How to watch Marvel universe movies in order?

It may feel like it was yesterday, but it's been over five years since The Avengers defeated Thanos and brought The Infinity Saga to an end. If you know exactly what we're talking about, you probably don't need this guide, but if it only rings a bell or, if you had the impression this was all a in foreign language, then you'd better take a seat.
 

What is the Marvel universe?

Let's start with the basics: what is Marvel universe? Marvel is, first and foremost, a comic book publisher specialising in superheroes. Although it was founded in 1939, it was not until the 1960s, with the arrival of writer and scriptwriter Stan Lee, that the publishing house really took off with the appearance of its most well-known characters, such as The Fantastic Four and Spider-Man. For many years, a multitude of children and teenagers dove into the pages of increasingly complex and interesting stories, which were often linked to create an integrated literary universe.

However, as access to audiovisual materials and video games became widespread, comics were banished as the primary form of entertainment for children and teenagers, and in the 1990s the publishing house reached a difficult situation that forced it to sell the rights to its main characters.

As a result of all this, in the early 2000s there were some remarkable products built around these characters (Sam Raimi's Spider-Man, Bryan Singer's X-Men or, more oriented towards an adult audience, the Blade films starring Wesley Snipes -the second one, directed by Guillermo del Toro, is particularly good-). Even so, alongside these notable products, there were also a considerable number of failures, such as Daredevil, Ghost Rider, Elektra or The Fantastic Four movies.

In 2008, John Favreau and Kevin Feige decided to change tack and, from within Marvel itself, they planned to bring to the silver screen something that had been working in print for decades: a universe of linked films. To start off this universe, they chose a minor character, Iron Man, and rescued an actor who had fallen into disrepute after having spent a few years in prison for a drug offence, Robert Downey Jr. Both publisher and actor saw this film as an opportunity to be reborn and redeem themselves. And the rest is history.

How to watch Marvel movies in order?

Sixteen years after the release of Iron Man, the situation couldn't be more different. UCM films have broken every box office record, and everything that surrounds the Marvel universe adds up to form one of the most profitable and powerful entertainment powerhouses in the world. However, the sheer number of films and series available makes it a daunting task for someone new to this world.

Marvel's films cover events from the 1940s into the near future. Therefore, when it comes to classifying the products, it is usually done in two ways: by internal chronological order and by order of release. 

Although the first option is interesting, it is better to opt for it only once you are familiar with this universe and want to revisit it, given that, although the products you see first are those set in the past, details and revelations appear that explain future events. Therefore, the best option is to follow the order in which the films and series were released, so that your experience is the same as that of the fans who have been following these titles since their inception.

These films and series are generally grouped into phases. Each of these phases has an internal logic and, at the same time, several of these phases combine to form a single story. Thus, the logic of phase 1, for example, would be the introduction of the main characters until they are brought together in The Avengers, while phases 1, 2 and 3 would make up the so-called Infinity Saga, with a main villain (Thanos) who will have differing degrees of presence and in which all the stories converge leading to Avengers: Endgame. Phase 5 films and series are currently being released, and these are, in turn, part of The Multiverse Saga, which is expected to end in 2027 with Avengers: Secret Wars.

List of Marvel movies 

Upcoming releases 

In conclusion, is it worth investing SO MUCH time watching superhero films? Well, that depends. When something attracts so many millions of people, it's usually because there's something good to be seen. We must never lose sight of the fact that these are products aimed at a young audience and that they are very revenue oriented. That doesn't mean that there aren't good films or that their actors and actresses don't do a good job, but it only makes sense that, among more than thirty films and series released, some things are better (in my opinion, Infinity War and Endgame are good films) and others are not quite so good. 

Marvel movies can, in fact, be a good gateway leading to a successful career for the directors who have added a touch of personal authorship (Chloé Zhao, the Russo Brothers, Taika Waititi or Sam Raimi) and for the leading actors. However, you should know what it is you’re getting into. This is not arthouse cinema, nor does it pretend to be (it rather avoids such things), but that's no reason not to enjoy some good adventures involving very charismatic characters. Another issue is whether the Marvel format is benefiting or damaging the film industry in general. But that is probably an issue that is best discussed another day. In the meantime, we leave you with some of the expected new releases: