Estimated read time: 3-4 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
THE MARVEL CINEMATIC UNIVERSE — Marvel mania has hit and it's taking over the world as fans across the globe prepare for "Avengers: Infinity War."
The movie marks 10 years since the Marvel Cinematic Universe kicked off with its first film, "Iron Man." Since then, the MCU has released 18 films with the 19th slated for release this weekend.
What you may not realize is that the films weren't released in chronological order, which means there is a correct order to watch the films in order of when they happen in the MCU's timeline.
Truth be told, you're not going to make it. It takes more than 36 hours to watch all of the films, including the new one, which means you don't have time if you're headed to a midnight showing on Thursday. Maybe you can skip work or school to jam them all in there.
I took the time to look at all 19 films and place them in chronological order so you can enjoy the MCU the way it was supposed to. You're welcome.
You'll notice I did not add in all of the Marvel One-Shot short films or the multiple TV series, because I really didn't want to.
Here is the Marvel Cinematic Universe in chronological order:
- "Captain America: The First Avenger" (2011), Run Time: 2 hours 4 minutes
- "Iron Man" (2008), Run time: 2 hours 6 minutes
- "Iron Man 2" (2010), Run time: 2 hours 4 minutes
- "The Incredible Hulk" (2008), Run time: 1 hour 52 minutes
- "Thor" (2011), Run time: 1 hour 55 minutes
- "The Avengers" (2012), Run time: 2 hours 23 minutes
- "Iron Man 3" (2013), Run Time 2 hours 10 minutes
- "Thor: The Dark World" (2013), Run time: 1 hour 52 minutes
- "Captain America: The Winter Soldier" (2014), Run time: 2 hours 16 minutes
- "Guardians of the Galaxy" (2014), Run time: 2 hours 1 minute
- "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2" (2017), Run time: 2 hours 16 minutes
- "Avengers: Age of Ultron" (2015), Run time: 2 hours 21 minutes
- "Ant-Man" (2015), Run time: 1 hour 57 minutes
- "Captain America: Civil War" (2016), Run time: 2 hours 27 minutes
- "Doctor Strange" (2016), Run time: 1 hour 55 minutes
- "Spider-Man: Homecoming" (2017), Run time: 2 hours 13 minutes
- "Black Panther" (2018), Run time: 2 hours 14 minutes
- "Thor: Ragnarok" (2017), Run time: 2 hours 10 minutes
- "Avengers: Infinity War" (2018), Run time: 2 hours 29 minutes
As you can see, Phase 1 is the most out of order with the 2011 film, "Captain America: The First Avenger" being the first in the series, and then jumping to a 2008 film, a 2010 film, back to a 2008 film and then to a 2011 film.
From there the movies are pretty chronological, that is until "The Guardians of the Galaxy" comes and mixes things up, which is par for the course with them. A lot of people don't realize that both Guardians films take place within the same year in the universe and before the events of "Avengers: Age of Ultron."
So now you have the correct order and according to my watch you have a lot of movie watching to do, so get on it and we'll see you at the theater for "Avengers: Infinity War."
Stay tuned to KSL.com on Thursday for our review of "Avengers: Infinity War" and Friday for a guide to content in the film.
