In 2008, the world was introduced to theMarvel Cinematic Universethrough the very firstIron Manfilm, helmed byRobert Downey Jr.and directed by the now Marvel-mainstayJon Favreau.Before then, Marvel and other comic book franchises had tried their hands at superhero movies, resulting in minor to moderate success; but this was in the age before superhero movies were considered mainstream, and while the movies drew star power (George Clooneyas Batman, anyone?) they were often gimmicky and low-budget.
The MCU introduced a fresh and more modern take on superhero movies, with sleek costumes, high stakes, and cameos from the late and beloved Marvel legendStan Lee.And with it came an audience eager for more. Now, the MCU is one of the highest-grossing franchises of all time, earning billions of dollars worldwide, spanning movies and television, and inspiring countless fans.
Now, we’re a long way from that first view of Tony Stark, and as we are about to kick off into Phase 5 with the release ofAnt-Man and the Wasp: Quantumaniaaround the corner, you may be at a loss for how to catch up with Phase 4 in the right order. But fear not! We have compiled the definitive guide to watching Phase 4 of the MCU both chronologically and in order of release.
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Phase 4 of the MCU in Order of Release Dates
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Phase 4 of the MCU in Chronological Order
Loki Season 1
Lokiis maybe the hardest show to pin down in terms of the timeline, but considering we’re in the Multiverse Saga, it’s par for the course. The show technically begins all the way back in 2012, shortly after the Battle of New York, with Loki himself waiting to be taken back to Asgard. However, after all the time-traveling shenanigans ofAvengers: Endgame,Loki manages to pick up the Tesseract and escape into a place where time (and chronology) really has no meaning.
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I Am Groot
I Am Grootis a series of shorts released on Disney+, featuring the Guardians' Groot. No exact timeline is specified, but judging by Groot’s adorably small stature, we can assume this takes place somewhere betweenGuardians of the Galaxyvolumes1and2, giving it the second top spot in our chronology.
Black Widow
Black Widowtakes the next spot, clocking in around 2016 in terms of in-universe events. Set just afterCaptain America: Civil War, we see Natasha without her usual allies, suggesting the split from the others is still fresh, but not so fresh that a certain snap has taken place.
What If…? Season 1
WhileWhat If…?doesn’t have a specific timeline, the series of animated alternate universe hypotheticals does need a certain amount of MCU know-how. But, since none of the episodes contain spoilers or need any heavy-duty knowledge from future movies, it fits nicely betweenBlack WidowandWandaVision.
WandaVision
WandaVisionwas the first of the Marvel shows to air on Disney+, and is the first proper Phase 4 story, set directly after the events ofEndgame,so somewhere around the year 2023. While the show is not set to air a second season, there is anAgatha Harkness spinoff in the worksto look forward to near the end of next year.
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier
The Falcon and the Winter Solideris another Disney+ show, again set in 2023. However, the events ofThe Falcon and the Winter Soldierare clearly set afterEndgame,with the American government eagerly showing off theirnew Captain America, John Walker.In fact,FATWSis set betweenWandaVisionandSpider-Man: Far From Home, giving about eight months of leeway fromEndgame.
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Ringsfits officially into the MCU timeline somewhere in 2023, once again following the events ofEndgame.The movie also features quite a few flashbacks to 1996 and a prologue that takes us centuries into the past, but since the main events take place post-Endgame,it makes the most sense to watch it afterFATWS.
She-Hulk: Attorney at Law
She-Hulk: Attorney at Lawis another one that is pretty difficult to pin down in terms of timelines. With no major events to act as landmarks, the only clue we have is that it takes place in the summer after the events ofEndgame. This means we can place it broadly around summer 2024, somewhere betweenShang-ChiandEternals.
Eternalsheralded the much-anticipated introduction of the title characters into the MCU, a group of immortal and mostly benevolent god-like aliens. Once again,Eternalshas no clear point in the MCU timeline, and the movie follows the main cast throughmillennia on earth. But, since the main events of the film come a little after those ofShang-Chi,we can safely set the movie somewhere in 2023.
Thor: Love and Thunder
Thor: Love and Thunderis another one that takes a bit of mental math to figure out its place in the MCU. It’s certainly set in a post-blip, post-Endgameworld, though when exactly it is set is hard to say, likely somewhere between 2023 and 2024.
Spider-Man: No Way Home
This is where timelines start to go bang, and Marvel starts to put the “Multiverse"into Multiverse Saga. Spider-Man: No Way Homeis set in the winter of 2024 and even thoughLokidoesn’t technically have a place on the timeline, since that’s where the multiverse is created it makes sense to watch the movie after catching up on the series.
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Hawkeyetechnically takes place around the same time asNo Way Home,during the holiday season of 2024, and introducesHawkeye fangirl Kate Bishopto the MCU. However, there is no crossover between the Disney+ show and theSpider-Manflick, so it doesn’t really matter which order you watch these two in.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madnesspicks up where the end-credits ofWandaVisionleft off, with Wanda dealing with her post-Westview life. It also introducesYoung Avenger America Chavezto the MCU. Officially, the movie is set shortly after the events ofNo Way Home,landing around springtime in 2025.
Moon Knight
Moon Knightis another much-loved Disney+ show introducing another fan-favorite to the MCU in the form of Marc Spector. SinceMoon Knightfalls directly afterHawkeye,but with fewer festivities, we can assume it takes place around either the same time asMultiverse of Madnessor slightly later.
Ms. Marvel
Ms. Marveltakes place somewhere in 2025 and follows Kamala Khan as she navigates post-blip life as a teenager and superhero.
Werewolf by Night
Werewolf by Nightis the first ofMarvel’s Disney+ specials, and can honestly fit anywhere in the timeline. However, since it was released afterMs. MarvelandShe-Hulk: Attorney at Law, you might want to watch it around that time. Some have also theorized that the special haslinks to the upcomingBlademovie.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Black Panther: Wakanda Foreveris the closing movie of Marvel’s Phase 4, and the emotional sequel packs the required punch. With events spanning from 2024 to late 2025, be sure to watch this one second-to-last in your chronological rewatch.
Guardians of the Galaxy: Holiday Special
According to atweet from directorJames Gunn, the hilarious holiday special and the last installment of Phase 4 is set betweenThor: Love and Thunderand the yet-to-be-releasedGuardians of the Galaxy: Volume 3.Because of this, you can safely set this special at the end of your rewatch as a palette-cleansing epilogue and get ready for Phase 5 to begin.
