Marvel et al—where to start.

[Nightowl]

I’ve never watched any of the Marvel or other comic-book-based movies and wonder if I’m overlooking a critical piece of popular culture.  The only ones I’ve seen are the first two Deadpool movies. Now that there are shitloads of these movies, I have absolutely no idea where to start watching them.  Should I start with the oldest movies? A specific series? Focus on a specific superhero?  I’m lost.  Any suggestions?  

[+ poolboy48220]

I'd do them in release order, starting with Iron Man (2008 or so?).  They all (or most of them) reference each other so focusing on a specific superhero could get you lost. I'm a fan but starting to get lost myself, now that stuff from the Marvel TV shows are being incorporated into the movies, and while I've seen most of the movies when they came out, I can't say the same for the series. 

[ceej]

1 hour ago, poolboy48220 said:

I'd do them in release order, starting with Iron Man (2008 or so?).  They all (or most of them) reference each other so focusing on a specific superhero could get you lost. I'm a fan but starting to get lost myself, now that stuff from the Marvel TV shows are being incorporated into the movies, and while I've seen most of the movies when they came out, I can't say the same for the series. 

Agreed, just start at the beginning.  If in doubt, turn to Wikipedia for the order!   The MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe) is divided into two "Sagas", Infinity and Multiverse, and then further into Phases.  The Infinity Saga consists of Phases 1-3, and Multiverse Phase 4-6.  The TV shows on Disney Plus kick in during Phase 4.

You could probably skip The Incredible Hulk and not miss a beat. I'd probably say the same to Guardians of the Galaxy 2 and 3, but the first has enough relevant information to ground you in the characters for what's to come.

After Phase 3 the movies start to wander a bit, although in theory a lot will come together at some point, but it's honestly hard to see the narrative links.  For the most part, i've enjoyed the TV series in Phase 4, but I've had a hard time keeping up at this point in Phase 5.

List of Marvel Cinematic Universe films - Wikipedia

EN.WIKIPEDIA.ORG

 

 

[Ali Gator]

I'm proud to say I've watched three 'superhero' movies in my entire life. 

"Superman" with Christopher Reeve in 1978, at the age of 14.

"Batman" with Michael Keaton in 1989 at the age of 25.

"Spiderman" with Tobey Maguire in 2002 at the age of 38.

And then I grew up. I became interested in small, 'art house' films and foreign films (and all those theaters in my area have closed down since the pandemic).

[+ BenjaminNicholas]

I'd say don't ever start.

Marvel films always hit me the same way:  Lowest common denominator plots and wooden acting.

Michael Bay craptactulars paved the way for Marvel.

[KeepItReal]

You don't watch the Marvel Universe movies for their cultural significance, ground breaking acting or creative storyline. You watch them when you need a fun break from the daily grind, want a fun, fast paced action movie with known stars, a predictable story line, witty banter and you don't mind CGI.

It's like a big gulp. You won't find it at any upscale establishments, but if you need it, you know where to find it. 😉 Best way to enjoy them is in the order they were released.

Edited March 24 by KeepItReal

[Nightowl]

On 3/23/2025 at 6:27 PM, BenjaminNicholas said:

I'd say don't ever start.

Marvel films always hit me the same way:  Lowest common denominator plots and wooden acting.

Michael Bay craptactulars paved the way for Marvel.

that’s kind of where I’ve been—not watching any of them. Just wondered whether I should try watching them to keep up with popular culture.