The Marvel Cinematic Universe (aka the MCU) is an American media franchise and shared universe mainly centered on a series of superhero films produced by Marvel Studios but also featuring short films, various series and comics. The original cycle of stories told a unified epic tale known as The Infinity Saga, which is currently made up of 46 installments: that’s 4 series episodes (less than an hour each), 19 shorts & 23 full length films. This is the viewing order for the media portions of that story and how they fit together. All of these stories are set in the same shared reality, often referred to as Earth-616, Earth-199999 and / or The Sacred Timeline.
This series is available on Disney+ and can be viewed here.
This miniseries tells of the secret African nation of Wakanda, mainly focused on the Hatut Zaraze, Wakandan warriors, who carry out dangerous missions around the world to retrieve valuable and dangerous vibranium Wakandan artifacts throughout history. The series introduces Wakanda, Black Panther(s), the Dora Milaje & the Iron Fist, while the characters Uatu / The Watcher and N’Jadaka / Erik “Killmonger” Stevens make their first (non-speaking cameo) appearances.
Eyes of Wakanda S01E01
Into the Lion’s Den (29 minutes)
Eyes of Wakanda S01E02
Legends and Lies (29 minutes)
Eyes of Wakanda S01E03
Lost and Found (30 minutes)
Eyes of Wakanda S01E04
The Last Panther* (27 minutes)
*The first 3 episodes of the series are, chronologically, the first 3 installments of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with the 4 total episodes set in 1260 & 1194-1184 B.C., 1400, 1896 and an alternate 2396. Episode 4 features the multiverse via that alternate future, seemingly setting the series in the later Multiverse Saga, but the creators have repeatedly stated that this is part of the Infinity Saga and / or the Sacred Timeline, which suggests that while there is an alternate future in one of the episodes, that the series of events depicted in that episode were always meant to have happened – in the same way that the alternate takes in “Avengers: Endgame” were always meant to happen, as explained by the Time Variance Authority in the first episode of “Loki” (S01E01 “Glorious Purpose”).
The film is on Disney+ and can be found here.
The film is mainly set in 1942-1945, featuring bookends in 2011. Many important characters of the Infinity and Multiverse Sagas are introduced in this film. Additionally, vibranium, introduced in “Eyes of Wakanda” is featured here.
Instead of a credit scene, if you stick around through the end credits there is a trailer for 2012’s “The Avengers”, which at the time, was the next film set to be released.
This short film is available on Disney+ and can be found HERE.
This 15 minute short film sequel to “Captain America: The First Avenger” shows the further adventures of Peggy Carter in 1946.
Stick around through the credits for important bonus scenes.
This film can be viewed on Disney+ and can be found HERE.
Mainly set in 1989 & 1995 – the Mid-Credit Scene is set in 2018 and bridges later entries, “Avengers: Infinity War” & “Avengers: Endgame”. There is also a 1995 set post-credit scene.
This film is viewable on Disney+ and can be found HERE.
Mainly set in 2008. The film has one credit scene.
This film is viewable on Disney+ and can be found HERE.
According to The Marvel Cinematic Universe: An Official Timeline, the opening of the film begins in 2008 and features a montage dealing with events between 2008 & 2010, while the main events depicted in the film take place in Spring of 2010.
The film’s post credit scene helps set up (and takes place during) “Thor”.
This short can be viewed on Disney+ and can be found HERE.
Set in 2010, this 4 minute short bridges Agent Coulson’s exit during the main events of “Iron Man 2” & his return in that film’s post-credit scene.
This movie can be viewed on Disney+ and can be found HERE.
According to The Marvel Cinematic Universe: An Official Timeline, the main events of “Thor” are set in Spring of 2010 – some of which overlaps with “Iron Man 2”, “Marvel One Shot: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Thor’s Hammer” & the upcoming “The Incredible Hulk”. Later sources confirm that many of the events from these installments unfold over a single week.
There is an important credit scene.
This film can be viewed on Disney+ and can be found HERE.
According to The Marvel Cinematic Universe: An Official Timeline, the main events of “The Incredible Hulk” are set between Spring & Summer of 2010. It begins before the main events of “Thor” but ends after it – and the film definitely ends after “Iron Man 2”.
There are no credit scenes.
This short can be viewed on Disney+ and can be found HERE.
