The Marvel Cinematic Universe was established more than ten years ago with the release of the first Iron Man movie marking the beginning of a legacy. Since then, dozens of movies and television episodes have been produced, along with hundreds more hours of MCU material, and more are on the way.
But when they eventually decide to join in on the fun, every new Marvel fan needs to ask themselves one question: What’s the ideal order to watch them all in? And how exactly do you choose an order? For this purpose, we’ve outlined the precise order in which you should see each Marvel film.
Directed By: Joe Johnston
Cast: Chris Evans, Hayley Atwell, Sebastian Stan, Tommy Lee Jones
Plot: The year is 1941, and war is raging over the globe. Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) aspires to serve his country by enlisting in the military, but the military turns him down due to his diminutive size. Steve finally gets his opportunity when he enrols in an experimental programme that transforms him into Captain America, a super soldier. Cap leads the war against the HYDRA organisation, supported by the Nazis, with Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan), and Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell).
Directed By: Anna Boden, Ryan Fleck
Cast: Brie Larson, Samuel L. Jackson, Ben Mendelsohn, Djimon Hounsou
Plot: The story, set in the 1990s, follows Carol Danvers (Brie Larson) as she rises to become one of the most potent heroes in the cosmos as Earth gets dragged into a cosmic conflict between two alien species. She frequently recalls living a different life as Carol Danvers, a pilot for the US Air Force. With Nick Fury’s aid, Captain Marvel works to learn more about her past while using her unique talents to put a stop to the conflict with the malicious Skrulls.
Directed By: Jon Favreau
Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Terrence Howard, Gwyneth Paltrow, Jeff Bridges
Plot: Tony Stark, a genius inventor and millionaire businessman is abducted and forced to create a lethal weapon. Instead, Tony constructs a cutting-edge suit of armour utilising his resources and intellect, he escapes from captivity. When he discovers a sinister scheme with international repercussions, he dons his formidable armour and swears to defend the globe as Iron Man.
Directed By: Jon Favreau
Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, Scarlett Johansson, Sam Rockwell
Plot: Billionaire inventor Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) is under pressure from the government to provide his technology to the military now that the entire world knows he is Iron Man. He is hesitant to reveal the inner workings of his armoured suit for fear that the knowledge would end up in the wrong hands. Tony must establish new allies and face a formidable new foe with the assistance of Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow) and “Rhodey” Rhodes (Don Cheadle).
Directed By: Kenneth Branagh
Cast: Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Anthony Hopkins, Tom Hiddleston, Idris Alba
Plot: As punishment, Odin the King of Asgard casts Thor, the strong but arrogant deity, out of Asgard to live among mankind in Midgard (Earth). Once here, the most terrible foe of his realm sends the darkest forces of Asgard to invade Earth, and Thor discovers what it means to be a true hero.
Directed By: Joss Whedon
Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johanson, Samuel.L. Jackson
Plot: When Loki acquires access to the Tesseract’s infinite power and threatens the planet Earth, Nick Fury is forced to start the Avengers Initiative. If the earth’s mightiest heroes are to prevent the cunning Loki and his extraterrestrial army from conquering humanity, they must band together and learn to fight as a team.
Directed By: Shane Black
Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, Guy Pearce, Jon Favreau
Plot: Since saving New York from destruction, Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) has been troubled with worry and insomnia, which has caused him to become more dependent on the suits that give him his Iron Man persona. This harms every aspect of his life, including his relationship with Pepper (Gwyneth Paltrow). Tony is forced to depend exclusively on instinct and intellect to avenge his losses and save the ones he loves when a treacherous foe known as the Mandarin destroys his world.
Directed By: Alan Taylor
Cast: Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Tom Hiddleston, Stellan Skarsgard
Plot: The Dark Elves were a wicked race that the gods of Asgard once battled and defeated. The survivors were eliminated, and the Aether, their ultimate weapon, was buried in a cavern. Hundreds of years later, Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) discovers the Aether and becomes its host, requiring Thor (Chris Hemsworth) to transport her to Asgard before Dark Elf Malekith (Christopher Eccleston) catches her and uses the host as a weapon to destroy the Nine Realms, including Earth.
Directed By: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo
Starring: Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Samuel L. Jackson, Sebastian Stan, Anthony Mackie, Emily VanCamp, Robert Redford
Plot: After learning that the organisation has been compromised and a Soviet assassin known as The Winter Soldier will stop at nothing to kill Captain America, Steve Rogers teams up with a fellow Avenger and S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, Black Widow, and Sam Wilson, which leads him to uncover a truth that will change everything.
Directed By: James Gunn
Cast: Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper, Karen Gillan
Plot: Peter flees the planet Morag carrying a priceless orb wanted by Ronan the Accuser. To escape Ronan, Quill is compelled to form a tense alliance with four outcasts: the vengeance-seeking Drax the Destroyer, the gun-toting Rocket Raccoon, the tree-like humanoid Groot, and the mysterious Gamora. To fight the fanatical warrior with ambitions to destroy the cosmos, this band of intergalactic outlaws will have to band together.
