If you’ve ever found yourself asking, “Wait, what should I watch after The Avengers?” or “What year did Peter Parker actually meet Tony Stark?” — you’ve come to the right place.
Consider this guide your go-to bookmark. Grab your favorite drink, settle in, and get ready for a comprehensive breakdown of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), ordered strictly by in-universe chronological events rather than release dates.
Part 1: The Origins and the 20th Century
This is where secret serums were synthesized, futuristic technology was born, and humanity had its first encounter with cosmic artifacts.
- 1942–1945: Captain America: The First Avenger — The birth of Steve Rogers as a super-soldier, his first battle against Hydra, and the Tesseract lost at the bottom of the ocean.
- 1946: Agent Carter (Seasons 1–2) — Peggy Carter lays the foundation for S.H.I.E.L.D. in post-war New York.
- 1995: Captain Marvel — Carol Danvers discovers her powers, while a young Nick Fury loses an eye and conceives the Avengers Initiative.
Part 2: The Birth of the Infinity Saga (2010–2012)
Heroes begin to emerge one by one, and Earth attracts the attention of distant worlds.
- 2010: Iron Man — Tony Stark builds his first suit in a cave.
- 2010: Iron Man 2 — Stark deals with palladium poisoning; Natasha Romanoff makes her debut.
- 2010: The Incredible Hulk — Bruce Banner hides from the military while trying to tame the monster within.
- 2010: Thor — Thor is banished to Earth, and Loki sets his first major scheme in motion.
- 2012: The Avengers — The original six heroes assemble for the Battle of New York against the Chitauri army.
Part 3: Age of Ultron and the Schism (2012–2017)
After the victory over the Chitauri, the world is changed forever. The Avengers face internal conflict, while the Guardians of the Galaxy form out in deep space.
- 2012 (Winter): Iron Man 3 — Tony Stark copes with PTSD following the events in New York.
- 2013: Thor: The Dark World — A clash with the Dark Elves and the appearance of the Reality Stone (Aether).
- 2014: Captain America: The Winter Soldier — The fall of S.H.I.E.L.D. and the return of Bucky Barnes.
- 2014: Guardians of the Galaxy — Peter Quill brings together the most unhinged crew in space.
- 2014: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 — Star-Lord meets his father (Ego) as the gang bonds further.
- 2015: Avengers: Age of Ultron — Artificial intelligence spirals out of control; Wanda, Pietro, and Vision arrive on the scene.
- 2015: Ant-Man — Scott Lang puts on Hank Pym’s suit and introduces us to the Quantum Realm.
- 2016: Captain America: Civil War — The Sokovia Accords split the heroes into two camps. First appearances of Spider-Man and Black Panther.
- 2016: Black Widow — Natasha confronts her past immediately following the split of the Avengers.
- 2016: Black Panther — T’Challa returns home to Wakanda to claim the throne.
- 2016: Spider-Man: Homecoming — Peter Parker tries to balance high school life and street-level crime-fighting under Stark’s supervision.
- 2016–2017: Doctor Strange — Stephen Strange loses his career as a surgeon and begins his journey to becoming the Sorcerer Supreme.
- 2017: Thor: Ragnarok — The destruction of Asgard; Thor and the Hulk reunite on Sakaar.
Part 4: The Infinity War and the Snap (2018–2023)
The climax of Marvel’s first three phases. Thanos gathers the Infinity Stones to execute his universe-altering vision.
- 2018: Ant-Man and the Wasp — Events unfold just days before catastrophe strikes.
- 2018: Avengers: Infinity War — A massive, galaxy-wide battle against Thanos that ends in the devastating Snap.
- 2018–2023: Avengers: Endgame — Five years living in the aftermath of the Snap, time travel, and a monumental finale to an era.
Part 5: Post-Blip and the Opening of the Multiverse (2023–2025)
The world struggles to adjust after half of all life returns. New heroes emerge, and the barriers between parallel realities begin to crumble.
- Outside Time: Loki (Seasons 1–2) — The cornerstone series for the entire Multiverse Saga! The God of Mischief lands at the Time Variance Authority (TVA) and ultimately takes his place on the throne at the center of the timeline.
- 2023 (Fall): WandaVision — Grief-stricken over Vision, Wanda creates an illusory reality in Westview.
