This is the full MCU movie release order: Iron Man, the Captain Americas, the Thors, Guardians, Spider-Man, and the rest, in the order they hit theaters. Phases 1 through 6. Films only. Not Disney+ shows, and not DC (no Green Lantern, no Batman). If you want the saga the way audiences actually got it, start here.
Release order vs timeline order
Release order is how the movies came out. Use it for a first watch or a clean catch-up before Avengers: Doomsday.
Timeline order reshuffles scenes by MCU calendar time (so Captain America: The First Avenger jumps near the front). Useful after you already know the plot. Confusing if you have never seen the movies.
Phase 1 (2008–2012)
The origin shelf. Iron Man opens the door. Cap and Thor join. The Avengers closes the phase.
May 2, 2008: Iron Man
Jun 13, 2008: The Incredible Hulk
May 7, 2010: Iron Man 2
May 6, 2011: Thor
Jul 22, 2011: Captain America: The First Avenger
May 4, 2012: The Avengers
Phase 2 (2013–2015)
Sequels, Guardians, Ultron, and Ant-Man. Still building toward a bigger war.
May 3, 2013: Iron Man 3
Nov 8, 2013: Thor: The Dark World
Apr 4, 2014: Captain America: The Winter Soldier
Aug 1, 2014: Guardians of the Galaxy
May 1, 2015: Avengers: Age of Ultron
Jul 17, 2015: Ant-Man
Phase 3 (2016–2019)
The Infinity Saga peak: Civil War, Ragnarok, Infinity War, Endgame, then Far From Home as the soft landing.
May 6, 2016: Captain America: Civil War
Nov 4, 2016: Doctor Strange
May 5, 2017: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
Jul 7, 2017: Spider-Man: Homecoming
Nov 3, 2017: Thor: Ragnarok
Feb 16, 2018: Black Panther
Apr 27, 2018: Avengers: Infinity War
Jul 6, 2018: Ant-Man and the Wasp
Mar 8, 2019: Captain Marvel
Apr 26, 2019: Avengers: Endgame
Jul 2, 2019: Spider-Man: Far From Home
Phase 4 (2021–2022)
Multiverse Saga begins. New faces, post-Blip world, multiverse cracks.
Jul 9, 2021: Black Widow
Sep 3, 2021: Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
Nov 5, 2021: Eternals
Dec 17, 2021: Spider-Man: No Way Home
May 6, 2022: Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
Jul 8, 2022: Thor: Love and Thunder
Nov 11, 2022: Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Phase 5 (2023–2025)
Legacy handoffs, mutants in the room, and the road into Phase 6.
Feb 17, 2023: Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania
May 5, 2023: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
Nov 10, 2023: The Marvels
Jul 26, 2024: Deadpool & Wolverine
Feb 14, 2025: Captain America: Brave New World
May 2, 2025: Thunderbolts*
Phase 6 (2025–2027)
Current runway. Fantastic Four is out. Spider-Man, Doomsday, and Secret Wars are next on the film calendar.
Jul 25, 2025: The Fantastic Four: First Steps (released)
Jul 31, 2026: Spider-Man: Brand New Day
Dec 18, 2026: Avengers: Doomsday
Dec 17, 2027: Avengers: Secret Wars
Quick count
That is 40 MCU movies in theatrical release order from Iron Man (2008) through Secret Wars (2027). Twenty-three close the Infinity Saga with Far From Home. Seventeen make up the Multiverse Saga film shelf, with three still ahead as of July 2026.
Catching up for Doomsday: if you already lived through Endgame, start at Phase 4. If you are new, start at Iron Man and do not skip Cap or Thor. For the next Avengers trailer coverage, use the Avengers: Doomsday hub.
Left off on purpose: Disney+ series, special presentations, and unscheduled titles like Blade. Also anything DC. This page is the MCU film calendar only.
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