Marvel watch order

All 43 Marvel Cinematic Universe films and 18 series, in release order, narrative order and chronological order, with the shows you can skip. It is the same set of orders the emberslate app uses for its Marvel saga.

Updated 9 November 2026 · By emberfold labs

The short answer

For a first watch, use release order. It starts with Iron Man (2008), builds to Avengers: Endgame, then moves on to the Disney+ shows and newer films in the order they arrived. Short on time? The films alone run to roughly 88 hours, and shows like Moon Knight, Secret Invasion and Echo are marked optional.

Titles: 43 films, 18 series
Everything: about 181 hours
Core path: about 137 hours
Films only: about 86 hours

Narrative order

Marvel in narrative order

The order the story makes most sense in, not the release order. Shows outside the main story are marked optional.

01
01
Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)
Film · 2h 4mCore
Core
02
02
Iron Man (2008)
Film · 2h 6mCore
Core
03
03
The Incredible Hulk (2008)
Film · 1h 54mCore
Core
04
04
Iron Man 2 (2010)
Film · 2h 4mCore
Core
05
05
Thor (2011)
Film · 1h 55mCore
Core
06
06
The Avengers (2012)
Film · 2h 23mCore
Core
07
07
Thor: The Dark World (2013)
Film · 1h 52mCore
Core
08
08
Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
Film · 2h 1mCore
Core
09
09
Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)
Film · 2h 16mCore
Core
10
10
Iron Man 3 (2013)
Film · 2h 10mCore
Core
11
11
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)
Film · 2h 17mCore
Core
12
12
I Am Groot (2022–2023)
Series · 2 seasons · 10 episodes · about 1hOptional
Animated shorts. Fine to skip.
Optional
13
13
Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)
Film · 2h 21mCore
Core
14
14
Doctor Strange (2016)
Film · 1h 55mCore
Core
15
15
Ant-Man (2015)
Film · 1h 57mCore
Core
16
16
Captain America: Civil War (2016)
Film · 2h 27mCore
Core
17
17
Black Widow (2021)
Film · 2h 14mCore
Skip its post-credit scene here. Watch it after Avengers: Endgame.
Core
18
18
Black Panther (2018)
Film · 2h 15mCore
Core
19
19
Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
Film · 2h 13mCore
Core
20
20
Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018)
Film · 1h 59mCore
Watch its post-credit scene right after Avengers: Infinity War.
Core
21
21
Thor: Ragnarok (2017)
Film · 2h 11mCore
Core
22
22
Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
Film · 2h 29mCore
Core
23
23
Captain Marvel (2019)
Film · 2h 4mCore
Core
24
24
Avengers: Endgame (2019)
Film · 3h 1mCore
Core
25
25
WandaVision (2021)
Series · 1 season · 9 episodes · about 6hCore
Core
26
26
