MCU Timeline Explained: Every Title on the In-Universe Timeline
The Marvel Cinematic Universe spans from World War II to the far edges of the multiverse. Here is every MCU movie and Disney+ show placed on the in-universe timeline, era by era, following Marvel’s official order.
Ancient Wakanda to World War II
| Title | Type | Setting | Released |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eyes of Wakanda: Season 1 | Series | Ancient Wakanda onward | 2025 |
| Captain America: The First Avenger | Movie | Set during World War II (1942–45) | 2011 |
| Marvel One-Shot: Agent Carter | Special | Just after World War II | 2013 |
The 1990s
| Title | Type | Setting | Released |
|---|---|---|---|
| Captain Marvel | Movie | Set in 1995 | 2019 |
The 2010s: The Avengers Assemble
| Title | Type | Setting | Released |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iron Man | Movie | Present day (2010) | 2008 |
| Iron Man 2 | Movie | Set shortly after Iron Man | 2010 |
| The Incredible Hulk | Movie | Overlaps with Iron Man 2 | 2008 |
| Marvel One-Shot: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Thor's Hammer | Special | Not tied to a year | 2011 |
| Thor | Movie | Present day | 2011 |
| Marvel One-Shot: The Consultant | Special | Not tied to a year | 2011 |
| Marvel's The Avengers | Movie | Present day | 2012 |
| Marvel One-Shot: Item 47 | Special | Not tied to a year | 2012 |
| Thor: The Dark World | Movie | Set after The Avengers | 2013 |
| Iron Man 3 | Movie | Set after The Avengers | 2013 |
| Marvel One-Shot: All Hail the King | Special | Not tied to a year | 2014 |
| Captain America: The Winter Soldier | Movie | Present day | 2014 |
| Guardians of the Galaxy | Movie | Cosmic, present day | 2014 |
| Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 | Movie | Set shortly after Vol. 1 | 2017 |
| I Am Groot: Season 1 | Series | Not tied to a year | 2022 |
| I Am Groot: Season 2 | Series | Not tied to a year | 2023 |
| Avengers: Age of Ultron | Movie | Present day | 2015 |
| WHIH Newsfront: Season 1 | Series | Not tied to a year | 2015 |
| Ant-Man | Movie | Present day | 2015 |
| Captain America: Civil War | Movie | Present day | 2016 |
| Black Widow | Movie | Set between Civil War and Infinity War (2016) | 2021 |
| Black Panther | Movie | Set after Civil War | 2018 |
| Spider-Man: Homecoming | Movie | Set after Civil War | 2017 |
| WHIH Newsfront: Season 2 | Series | Not tied to a year | 2016 |
| Marvel One-Shot: Team Thor | Special | During Captain America: Civil War | 2016 |
| Doctor Strange | Movie | Present day | 2016 |
| Marvel One-Shot: Team Thor, Part 2 | Special | During Captain America: Civil War | 2017 |
| Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: Slingshot | Series | Not tied to a year | 2016 |
| Marvel One-Shot: Team Darryl | Special | After Thor: Ragnarok | 2018 |
| Thor: Ragnarok | Movie | Set before Infinity War | 2017 |
| Ant-Man and the Wasp | Movie | Set before Infinity War’s ending | 2018 |
| Avengers: Infinity War | Movie | Present day | 2018 |
| Avengers: Endgame | Movie | Spans 5 years after the Snap | 2019 |
After Endgame: The Multiverse Era
| Title | Type | Setting | Released |
|---|---|---|---|
| Loki: Season 1 | Series | Outside time (TVA) | 2021 |
| What If...?: Season 1 | Series | Alternate universe | 2021 |
| Marvel Zombies: Season 1 | Series | Alternate universe | 2025 |
| WandaVision: Season 1 | Series | Set weeks after Endgame | 2021 |
| Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings | Movie | Present day (2024) | 2021 |
| The Falcon and the Winter Soldier: Season 1 | Series | Six months after Endgame | 2021 |
| Spider-Man: Far From Home | Movie | Set after Endgame | 2019 |
| Peter's To-Do List | Special | Just after Far From Home | 2019 |
| The Daily Bugle: Season 1 | Series | Present day, after Endgame | 2019 |
| Eternals | Movie | Spans 7,000 years; main story in present day (2024) | 2021 |
| Spider-Man: No Way Home | Movie | Set after Far From Home | 2021 |
| The Daily Bugle: Season 2 | Series | Present day, after Endgame | 2021 |
| Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness | Movie | Present day (2025) | 2022 |
| Hawkeye: Season 1 | Series | Christmas, after Endgame | 2021 |
| Moon Knight: Season 1 | Series | Present day, after Endgame | 2022 |