According to The Marvel Cinematic Universe: An Official Timeline, this Marvel One-Shot, “The Consultant”, is set in Summer of 2010.
The 4 minute story places the ending of “The Incredible Hulk” in a larger context.
This film is viewable on Disney+ and can be found HERE.
Set between May 1 and 5, 2012, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has its first major crossover event.
There are 2 credit scenes.
This short is viewable on Disney+ and can be found HERE.
Set between May 9 – 16, 2012.
The closing credits feature several bonus scenes.
This short is 12 minutes long.
These home media extras can be found on YouTube:
here’s a link to a video featuring all 4.
Rappin’ With Cap is a series of short public service announcements created (in universe) by the Department of Education and hosted by Captain America, aimed at American high school students. Four of the videos can be found as extras on the home release of “Spider-Man: Homecoming” (2017). They feature Cap in his “The Avengers” costume, meaning he recorded them around this time. This has since been confirmed by Marvel Studios’ The Marvel Cinematic Universe: An Official Timeline.
Rappin’ With Cap: Safety First
Rappin’ With Cap: Food For Thought
Rappin’ With Cap: Brain Power
Rappin’ With Cap: Your Changing Body
This film is viewable on Disney+ and can be viewed HERE.
The film’s story is told in flashback from the following year, as explained in the film’s credit scene. The film is mainly set in December 2012.
During the film, it is explicitly shown that the prologue’s events occur on December 31, 1999. During the main events of the film, it is the lead-up to Christmas – December – and it is said that Killian “invited Tony to join AIM 13 years ago”, making it December 2012. It is also stated that Maya Hansen has returned to Stark’s life “13 years later”, and Stark notes that he and Hansen would, if they had a child, have a “12-year-old” – the child would have been born c. September 2000, making it December 2012. Marvel Studios 101: All Your Questions Answered confirmed the events to be “2012”, with Marvel Studios: The First Ten Years: The Official Movie Special further supporting this.
However, as of the release of Marvel Studios’ The Marvel Cinematic Universe: An Official Timeline, the events have been explicitly dated to take place December 22-25, 2013 instead. However, given the number of issues this causes I’ve chosen to ignore that placement, therefore the film, by my reckoning, is told in flashback from early 2013 and the main events are set in late 2012. YMMV.
This short is viewable on Disney+ and can be found HERE.
A kind of epilogue to “Iron Man 3”, this short sets up later stories “Luke Cage”, “Shang-Chi & the Legend of the 10 Rings” & “Wonder Man”. Marvel Studios’ The Marvel Cinematic Universe: An Official Timeline places the events of Marvel One-Shot: All Hail the King in “early 2014”, before Steve Rogers trains with Sam Wilson on March 1, 2014. I have moved it up slightly as it plays better (for me) as an actual epilogue to “Iron Man 3” + it flows much better here when viewing other multiverse entries, specifically ABC’s “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” series.
The short is 14 minutes long.
Stick around for fun end credits / bonus scenes.
This film is viewable on Disney+ and can be found HERE.
After the film’s prologue which covers ancient history related to the film, the story continues where “The Avengers” left off in 2012 – before jumping forward a little over a year, to November of 2013, where the main events of the film take place.
Producer Craig Kyle stated that Thor had been fighting for over a year after “The Avengers” when “Thor: The Dark World” picked up. When Foster awaits Thor’s return, a 2013 calendar can be seen behind her. Along with the real time policy, this all fits as being set in November 2013. Plus, Selvig’s release papers state that he was arrested for streaking at Stonehenge on 11/11/13.
There are 2 credit scenes.
This film is viewable on Disney+ and can be found HERE.
Mainly set in 2014, the film picks up with Steve Rogers adjusting to life after the events of “Captain America: The First Avenger” & “The Avengers”.
There are 2 excellent credit scenes.
This behind the scenes documentary is viewable on Disney+ and can be found HERE.
This is something different that you might try.
The documentary explains how they built the Marvel Cinematic Universe (covering everything released before this point – including the shorts) and promotes several projects including “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” (a multiverse series), “Captain America: The Winter Soldier”, “Guardians of the Galaxy”, “Avengers: Age of Ultron” & “Ant-Man”. The doc was released BEFORE all of those films but the Winter Soldier segment features something that might be interpreted as a spoiler, so I’d recommend watching it here instead.
This film is viewable on Disney+ and can be found HERE.
