Marvel Phase 3 in Order

By Elif Aras · Updated October 21, 2026

It is the phase where the Infinity Saga pays off. There are no series here, only movies, which makes it the easiest phase to binge.

Marvel Phase 3 in order at a glance

The table puts story order and release order side by side, so you can see exactly which films move. The priority column is for viewers heading toward the two Avengers films.

Why Phase 3 starts with Captain Marvel

In theaters, Phase 3 opened with Captain America: Civil War. The list above begins somewhere else: Captain Marvel, because Carol Danvers's origin takes place in the nineties, long before the Avengers exist. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 comes second for a similar reason. It picks up a few months after the first Guardians film, so on the calendar it still sits years before Tony and Steve fall out.

After those two, the timeline settles down. Civil War breaks the team apart, Black Panther and Spider-Man: Homecoming spin directly out of it, and Doctor Strange slides in a little later than its release date because its story covers a longer stretch of time. Thor: Ragnarok and Ant-Man and the Wasp close out the side stories, and then Thanos finally shows up.

Story order or release order for Phase 3?

Release order runs Civil War, Doctor Strange, Guardians Vol. 2, Homecoming, Ragnarok, Black Panther, Infinity War, Ant-Man and the Wasp, Captain Marvel, Endgame and Far From Home. Its big advantage is that Captain Marvel lands between the two Avengers films, so a hint dropped at the end of Infinity War gets answered right away. The Marvel release order keeps that rhythm across every phase.

Story order is cleaner for a rewatch, or for anyone who likes events in sequence. Neither choice breaks anything. The only real difference is when you meet Carol Danvers.

Where Spider-Man and Black Panther fit

Two of the newcomers arrive in Civil War before getting their own films, and that is the main reason Civil War sits so early. Peter Parker's recruitment by Tony Stark sets up Homecoming, where Tony becomes a reluctant mentor. T'Challa's story in Civil War leads straight into Black Panther, which opens just after it.

Watching Civil War first, then, is not optional for either solo film. Both assume you saw how these heroes were pulled into the larger conflict, and both feed characters into Infinity War.

Who this watch order suits

This page is for people who have already seen Phases 1 and 2, or at least The Avengers and Age of Ultron, and want to finish the Infinity Saga. It also works for rewatchers who want the story told in sequence, with no flashbacks out of place.

If you are brand new, starting here is a mistake. Civil War leans on years of relationships, and Infinity War assumes you know every major hero. Go back to our Marvel watch order for beginners first.

The short route and the full route

Short on time? Watch Civil War, Infinity War and Endgame. That trio carries the main plot. Add Doctor Strange and Black Panther if you can, since both set up places and powers the two Avengers films use without explanation.

The full route is all eleven films in the order shown. Nothing in Phase 3 is filler, but a few titles are lighter on consequences. Guardians Vol. 2 and Homecoming are mostly about their own characters, and you could save them for later without getting lost.

For a curated cut across every phase, see the essential Marvel movies and shows list.

How much time to set aside

Eleven films, most of them a bit over two hours, with the two Avengers films running longest. Spread over two weekends it is very manageable. If you watch one film a night, you finish in under two weeks. Our marathon plan turns the list into a schedule based on how many hours you have each week.

A practical tip: give Avengers: Endgame its own evening. It is the longest film in the phase, and it hits harder when you are not squeezing it in after another movie.

Common mistakes to avoid

Skipping Ragnarok. Plenty of viewers drop Thor after The Dark World. Thor: Ragnarok is far lighter and funnier, and its final scene leads directly into the opening of Infinity War.

Missing the mid-credits scenes. Phase 3 hides important setup after the credits. The one in Ant-Man and the Wasp matters a lot for Endgame, so stay seated.

Stopping at Endgame. Far From Home is the last Phase 3 film, and it deals with how the world copes afterward. Watch it as the epilogue, not as the start of something new.

Worrying about Captain Marvel's spot. Some people prefer it between Infinity War and Endgame, where it landed in theaters. Both placements work. Story order gives you Carol's background first; release order keeps a couple of surprises intact.

What comes after Phase 3

Phase 4 opens the Multiverse Saga and leans heavily on Disney Plus series. Its first stretch, from WandaVision onward, deals directly with what Endgame left behind, so it is worth starting while the finale is still fresh.