My approach on MCU Watch Order

Hello gang!

Do you know what I've realized? That there are way too many arguments going on about what's canon or not canon to the MCU, especially at this platform (yeah ikr, how genius of me...).

It might have been confusing and convoluding for some, therefore I'll explain my thoughts about this subject and share my current chronological watching order (for a marathon or something like that) at the end for the newcomers, the confused ones and the ones who still care about the MCU (since there are too many people who gave up on MCU, for valid reasons).

This will be a long one, so let's get started.

So currently, we can breakdown the current canon of MCU into 2 main groups:

1) Main canon 2) Canon-adjacent

Let's break them down now.

MAIN CANON:

"What is main canon?": Basically everything made by Marvel Studios so far. Or we can rephrase that and say everything that is being involved in the Disney+'s MCU chronological order.

Yeah yeah I know. The Disney+'s order has its FAIR SHARE OF ERRRORS, like the placement order itself (I'll get into that later). And also I know that if something isn't in that timeline, it doesn't mean that thing is not canon to the MCU.

It might be confusing yes, but to simplify, it means that everything in that order is already undisputedly canon to the MCU and Disney (the owner and distributor overlord of the franchise) does acknowledge it so (I mean literally everyone knows that, there wasn't any reason of me to explain it).

"So what does this timeline order consist of?":

Simple. All the movies, Disney+ shows, One-Shots (short films) and Special Presentations (the new type).

• Movies: Every movie from Phase 1's Iron Man to Phase 4's Thor: Love and Thunder (currently the latest movie in the order) and other upcoming movies after that.

• Shows: Every show from Phase 4's WandaVision to same phase's She-Hulk: Attorney at Law and other upcoming Disney+ series after that.

• One-Shots: From A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Thor's Hammer to All Hail the King.

Team Darryl shorts are confirmed to be not MCU canon.

• Special Presentation: Werewolf by Night and other upcoming ones.

Basically the long story short, from now on, this list of media will be our main navigator for later.

CANON-ADJACENT:

I'm going to address this by dividing this category into 2 groups:

• Canon via multiverse
• Marvel Television

Canon via Multiverse:

Currently we're in the multiverse saga, which means everything that Marvel made can be (and technically is) somewhat canon via multiverse (at least for some people).

However, to add stuff to my final list, we need more double-sided connective tissue. Therefore for my next analysis, I'll use an approach that I'd like to name "Approach via character".

Which means, if a character who's introduced in a non-MCU movie shows up in an MCU movie/show made by Marvel Studios, and that character is the exact same version (not a variant), then the history of that character (hence the continuity of the movies would be acknowledged and we'd have ourselves a "2-way canon" in our hands.

Let's now see which non-MCU characters have appeared (or confirmed to appear) in Marvel Studios projects:

• Peter Parker/Spider-Man from Sam Raimi's Spider-Man Trilogy
• Peter Parker/Spider-Man from The Amazing Spider-Man series -Norman Osborn/Green Goblin from Sam Raimi's Spider-Man Trilogy
• Otto Octavius/Dr. Octopus from Sam Raimi's Spider-Man Trilogy
• Flint Marko/Sandman from Sam Raimi's Spider-Man Trilogy
• Curt Connors/Lizard from The Amazing Spider-Man series
• Max Dillon/Electro from The Amazing Spider-Man series
• Eddie Brock/Venom from Sony's Spider-Man Universe
• Wade Wilson/Deadpool from Fox's X-Men Universe (will appear in 2024's Deadpool 3)
• James "Logan" Howlett/Wolverine from Fox's X-Men Universe (also will appear in 2024s Deadpool 3, even though it's not confirmed that he will be the exact version, he still might be a variant).

Therefore, the movies that should be added to MCU Watch Order goes like this:

• Sam Raimi's Spider-Man Trilogy
• The Amazing Spider-Man series
• Venom & Venom: Let There Be Carnage
• Deadpool & Deadpool 2 (as of 2024)

Like I said, we don't know if Wolverine will be the exact same version of his series or a variant yet. If he ends up being a variant, then there's no need to add other X-Men movies.

However if he ends up being the exact same version, then we add every movie that he has appeared (NOT UNTIL 2024 THOUGH), which consists of:

• The Original X-Men trilogy (X-Men, X2 and The Last Stand)
• X-Men Origins: Wolverine
• X-Men: First Class (even though that's optional, because he's in it for like, ten seconds)
• The Wolverine
• X-Men: Days of Future Past
• X-Men: Apocalypse (optional, same reasons as First Class)
• Logan (though it's a bit complicated, it's actually confirmed to take place in a different timeline than other movies, so it makes him a variant, but it also serves as a really good stand alone sequel and an amazing closure to the character, so it works either way, entirely optional)

Logan or Deadpool don't appear at Dark Phoenix and The New Mutants, so there's no reason to add these movies.

