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.

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Latest Updates

Loki debuted in June 2021. A few episodes in we're really enjoying it, though a lot of commentary has said it's a little dialogue-heavy.

Contents

  • Disney Plus and Marvel Overview

  • Best of Disney Plus Marvel

  • Marvel Cinematic Universe Films

  • Marvel Cinematic Universe Shows

  • Marvel Documentaries

  • Marvel Animated Films and Shows

  • (Appendix) What is the Marvel Cinematic Universe?

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 from Iron Man (2008) through Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019). The shows include things like Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Agent Carter, and WandaVision.

While most of the MCU films are on Disney Plus, not all are. And most MCU shows are not on Disney Plus, though a few are. A whole bunch of MCU shows in development will debut on Disney Plus in the coming years. 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.

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:

  1. Black Panther

  2. Captain Marvel

  3. Guardians of the Galaxy

  4. Iron Man

  5. 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:

  1. WandaVision

  2. Loki

  3. Falcon & The Winter Soldier

  4. Agent Carter

The first three 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:

  1. X-Men

  2. Spider-Man (1994 series)

  3. Silver Surfer (1998 series)

  4. Avengers Assemble (2013 series)

  5. 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 seven 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 Days of Future Past, X-Men Apocalypse, Fantastic 4 (two versions), Fantastic 4 Rise of the Silver Surfer.

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, many movies outside the MCU featuring Marvel characters are not on Disney Plus. Moreover, three Marvel Cinematic Universe films are not on Disney Plus: The Incredible Hulk, Spider-Man: Homecoming, and Spider-Man: Far From Home. We discuss if / how you should watch these a bit below.

How Many Marvel Movies are on Disney Plus?

There are 20 movies from the Marvel Cinematic Universe on Disney Plus. There are seven Marvel movies from outside the MCU on Disney Plus. Additionally, there are a few Marvel animated films and documentary films on Disney Plus.

Why aren't all Marvel Movies on Disney Plus?

The three MCU films that are excluded simply have streaming / distribution rights owned by someone other than Disney. Sony owns the rights to the Spider-Man films because they purchased the rights to Spider-Man back in 1999. The distribution rights for the film version of the Hulk character were purchased by Universal in the 1990s.

As we mentioned earlier, the film rights for many characters outside the MCU were scattered across different studios. While Disney has repurchased many of these rights, they many not fully have the streaming rights, or they may not feel the films are right for the Disney Plus platform at this time.

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 three not on Disney Plus noted (commentary on these follows):

  • Iron Man

  • The Incredible Hulk (not on Disney Plus)

  • 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 (not on Disney Plus)

  • Thor: Ragnarok

  • Black Panther

  • Avengers: Infinity War

  • Ant-Man and the Wasp

  • Captain Marvel

  • Avengers: Endgame

  • Spider-Man: Far From Home (not on Disney Plus)

Currently, I'm not aware of a major streaming service with The Incredible Hulk, Spider-Man: Homecoming, or Spider-Man: Far From Home. Your best option to watch these will be to rent them from your chosen streaming service for rentals (we use Amazon).

You Cannot Skip The Spider-Man Films

Spider-Man: Homecoming and Spider-Man: Far From Home are great films and critical to understanding Spider-Man and the Spider-Man / Iron Man relationship, one of the most important in the MCU. So if you have to find a way to rent these (like setting up Amazon on your TV), you might as well add The Incredible Hulk to your rental list just to be complete.

Do I have to watch the Incredible Hulk to Understand The Avengers?

I'm a pretty big completionist, but honestly, you can probably skip The Incredible Hulk. It's a fine film, and if you're trying to watch the entire MCU then it's definitely worth the rental cost. Make sure you're renting the 2008 film, The Incredible Hulk, starring Edward Norton, and not the 2003 film, Hulk, starring Eric Bana.

