# Catching up on the MCU from the beginning?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/catching-up-on-the-mcu-from-the-beginning/778487
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [January 29, 2017, 6:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/catching-up-on-the-mcu-from-the-beginning/778487 "2017-01-29T06:03:57Z")
**Posts on this page:** 16
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@coremelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/coremelt)
#### Post date: [January 29, 2017, 6:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/catching-up-on-the-mcu-from-the-beginning/778487/1 "2017-01-29T06:03:57Z")
So far I’ve avoided watching any MCU movies, combination of too busy and just didn’t seem that interesting at the time.
Have an urge to get onboard now. Which ones should I watch in what order and which ones should I skip or not worry about?
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### Author:  [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)
#### Post date: [January 29, 2017, 6:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/catching-up-on-the-mcu-from-the-beginning/778487/2 "2017-01-29T06:44:59Z")
I didn’t get around to watching the first _Thor_ movie until after I’d seen _The Avengers,_ for what it’s worth.
In MCU Phase One, definitely check out _Iron Man, Iron Man 2, Captain America_ and _The Avengers._ I haven’t seen all of the MCU films so far, but _The Avengers_ is a must-see. One of the best action/comedies I’ve ever seen.
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### Author:  [@tavalla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tavalla)
#### Post date: [January 29, 2017, 6:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/catching-up-on-the-mcu-from-the-beginning/778487/3 "2017-01-29T06:50:26Z")
The order in which they were released:
Iron Man
The Incredible Hulk (this is the Edward Norton one)
Iron Man 2
Thor
Captain America
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
Honestly, if you have the time, I’d watch most of them. I tend to skip The Incredible Hulk in rewatches because it doesn’t really add that much to the overall chronology, and Thor: The Dark World has some fun moments but isn’t one of the universe’s strongest outings though it does introduce one of the universe mcguffins.
Best: Iron Man, Guardians of the Galaxy, Captain America: Civil War and Cap: Winter Soldier, The Avengers.
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### Author:  [@coremelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/coremelt)
#### Post date: [January 29, 2017, 8:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/catching-up-on-the-mcu-from-the-beginning/778487/4 "2017-01-29T08:18:06Z")
Was going to say “where’s Deadpool?” then realised that Deadpool isn’t MCU despite being Marvel… What a mess, wish Fox and Disney could just work together and split profits on titles where Fox owns the movie rights.
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### Author:  [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)
#### Post date: [January 29, 2017, 8:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/catching-up-on-the-mcu-from-the-beginning/778487/5 "2017-01-29T08:45:38Z")
Incredible Hulk is the only one you don’t need. All the others are essential viewing and have storyline implications for the overall universe.
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### Author:  [@bienville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bienville)
#### Post date: [January 29, 2017, 10:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/catching-up-on-the-mcu-from-the-beginning/778487/6 "2017-01-29T10:52:09Z")
I’d say watch everything up to and including the first Avengers movie, except that you can skip _The Incredible Hulk_. I happen to enjoy the Edward Norton Hulk movie but it doesn’t really add anything to overall continuity.
Then, from the first Avengers movie, the films I’d say that you “need” in terms of keeping up with continuity, would be Cap2, Avengers2, Cap3.
Guardians of the Galaxy, Ant-Man, and Dr. Strange all mostly serve to introduce new characters. Each of them may introduce some elements that will fit into the larger continuity but nothing that would leave you completely confused when Avengers3 comes along.
I like Thor 2 more than most people here at the SDMB.
I like Iron Man 3 less than most people here.
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### Author:  [@coremelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/coremelt)
#### Post date: [January 29, 2017, 11:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/catching-up-on-the-mcu-from-the-beginning/778487/7 "2017-01-29T11:21:26Z")
> [@adaher](#):
>
> Incredible Hulk is the only one you don’t need. All the others are essential viewing and have storyline implications for the overall universe.
Yeah ok, except I’m a huge fan of Edward Norton so might have to watch this one as well.
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### Author:  [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)
#### Post date: [January 29, 2017, 11:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/catching-up-on-the-mcu-from-the-beginning/778487/8 "2017-01-29T11:37:05Z")
Oh yeah, I thought it was fine, but it didn’t really set anything up. All of the other movies do things that are continued in other movies, even Ant Man(he appears in Captain America Civil War), and Guardians of the Galaxy(which is supposed to be important for Avengers 3, and is one of the best MCU movies in its own right).
