 5 expands the corporate and cosmic stakes of the MCU timeline in chronological order, leading directly into the events of 2026. Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania: Set in early 2026. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3: Set in 2026, following the Holiday Special. Secret Invasion: Set in 2026, dealing with the fallout of the Skrull infiltration. Echo: Occurs in early 2026, five months after Hawkeye. The Marvels: Set in late 2026, following the events of Ms. Marvel and Secret Invasion. Deadpool & Wolverine: While largely “outside of time” in the Void, its impact on the MCU timeline in chronological order is felt in late 2026. Agatha All Along: Set in late 2026, following the release of the Scarlet Witch’s spell. Captain America: Brave New World: Set in early 2027 (released Feb 2025), dealing with President Ross and the new world order. Daredevil: Born Again Season 1: Set in early 2027 (released March 2025). Thunderbolts:* Set in mid-2027 (released May 2025), following the team-up of the MCU’s anti-heroes. Phase 6: The Road to Doomsday (Present 2026 Updates) As of February 28, 2026, the MCU timeline in chronological order has entered the highly anticipated Phase 6. The Fantastic Four: First Steps: (Released July 2025). While the film is set in a retro-futuristic 1964, the “First Family” is officially integrated into the main MCU timeline in chronological order by the end of the film. Wonder Man: (Released January 2026). Set in the present day (2027-2028 in-universe), this series explores the Hollywood side of the superhero world. Daredevil: Born Again Season 2: (Current February 2026 Release).

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Thor (2011) Review: Does the God of Thunder’s Origin Story Still Hold Up?

Thor (2011) – Does It Still Hold Up?

4th February 2026

  Revisit the beginning of the Asgardian saga. We review Thor (2011), analyzing Kenneth Branagh’s Shakespearean direction, the debut of Tom Hiddleston’s Loki, and whether the Phase 1 classic stands the test of time. The Verdict at a Glance Introduction: The MCU’s First Big Gamble Before 2011, the Marvel Cinematic Universe was grounded in the tech-based reality of Iron Man. Thor was the franchise’s first leap of faith into high fantasy, magic, and cosmic gods. Directed by Kenneth Branagh, the film attempts to blend Shakespearean family drama with modern superhero tropes. Looking back more than a decade later, Thor feels distinct from the rest of the MCU. It lacks the improv-heavy comedy of Ragnarok, opting instead for a sincere, theatrical tone. But is it a classic, or just a stepping stone? The Plot: A Tale of Two Realms Thor (Chris Hemsworth), the arrogant but powerful prince of Asgard, reignites an ancient war with the Frost Giants. As punishment, his father Odin (Anthony Hopkins) strips him of his powers and banishes him to Earth—specifically, a small town in New Mexico. While Thor learns humility among humans (and falls for astrophysicist Jane Foster), his brother Loki (Tom Hiddleston) uncovers his own dark origins and plots to seize the throne of Asgard. What Works (The Worthy) The Perfect Casting It is impossible to imagine anyone else in these roles. Chris Hemsworth nails the transition from arrogant warmonger to humble hero, bringing a physicality that sells the character immediately. However, the real star is Tom Hiddleston. His nuanced performance as Loki provides the MCU with its first genuinely tragic villain, setting the stage for his dominance in The Avengers. The Shakespearean Drama Kenneth Branagh brings a level of gravitas to the Asgard scenes that elevates the material. The conflict isn’t just about punching bad guys; it’s about fathers, sons, and the burden of legacy. The dialogue in the throne room feels weighty and significant, giving the film a unique flavor compared to the quip-heavy scripts of later Marvel movies. Fish-Out-of-Water Humor The film is at its best when Thor is struggling with earthly customs. The famous “Another!” scene, where he smashes a coffee mug in a diner, remains one of the most charming moments in Phase 1. What Doesn’t Work (The Unworthy) The “Small Town” Problem For a movie about space gods, a surprising amount of the runtime is spent in a dusty parking lot in New Mexico. The budget constraints of Phase 1 are visible here. The Destroyer armor battle in the climax feels less like a planetary threat and more like a small skirmish in a cul-de-sac. The Romance While Hemsworth and Portman are both talented, their romance feels rushed. They fall in love over the course of a long weekend, largely based on Thor being attractive and polite. It lacks the spark that Tony Stark and Pepper Potts had. Overuse of Dutch Angles A common critique of the film is the cinematography. Branagh loves a “Dutch angle” (tilting the camera to the side). Once you notice that almost every shot in the movie is tilted, it becomes distracting. Final Thoughts: A Solid Foundation Thor (2011) is a charming, if slightly uneven, entry in the Marvel canon. It did the heavy lifting of introducing magic to the MCU, paving the way for Doctor Strange and Guardians of the Galaxy. While it may feel small compared to the cosmic epics that followed, the emotional core of the Thor/Loki relationship makes it essential viewing. Pros: Hiddleston’s debut; Asgardian production design; Sincere emotional stakes. Cons: The bleached eyebrows on Thor; Forgettable action set pieces on Earth; Forced Hawkeye cameo. Where to Buy & Watch To witness the start of the Odinson’s journey, check out the links below [Stream on Amazon Prime Video] [Buy Thor (2011) 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray on Amazon] [Buy Thor (2011) Standard DVD on Amazon]

