1.Iron Man(2008)
The first movie in the MCU saga is, unsurprisingly, a great place to start. This movie not only revitalized Robert Downy Jr.’s career, but kicked off a decade-long string of successes for Marvel.
While the sequels are by no means bad, they don’t have the same balance of action, drama, and humor as the first film in the series. WatchIron Man, then move on. You can always come back to its sequels later.
2.Captain America: The First Avenger(2011)
The earliest film in the entire MCU so far, chronologically speaking,Captain America: The First Avengersets up some themes that will recur through the next several movies in the series. That said, it isn’t as key to the chronology as you may think.
Then why did it make the list? Because it’s a great movie! Even if it existed outside of the rest of the MCU, this would be a great movie, showcasing much of what is so captivating about the entire MCU in one film.
3.Marvel’s The Avengers(2012)
Immediately followingCaptain America: The First Avenger, Marvel released the Joss Whedon-directedMarvel’s The Avengers, almost singlehandedly kicking off the superhero that we’re still seeing the effects of now.
There’s a reason this film got so many people interested in superhero movies.
First, this movie—as the name implies—finally gets the titular team together. That combined with the spectacular set pieces, smart dialog, and sheer bombast makes it a movie that demands your attention. It’s also surprisingly rewatchable.
4.Guardians of the Galaxy(2014)
Guardians of the Galaxydoesn’t have much bearing on what happens in the rest of the MCU, at least early on, but this is still essential viewing.
There was a time when fans could have never imagined thatGuardians of the Galaxywould have a chance of getting its very own movie, but now it’s impossible to imagine the MCU with this film.
Director James Gunn nails the same blend of action and humor that makes the best MCU movies work, then cranks the dial a little further toward the funny side of things. This works perfectly, as the movie never gets too dark or too heavy.
5.Thor: Ragnarok(2017)
In moving further toward being a straight-up comedy,Guardians of the Galaxypaved the way for the best Thor film to date.
While the Norse god turned Avenger andWhat We Do In The Shadows’Taika Waititi don’t necessarily seem like a match made in Asgard, the pairing worked perfectly.
The Thor movies already leaned further toward humor than the rest of the early MCU catalog, and this feels like the logical next step in where the series would head. This also pays off a joke that started way back inMarvel’s The Avengers.
