Where to watch The Avengers? In the US it streams on Disney Plus and Hulu, and in the MCU it comes right after Thor, closing out Phase 1. Watch Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Thor and Captain America: The First Avenger first, because this is the film that finally puts all four storylines in the same room. We rate it essential.
Two services carry it in the US: Disney Plus and Hulu. Disney Plus is the better home for a marathon, since every film that leads into this one sits there too. Outside the US, availability varies by country, so check the watch box on this page for the services we track in your region.
Streaming deals change now and then. Confirm the title is still listed before you invite friends over for a team-up night.
Every Phase 1 solo film feeds into this one, and each gives you a different piece of the puzzle:
If time is short, prioritize Thor and The First Avenger, since the plot leans on both. Iron Man 2 is not strictly necessary, though it introduces Natasha Romanoff and gives Nick Fury more to do. Our Marvel Phase 1 in order guide lists the whole set in sequence with runtimes.
In story order the film is set in 2012. It follows Thor and comes before Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., a TV series that opens in the aftermath of this film's final battle. In release order it was the last entry in Phase 1, and Iron Man 3 picked up the movie side afterward.
| Watching by | Right before | Right after |
|---|---|---|
| Story order | Thor | Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. |
| Release order | Captain America: The First Avenger | Iron Man 3 |
For the team-ups on their own, our Avengers movies in order guide strings all four together and notes the solo films that matter between them.
Loki arrives on Earth with an army promised to him from somewhere far off and a scepter that can bend minds. He steals the Tesseract and turns some of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s own people against it. Nick Fury's answer is a plan the World Security Council never liked: bring together a group of extraordinary people and hope they can work as a team.
That hope is the whole movie. A billionaire, a soldier out of time, a god, a scientist with an anger problem and two spies have to stop arguing long enough to defend New York. The first half is about clashing egos aboard the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier. The second half is the Battle of New York, one of the most referenced events in the entire MCU.
This is the point where the shared universe stops being a promise and becomes real. The Battle of New York echoes through Iron Man 3, Spider-Man: Homecoming, Avengers: Endgame and Loki, and Tony's experience in the final act shapes his choices for years. Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Thor: The Dark World both start from where this one leaves its heroes.
If you only want the films that move the main plot, start here and follow our list of essential Marvel movies and shows, which builds the shortest route from this point on.
There are two, and both are worth the wait. The first plays partway through the credits and reveals who really sent Loki's army, a figure the whole Infinity Saga builds toward. Keep this one in mind; it pays off much later.
The second comes at the very end. It is short and nearly silent, the team sitting around a table after the battle, and it remains one of the franchise's best jokes. Nothing happens, and that is the point.
Joss Whedon writes and directs. Robert Downey Jr. plays Tony Stark, and Chris Evans is Steve Rogers, still adjusting to the present day. Mark Ruffalo takes over as Bruce Banner and finds a calmer, warier version of the character. Chris Hemsworth returns as Thor, and Scarlett Johansson's Natasha Romanoff gets her best early material, including a clever interrogation scene. Jeremy Renner plays Clint Barton, who spends a good part of the film on the wrong side.
The Avengers runs 143 minutes, just under two and a half hours, and the second half barely pauses for breath. Plan a break between the Helicarrier sequence and the final battle if you are watching with kids. For a full Phase 1 weekend, the marathon plan can spread the six films across the days you have free.
In the US, The Avengers streams on Disney Plus and Hulu. In other countries availability varies, so check the watch box on this page. Catalogs change, so confirm before a marathon.
Watch Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Thor and Captain America: The First Avenger. Thor and The First Avenger matter most, since they set up Loki and the Tesseract. Iron Man 2 is a useful optional extra for Black Widow and Nick Fury.
Yes, it has two. The mid-credits scene reveals the villain behind Loki's invasion, and the scene at the very end shows the team quietly eating after the battle. Stay for both.
In story order, Captain America: The First Avenger comes first, then Iron Man, Iron Man 2, The Incredible Hulk and Thor. The Avengers follows Thor directly on our timeline.
The Avengers runs 143 minutes, just under two and a half hours. Add a few minutes if you plan to stay for both credit scenes.
You can, because the film introduces each hero quickly. You will miss why Loki holds a grudge and what the Tesseract is, though, so Thor and Captain America: The First Avenger are worth seeing first if you have the time.
In story order, Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. picks up right after the Battle of New York. On the movie side, Iron Man 3 is next, followed by Thor: The Dark World and Captain America: The Winter Soldier.
The MCU films share one continuity, and The Avengers is the first film where that becomes obvious, since it unites heroes from four separate franchises. Later titles keep referring back to its events.
It is the first major story arc of the MCU, running across Phases 1 to 3. The Avengers closes Phase 1 and its mid-credits scene introduces the villain the whole saga leads up to.
Track what you've watched, rate it, take notes.
