There are 37 theatrical MCU films catalogued in our database. The franchise launched with Iron Man (2008) and continues through Phase 6's upcoming Avengers: Doomsday (2026) and Avengers: Secret Wars (2027). This guide lists every MCU film in release order — the order they premiered in theaters. For in-universe chronological viewing order, see our MCU Watch Order guide.
Release order vs. watch order — what's the difference?
Release order lists films in the order Marvel Studios released them in theaters. This is the sequence the filmmakers designed audiences to experience — surprises land where they were intended, character introductions follow the marketing strategy, and the long-form Avengers payoffs land as planned.
Watch order (also called chronological or in-universe order) rearranges films by when their events occur within the MCU's fictional timeline. Captain America: The First Avenger (2011, set in 1942) would move to the very start; Captain Marvel (2019, set in 1995) would move ahead of Iron Man (2008, set in 2008). See our complete MCU Watch Order guide for that approach.
For first-time viewers, release order is strongly recommended. The MCU was designed for it, and surprises like Nick Fury's appearance in Iron Man's post-credits and Thanos's reveal in Avengers (2012) land with their intended impact.
Every MCU film in release order
MCU films by Phase
The MCU is organized into narrative Phases. Each Phase comprises multiple films culminating in a major Avengers team-up event. See our What Is the MCU? guide for the complete Phase breakdown, or MCU Phase 6 Roadmap for upcoming releases.
Related guides
- MCU Watch Order — in-universe chronological order (Captain America 1942 first, etc.).
- MCU Phase 6 Roadmap — Avengers: Doomsday and the films before it.
- What Is the MCU? Definitive Guide — franchise definition.
- Highest-Grossing Comic Book Movies — MCU dominates this list.
- Best Marvel Villains Ranked — top 20 MCU antagonists.
- Every Spider-Man Movie in Order — Spider-Man within and outside the MCU.