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (2021)
Series · 1 season · 6 episodes · about 6hCore
Core
27
27
Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019)
Film · 2h 9mCore
Core
28
28
Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)
Film · 2h 28mCore
Core
29
29
Hawkeye (2021)
Series · 1 season · 6 episodes · about 5hCore
Core
30
30
The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special (2022)
Film · 0h 45mCore
Core
31
31
Loki (2021–2023)
Series · 2 seasons · 12 episodes · about 10hCore
Season 2 comes later in this order, after Ant-Man & the Wasp: Quantumania.
Core
32
32
What If...? (2021–2024)
Series · 3 seasons · 26 episodes · about 14hOptional
Seasons 2 and 3 come later in this order too.
Optional
33
33
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023)
Film · 2h 5mCore
Core
34
34
Deadpool & Wolverine (2024)
Film · 2h 8mCore
Core
35
35
Thor: Love and Thunder (2022)
Film · 1h 59mCore
Core
36
36
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023)
Film · 2h 30mCore
Core
37
37
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022)
Film · 2h 42mCore
Core
38
38
Moon Knight (2022)
Series · 1 season · 6 episodes · about 5hOptional
Has no links to the rest of the MCU. Fine to skip.
Optional
39
39
Ironheart (2025)
Series · 1 season · 6 episodes · about 5hCore
Core
40
40
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021)
Film · 2h 12mCore
Core
41
41
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022)
Film · 2h 6mCore
Core
42
42
Agatha All Along (2024)
Series · 1 season · 9 episodes · about 6hCore
Core
43
43
Eternals (2021)
Film · 2h 36mCore
Core
44
44
She-Hulk: Attorney at Law (2022)
Series · 1 season · 9 episodes · about 5hCore
Core
45
45
Ms. Marvel (2022)
Series · 1 season · 6 episodes · about 5hCore
Core
46
46
The Marvels (2023)
Film · 1h 45mCore
Core
47
47
Secret Invasion (2023)
Series · 1 season · 6 episodes · about 4hOptional
Fine to skip.
Optional
48
48
Echo (2024)
Series · 1 season · 5 episodes · about 4hOptional
Fine to skip.
Optional
49
49
Daredevil: Born Again (2025)
Series · 2 seasons · 17 episodes · about 14hOptional
Netflix revival. Seasons 2 and 3 come later in this order too.
Optional
50
50
Wonder Man (2026)
Series · 1 season · 8 episodes · about 4hCore
Core
51
51
Captain America: Brave New World (2025)
Film · 1h 59mCore
Core
52
52
Thunderbolts* (2025)
Film · 2h 7mCore
Core
53
53
The Fantastic 4: First Steps (2025)
Film · 1h 55mCore
Core
54
54
The Punisher: One Last Kill (2026)
Film · 0h 51mCore
Core
55
55
Spider-Man: Brand New Day (2026)
Film · 2h 25mCore
Core
56
56
Werewolf by Night (2022)
Film · 0h 55mOptional
Standalone one-shot. Fine to skip.
Optional