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### Author:  [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)
#### Post date: [January 29, 2017, 11:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/catching-up-on-the-mcu-from-the-beginning/778487/9 "2017-01-29T11:44:35Z")
Make sure you watch all the end-credit easter eggs, too.
I thought _Age of Ultron_ and _Dr. Strange_ were pretty weak. I’m starting to get bored with people blowing up the whole world every couple of months.
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### Author:  [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)
#### Post date: [January 29, 2017, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/catching-up-on-the-mcu-from-the-beginning/778487/10 "2017-01-29T11:47:21Z")
BTW, there’s also a plethora of TV shows that now tie into the MCU, the most prominent of which is _Agents of Shield_, whose first season tied into the events of _Winter Soldier_. But it is certainly not essential viewing, and I got pretty sick of it after the first season.
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### Author:  [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)
#### Post date: [January 29, 2017, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/catching-up-on-the-mcu-from-the-beginning/778487/11 "2017-01-29T16:12:14Z")
Then it got much, much better.
**Iron Man**
The Incredible Hulk (this is the Edward Norton one)
**Iron Man 2**
Thor
**Captain America**
**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
The essential ones are bolded.
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### Author:  [@magnusblitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magnusblitz)
#### Post date: [January 29, 2017, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/catching-up-on-the-mcu-from-the-beginning/778487/12 "2017-01-29T17:06:48Z")
I don’t understand why everyone is recommending Iron Man 2. It’s one of the weakest MCU movies to me, and I don’t think it had anything important for the over-arching plot except introducing Black Widow and the War Machine suit (in action).
Other than that, I think **silenus** ’s list is pretty good, though I’d un-bold IM2 and bold Thor 1 (since understanding Loki is important). Might be able to skip the first Captain America too if you have a general handle on the character, aside from maybe being confused who the Winter Soldier is.
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### Author:  [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)
#### Post date: [January 29, 2017, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/catching-up-on-the-mcu-from-the-beginning/778487/13 "2017-01-29T17:11:23Z")
IMO, you get the essentials of Loki in **The Avengers** , but really need the back-story on Bucky provided by **CA:FA**. Ditto Black Widow and War Machine - if you just drop into **The Avengers** you have absolutely zero idea who the chick in the catsuit is, or why she’s hanging with the heavy hitters.
I’ll confess that I wasn’t impressed with **Thor** , and since I knew the comics I knew the motivations.
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### Author:  [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)
#### Post date: [January 30, 2017, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/catching-up-on-the-mcu-from-the-beginning/778487/14 "2017-01-30T00:02:43Z")
Personally, I thought that _Thor: The Dark World_ was the weakest of them (though I haven’t seen _Hulk_). But you might still want to see that one if you’re a Tom Hiddleson fan, because the chemistry between Thor and Loki is great.
My favorites were _The Avengers_ and _Guardians of the Galaxy_. And _Captain America: Civil War_ is not, despite the name, a Captain America movie, but much more about the Avengers as a whole (and others).
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### Author:  [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)
#### Post date: [February 19, 2017, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/catching-up-on-the-mcu-from-the-beginning/778487/15 "2017-02-19T00:52:26Z")
GOTG is a fun movie, but no more necessary than Incredible Hulk. (no just having Thanos doesn’t make it so)
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### Author:  [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)
#### Post date: [February 19, 2017, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/catching-up-on-the-mcu-from-the-beginning/778487/16 "2017-02-19T01:37:24Z")
> [@TBG](#):
>
> GOTG is a fun movie, but no more necessary than Incredible Hulk. (no just having Thanos doesn’t make it so)
_Guardians_ actually shows the direct effects (and thus the dangers) of an Infinity Stone, moreso than either of the two _Avengers_ movies. An inattentive viewer could have attributed the chaos of the first _Avengers_ movie as coming from Loki rather than the Mind Stone in the staff given to him by Thanos. Indeed, in the second _Avengers_ movie they let the Vision keep it. (So it can’t have been all bad, right?)