- 2024 (Spring): The Falcon and the Winter Soldier — Sam Wilson steps up to accept Captain America’s shield.
- 2024 (Spring): Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings — Ancient magic, martial arts, and rings of power.
- 2024 (Summer): Eternals — Earth’s ancient protectors step out of the shadows as the Emergence looms.
- 2024 (Summer): Spider-Man: Far From Home — Peter’s high school trip to Europe is disrupted by Mysterio’s illusions.
- 2024 (Fall): Spider-Man: No Way Home — Doctor Strange’s spell breaks open the cosmos, bringing visitors from alternate universes.
- 2024 (Winter): Hawkeye — A holiday-themed New York adventure with Clint Barton and Kate Bishop.
- 2025 (Spring): Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness — A chaotic trek across alternate dimensions alongside America Chavez.
- 2025: Moon Knight — Ancient Egyptian gods and the fractured psyche of Steven Grant.
- 2025: She-Hulk: Attorney at Law — The legal and comedic daily life of Jennifer Walters.
- 2025: Ms. Marvel — Kamala Khan discovers her powers and navigates life as a Captain Marvel superfan.
- 2025: Thor: Love and Thunder — Thor crosses paths with Jane Foster wielding Mjolnir and battles Gorr the God Butcher.
- 2025: Black Panther: Wakanda Forever — Wakanda defends itself against Namor and his undersea nation.
- 2025 (Winter): The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special — A short, heartwarming festive story in space.
Part 6: The Twilight Zone and the Road to Collision (2025–2026)
The current chapter of the MCU: street-level grit, cosmic farewells, and the first steps toward the arrival of mutants.
- 2025–2026: Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania — A deep dive into the secrets of the Quantum Realm.
- 2026: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 — An emotional farewell to the original Guardians lineup.
- 2026: Secret Invasion — Skrulls infiltrate key positions of power across Earth.
- 2026: The Marvels — Carol Danvers, Monica Rambeau, and Kamala Khan team up.
- 2026: Echo — A dark, grounded story centered on Maya Lopez and her conflict with Kingpin.
- 2026: Deadpool & Wolverine — An epic fourth-wall-breaking duo that bridges the Fox legacy with Marvel Studios.
- 2026: Agatha All Along — Dark magic, coven rituals, and mysteries surrounding Agatha Harkness.
- 2026: Captain America: Brave New World — Sam Wilson faces high-level political intrigue and Red Hulk.
- 2026: Thunderbolts* — A team of antiheroes operating on behalf of the government.
- 2026: Wonder Man — A satirical look at Hollywood through a superhero lens.
- 2026: Daredevil: Born Again — Matt Murdock returns to face off against Wilson Fisk on the streets of New York.
Part 7: What Lies Ahead: The Fantastic Four, Mutants, and the Rise of Doctor Doom
Now onto the most exciting part — the upcoming releases that will drive the Multiverse Saga toward its grand conclusion:
- The Fantastic Four: First Steps
Set in a unique retro-futuristic 1960s alternate universe, Marvel’s First Family (Reed Richards, Sue Storm, Johnny Storm, and Ben Grimm) will face Galactus before their fate intertwines with the main timeline. - A New Chapter for Spidey: Spider-Man: Brand New Day
With the world having forgotten who Peter Parker is, our hero returns to his roots — fighting crime on the streets of New York. - Return of a Legend: Doctor Doom and the Multiversal Apocalypse
The biggest twist in recent years is the arrival of Victor von Doom, played by Robert Downey Jr. This isn’t just fan service — it’s a critical narrative turning point:- Avengers: Doomsday — Uniting heroes from across the Multiverse (including the X-Men and The Fantastic Four) against an unprecedented threat.
- Avengers: Secret Wars — The finale of Phase Six and the entire Multiverse Saga. Expect a complete collapse of alternate worlds (Incursions) and a full reboot of a unified Marvel universe.
Also in development are VisionQuest (the white Vision’s journey of self-discovery), additional seasons/projects for Daredevil, and a standalone Blade project.
Bookmark this guide so you never have to guess the order for your next Marvel rewatch. Which upcoming project are you most excited for — Robert Downey Jr.’s return as Doctor Doom, or the new Fantastic Four? Let me know in the comments!
Thank you for being here and sharing this journey with me! 🤗
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