MCU Guides
Everything we’ve written about watching Marvel, grouped by what you’re trying to do. For the lists themselves, start with release order or chronological order.
Getting started
New to the MCU, or coming back after a break.
- Which Marvel movie should I watch first?: Where to start, and what you can safely skip.
- The best order for beginners: The main story in just under a quarter of the time.
- Chronological vs release order: Which order to pick and why.
- The MCU timeline: Where every movie and series falls in story order.
- Fell behind after Endgame?: The shortest route back to current.
- Watching with a newcomer: How to introduce someone to Marvel.
- How long does the MCU take to watch?: Runtimes for every scope, plus a calculator.
- Are Marvel movies OK for kids?: Age ratings and what parents should know.
Avengers: Doomsday and what’s next
Everything building to December 18, 2026 and beyond.
- What to watch before Avengers: Doomsday: Marvel’s official list explained, plus a weekend speed-run.
- What to watch before VisionQuest: Vision’s story in six titles, now that the show is streaming.
- What to watch before Spider-Man: Brand New Day: Tom Holland’s Spider-Man story so far.
- Avengers: Doomsday cast: Every confirmed character, grouped by team.
- Doctor Doom explained: Who he is and why Robert Downey Jr. is playing him.
- Avengers: Endgame Encore explained: The September 2026 re-release, its new scenes, and whether you need it.
- X-Men movies before Doomsday?: Which Fox X-Men films matter, and which to skip.
- Thor movies before Doomsday?: The short path to where Thor is now.
- Do I need to watch it?: Prerequisite verdicts for Doomsday.
- Loki before Doomsday?: Why it is the one series we call essential.
- WandaVision before Doomsday?: Recommended, and essential before VisionQuest.
- Deadpool & Wolverine before Doomsday?: The bridge from Fox’s X-Men to the MCU.
- First Steps before Doomsday?: Four of Doomsday’s leads and the first look at Doom.
- What to watch before Avengers: Secret Wars: Ten titles for the end of the Multiverse Saga.
- Secret Wars explained: The comics, and what the 2027 film may adapt.
- Upcoming MCU release calendar: Every announced movie and series through 2028.
- The next saga (Phase Seven): What’s known about the MCU after Secret Wars.
Lore and explainers
The rules, the villains and the big storylines.
- The MCU multiverse explained: Variants, incursions and the Sacred Timeline.
- The TVA explained: The Time Variance Authority, from Loki to Deadpool & Wolverine.
- What happened to Kang?: The villain the Multiverse Saga was built around, and why it changed.
- The Infinity Stones in order: Where each stone first appears.
- Infinity Saga recap: Phases One to Three in one read.
- Young Avengers explained: The next generation of heroes, and where they stand.
- MCU villains ranked: The 15 best antagonists, from Loki to Killmonger.
- Every Stan Lee cameo: All of them, in order.
- Every post-credit scene: Spoiler-free notes for every stinger.
Marvel TV and canon
Disney+, Netflix and the older Marvel Television shows.
- Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. + MCU episode order: Every season split around the films it ties into.
- Do I need to watch Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.?: A straight verdict, plus the best way to sample it.
- Is it Marvel?: Kingsman, Kick-Ass, Men in Black, Spawn and other mix-ups.
- Which Disney+ shows actually matter?: Every series graded, with reasons.
- Are the Netflix Marvel shows canon?: Daredevil, the Defenders and what Marvel has said.
- Is Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. canon?: Where the show fits, and whether to watch it.
- Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. essential episodes: 136 episodes, cut down.
- Marvel One-Shots in order: Every short film and where it fits.
- Marvel animated shows in order: What If...?, X-Men ’97 and more.
Rankings and numbers
Opinions and data, kept separate.
- Every MCU movie ranked: Our worst-to-best list, with a take on each film.
- Every MCU series ranked: All the Disney+ shows, worst to best.
- Highest-rated MCU movies: Sorted by Rotten Tomatoes and IMDb.
- Highest-rated MCU series: The critics’ and audiences’ picks.
- Marvel box office, ranked: Every MCU film by worldwide gross.
- How many Marvel movies are there?: The full count, by category.
- MCU vs DCU: How the two universes compare.
Streaming
Where to watch everything in the US.
- Where to watch Marvel: Every title by streaming service.
- Disney+ timeline order: Disney+’s official order, compared.
Tools
Free, no account needed.
- MCU watch tracker: Tick titles off as you go.
- Marathon planner: Turns your free hours into a schedule.
- Printable checklist: Every title on paper.
- Tier list maker: Rank the 38 films.
- MCU quiz: Ten questions to test yourself.
- Random Marvel movie picker: Let it choose for you.
Franchise watch orders
Browse by era
Prefer to go one chunk at a time? Each MCU phase and each Marvel saga has its own watch order, and our what to watch before each new release guides tell you which older titles matter for the next film or show.
Looking for one character? See all 70+ character watch orders.