The film opens with a flashback to 1988 before jumping ahead to present day 2014.
There is a post-credit scene.
These 10 shorts are available on Disney+ and can be viewed HERE.
A series of 10 shorts (between 4 & 6 minutes long) following the adventures of Baby Groot. Some of the adventures are set here, while some are likely set during a time jump during the end credits of “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2” – making this the best place to view the entire series.
I Am Groot S01E01
Groot’s First Steps (6 minutes)
I Am Groot S01E02
The Little Guy (6 minutes)
I Am Groot S01E03
Groot’s Pursuit (6 minutes)
I Am Groot S01E04
Groot Takes a Bath (6 minutes)
I Am Groot S01E05
Magnum Opus* (6 minutes)
I Am Groot S02E01
Are You My Groot? (5 minutes)
I Am Groot S02E02
Groot Noses Around (4 minutes)
I Am Groot S02E03
Groot’s Snow Day* (5 minutes)
I Am Groot S02E04
Groot’s Sweet Treat (5 minutes)
I Am Groot S02E05
Groot and the Great Prophecy (6 minutes)
This film is viewable on Disney+ and can be found HERE.
Set in 2014, about 3 months after the first film.
There are several credit scenes and the credits themselves have Easter Eggs for future projects.
This film is viewable on Disney+ and can be found HERE.
Set in 2015. There is a mid-credit scene.
This film is viewable on Disney+ and can be found HERE.
Set in 2015, after the events of “Avengers: Age of Ultron”. There are 2 credit scenes.
This film is viewable on Disney+ and can be found HERE.
Doctor Stephen Strange was previously mentioned in “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” as a target of Hydra.
The film unfolds over a longer period of time than most Marvel films. Stephen Strange’s accident near the beginning of the film has been confirmed as happening on February 2, 2016 (per Strange’s watch, seen in the film, and also per the Official Marvel Timeline).
Also, there’s an early reference in the film which is often mistakenly assumed to be a reaction to events in “Captain America: Civil War” – but placing the movie here prevents that.
From a multiversal standpoint, I also like that placing this story here would introduce the M.C.U. version of Strange before his multiversal counterpart is featured in “Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man”.
There are 2 credit scenes.
This film is viewable on Disney+ and can be found HERE.
The main story of the film is set between May 3 & July 10, 2016 (with the final scene set weeks after that main story as revealed in a later film). The post-credits scene is set on June 26, 2016, while the mid-credit scene is set months later.
This film is viewable on Disney+ and can be viewed HERE.
The prologue is set in 1995 with the main events of the film taking place between June 25 & June 28, 2016. The final scene jumps ahead several weeks to July 10, 2016 – but is set before the final scene in “Captain America: Civil War” (set on the same day), revealing a previously unknown time jump during that film.
The post-credit scene is set more than 8 years later, in December of 2024.
This film is viewable on Disney+ and can be found HERE.
The film’s prologue is set in 1992. The main events of the movie are set between June 29 & July 20, 2016, beginning 1 week after the death of King T’Chaka during the events of “Captain America: Civil War”.
The mid-credit scene is set on July 9, 2016. The post-credit scene is set in 2018.
Although the reference that Shuri makes to fixing another white boy seems to reference a credit scene from “Captain America: Civil War”, the new scene takes place before that credit scene. It is likely still a reference to Bucky Barnes as his data is given to Shuri in advance of his journey to Wakanda, as seen in the Infinity War Prelude comics.
This film is viewable on Disney+ and can be found HERE.
The film is mainly set in fall of 2016. The film mistakenly states that this is 8 years after “The Avengers”, but it is actually only 4 years later.
This film is viewable on Disney+ and can be found HERE.
The film and its post-credit scene are set in 2017. The mid-credit scene is set in 2018.
This film is viewable on Disney+ and can be found HERE.
The film is set during 2018. There are 2 credit scenes.
This film is viewable on Disney+ and can be found HERE.
“Avengers: Infinity War” begins in 2018. There is a single credit scene.
This film is viewable on Disney+ and can be found HERE.
“Avengers: Endgame” currently has no credit scenes, but the film is due to be re-released in theaters on September 25, 2026 and is rumored to feature a new credit scene that will help set up “Avengers: Doomsday”.
These 2 Avengers films essentially play as a kind of finale to all that has come before on Earth-616 and many characters return.