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The Time Variance Authority (TVA) is a fictional organization appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. It is depicted as a group of timeline monitors taThe Time Variance Authority (TVA) is a fictional organization appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. It is depicted as a group of timeline monitors tasked with preventing the existence of certain timelines that are deemed too dangerous to the Multiverse.The Time Variance Authority (TVA) is a fictional organization appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. It is depicted as a group of timeline monitors tasked with preventing the existence of certain timelines that are deemed too dangerous to the Multiverse.The Time Variance Authority (TVA) is aThe Time Variance Authority (TVA) is a fictional organization appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. It is depicted as a group of timeline monitors tasked with preventing the existence of certain timelines that are deemed too dangerous to the Multiverse.The Time Variance Authority (TVA) is a fictional organization appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. It is depicted as a group of timeline monitors tasked with preventing the existence of certain timelines that are deemed too dangerous to the Multiverse.The Time Variance Authority (TVA) is a fictional organization appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. It is depicted as a group of timeline monitors tasked with preventing the existence of certain timelines that are deemed too dangerous to the Multiverse.The Time Variance Authority (TVA) is a fictional organization appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. It is depicted as a group of timeline monitors tasked with preventing the existence of certain timelines that are deemed too dangerous to the Multiverse.The Time Variance Authority (TVA) is a fictional organization appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. It is depicted as a group of timeline monitors tasked with preventing the existence of certain timelines that are deemed too dangerous to the Multiverse.The Time Variance Authority (TVA) is a fictional organization appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. It is depicted as a group of timeline monitors tasked with preventing the existence of certain timelines that are deemed too dangerous to the Multiverse.The Time Variance Authority (TVA) is a fictional organization appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. It is depicted as a group of timeline monitors tasked with preventing the existence of certain timelines that are deemed too dangerous to the Multiverse.The Time Variance Authority (TVA) is a fictional organization appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. It is depicted as a group of timeline monitors tasked with preventing the existence of certain timelines that are deemed too dangerous to the Multiverse.The Time Variance Authority (TVA) is a fictional oThe Time Variance Authority (TVA) is a fictional organization appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. It is depicted as a group of timeline monitors tasked with preventing the existence of certain timelines that are deemed too dangerous to the Multiverse.The Time Variance Authority (TVA) is a fictional organization appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. It is depicted as a group The Time Variance Authority (TVA) is a fictional organization appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. It is depicted as a group of timeline monitors tasked with preventing the existence of certain timelines that are deemed too dangerous to the Multiverse.The Time Variance Authority (TVA) is a fictional organization appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. It is depicted as a group of timeline monitors tasked with preventing the existence of certain timelines that are deemed too dangerous to the Multiverse.The Time Variance Authority (TVA) is a fictional organization appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. It is depicted as a group of timeline monitors tasked with preventing the existence of certain timelines that are deemed too dangerous to the Multiverse.The Time Variance Authority (TVA) is a fictional organization appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. It is depicted as a group of timeline monitors tasked with preventing the existence of certain timelines that are deemed too dangerous to the Multiverse.The Time Variance Authority (TVA) is a fictional organization appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. It is depicted as a group of timeline monitors tasked with preventing the existence of certain timelines that are deemed too dangerous to the Multiverse.The Time Variance Authority (TVA) is a fictional organization appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. It is depicted as a group of timeline monitors tasked with preventing the existence of certain timelines that are deemed too dangerous to the Multiverse.of timeline monitors tasked with preventing the existence of certain timelines that are deemed too dangerous to the Multiverse.The Time Variance Authority (TVA) is a fictional organization appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. It is depicted as a group of timeline monitors tasked with preventing the existence of certain timelines that are deemed too dangerous to the Multiverse.The Time Variance Authority (TVA) is a fictional organization appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. It is depicted as a group of timeline monitors tasked with preventing the existence of certain timelines that are deemed too dangerous to the Multiverse.rganization appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. It is depicted as a group of timeline monitors tasked with preventing the existence of certain timelines that are deemed too dangerous to the Multiverse.The Time Variance Authority (TVA) is a fictional organization appearing in American comic books published by Marvel ComicsThe Time Variance Authority (TVA) is a fictional organization appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. It is depicted as a group of timeline monitors tasked with preventing the existence of certain timelines that are deemed too dangerous to the Multiverse.The Time Variance Authority (TVA) is a fictional organization appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. It is depicted as a group of timeline monitors tasked with preventing the existence of certain timelines that are deemed too dangerous to the Multiverse.. It is depicted as a group of timeline monitors tasked with preventing the existence of certain timelines that are deemed too dangerous to the Multiverse.The Time Variance Authority (TVA) is a fictional organization appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. It is depicted as a group of timeline monitors tasked with preventing the existence of certain timelines that are deemed too dangerous to the Multiverse.The Time Variance Authority (TVA) is a fictional organization appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. It is depicted as a group of timeline monitors tasked with preventing the existence of certain timelines that are deemed too dangerous to the Multiverse.The Time Variance Authority (TVA) is a fictional organization appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. It is depicted as a group of timeline monitors tasked with preventing the existence of certain timelines that are deemed too dangerous to the Multiverse. fictional organization appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. It is depicted as a group of timeline monitors tasked with preventing the existence of certain timelines that are deemed too dangerous to the Multiverse.sked with preventing the existence of certain timelines that are deemed too dangerous to the Multiverse.The Time Variance Authority (TVA) is a fictional organization aThe Time Variance Authority (TVA) is a fictional organization appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. It is depicted as a group of timeline monitors tasked with preventing the existence of certain timelines that are deemed too dangerous to the Multiverse.The Time Variance Authority (TVA) is a fictional organization appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. It is depicted as a group of timeline monitors tasked with preventing the existence of certain timelines that are deemed too dangerous to the Multiverse.ppearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. It is depicted as a group of timeline monitors tasked with preventing the existence of certain timelines that are deemed too dangerous to the Multiverse.