Directed By: James Gunn
Cast: Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Bradley Cooper, Dave Bautista, Vin Diesel, Karen Gillan, Gamora, Kurt Russell, Michael Rooker, Sean Gunn, Karen Gillan
Plot: A powerful alien species known as the Sovereign employs Peter Quill and his fellow Guardians to guard its priceless batteries against intruders. When it is revealed that Rocket has stolen the batteries they were assigned to guard, the Sovereign sends forth their armada to seek retribution. Quill and his group of cosmic protectors come upon Ego, a man claiming to be Quill’s father, while the Guardians attempt to flee. They quickly discover some unsettling facts about Ego, though.
Directed By: Joss Whedon
Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johanson, Jermy Renner, Elizabeth Olsen, James Spader, Paul Bettany
Plot: Scarlet Witch gave Tony stark a vision of the future in which the founding Avengers were all dead on the ground as Thanos’ army swooped above them. As a result, Tony Stark works with Bruce Banner to create Ultron, an artificial intelligence system. But the sentient Ultron decides to obliterate humanity, the Avengers assemble again to stop him.
Directed By: Peyton Reed
Cast: Paul Rudd, Michael Douglas, Evangeline Lilly, Corey Stoll, Michael Peña, Anthony Mackie
Plot: Dr Hank Pym (Michael Douglas), who was kicked out of his own company by former protégé Darren Cross, enlists the help of master thief Scott Lang (Paul Rudd), who has just been let out of jail. Lang transforms into Ant-Man when Pym trains him and gives him a suit that gives him the ability to manage an army of ants, shrink in size, and have superhuman strength. The tiny hero must utilise his new abilities to stop Cross from selling both the Yellowjacket and the vial containing the particles that cause shrinking to Hydra.
Directed By: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo
Cast: Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson, Sebastian Stan, Elizabeth Olsen, Chadwick Boseman, Tom Holland, Paul Rudd
Plot: Political meddling in the affairs of the Avengers causes a split between Captain America and Iron Man. The government chooses to campaign for the Hero Registration Act, a law that restricts a hero’s actions because many people are afraid of what superheroes may do. Members of the squad are sharply divided by the new situation. Captain America thinks that superheroes should be allowed to defend humanity without intervention from the government. Iron Man vehemently disagrees and is in favour of regulation. The Avengers become divided as a result of this.
Directed By: Ryan Coogler
Cast: Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong’o, Danai Gurira, Letitia Wright, Winston Duke
Plot: T’Challa returns to Wakanda, after the passing of his father to claim the throne in his due place. The destiny of Wakanda and the whole globe are at stake as a formidable foe resurfaces, putting T’Challa’s resolve as king and as Black Panther to the test. The young king must gather his supporters and unleash Black Panther’s full strength to fight his enemies and ensure the safety of his people when faced with deceit and peril.
Directed By: Jon Watts
Cast: Tom Holland, Michael Keaton, Robert Downey Jr., Marisa Tomei, Jon Favreau, Jacob Batalon
Plot: Young Peter Parker comes home to live with his Aunt May after a thrilling experience with the Avengers. Tony Stark, Parker’s mentor, keeps an eye on him as he begins to accept his newfound status as Spider-Man. He also makes an effort to resume his regular daily activities but is sidetracked by ideas of demonstrating that he is more than simply a friendly neighbourhood superhero. Peter Parker is put to the test as he juggles his life as an average high school student with trying to stop the Vulture from selling weapons developed with cutting-edge Chitauri technology.
Directed By: Cate Shortland
Cast: Scarlett Johansson, Florence Pugh, David Harbour, Rachel Weisz, Olga Kurylenko, Ray Winstone
Plot: When a sinister plot with connections to her past emerges, Natasha Romanoff, aka, Black Widow, a member of the Avengers and a former KGB agent, must face the darker aspects of her history. Natasha has to cope with her past as a spy and the damaged relationships she left in her path before she became an Avenger because she is being pursued by a force that would do anything to bring her down.
Directed By: Scott Derrickson
Cast: Benedict Cumberbatch, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Rachel McAdams, Benedict Wong, Tilda Swinton, Mads Mikkelsen
Plot: Dr Stephen Strange’s life is forever altered by a car accident that takes away his ability to use his hands. He tries a variety of ancient and modern treatments to cure his hands, but none of them is effective. He hears of a secret enclave after losing hope. He travels to the strange enclave and meets the enigmatic Ancient One, who heals him and mentors him to become a great sorcerer. He soon discovers that the enclave is at the forefront of a war against hidden evil powers bent on destroying reality. Strange is soon forced to choose between his life of money and status or his duty to safeguard the world as the most powerful sorcerer in existence.