Release order

Marvel in release order

The order they came out.

01
01
Iron Man (2008)
Film · 2h 6mCore
Core
02
02
The Incredible Hulk (2008)
Film · 1h 54mCore
Core
03
03
Iron Man 2 (2010)
Film · 2h 4mCore
Core
04
04
Thor (2011)
Film · 1h 55mCore
Core
05
05
Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)
Film · 2h 4mCore
Core
06
06
The Avengers (2012)
Film · 2h 23mCore
Core
07
07
Iron Man 3 (2013)
Film · 2h 10mCore
Core
08
08
Thor: The Dark World (2013)
Film · 1h 52mCore
Core
09
09
Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)
Film · 2h 16mCore
Core
10
10
Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
Film · 2h 1mCore
Core
11
11
Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)
Film · 2h 21mCore
Core
12
12
Ant-Man (2015)
Film · 1h 57mCore
Core
13
13
Captain America: Civil War (2016)
Film · 2h 27mCore
Core
14
14
Doctor Strange (2016)
Film · 1h 55mCore
Core
15
15
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)
Film · 2h 17mCore
Core
16
16
Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
Film · 2h 13mCore
Core
17
17
Thor: Ragnarok (2017)
Film · 2h 11mCore
Core
18
18
Black Panther (2018)
Film · 2h 15mCore
Core
19
19
Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
Film · 2h 29mCore
Core
20
20
Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018)
Film · 1h 59mCore
Watch its post-credit scene right after Avengers: Infinity War.
Core
21
21
Captain Marvel (2019)
Film · 2h 4mCore
Core
22
22
Avengers: Endgame (2019)
Film · 3h 1mCore
Core
23
23
Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019)
Film · 2h 9mCore
Core
24
24
WandaVision (2021)
Series · 1 season · 9 episodes · about 6hCore
Core
25
25
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (2021)
Series · 1 season · 6 episodes · about 6hCore
Core
26
26
Loki (2021–2023)
Series · 2 seasons · 12 episodes · about 10hCore
Season 2 comes later in this order, after Ant-Man & the Wasp: Quantumania.
Core
27
27
Black Widow (2021)
Film · 2h 14mCore
Skip its post-credit scene here. Watch it after Avengers: Endgame.
Core
28
28
What If...? (2021–2024)
Series · 3 seasons · 26 episodes · about 14hOptional
Seasons 2 and 3 come later in this order too.
Optional
29
29
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021)
Film · 2h 12mCore
Core
30
30
Eternals (2021)
Film · 2h 36mCore
Core
31
31
Hawkeye (2021)
Series · 1 season · 6 episodes · about 5hCore
Core
32
32
Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)
Film · 2h 28mCore
Core
33
33
Moon Knight (2022)
Series · 1 season · 6 episodes · about 5hOptional
Has no links to the rest of the MCU. Fine to skip.
Optional
34
34
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022)
Film · 2h 6mCore
Core
35
35
Ms. Marvel (2022)
Series · 1 season · 6 episodes · about 5hCore
Core
36
36
Thor: Love and Thunder (2022)
Film · 1h 59mCore
Core
37
37
I Am Groot (2022–2023)
Series · 2 seasons · 10 episodes · about 1hOptional
Animated shorts. Fine to skip.
Optional
38
38
She-Hulk: Attorney at Law (2022)
Series · 1 season · 9 episodes · about 5hCore
Core
39
39
Werewolf by Night (2022)
Film · 0h 55mOptional
Standalone one-shot. Fine to skip.
Optional
40
40
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022)
Film · 2h 42mCore
Core
41
41
The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special (2022)
Film · 0h 45mCore
Core
42
42
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023)
Film · 2h 5mCore
Core
43
43
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023)
Film · 2h 30mCore
Core
44
44
Secret Invasion (2023)
Series · 1 season · 6 episodes · about 4hOptional
Fine to skip.
Optional
45
45
The Marvels (2023)
Film · 1h 45mCore
Core
46
46
Echo (2024)
Series · 1 season · 5 episodes · about 4hOptional
Fine to skip.
Optional
47
47
Deadpool & Wolverine (2024)
Film · 2h 8mCore
Core
48
48
Agatha All Along (2024)
Series · 1 season · 9 episodes · about 6hCore
Core
49
49
Captain America: Brave New World (2025)
Film · 1h 59mCore
Core
50
50
Daredevil: Born Again (2025)
Series · 2 seasons · 17 episodes · about 14hOptional
Netflix revival. Seasons 2 and 3 come later in this order too.
Optional
51
51
Thunderbolts* (2025)
Film · 2h 7mCore
Core
52
52
Ironheart (2025)
Series · 1 season · 6 episodes · about 5hCore
Core
53
53
The Fantastic 4: First Steps (2025)
Film · 1h 55mCore
Core
54
54
Eyes of Wakanda (2025)
Series · 1 season · 4 episodes · about 2hOptional
Animated. Fine to skip.
Optional
55
55
Marvel Zombies (2025)
Series · 1 season · 4 episodes · about 2hOptional
Animated. Fine to skip.
Optional
56
56
Wonder Man (2026)
Series · 1 season · 8 episodes · about 4hCore
Core
57
57
The Punisher: One Last Kill (2026)
Film · 0h 51mCore
Core
58
58
Spider-Man: Brand New Day (2026)
Film · 2h 25mCore
Core
59
59
VisionQuest (2026)
Series · 1 season · 7 episodes · about 6hCore
Core
60
60
Avengers: Doomsday (2026)
Film · 2h 45mCore
Core
61
61
Avengers: Secret Wars (2027)
FilmCore
Core

Chronological order

Marvel in chronological order

The order the story happens in.

