Complete Guide to Marvel On Disney Plus [All Movies + Shows]

In this post, we provide a guide to every piece of Marvel content on Disney Plus, the Disney streaming service that debuted in 2019. We cover all the Marvel content that’s currently on Disney Plus, explaining what to watch if you’re interested in “the main stuff” and explaining some of the other content you’ll see what you click that “Marvel” button.

If you’re brand new to the Marvel films and don’t know what the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is, you’ll want to click here or scroll to the end of this post. There you’ll find an appendix, “What the heck is the Marvel Cinematic Universe?” We assume most readers have a basic familiarity with the MCU, which is why we’re hiding that section at the end.

Disney Plus and Marvel Overview

Let’s start with an explanation of the Marvel content that is included and not included with Disney Plus.

Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). The Marvel Cinematic Universe is what most people think of when they think of “Marvel movies” or “Marvel shows” these days. The movies are the series of live action films starting with Iron Man (2008) and continuing today. The shows include things like some 2010s TV series like Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Agent Carter, and some Disney+ originals like WandaVision and Loki.

While most of the MCU films are on Disney Plus, not all are. All of the major MCU shows are on Disney Plus now, and new ones continue to debut. We’ll cover all these in more detail below.

Marvel, but not Marvel Cinematic Universe. Disney has begun introducing the Marvel content that is not a part of the MCU onto Disney Plus.

Some background—before Disney purchased Marvel in 2009, Marvel sold off the film rights to many of its characters. The most well-known example of this is X-Men, who were sold to 20th Century Fox in 1994. As a result, when Disney acquired Marvel, they didn’t get the rights to these films. Films in this category include: The X-Men films, Deadpool, Blade, and the Fantastic Four.

Disney acquired the rights to many of these characters/films when they acquired 20th Century Fox in 2019. They’ve added some of this content to Disney Plus, but not all of it. We’ll cover specifics below.

Note on the Evolving MCU: After Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness things are…more?…less?…complicated. Basically, Disney has begun to say some of these old “not MCU” movies are now part of the MCU “multiverse.” I’m not going to get more into it now, and if you maintain the divisions in this post you’ll still be well-served.

Best Of Disney Plus Marvel Content

For starters, I want to say that you really should watch the Marvel Cinematic Universe films, in order, if you’re unsure where to begin. The MCU films are the next section of this post. That said, if you’re looking just for the best of for some reason, we’ll quickly oblige.

Best Marvel Movies on Disney Plus

Our picks for the top five best Marvel Movies on Disney Plus are:

Black Panther
Captain Marvel
Guardians of the Galaxy
Iron Man
Ant-Man

There’s a caveat to that list—it assumes you haven’t seen any MCU films. The final two Avengers films (Infinity War and Endgame) would be on that list, but they won’t be appreciated until you’ve seen some other films.

Best Marvel TV Shows on Disney Plus

We think the best Marvel TV shows on Disney plus are:

WandaVision
Loki
Ms. Marvel
Falcon & The Winter Soldier
Agent Carter

The first four of these are parts of the modern MCU in that they feature direct tie-ins to the ongoing story you’ll see in the films.

Agent Carter is an older show (2015-2016). It has substantial ties to the MCU films, and it provides a good deal of background for the main films. It’s no longer getting new episodes, though.

Best Marvel Cartoons on Disney Plus

This one is a bit up for debate, and I definitely haven’t seen all of the 30ish Marvel cartoons on Disney Plus. But based mostly on my childhood nostalgia…the best Marvel cartoons on Disney Plus are:

X-Men
Spider-Man (1994 series)
Silver Surfer (1998 series)
Avengers Assemble (2013 series)
Ultimate Spider-Man (2012 series)

Marvel Movies Outside the MCU on Disney Plus

Okay, almost everyone is here to read about the MCU content on Disney Plus, but it’s easier to start by clarifying which films from outside the MCU are on Disney Plus. Currently, Disney Plus has other feature films with Marvel characters but outside the MCU on Disney Plus. These are categorized as “Marvel Legacy Movies” and they are: X-Men, X2, X-Men The Last Stand, X-Men Origins Wolverine, X-Men First Class, X-Men Days of Future Past, X-Men Apocalypse, X-Men Dark Phoenix, Fantastic 4 (two versions), Logan, Deadpool, Deadpool 2, and New Mutants.

