The Ultimate MCU Marathon: How To Watch ALL Marvel Movies & Series In Order (2025 Update)
Are you ready to dive into the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), or perhaps restart your epic journey with the latest additions? With over 30 feature films and a growing number of interconnected Disney+ series, the MCU is a sprawling, complex tapestry that can be incredibly confusing for new viewers and even seasoned fans. As of late December 2025, the saga has entered its most ambitious phase yet, making a definitive viewing guide essential for understanding the grand narrative of the Multiverse Saga.
This guide cuts through the confusion, offering two definitive, up-to-date watch orders—the simplest path by Release Date, and the ultimate, lore-rich experience by Chronological Timeline. We’ve incorporated all the latest releases from 2024 and the full 2025 slate, ensuring you have the most current roadmap to the world of the Avengers, the Guardians of the Galaxy, and the Fantastic Four.
The Two Definitive MCU Watch Orders: Release vs. Chronological
The first step in your Marvel marathon is choosing your viewing strategy. There are two primary, widely accepted methods for consuming the Marvel Cinematic Universe, each offering a unique experience. Understanding the difference is key to maximizing your enjoyment of the saga.
1. The Release Date Order: The Easiest Way to Start
This is the simplest and most recommended order for first-time viewers. Watching the films and shows in the order they were released allows you to experience the story exactly as Marvel Studios intended. It preserves the surprise reveals, post-credit scenes, and narrative build-up that defined the Infinity Saga and continues into the Multiverse Saga. This method ensures you are never spoiled by a character or plot point that was introduced later in the in-universe timeline but released earlier in the real world.
The Infinity Saga (Phases 1-3)
- Phase 1: Iron Man (2008), The Incredible Hulk, Iron Man 2, Thor, Captain America: The First Avenger, The Avengers.
- Phase 2: Iron Man 3, Thor: The Dark World, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Guardians of the Galaxy, Avengers: Age of Ultron, Ant-Man.
- Phase 3: Captain America: Civil War, Doctor Strange, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Spider-Man: Homecoming, Thor: Ragnarok, Black Panther, Avengers: Infinity War, Ant-Man and the Wasp, Captain Marvel, Avengers: Endgame, Spider-Man: Far From Home.
The Multiverse Saga (Phases 4-6) - Current to Late 2025
- Black Widow (2021)
- WandaVision (Series)
- The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (Series)
- Loki (Season 1) (Series)
- Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
- Loki (Season 2) (Series)
- The Marvels
- Echo (Series)
- Deadpool & Wolverine (2024)
- Captain America: Brave New World (2025 Movie)
- Ironheart (2025 Series)
- The Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025 Movie)
- Thunderbolts* (2025 Movie)
2. The Chronological Order: The Ultimate Timeline Experience
For the dedicated fan, the chronological order is the ultimate way to experience the MCU. This method sequences every movie and series based on the in-universe timeline, starting in the 1940s and progressing to the present day. It provides a seamless narrative flow, though it requires jumping between different Phases and sometimes even different viewing platforms (movies vs. Disney+ shows).
Note: We are including the main Disney+ series as they are essential to the Multiverse Saga's continuity (e.g., *Loki* and *WandaVision* are critical).