| Black Panther: Wakanda Forever | Movie | Present day (2025) | 2022 |
| Echo: Season 1 | Series | Present day, after Endgame | 2024 |
| She-Hulk: Attorney at Law: Season 1 | Series | Present day, after Endgame | 2022 |
| Ms. Marvel: Season 1 | Series | Present day, after Endgame | 2022 |
| Thor: Love and Thunder | Movie | Present day (2025) | 2022 |
| Ironheart: Season 1 | Series | Present day, after Endgame | 2025 |
| Werewolf by Night | Special | Present day, after Endgame | 2022 |
| The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special | Special | Christmas, before Vol. 3 | 2022 |
| Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania | Movie | Present day (2026) | 2023 |
| Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 | Movie | Present day | 2023 |
| Secret Invasion: Season 1 | Series | Present day, after Endgame | 2023 |
| The Marvels | Movie | Present day (2026) | 2023 |
| Loki: Season 2 | Series | Outside time, at the TVA | 2023 |
| What If...?: Season 2 | Series | Alternate universe | 2023 |
| Deadpool & Wolverine | Movie | Multiverse / TVA | 2024 |
| Agatha All Along: Season 1 | Series | Present day, after Endgame | 2024 |
| What If...?: Season 3 | Series | Alternate universe | 2024 |
| Daredevil: Born Again: Season 1 | Series | Present day, after Endgame | 2025 |
| Captain America: Brave New World | Movie | Present day (2027) | 2025 |
| Thunderbolts* | Movie | Present day (2027) | 2025 |
| The Fantastic Four: First Steps | Movie | Set in the 1960s on Earth-828 (alternate universe) | 2025 |
| Wonder Man: Season 1 | Series | Present day, after Endgame | 2026 |
| Daredevil: Born Again: Season 2 | Series | Present day, after Endgame | 2026 |
| The Punisher: One Last Kill | Special | Present day, after Endgame | 2026 |
| Spider-Man: Brand New Day | Movie | Set in 2028, four years after No Way Home | 2026 |
| VisionQuest: Season 1 | Series | Present day, after Endgame | 2026 |
| X-Men '97: Season 1 | Series | Alternate universe | 2024 |
| X-Men '97: Season 2 | Series | Alternate universe | 2026 |
| Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man: Season 1 | Series | Alternate universe | 2025 |
How the MCU timeline works
Up to Infinity War, most MCU stories happen in roughly the year they were released. Endgame’s five-year jump then pushed the MCU’s present a few years ahead of ours, which is why recent films like Thunderbolts* are set in 2027. The other exceptions are the period pieces (Captain America: The First Avenger in WWII, Captain Marvel in 1995) and Loki, which takes place outside of time at the TVA.
Since Loki Season 1, the timeline has branches: variants, alternate universes, and incursions. Our chronological order follows the main "Sacred Timeline" through Endgame, then tracks the branching multiverse stories (What If...?, No Way Home, Deadpool & Wolverine) in the order their events unfold. For the full rules, see the multiverse explained. To see how these eras line up with Marvel’s own groupings, browse the three MCU sagas.
MCU timeline FAQ
What year is it in the MCU right now?
A little ahead of the real world. Endgame’s five-year jump moved the MCU’s present to 2023, and Captain America: Brave New World and Thunderbolts* are set in 2027. Avengers: Doomsday picks up about 14 months after Thunderbolts*.
What is the first MCU movie in timeline order?
Captain America: The First Avenger (set in WWII), followed by Captain Marvel (1995), then Iron Man (2010 in-universe).
How long does the MCU timeline span?
The main story runs from the 1940s to the late 2020s, more than 80 years of in-universe history. Eyes of Wakanda reaches back even further, and there are time-travel excursions to points like 2012 (Endgame) and the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair (Loki Season 2).
Is the Disney+ timeline order the same as this?
Essentially yes. Disney+ lists the MCU in story-chronological order. See our comparison of the Disney+ timeline vs our chronological order.
Where do the multiverse stories fit?
Stories like Loki, What If...?, and Deadpool & Wolverine happen across branching timelines rather than the main one; we place them where their events begin. Our multiverse explainer covers the rules.
Prefer the full interactive list? See the MCU chronological order or compare with release order.