So when you come across these films on Disney Plus, don’t get confused. You can watch them, and some of them form their own mini-universes, but they’re NOT a part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Disney Plus Marvel Cinematic Universe (Films)

If you’re new to the modern Marvel landscape and just trying to understand what this “Avengers” stuff is all about, this is where you start—the films.

Are all Marvel movies on Disney Plus?

No. As we noted, several movies outside the MCU featuring Marvel characters are not on Disney Plus. Moreover, one Marvel Cinematic Universe films is not on Disney Plus: Spider-Man: No Way Home. We discuss if / how you should watch this a bit below.

How Many Marvel Movies are on Disney Plus?

There are over 50 marvel movies on Disney Plus. At this point, with Disney acquiring the rights to more and more of them, almost all Marvel movies are on Disney plus.

What Marvel Movies Are On Disney Plus?

We’re going to start with the MCU films. A few sections down we discuss films outside the MCU. In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, most films are on Disney Plus. Here is a list of all the Marvel Cinematic Universe films, with the ones not on Disney Plus noted (commentary on these follows):

Iron Man
The Incredible Hulk
Iron Man 2
Thor
Captain America: The First Avenger
The Avengers
Iron Man 3
Thor: The Dark World
Captain America: The Winter Soldier
Guardians of the Galaxy
Avengers: Age of Ultron
Ant-Man
Captain America: Civil War
Doctor Strange
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
Spider-Man: Homecoming
Thor: Ragnarok
Black Panther
Avengers: Infinity War
Ant-Man and the Wasp
Captain Marvel
Avengers: Endgame
Spider-Man: Far From Home
Black Widow
Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
Eternals
Spider-Man: No Way Home (not on Disney Plus)
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
Thor: Love and Thunder
Black Panther Wakanda Forever
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
The Marvels

You’ll need to check other major streaming / rental services for Spider-Man: No Way Home.

You Cannot Skip The Spider-Man Films

Spider-Man: No Way Home is a great film and critical to understanding Spider-Man’s role in the MCU. You’ll have to find some other way to watch it.

What Order Should I Watch the Marvel Movies on Disney Plus In?

Watch the Marvel Cinematic Universe films in the order they were released, which is the order we listed them above. These films were written to tell a story in a certain way. They weren’t released in chronological order. Captain Marvel, for example, is set in the 1990s while the bulk of the MCU is set in modern times. Captain America: The First Avenger is even set during World War II.

But they weren’t written to be viewed chronologically. Captain Marvel might be the earliest appearance of Nick Fury, but it isn’t how you’re meant to meet the character. So just watch the movies in their release order—the order we’ve given above.

Are the Marvel One Shots on Disney Plus?

The Marvel One Shots are short films included with the releases of some of the MCU films on home media. They’re now their own category in Disney Plus, as well are being listed in the individual phases.

Disney Plus Marvel Cinematic Universe (Shows)

In addition to the films, there are several television shows that are a part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but the bulk of these are not on Disney Plus at the moment. Since we’re here mostly to talk about Disney Plus, let’s start with what’s on Disney Plus right now…

Marvel Cinematic Universe Disney Plus Original Shows

These are the shows that debuted on Disney Plus. While other shows in this post are part of the MCU, there’s no doubting these are much more relevant to the contemporary MCU.

Loki stars Tom Hiddleston as the eponymous character from the MCU films. It follows Loki’s adventures with the Time Variance Authority. As of this update, it’s probably the most important of the MCU shows in terms of its connections to the ongoing film narrative.

Ms. Marvel features a new character in the MCU, Kamala Khan / Ms. Marvel. The show follows teenage Kamala as she learns to harness her powers. Ms. Marvel is also in the feature film “The Marvels.”

WandaVision is a Disney+ original focusing on the characters Wanda Maximoff and Vision from the MCU Films after Avengers: Endgame. It’s am ambitious, clever show and one of our favorite things on Disney+.

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier stars Anthony Mackie and Sebastian Stan as their characters Sam Wilson / Falcon and Bucky Barnes / Winter Soldier from the MCU films. The two team up on a worldwide superhero adventure.

Hawkeye stars Jeremy Renner as his character Clint Barton / Hawkeye from the MCU films. Set during the holiday season, the show focuses on Hawkeye and his protege, Kate Bishop. Echo is a spinoff of Hawkeye, focusing on Maya Lopez.

Secret Invasion stars Samuel L Jackson as Nick Fury and Ben Mendelsohn as Talos (from Captain Marvel), following a conflict within the Skrulls.

She-Hulk features a new character in the MCU, Jennifer Walters / She-Hulk. She Hulk debuted in August 2022.

Moon Knight features a new character in the MCU, Moon Knight / Marc Spector. The show debuted in early 2022.

The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special debuted in 2022.

Werewolf by Night is a one-hour “Special Presentation” introducing the character of the same name.

What If...? is an animated series exploring how things in the MCU might have gone differently.

I Am Groot stars Groot in a series of shorts on Disney Plus featuring several new and unusual characters. It debuted August 2022.

Marvel Cinematic Universe Disney Plus Original Shows (Coming Soon)

There are many more Marvel TV shows coming exclusively to Disney Plus that are part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. These shows are expected to be substantially tied into the mainline films, with many starring characters who appeared in multiple films. They are considered part of Phase 4 or later of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Minor Spoiler Warning: Discussing which characters / actors are in a given show and the expected plot lines may reveal minor details from the Marvel Cinematic Universe films. Since none of these shows are out yet, we recommend watching the films before reading this section.

Here’s a list of the original MCU shows coming to Disney plus, along with descriptions and their projected release dates.

Ironheart will be about the creator of the most advanced suit of armor since Iron Man. It will debut in 2024.

X-Men ‘97 is coming to Disney Plus in 2024. Despite the logo looking exactly like the 1990s era animated series logo, this will be an original series.

Agatha: Darkhold Diaries will be a spinoff of Wanda Vision centering on the character of Agatha Harkness, who is expected to take on a larger role in the MCU during Phase Four. It will debut in 2024.

Daredevil: Born Again is an original series that will debut in Spring 2024.

Spider-Man: Freshman Year, is a new series coming to Disney Plus in 2024.

Marvel Zombies is a spinoff of What If… focusing on the storyline where heroes fight zombies. No release date has been announced.

Armor Wars will star Don Cheadle as James Rhodes, AKA War Machine. No release date has been announced.

Other Marvel Cinematic Universe Shows

Most MCU shows are now at least on Disney Plus, but the MCU shows that didn’t debut on Disney Plus are relevant to the larger universe, but not essential viewing in the same way. Agent Carter and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. are the most directly connected to the films of the MCU.

The Defenders saga is a set of shows that originally ran on Netflix. While technically part of the MCU, these shows are only tangentially connected to the films. These shows are Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, Iron Fist, The Defenders, and The Punisher.

Finally, there are shows like Runaways, Inhumans—both on Disney Plus—and Cloak & Dagger and Helstrom—both not on Disney Plus that are basically “their own thing” and entirely skippable as far as understanding the MCU.

Disney Plus Marvel Documentary Content

Marvel Studios ASSEMBLED (2021-) is a Disney Plus documentary series offering behind-the-scenes content on the new MCU series on Disney Plus.

Marvel’s Behind The Mask (2021) is a Disney Plus documentary exploring the idea of identity and the real/secret identity dualities found in the Marvel comics.

Marvel Studios Legends (2021) “serves as an exciting refresher for the various heroes and villains making their way to the highly anticipated streaming shows premiering on Disney+, setting the stage for the upcoming adventures.”

Marvel 616 (2020) is “an anthology documentary series that explores the cultural, societal, and historical impacts of the Marvel Universe and its intersection with the everyday world.”

Marvel Studios Expanding the Universe (2019) is a 12-minute look at the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Marvel Hero Project (2019) is a Disney Plus exclusive docuseries documenting heroic children in 30-minute episodes.

Marvel 75 Years from Pulp to Pop! (2014) is a 41-minute documentary about Marvel, going back to 1939 founding and 1961 revival.

Marvel Assembling a Universe (2014) is a 42-minute behind the scenes documentary about the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Disney Plus Other Marvel Cartoons

There are a ton of animated Marvel series on Disney Plus that are not a part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. This definitely doesn’t mean they’re bad. Indeed, the 1990s animated X-Men series is one of my personal favorite things on Disney Plus.

However, they’re also not part of the “main” modern Marvel series (the MCU). While these shows may provide some context, keep in mind that things may not unfold in the Marvel Cinematic Universe in the same way they unfold in these shows.

I count 32 such shows, films, or collections of short films. Here they are with their debut year:

Marvel Battleworld Mystery of the Thanostones (2020 series)
Marvel Rising (2018 series / short films)
Rocket & Groot (2017 short films)
Spider-Man Shorts (2017 short films)
Avengers Secret Wars Shorts (2017 short films)
Ant-Man Shorts (2017 short films)
Future Avengers (2017 series)
Marvel Super Hero Adventures (2017 series)
Spider-Man (2017 series)
Ultimate Comics (2016 short films)
Guardians of the Galaxy Shorts (2015 short films)
Guardians of the Galaxy (2015 series)
Hulk and the Agents of Smash (2013 series)
Avengers Assemble (2013 series)
Iron Man Hulk Heroes United (2013 film)
Phineas and Ferb Mission Marvel (2013 film)
Ultimate Spider-Man (2012 series)
Earth's Mightiest Heroes Avengers (2010 series)
The Super Hero Squad Show (2009 series)
Wolverine and the X-Men (2009 series)
Iron Man Armored Adventures (2008 series)
Fantastic Four World's Greatest Heroes (2006 series)
X-Men Evolution (2000 series)
Spider-Man Unlimited (1999 series)
Silver Surfer (1998 series)
The Incredible Hulk (1996 series)
Fantastic Four (1994 series)
Spider-Man (1994 series)
Iron Man (1994 series)
X-Men (1992 series)
Spider-Man (1981 series)
Spider-Woman (1979 series)

What the heck is the Marvel Cinematic Universe?

Just in case you finally decided to find out what this “Avengers hoopla” is about, and now you find yourself besieged by a lot of this confusing talk of universes. So let’s explain what the Marvel Cinematic Universe is.

A “universe” in this context is a shared setting / timeline / group of characters that appear in different films, tv shows, comic books, or other media.

You’re all familiar with movie universes—any series of movies are set in the same universe. For example, you understand that the Iron Man character in Iron Man, Iron Man 2, and Iron Man 3 is the same character with the same friends, living on the same earth, in the same time period across all three films.

For the most part, characters in a shared universe are played by the same actors throughout. So Robert Downey Jr. plays Tony Stark / Iron Man throughout the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

But even when a character changes actors, you understand it’s still the same character. For example, between Iron Man and Iron Man 2, the actor playing Rhodey changed from Terrence Howard to Don Cheadle, but he was still the same character, friend to Robert Downey Jr.’s Tony Stark.

Now, if Emma Watson (who played Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter films) showed up in an Iron Man film, you wouldn’t think her character is a witch who went to Hogwarts. That’s because you understand Harry Potter and Iron Man take place in different universes.

The final twist is that some characters are found in multiple universes. For example, in 2002 to 2007, Tobey Maguire played Spider-Man in three films. These films are not a part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe in theaters today.

Just because something happened to the Spider-Man character in 2002, we don’t expect Tom Holland’s Spider-Man (of the Marvel Cinematic Universe) to remember that or have been impacted by that. Those are different universes. (Likewise, the things that happened to Adam West’s Batman in the 1960s aren’t a part of any of the modern Batman films.)

So the Marvel Cinematic Universe is a collection of movies, tv shows, comic books, and a few other media that all form a cohesive story. The universe is led by Kevin Feige, president of Marvel Studios.

The main part of the universe is the film series. Characters in those movies appear in each other’s title films, and things that happen in (for example) Captain America: The First Avenger impact the events of Captain Marvel even though the movies share almost no common characters.

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