Also even though Morbius takes place in the same universe as the Venom movies, Michael Morbius or any other character from the movie never appeares in the MCU, therefore no need to add that either. However, MCU's Adrian Toomes/Vulture shows up at the post credits scenes, so we can just add these specific scenes to the order.

Also also, because of Venom's post-credit scene, we know that Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse takes place in an alternate universe somewhat parallel to Sony's Spider-Man Universe, but that movie doesn't have any connections with the MCU yet, so we won't add it either.

We know that these characters appear as the exact same versions of their respective movies, but we also have seen 2 variant appearences from other franchises to the MCU so far. These are:

• J.K. Simmons's J. Jonah Jameson
• Patrick Stewart's Charles Xavier/Professor X

(Also there's the fact that Lou Ferrigno voiced Hulk in 2008's The Incredible Hulk, just wanted to point that out).

But we know that they aren't the same versions from their respective franchises, so it doesn't mean anything.

MCU Television:

OK so we have reached the most complex part. These ones supposedly take place in the same continuity as the Marvel Studios' projects, but their events have never been mentioned by any of Studios' movies or shows, which means a "1-way canon" situation (which was until vaguely recently).

Let's have a more positive and friendly approach to this and say "they are canon until they are officially contradicted by Kevin Feige or any of upcoming Marvel Studios' projects.

Also we should mention the fact that since Avengers: Endgame, various characters from various Marvel Television shows have appeared in Marvel Studios movies or shows, thus making it closer to a 2-way canon situation (for now I guess, it's still not %100 since some people think that they might end up variants after all, but let's take into consideration that they aren't). These characters are (for now):

• Edwin Jarvis from Agent Carter
• Matt Murdock/Daredevil from Netflix's Daredevil
• Wilson Fisk/Kingpin from Netflix's Daredevil

Now let's tackle each show.

• Agent Carter: Even though this show doesn't mesh well together with the One-Shot imo (though I haven't seen the show for a while now), there are solid evidences tat this show is actually canon, such as Kevin Feige being the executive producer and the screenwriters of Endgame being writers of the show as well. Also recently, that autorised book about MCU which I don't remember the name of also recognized the show as canon (which also states that this is the first MCU canon show featuring a character, referring to Peggy Carter, originated from an MCU movie, thus disacknowledging Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., we'll get that in a minute).

Aside the fact that this is a continuation of Peggy Carter's story, its canon status is more convincing because of Edwin Jarvis' appereance in Endgame (sort of 2-way canon situation). Therefore, we're adding it to the list.

• Daredevil and The Defenders: I'm taking these 2 shows as a whole, because the arguments for both are same.

I honestly don't know what to add since She-Hulk episode 8 dropped. Everyone has talked about it. So I started re-binging Daredevil series recently and I gotta say this, I don't think Matt we saw in She-Hulk doesn't feel that different from the one in the Netflix show, tonally and all (well Fisk in Hawkeye on the other hand...), and things that were explained about him (being Daredevil for a while now, doing Pro Bono law work at Hell's Kitchen as a "we", etc.) do hold up as a continuation for now.

Also even though the addition of the show's theme song doesn't clear a lot, that article posted by Marvel.com is headscratching.

There are also multiple explanations given by Charlie Cox that contradicts each other, however all we can understand from these is that he doesn't know a lot about the future either.

All the situation will be more cleared when the shows Echo and Daredevil: Born Again come out (in 2023 and 2024 respectively). But even though the Netflix series isn't required viewing to understand Born Again, I'll still add it to the watch list for now.

And since Matt also appears in The Defenders, that show is also on the list.

Other Netflix shows (Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, Iron Fist and The Punisher): This is similar to the Morbius situation actually.

These shows are heavily connected to Daredevil and The Defenders shows, obviously. However, since anyone else in these shows (Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, Danny Rand/Iron Fist, Frank Castle/The Punisher, etc.) are yet to appear in Marvel Studios' projects, the inclusion of these shows to the list are entirely optional. Though it is certain imo, that a lot of characters from Netflix series will show up at some point.

I'm not saying that they are not canon, but I'd consider it like this, these shows aren't unlocked yet to the main MCU story, but Daredevil and The Defenders are.

Inhumans: A variant of Black Bolt has appeared in Multiverse of Madness, with the same actor and all, but since he's a variant, it doesn't really add much. Not required.

Runaways and Cloak & Dagger: No one from these shows have appeared yet, therefore these shows aren't really required yet. There are rumors about Nico Minoru showing up at Spider-Man: Freshman Year, but it's a show that won't be canon.

Helstrom isn't canon.

