Iron Man (2008)
Tony builds the Mark I in a cave, then the suit that makes him a hero. Stay for the first-ever MCU post-credit scene.
Stream:Disney+
Iron Man Movies in Order
Tony Stark got three solo Iron Man movies, released between 2008 and 2013. Release order and story order are the same, so this one is easy.
Quick list3 releasedShow allHide
- 1Iron Man2008
- 2Iron Man 22010
- 3Iron Man 32013
Iron Man is where the whole MCU starts. Jon Favreau’s 2008 film took a B-list hero and an actor many studios considered a risk, and turned both into the foundation of a 38-film franchise. Robert Downey Jr. plays Tony Stark in all three solo films, and the trilogy works as a complete arc: a selfish weapons dealer builds a suit to escape a cave, learns what he’s responsible for, and by Iron Man 3 has to work out who he is without the armor.
The solo films only tell part of his story, though. Tony’s biggest moments happen in the team-up films, from The Avengers through Civil War to Endgame. If you want the full character arc, the second list on this page covers every MCU film he appears in.
The Iron Man trilogy in order
Iron Man 2 (2010)
Tony is dying from the reactor in his chest while Whiplash and Justin Hammer come for him. Introduces Black Widow and War Machine (Don Cheadle).
Stream:Hulu
Iron Man 3 (2013)
Post-Avengers anxiety, the Mandarin, and a Christmas setting. Shane Black’s film is the most divisive of the three and the most personal.
Stream:Disney+
Every MCU film with Tony Stark
Tony’s story runs through ten films. In release order:
- Marvel's The Avengers (2012): The team forms, and Tony has to learn to work with it.
- Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015): Tony’s attempt to protect the world creates Ultron.
- Captain America: Civil War (2016): Tony backs the Sokovia Accords and ends up fighting Steve.
- Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017): Mentor to Peter Parker.
- Avengers: Infinity War (2018): Tony faces Thanos on Titan.
- Avengers: Endgame (2019): The finale of the Infinity Saga.
The best order to watch the Iron Man movies
Watch them in release order: Iron Man, Iron Man 2, Iron Man 3. The story order matches, so there’s nothing to rearrange.
If you’re watching for Tony’s whole arc rather than just the solo films, slot The Avengers between Iron Man 2 and 3; Iron Man 3 is built around what happened to Tony in New York. Then carry on with Age of Ultron, Civil War, Infinity War and Endgame. All of them stream on Disney+ in the US.
One loose thread from Iron Man 3 runs a lot further than you’d expect, through a One-Shot, Shang-Chi and Wonder Man. Our Trevor Slattery watch order follows it, and it’s best read after you’ve seen Iron Man 3.
Iron Man movies FAQ
How many Iron Man movies are there?
Three: Iron Man (2008), Iron Man 2 (2010) and Iron Man 3 (2013). Tony Stark also appears in seven other MCU films, ending with Avengers: Endgame (2019).
Will there be an Iron Man 4?
No Iron Man 4 has been announced, and Robert Downey Jr. returns to the MCU as a different character, Doctor Doom, in Avengers: Doomsday.
Should I watch The Avengers before Iron Man 3?
Yes, if you can. Iron Man 3 picks up after the Battle of New York, and Tony’s panic attacks only make sense once you’ve seen it.
Where can I stream the Iron Man movies?
All three stream on Disney+ in the US. Each film page here lists current options, including rentals.