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Is Thor: The Dark World the MCU’s Lowest Point? A Retrospective Review

Thor: The Dark World Review – MCU’s Worst Movie?

4th February 2026

Is Thor: The Dark World worth watching in your MCU marathon? We review the flawed sequel, analyzing its forgettable villain, tonal issues, and why it is often ranked as the worst Marvel movie. The Verdict at a Glance Introduction: The MCU’s Identity Crisis In the grand tapestry of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), Thor: The Dark World (2013) occupies a difficult spot. Sandwiched between the Shakespearean drama of the first Thor and the psychedelic comedy of Thor: Ragnarok, this sequel struggles to find its footing. While it was a financial success, critical and fan reception has soured over the years. Is it simply a skippable chapter, or is it a fundamental misstep in Marvel history? This review breaks down why the God of Thunder’s second solo outing is widely considered the franchise’s “black sheep.” The Plot: A Generic Fantasy Slog The story picks up post-Avengers, with Thor (Chris Hemsworth) bringing order to the Nine Realms. However, an ancient enemy returns: Malekith (Christopher Eccleston) and his Dark Elves, who seek a weapon known as the Aether (the Reality Stone) to plunge the universe into eternal darkness. When Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) accidentally absorbs the Aether, she becomes a target, forcing Thor to bring her to Asgard and eventually team up with his treacherous brother, Loki (Tom Hiddleston). Where It Went Wrong Malekith: The “Who?” of Marvel Villains The film’s fatal flaw is its antagonist. Christopher Eccleston is a fantastic actor, yet he is buried under prosthetics and given zero character depth. Malekith has no relatable motivation—he simply wants to destroy the universe because he likes the dark. In an era of complex villains like Thanos or Killmonger, Malekith is shockingly one-dimensional and entirely forgettable. A Tonal Mess The Dark World tries too hard to be “Game of Thrones” in space. It abandons the fish-out-of-water charm of the first movie but lacks the bold, colorful humor that Taika Waititi would later bring to the franchise. The result is a movie that feels gray, dreary, and overly serious without the emotional weight to back it up. The Wasted Talents of Natalie Portman Jane Foster is reduced to a plot device. Rather than an active participant, she spends the majority of the film as a living vessel for the MacGuffin (The Aether), fainting or being carried from room to room. It is no surprise that Portman took a long hiatus from the MCU after this entry; the script gave her nothing to do. Boring Exposition Much of the dialogue consists of characters explaining fantasy pseudoscience to one another. The pacing drags significantly in the second act, making the 1 hour and 52-minute runtime feel much longer. The Saving Graces It isn’t all bad. Here is what keeps the movie watchable: Final Thoughts: Essential Viewing Only for Completionists Thor: The Dark World is a film that checks boxes rather than telling a compelling story. It introduces an Infinity Stone (The Aether), but fails to make us care about the journey. If you are doing a full MCU rewatch, you might feel obligated to sit through it. However, if you are looking for entertainment value, this is easily the most skippable entry in the Infinity Saga. It is a harsh reminder that even Marvel Studios isn’t invincible. Pros: Tom Hiddleston’s Loki; High production value; Important for Avengers: Endgame context. Cons: Forgettable villain; Dull color palette; Weak script; Wasted supporting cast. Where to Buy & Watch If you need to complete your collection or want to see the introduction of the Reality Stone, you can purchase the film below.