01
01
Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)
Film · 2h 4mCore
Core
02
02
Captain Marvel (2019)
Film · 2h 4mCore
Core
03
03
Iron Man (2008)
Film · 2h 6mCore
Core
04
04
The Incredible Hulk (2008)
Film · 1h 54mCore
Core
05
05
Iron Man 2 (2010)
Film · 2h 4mCore
Core
06
06
Thor (2011)
Film · 1h 55mCore
Core
07
07
The Avengers (2012)
Film · 2h 23mCore
Core
08
08
Loki (2021–2023)
Series · 2 seasons · 12 episodes · about 10hCore
Season 2 comes later in this order, after Ant-Man & the Wasp: Quantumania.
Core
09
09
What If...? (2021–2024)
Series · 3 seasons · 26 episodes · about 14hOptional
Seasons 2 and 3 come later in this order too.
Optional
10
10
Iron Man 3 (2013)
Film · 2h 10mCore
Core
11
11
Thor: The Dark World (2013)
Film · 1h 52mCore
Core
12
12
Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)
Film · 2h 16mCore
Core
13
13
Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
Film · 2h 1mCore
Core
14
14
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)
Film · 2h 17mCore
Core
15
15
I Am Groot (2022–2023)
Series · 2 seasons · 10 episodes · about 1hOptional
Animated shorts. Fine to skip.
Optional
16
16
Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)
Film · 2h 21mCore
Core
17
17
Ant-Man (2015)
Film · 1h 57mCore
Core
18
18
Captain America: Civil War (2016)
Film · 2h 27mCore
Core
19
19
Black Widow (2021)
Film · 2h 14mCore
Skip its post-credit scene here. Watch it after Avengers: Endgame.
Core
20
20
Black Panther (2018)
Film · 2h 15mCore
Core
21
21
Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
Film · 2h 13mCore
Core
22
22
Doctor Strange (2016)
Film · 1h 55mCore
Core
23
23
Thor: Ragnarok (2017)
Film · 2h 11mCore
Core
24
24
Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018)
Film · 1h 59mCore
Watch its post-credit scene right after Avengers: Infinity War.
Core
25
25
Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
Film · 2h 29mCore
Core
26
26
Avengers: Endgame (2019)
Film · 3h 1mCore
Core
27
27
WandaVision (2021)
Series · 1 season · 9 episodes · about 6hCore
Core
28
28
Eternals (2021)
Film · 2h 36mCore
Core
29
29
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021)
Film · 2h 12mCore
Core
30
30
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (2021)
Series · 1 season · 6 episodes · about 6hCore
Core
31
31
Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019)
Film · 2h 9mCore
Core
32
32
Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)
Film · 2h 28mCore
Core
33
33
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022)
Film · 2h 6mCore
Core
34
34
Hawkeye (2021)
Series · 1 season · 6 episodes · about 5hCore
Core
35
35
Echo (2024)
Series · 1 season · 5 episodes · about 4hOptional
Fine to skip.
Optional
36
36
She-Hulk: Attorney at Law (2022)
Series · 1 season · 9 episodes · about 5hCore
Core
37
37
Moon Knight (2022)
Series · 1 season · 6 episodes · about 5hOptional
Has no links to the rest of the MCU. Fine to skip.
Optional
38
38
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022)
Film · 2h 42mCore
Core
39
39
Thor: Love and Thunder (2022)
Film · 1h 59mCore
Core
40
40
Ms. Marvel (2022)
Series · 1 season · 6 episodes · about 5hCore
Core
41
41
Ironheart (2025)
Series · 1 season · 6 episodes · about 5hCore
Core
42
42
Werewolf by Night (2022)
Film · 0h 55mOptional
Standalone one-shot. Fine to skip.
Optional
43
43
The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special (2022)
Film · 0h 45mCore
Core
44
44
Wonder Man (2026)
Series · 1 season · 8 episodes · about 4hCore
Core
45
45
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023)
Film · 2h 30mCore
Core
46
46
Secret Invasion (2023)
Series · 1 season · 6 episodes · about 4hOptional
Fine to skip.
Optional
47
47
The Marvels (2023)
Film · 1h 45mCore
Core
48
48
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023)
Film · 2h 5mCore
Core
49
49
Deadpool & Wolverine (2024)
Film · 2h 8mCore
Core
50
50
Thunderbolts* (2025)
Film · 2h 7mCore
Core
51
51
Agatha All Along (2024)
Series · 1 season · 9 episodes · about 6hCore
Core
52
52
Captain America: Brave New World (2025)
Film · 1h 59mCore
Core
53
53
Daredevil: Born Again (2025)
Series · 2 seasons · 17 episodes · about 14hOptional
Netflix revival. Seasons 2 and 3 come later in this order too.
Optional
54
54
The Fantastic 4: First Steps (2025)
Film · 1h 55mCore
Core
55
55
The Punisher: One Last Kill (2026)
Film · 0h 51mCore
Core
56
56
Spider-Man: Brand New Day (2026)
Film · 2h 25mCore
Core
57
57
Avengers: Doomsday (2026)
Film · 2h 45mCore
Core

