The Marvel Cinematic Universe, better known as MCU, is one of the most successful and popular film franchises in the history of cinema. Since the launch of “Iron Man” in 2008, MCU has built an interconnected world of superheroes, villains and epic stories that captured the imagination of millions of fans around the globe. If you have ever wondered how all these movies fit or what are the best to get started, this guide is for you!
The Beginning of All: Phase 1
Stage 1 of the MCU kicked in 2008, establishing the main characters that would form the Avengers.
- Iron Man (2008) – MCU's first film introduced Tony Stark, brilliantly played by Robert Downey Jr., who became the heart of the Marvel universe. With a combination of action, humor, and technology, “Iron Man” was a thunderous success, ensuring the future of MCU.
- The Amazing Hulk. (2008) – Although often forgotten, the film starring Edward Norton as Bruce Banner/Hulk is part of the MCU and brought a darker and more intense view of the character.
- Iron Man 2 (2010) – This film continued Tony Stark's journey, introducing the character Combat Machine and further developing the Marvel universe.
- Thor (2011) – “Thor” presented the god of thunder and the kingdom of Asgard, expanding the MCU beyond the Earth. Chris Hemsworth brought charisma to the role, while Loki, played by Tom Hiddleston, quickly became one of the fan favorite villains.
- Captain. America: The First Avenger (2011) – This film led us back to World War II, where we met Steve Rogers, the hero who would become Captain America. It was the beginning of the connection between the MCU films and the idea of a superhero team.
- The Avengers (2012) – The climax of Phase 1 brought together all these heroes in a single film, a feat never before seen in Hollywood. “The Avengers” was a cultural milestone, showing the potential of a shared universe of superheroes.
Phase 2: Expansion and Deepening
After the success of “The Avengers,” Marvel continued to expand its universe with new more complex characters and stories.
- Iron Man 3 (2013) – After the traumatic events of “The Avengers”, Tony Stark faces his own demons and a new dangerous enemy, the Mandarin.
- Thor: The Dark World (2013) – Thor returns to face Malekith and the Black Elves, in a story that blends fantasy and science fiction, while deepening his relationship with Loki.
- Captain America: The Invernal Soldier (2014) – Considered one of the best MCU films, this political thriller brought back Bucky Barnes as the Invernal Soldier and forever changed the S.H.I.E.L. panorama.
- Guardians of the Galaxy (2014) – Introducing a completely new group of heroes, this film brought a lighter and more fun vibe to the MCU, with a lot of action, humor and a soundtrack of the 70s and 80s that became iconic.
- Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015) – The sequel to “The Avengers” showed the team facing a new enemy, Ultron, an artificial intelligence created by Tony Stark. The film also featured the twins Wanda and Pietro Maximoff, as well as Vision.
- Ant-Man (2015) – This film brought a smaller but equally fun approach to the MCU, introducing Scott Lang as the Ant-Man, a hero with the ability to shrink and grow in size.
Phase 3: Conflicts, Consequences and Epic Climax
Phase 3 is the largest and most ambitious, with films that explore the consequences of previous events and prepare the ground for the climax of the MCU.
- Captain America: Civil War (2016) – One of the most important films of the MCU, “Civil War” put hero against hero, with Captain America and Iron Man leading opposite sides in a conflict over superhero regulation.
- Doctor Strange (2016) – This film introduced magic in the MCU, with Benedict Cumberbatch playing the arrogant surgeon who becomes the Supreme Wizard after an accident that prevents him from continuing his medical career.
- Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017) – Continuing the Guardians' adventures, this film explored Peter Quill's relationship with his heavenly father, Ego.
- Spider-Man: Back to Home (2017) – After his debut in “Civil War”, Tom Holland as Spider-Man won his first solo film in the MCU, with a younger and fun approach to the character.
- Thor: Ragnarok (2017) – This film revived Thor, bringing more mood and style, with the God of Thunder facing Hela, the goddess of death, on a cosmic adventure.
- Black Panther (2018) – A cultural milestone, “Pantera Negra” presented the kingdom of Wakanda and his king, T’Challa, addressing topics such as identity, inheritance and power in an impactful way.
- Avengers: Infinite War (2018) – The beginning of the end, “Infinite War” brought together all the heroes of the MCU to face Thanos, a determined villain to gather the Jewels of the Infinite and decimate half of the universe.
- Ant-Man and Vespa (2018) – Set after “Infinite War”, this film brought a lighter adventure, exploring the Quantum Kingdom and introducing Vespa as a partner of Scott Lang.
- Captain Marvel (2019) – Opened in the 1990s, this film presented Carol Danvers, one of the most powerful heroes of the MCU, and gave more context about the Kree-Skrull war.
- Avengers: Ultimato (2019) – The climax of 10 years of narratives, “Ultimato” concluded the Infinite Saga with an epic battle against Thanos and brought exciting outcomes to many of the main heroes.
- Spider-Man: Long House (2019) – The film that ended Phase 3 showed Peter Parker dealing with Tony Stark's legacy while facing a new enemy, Mysterio.
Phase 4 and Beyond: The Future of the MCU
After the events of “Ultimato”, the MCU continued to expand and explore new horizons with Phase 4.
- Black widow (2021) – Finally giving Natasha Romanoff his own solo film, “Black widow” explores the past of the character before the events of “Civil War”.
- Shang-Chi and Legend of the Ten Rings (2021) – This film introduced Shang-Chi to the MCU, with much action and a new mythology around the Ten Rings.
- Eternal (2021) – A group of immortal beings who lived secretly on Earth for millennia was introduced, expanding the history of MCU to past ages.
- Spider-Man: Homeless (2021) – This film brought a convergence of universes, with ancient villains and heroes of the multiverse joining Peter Parker's journey.
- Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022) – Continuing the exploration of the multiverse, this film dived into alternate realities and brought back Wanda Maximoff as the Scarlet Wizard.
- Thor: Love and Thunder (2022) – Thor returns to a new adventure, dealing with personal losses and facing Gorr, the Butcher of the Gods.
- Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022) – The “Black Diamond” sequence honors T’Challa’s legacy, while presenting new challenges for Wakanda.
In the end...
Marvel continues to expand its cinematic universe, with new stories, characters and adventures that keep fans eager for what is to come. With each film interconnected in amazing ways, the MCU proves to be a unique and cinematic experience