And finally, probably the most confusing one,

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: At some point, this show had a really important, though very one-sided, relationship with the MCU movies. The series filled in the blanks between movies and set them up rather nicely, however movies never (or veeeeery subtly) acknowledged the existence of series events. But still, there wasn't any point of questioning its canonical status in the MCU. Then, the show got longer and became detached from movies.

This show also serves as a continuation to Phil Coulson's story, and there are multiple characters from movies that appeared in the show (Nick Fury, Maria Hill, etc.), but it's still sort of 1-way canon actually. I think this is the one show that might be retconned into taking place in an alternate universe.

Any of the series' events, even the resurrection of Coulson, technically has no significance in the grand scheme. If you don't take account the series, then Coulson is dead in The Avengers and the team in the end has, well, avenged him. But if you do, then you'll have adventures with Coulson and his gang for seven seasons. Both of these scenarios have the same amount of impact to the MCU.

There aren't really much plotholes between the series and the mainstream MCU (I mean they cleared the Darkhold plothole, I really respect that), but there are still 2 things that gets in my way to really add it to my list:

• Dismissal of the Inhumans existance by making Kamala Khan a mutant instead of an inhuman (I'm not against it though)
• Not addressing the resurrection of Coulson (like in Loki, Mobius revisited the event of Loki "killing" Coulson, but not revealed that Coulson didn't remain dead, even though he could've. I mean TVA probably knows that.. anyway, you get my point).

To me, an appearence of Phil Coulson or Daisy Johnson/Quake (there are rumors you know) in the future won't really change this situation either, simply because:

• In Coulson's case, everyone comes back from the dead in the MCU. I'd just view it as the continuation of his story from The Avengers movie.
• In Daisy's case, I think it's highly likely that Marvel Studios would change her backstory as a mutant, just like they did with Kamala Khan (so a variant).

But an appeareance made by someone like Melinda May, a character which was introduced by the series, would be harder to brush it as a variant to me, simply because it wouldn't make any sense to simply put forward a variant of someone like Melinda May (I mean Daisy was also introduced in this series, but it would actually make sense to change her backstory).

Also remember that I previously talked about a book which disowned this show as MCU canon, so there's that disadvantage compared to other shows like Agent Carter.

I don't think that this show is not canon though, but it is really up in the air. Viewing this is very optional and it honestly works as a what if scenario as well too (like what if Phil Coulson was resurrectrd). Anyway, you do you.

Finally, here is my chronological watch order:

WATCH ORDER (FOR NOW):

• Captain America: The First Avenger
• Agent Carter (seasons 1-2) (Canon until contradicted otherwise)
• Marvel One-Shot: Agent Carter
• Captain Marvel (watch mid-credits scene after Infinity War)
• Iron Man
• Iron Man 2
• Marvel One-Shot: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Thor's Hammer
• Thor
• The Incredible Hulk
• Marvel One-Shot: The Consultant
• The Avengers
• Marvel One-Shot: Item 47
• Iron Man 3
• Thor: The Dark World
• Marvel One-Shot: All Hail the King
• Captain America: The Winter Soldier
• Guardians of the Galaxy
• I Am Groot (episode 1)
• Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
• I Am Groot (other episodes)
• Daredevil (season 1) (Canon until contradicted otherwise)
• Avengers: Age of Ultron
• Ant-Man
• Daredevil (season 2) (Canon until contradicted otherwise)
• The Defenders (Canon until contradicted otherwise)
• Captain America: Civil War
• Black Widow
• Black Panther
• Spider-Man: Homecoming
• Doctor Strange
• Daredevil (season 3) (Canon until contradicted otherwise)
• Thor: Ragnarok
• Ant-Man and the Wasp (watch post-credits scenes after Infinity War)
• Avengers: Infinity War
• Avengers: Endgame
• Loki
• What If...?
• Spider-Man (Canon via multiverse)
• Spider-Man 2 (Canon via multiverse)
• Spider-Man 3 (Canon via multiverse)
• The Amazing Spider-Man (Canon via multiverse)
• The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (Canon via multiverse)
• Deadpool (Canon via multiverse, not an official part until 2024)
• Deadpool 2 (Canon via multiverse, not an official part until 2024)
• Venom (Canon via multiverse)
• Venom: Let There Be Carnage (Canon via multiverse; watch mid-credits scene right before No Way Home)
• WandaVision
• Eternals
• Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
• The Falcon and the Winter Soldier
• Thor: Love and Thunder
• Spider-Man: Far From Home
• Spider-Man: No Way Home
• Morbius mid-credit scenes (Canon via multiverse)
• Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
• Hawkeye
• Moon Knight
• She-Hulk: Attorney at Law
• Ms. Marvel
• Werewolf by Night

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