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Review – Thor: Ragnarok

17th May 2021

Review – Thor: Ragnarok Directed by: Taika Waititi Written by: Craig Kyle & Christopher Yost Produced by: Stan Lee & Kevin Feige Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston & Mark Ruffalo Release Date: October 24th 2017 (UK) Last night, I re-watched Thor: Ragnarok for review to see how well it holds up a few years on from its release. While there is still a very fun movie to be enjoyed here, it is far from perfect. I wonder if the filmmakers were so paranoid about not churning out another formulaic, checklist of a Marvel movie after the snooze-fest that was the Dark World, that they just chucked a whole bunch of disparate ideas into this mixing pot of a film and hoped that some of it would work. To some extent they were right; some of it does work, but some of it really doesn’t. The stuff that doesn’t work would probably work okay in a separate movie, but here it just provides a lack of cohesion and brings a jolting change of tone to many of the film’s scenes. The abrupt tonal shift that takes place whenever we change environments is one of my biggest issues when going back to re-watch the film. Some plot elements also feel rushed in the film, which means that less emotional impact is felt overall by the audience at the climax of each plot thread. The plot elements of Ragnarok could have been split across a few movies and it would mean that certain characters wouldn’t have been wasted and that the big events that take place would have had more weight and gravitas to them, instead of just being brushed off in favour of getting to the next punch-line. For example, Odin dies in this film and Thor and Loki deal with it and move on in a matter of seconds. There are no emotional repercussions felt whatsoever. Another example of this is the Warriors Three appearing in a single scene, having no dialogue and then being killed in a matter of seconds of being onscreen. Additionally, a character arc is attempted with Skurge, but again Karl Urban is onscreen for such a small amount of time that no resolution is felt following his sacrifice at the end of the movie. As soon as Cate Blanchett starts to show some potential as a memorable Marvel villain, the movie cuts away to yet another scene of Hulk and Thor bantering on Sakaar. The fact that Hela spends the whole movie in Asgard and Thor and Loki spend most of the movie on Sakaar, means that the main threat in the film always feels very distant and disconnected. Idris Elba is wasted here too, having barely any dialogue and a very dull subplot. Jeff Goldblum is used purely as a gimmick and again is wasted by not having anywhere near enough screen time. I normally like seeing Tessa Thompson in things, but even she phones it in here. Then, at the end of the movie, it is like the filmmakers suddenly remembered, ‘oh that’s right we need to conclude that Ragnarok subplot that we started at the beginning of the movie.’ You know the goddamn title of the movie? And so Surtur destroying Asgard gets tacked on at the end to sort of bring a conclusion to all of the other multiple subplots and lazily wrap up the movie. The sheer amount of ideas that they attempted to incorporate here, causes a number of elements of the movie’s plot to feel underdeveloped and although most of these separate parts could have worked if they were split up and fleshed out, here they all just end up falling flat by the end of the movie making the film feel anti-climatic as a whole. Don’t get me wrong, there is also a lot here that works too. I thought the cameos from Matt Damon, Luke Hemsworth and Sam Neill was awesome. I liked the Doctor Strange appearance. I like how they had Thor lose his eye and I especially like how they managed to keep that out of all of the trailers and marketing. The trailers did ruin some things though, if we didn’t already know that Mjolnir was going to get destroyed through seeing the trailers, it would have had more of an impact and all the talk about the vicious rival that Thor would have to face in the gladiator ring would have been way more effective if we didn’t already know that it was going to be the Hulk. Let’s end things on a high note, the visuals were spectacular and this movie is worth going to see in theatres just for this alone. The CGI was incredible and the soundtrack was pretty great too. Overall this is still a very fun movie, even if it is a little bit all over the place. [yasr_multiset setid=2] [yasr_visitor_multiset setid=2] If you enjoyed Dan’s review of Thor: Ragnarok, you can check out what he thought of Thor: The Dark World here.

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