Also keep in mind that Edward Norton is replaced by Mark Ruffalo as the actor playing Bruce Banner in the rest of the MCU. I can't say The Incredible Hulk is essential if its out of your way to find a way to rent it. But…

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 not listed as their own category on Disney Plus, but a few have popped up as "Extras" with the Disney Plus releases. Here's a list of all five, together with the film they are extras for in home media, and an indication of whether they were on Disney Plus when I last checked:

  • The Consultant - Thor (Extra on Disney Plus)

  • A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Thor's Hammer- Captain America: The First Avenger (Not Extra on Disney Plus)

  • Item 47 - The Avengers (Not Extra on Disney Plus)

  • Agent Carter - Iron Man 3 (Extra on Disney Plus)

  • All Hail The King - Thor: The Dark World (Not Extra on Disney Plus)

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…

WandaVision is a Disney+ original focusing on the characters Wanda Maximoff and Vision from the MCU Films after Avengers: Endgame.

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.

Loki stars Tom Hiddleston as the eponymous character from the MCU films. As of a few episodes in, it follows Loki's adventures with the Time Variance Authority.

Agent Carter is a two-season show set in the MCU that follows Peggy Carter, an important character in Captain America: The First Avenger and in Steve Rogers's life.

While it isn't strongly tied to the 2000s portion of the MCU film timeline, Agent Carter is one of the deepest parts of the "origin story" of The Avengers, covering what is (for most practical purposes) the earliest part of the MCU timeline. It's the best and most relevant of the MCU shows currently on Disney Plus.

Inhumans is a single-season show set in the MCU about a group of superhumans known as the Inhumans (based on the Marvel Comics). It doesn't have substantial ties to the rest of the universe and is skippable.

Runaways is a three-season young adult series set in the MCU about a group of teenagers battling their evil parents. It has a few minor connections to the films, but won't inform your viewing of the movies, and world-altering parts of the movies seem to play no role in Runaways. Like Inhumans, we consider it skippable.

Marvel Cinematic Universe Disney Plus Original Shows (Coming Soon)

There are ten 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 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe—the phase beginning after Avengers Endgame and Spider Man: Far From Home.

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.

What If...? will be an animated series exploring how things in the MCU might have gone differently. It's expected that most of the major stars will voice their characters on the show. What If…? is expected to debut on Disney Plus in summer 2021.

Ms. Marvel will feature a new character in the MCU, Kamala Khan / Ms. Marvel. Ms. Marvel is expected to debut on Disney Plus in late 2021.

Hawkeye will start Jeremy Renner as his character Clint Barton / Hawkeye from the MCU films. The series is expected to portray Barton training a new character (Kate Bishop) to take over as Hawkeye. No release date has been announced.

She-Hulk will feature a new character in the MCU, Jennifer Walters / She-Hulk. No release date has been announced.

Secret Invasion will star Samuel L Jackson and Nick Fury and Ben Mendelsohn as Talos (from Captain Marvel). No release date has been announced.

Ironheart will be about the creator of the most advanced suit of armor since Iron Man. No release date has been announced.

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

The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special will debut in 2022.

I Am Groot will star Groot in a series of shorts on Disney Plus featuring several new and unusual characters.

Marvel Cinematic Universe Shows Not On Disney Plus

The bulk of the MCU shows currently released are not on Disney Plus. These include: the Netflix series Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, Iron Fist, The Defenders, and The Punisher; the ABC series Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (also on Netflix); the Freeform young adult series Cloak & Dagger (on Hulu); and the upcoming Hulu series Helstrom.

None of these is essential to understanding the MCU films but Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (which you can find on Netflix) is the most intertwined with the films. Netflix's Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, Iron Fist are sort of "their own thing" that culminates in The Defenders miniseries (though again, all occur in the same universe).

Disney Plus Marvel Documentary Content

Marvel Studios ASSEMBLED (2021) is a Disney Plus documentary 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?

I suspect one or two of you are on day 13 of your social distancing and 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.