Release, narrative or chronological order?

Release order is the safest way in. Each film lands with the references and surprises its audience had at the time, and the shows arrive when the later films start to lean on them.

Narrative order reshuffles the list so the story reads most smoothly, and chronological order puts the events in the order they happen, which means starting with Captain America: The First Avenger. Both suit a second watch better than a first, because they move some reveals earlier than the films intended.

Films only, or the shows too?

The films carry the main story, but some later ones assume you saw a few shows. WandaVision, Loki and Hawkeye all feed into other titles, so they are marked core. If you only want the films, go through the release list and skip every series.

A handful of titles can wait or be skipped outright: the animated shorts and series, Werewolf by Night, Moon Knight, Secret Invasion, Echo and Daredevil: Born Again. The notes on each row say where a skipped title would otherwise fit.

What you can skip

Anything not marked core can wait. The main story does not need it, so watch it whenever you like.

I Am Groot (2022–2023)
Animated shorts. Fine to skip.
What If...? (2021–2024)
Seasons 2 and 3 come later in this order too.
Moon Knight (2022)
Has no links to the rest of the MCU. Fine to skip.
Secret Invasion (2023)
Fine to skip.
Echo (2024)
Fine to skip.
Daredevil: Born Again (2025)
Netflix revival. Seasons 2 and 3 come later in this order too.
Werewolf by Night (2022)
Standalone one-shot. Fine to skip.
Eyes of Wakanda (2025)
Animated. Fine to skip.
Marvel Zombies (2025)
Animated. Fine to skip.

Track it

Track the Marvel saga in emberslate

The Sagas tab in the emberslate app has this exact order. Switch between narrative and release and chronological order, mark the next step watched, and see how far through you are. It is free on Android.

Get emberslate on Google Play

The Marvel saga in the emberslate app: 43 films and 18 shows, with Captain America: The First Avenger up next, Mark watched and Skip buttons, and a switch between Narrative, Release and Chronological order.

Marvel watch order questions

What order should I watch the Marvel movies in for the first time?

Release order, starting with Iron Man (2008). It follows how audiences first met the story and keeps each big reveal where it was meant to land. Use narrative or chronological order for a rewatch.

Do I have to watch the Marvel Disney+ shows?

Not all of them. WandaVision, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Loki and Hawkeye are marked core because later titles build on them. Moon Knight, Secret Invasion, Echo, I Am Groot and Werewolf by Night are marked optional and can be skipped.

Where does Captain America: The First Avenger go?

First in chronological order, because it is set in the 1940s. In release order it comes later, after Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Iron Man 2 and Thor.

Do I need to watch every film before Avengers: Endgame?

You do not need all of them, but the story builds as it goes, so the more you see the more Endgame pays off. The titles marked core in the list are the ones the app treats as the main path.

The order and the core, optional and save-for-later marks are the ones the emberslate app uses for this saga. Titles, years and runtimes come from TMDB; series runtimes count aired episodes only and are rounded. First published 9 November 2026.