- Captain America: The First Avenger (Set in the 1940s)
- Captain Marvel (Set in 1995)
- Iron Man (The official start of the modern MCU timeline)
- Iron Man 2
- The Incredible Hulk
- Thor
- The Avengers
- Thor: The Dark World
- Iron Man 3
- Captain America: The Winter Soldier
- Guardians of the Galaxy
- Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
- Avengers: Age of Ultron
- Ant-Man
- Captain America: Civil War
- Black Widow (Mostly set after Civil War)
- Black Panther
- Doctor Strange
- Spider-Man: Homecoming
- Thor: Ragnarok
- Ant-Man and the Wasp
- Avengers: Infinity War
- Avengers: Endgame (Significant time jump to 2023)
- Loki (Season 1) (The Time Variance Authority exists outside the linear timeline, but its events follow *Endgame*)
- WandaVision (Set three weeks after *Endgame*)
- The Falcon and the Winter Soldier
- Spider-Man: Far From Home
- Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
- Eternals
- Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
- Hawkeye (Series)
- Moon Knight (Series)
- Ms. Marvel (Series)
- Thor: Love and Thunder
- She-Hulk: Attorney at Law (Series)
- Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
- Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania
- Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
- Secret Invasion (Series)
- Loki (Season 2)
- The Marvels
- Echo (Series)
- Deadpool & Wolverine
- Captain America: Brave New World (2025)
- Ironheart (2025)
- The Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025)
- Thunderbolts* (2025)
Decoding the Sagas: The Infinity War vs. The Multiverse War
To truly grasp the scope of the MCU, it helps to understand how Marvel Studios has organized its epic narrative into two major Sagas. This provides crucial topical authority and helps viewers contextualize the hundreds of hours of content. The current era, the Multiverse Saga, is setting up a conflict even larger than the battle against Thanos.
The Infinity Saga (Phases 1, 2, and 3)
The first three phases, collectively known as The Infinity Saga, were focused on introducing the core heroes—Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, and the Hulk—and building towards the ultimate confrontation with the Mad Titan, Thanos. The central MacGuffins were the six Infinity Stones (Space, Mind, Reality, Power, Time, and Soul). The entire saga culminated in the devastating events of *Avengers: Infinity War* and the triumphant, yet heartbreaking, conclusion of *Avengers: Endgame*.
- Key Entities: Tony Stark, Steve Rogers, Thanos, Infinity Stones, S.H.I.E.L.D., Asgard, Wakanda, The Snap.
- Core Conflict: Preventing Thanos from wiping out half of all life in the universe.
The Multiverse Saga (Phases 4, 5, and 6)
The current era, The Multiverse Saga, began in 2021 and is exploring the fallout of the Infinity War, the introduction of new heroes, and the concept of parallel realities. The central threat is no longer Thanos, but Kang the Conqueror, a variant of a scientist who discovered the Multiverse. This saga is focused on the complexities of alternate timelines, variants, and incursions between universes. The 2025 slate is a critical bridge between Phase 5 and the beginning of Phase 6.
- Key Entities: Kang the Conqueror, Multiverse, Time Variance Authority (TVA), Variants, Incursions, The Fantastic Four, The Young Avengers, Thunderbolts.
- Core Conflict: Navigating and protecting the "Sacred Timeline" from the dangers of the Multiverse and its countless Kang variants.
Frequently Asked Questions (LSI Keywords)
New and returning viewers often have specific questions about where certain characters or storylines fit into the massive MCU timeline. Here are the answers to the most common queries:
Do I need to watch the Disney+ series?
Yes, absolutely. Unlike the earlier MCU phases where the TV shows were mostly ancillary, the Disney+ series in the Multiverse Saga are essential viewing. Shows like *WandaVision*, *Loki*, and *The Falcon and the Winter Soldier* directly set up the plots for major movies like *Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness* and *The Marvels*. Skipping them will leave you confused about major character motivations and plot developments.
Where do the Spider-Man movies fit in the order?
The three main MCU Spider-Man films are perfectly placed within the Release Date Order to maintain the narrative flow. *Spider-Man: Homecoming* follows *Civil War*, *Spider-Man: Far From Home* is the first film post-*Endgame*, and *Spider-Man: No Way Home* is a critical Multiverse event that leads directly into other Phase 4 and 5 developments.
What about the upcoming 2026 and 2027 movies?
The Multiverse Saga is scheduled to conclude with two massive crossover events, reminiscent of *Infinity War* and *Endgame*: Avengers: The Kang Dynasty and Avengers: Secret Wars. While the 2025 slate is the immediate focus, everything you watch now—especially the introduction of The Fantastic Four and Thunderbolts—is directly setting up the stakes for these two final, colossal films.
Should I watch the One-Shots?
Marvel One-Shots are short films found on the home media releases of the Phase 1 and 2 films. While not essential for the main plot, they provide fun, extra context and character development for figures like Agent Coulson and Peggy Carter. They are a great way to add more depth to your MCU immersion.
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