Summary

  • The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) timeline is complex and convoluted, making it difficult to determine when each movie and TV show takes place.
  • The release of "Marvel Studios The Marvel Cinematic Universe: An Official Timeline" will provide a definitive and detailed timeline of all 32 films, Disney+ shows, and special presentations.
  • The expansion of the MCU into TV has added further complexities, and fans have been left confused about the chronological order of each installment, which the book aims to resolve.

The timeline of the Marvel Cinematic Universe will finally be laid out in full detail, 15 years after the franchise began with Iron Man. Given the wide-reaching nature of the MCU, the timeline is one of the more convoluted examples in modern Hollywood franchises. Arguably only Star Wars rivals the MCU in regard to an expansive timeline, though Marvel Studios' sister franchise under the Disney umbrella already has a novel that extensively explores where everything fits together and when every single story, event, and moment takes place.

Now, Marvel Studios is promising the same with the release of Marvel Studios The Marvel Cinematic Universe: An Official Timeline as d on the order of the Marvel movies, all 32 feature films, alongside the various Marvel Studios Special Presentations and the nine Disney+ TV shows released thus far, discounting I Am Groot.

Why The MCU Needs An Official TimelineSam Wilson with other heroes in the MCU's Multiverse Saga

When concerning the answer of why the MCU needs an officially produced, definitive timeline, the answer comes from the sheer sprawling size of the universe and the various time jumps of different movies. Before Avengers: Endgame, it was fairly straightforward to place when each MCU film took place, with the common rule of thumb being the release year of the respective films was often when each one took place in-universe. However, Avengers: Endgame featured a five-year time jump into the future, throwing into doubt when subsequent movies have taken place.

Furthermore, the expansion of the MCU into the world of TV has added extra complexities to the franchise's timeline. Phases 4 and 5 have been much less interconnected than the projects of the Infinity Saga, leaving many to question when each project takes place. As such, the Disney Plus additions have broken the MCU timeline by expanding the franchise significantly with little to no confirmation by Marvel Studios on the placing of each installment. With Marvel Studios The Marvel Cinematic Universe: An Official Timeline, this major post-Endgame issue will finally be resolved with a definitive, fleshed-out MCU timeline that will ease the confusion of the ever-expanding Marvel universe.

Source: Marvel