Directed By: Taika Waititi
Cast: Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Cate Blanchett, Idris Elba, Tessa Thompson, Mark Ruffalo, Taika Waititi, Jeff Goldblum, Cate Blanchett
Plot: Thor, who is imprisoned on the planet Sakaar and is without his massive hammer Mjolnir, must get back to Asgard quickly to avert Ragnarök, the destruction of his realm, at the hands of the formidable and cruel antagonist Hela, the goddess of death.
Directed By: Peyton Reed
Cast: Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Michael Douglas, Michael Peña, Michelle Pfeiffer, Hannah John-Kamen
Plot: Scott Lang, aka Antman, is under house arrest as a consequence of the events of Captain America: Civil War. Dr Hank Pym and Hope van Dyne present him with a pressing new task. As the crew works together to unearth mysteries from their history, Scott must once more don the suit and learn to battle with The Wasp.
Directed By: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo
Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Josh Brolin, Chadwick Boseman, Chri Pratt, Mark Ruffalo, Scarlett Johanson, Benedict Wong, Chris Evans
Plot: The Avengers must prevent the interstellar tyrant Thanos from obtaining all six infinity stones. However, Thanos is willing to do whatever it takes to carry out his crazy scheme to balance the universe.
Directed By: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo
Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Josh Brolin, Samuel.L.Jackson, Chadwick Boseman, Chri Pratt, Mark Ruffalo, Scarlett Johanson, Benedict Wong, Chris Evans, Brie Larson
Plot: Tony Stark, who is stranded in space without access to food or water, sends Pepper Potts a message as his oxygen supply begins to run low. Thor, Black Widow, Captain America, Ant-Man, Hawkeye, and Bruce Banner, the remaining Avengers must figure out a way to rescue their snapped allies in time for an epic clash with Thanos, the mad giant who destroyed the Earth and the cosmos.
Directed By: Jon Watts
Cast: Tom Holland, Samuel L. Jackson, Jake Gyllenhaal, Marisa Tomei, Zendeya, Jon Favreau, Jacob Batalon
Plot: When Nick Fury enters Peter Parker’s hotel room to ask him to join a mission, his laid-back European vacation takes an unexpected turn. Four enormous elemental monsters symbolising the elements of Earth, air, water, and fire each threaten the globe as they emerge through a rift in space-time. As quickly as possible, Parker finds himself wearing the Spider-Man outfit in order to assist Fury and fellow superhero Mysterio, who has enigmatic origins, in stopping the evil monsters from spreading devastation throughout the continent.
Directed By: Destin Daniel Cretton
Cast: Simu Liu, Awkwafina, Meng’er Zhang, Fala Chen, Benedict Wong, Michelle Yeoh, Ben Kingsley, Tim Roth, Florian Munteanu, Tony Leung Chiu-wai
Plot: Shang-Chi, a martial artist and also the son of a powerful and mysterious Ten Rings organisation warlord, must return home from America to face his father and avert the release of a deadly force onto the earth.
Directed By: Chloé Zhao
Cast: Angelina Jolie, Salma Hayek, Kit Harington, Gemma Chan, Richard Madden, Ma Dong-seok, Kumail Nanjiani, Harish Patel
Plot: Ten immortal beings arrive on Earth in the year 5000 B.C. to save mankind from the Deviants. They are the Eternals, dispatched from their home world of Olympia on the Domo by the Prime Celestial Arishem the Judge. They initiated the development of civilizations, science, the arts, and everything else in between.
Cast: Tom Holland, Zendaya, Benedict Cumberbatch, Jacob Batalon, Marisa Tomei, Alfred Molina, Williem Dafoe
Directed By: Jon Watts
Plot: The identity of Peter Parker is exposed following the events of Far from home, conflicting with his everyday obligations and putting those closest to him in danger. When he asks Doctor Strange for assistance in recovering his secret, the spell rips a hole in their planet and unleashes the most formidable antagonists to have faced a Spider-Man in any dimension. Peter must now conquer his biggest obstacle yet, which will not only change the course of the Multiverse but also his own future for all time.
Directed By: Sam Raimi
Cast: Benedict Cumberbatch, Elizabeth Olsen, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Rachel McAdams, Xochitl Gomez, Benedict Wong, John Krasinski
Plot: A teenage girl with the ability to traverse multiverses requires Doctor Strange’s protection from Scarlett Witch, who has become corrupted by the Dark Hold.
Directed By: Taika Waititi
Cast: Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Christian Bale, Tessa Thompson, Taika Waititi, Russell Crowe, Chris Pratt, Kat Dennings
Plot: Thor sets off on a voyage unlike any he’s ever taken in search of inner peace. Gorr the God Butcher, a cosmic murderer who desires the extermination of the gods, interrupts his retirement. Thor enlists the aid of Valkyrie, Korg, and his ex-girlfriend Jane Foster, who, to his amazement, wields his mystical hammer. They go on a dangerous cosmic journey to solve the riddle of the God Butcher’s wrath.
Are you ready to dive into the Marvel cinematic universe? Then, go to Disney Plus Hotstar to watch the movies listed above in chronological sequence. Catch Black Panther Wakanda Forever currently playing in the theatres near you.