In the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), Chronicoms, based on the lower-ranked TVA Chronomonitors, are introduced in the fourth season finale of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. in 2017, recurring through to its series finale in 2020, while the TVA is featured inThe Time Variance Authority (TVA) is a fictional organization appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. It is depicted as a group of timeline monitors tasked with preventing the existence of certain timelines that are deemed too dangerous to the Multiverse.The Time Variance Authority (TVA) is a fictional organization appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. It is depicted as a group of timeline monitors tasked with preventing the existence of certain timelines that are deemed too dangerous to the Multiverse. the Disney+ series Loki (2021 & 2023) and the live-action film Deadpool & Wolverine (2024).

Publication history[edit]

The Time Variance Authority (TVA) first appeared in Thor #372 (October 1986).[1] Created by Walt Simonson and Sal Buscema, the TVA originally paid homage to long-time Marvel writer/editor and continuity expert Mark Gruenwald: the TVA staff were all visually designed as clones of Gruenwald (the classification system for alternate realities—the Marvel multiverse—was devised, in part, by Gruenwald).[2]

Antecedents[edit]Squadron Sinister/Squadron Supreme[edit]

Writer Roy Thomas and Sal's brother, artist John Buscema, had previously explored the concept of a Marvel multiverse with Marvel's evil Justice League correlates, called the Squadron Sinister, in Avengers #69 (1969).[3] Thomas later introduced a heroic version of the Squadron Sinister named the Squadron Supreme, which first appeared in Avengers #85–86 (February–March 1971), and which was co-created with John Buscema.[4]

In 1985–1986, Mark Gruenwald wrote a deconstructionist multiverse storyline featuring the Squadron Supreme in a self-titled twelve-issue limited series.[5]

Captain Britain and the Dimensional Development Court[edit]

The concept of a timeline monitoring organization had previously been explored in a Captain Britain story arc originally published in the Marvel UK series The Daredevils #6–8 (1983). Written by Alan Moore and Alan Davis, Captain Britain is brought outside of time to the Supreme Omniversal Tribunal in Eden Place to testify before Lord Mandragon, Majestrix of the Dimensional Development Court, on behalf of the former majestrix, Opal Luna Saturnyne. Saturnyne is accused of failing to protect the multiverse from the creation of a deviant version of Earth-238.[6]

Before Captain Britain's testimony, Mandragon declares that the Earth-238 universe must be "removed" from the multiverse before it destroys the continuums of the other universes.[7] Saturnyn's legal counsel, a faceless being referred to as Lord Chancellor, objects, as the destruction of the Earth-238 universe will destroy material evidence of Saturnyne's innocence. Lord Mandragon overrules the defense's objection, citing Ominversal Writ clause 723-801-(d). He then proceeds to remove the dangerous deviant timestream using crystal technology.[8]

It is revealed during the trial that the prime Earth that exists in Marvel Comics is Earth-616. (Because of this story, Alan Moore is usually credited with naming the mainstream Marvel Universe "Earth-616." However, Alan Davis has said that it was invented by Dave Thorpe, the previous writer of the UK-published Captain Britain stories.)[9]

TVA as homage to Gruenwald and Captain Britain[edit]

While Captain Britain's 1983 story arc does not mention the Time Variance Authority, the Dimensional Development Court contains elements that were plainly retconned by Walt Simonson and Sal Buscema[citation needed] and in subsequent incarnations (such as the TVA employees—chronomonitors—functioning and appearing in new universes in the same manner as the Captain Britain Corps). According to Mark Gruenwald's widow Catherine, Gruenwald's 1985 Squadron Supreme limited series was the work about which he was the proudest.[10]

Fictional background[edit]

The TVA claims responsibility for monitoring the multiverse and can prune timelines if they are deemed too dangerous to exist. They also take action to prevent other beings from altering the past or future. They were first seen allowing Justice Peace, a lawman from the future, to travel to the 20th century in order to stop the killer Zaniac. Peace is able to succeed in his mission thanks to the assistance of Thor.[11]

Despite their claims,[vague] the TVA's influence over time is not absolute. The scope of their influence is bordered by Alioth in the distant past as well as Kang the Conqueror, the Delubric Consortium, and Revelation at different eras throughout the timescape.[12] There have also been numerous incidents of time travel or reality tampering where the TVA has failed to interfere.

At the End of Time, the last Director of the TVA, known as He Who Remains, creates the Time-Keepers, the last three beings who exist in the remaining timeline in the universe, who subsequently enslave Immortus. The process also ends up creating the Time Twisters, a trio of beings who imperiled all realities until stopped by Thor and other members of the Avengers.

The TVA are next seen using the law-firm that She-Hulk works for. Jurors for cases are plucked from time soon before they actually die, minimizing the effects on the time stream. This also establishes the tendencies for time-travelers to go through genetic scrambling, also to minimize the effect on the time-stream. Notably, the scrambling tends to cause similar appearances among various males who undergo the process. A defendant who is found guilty in one of these trials is executed with a weapon called the Retroactive Cannon, or Ret-Can (a reference to retroactive continuity, or "retcon", a practice used by storytellers to add previously unknown material to an event or remove previously established material from an event in a previous story), which erases the victim, deleting their existence from the universe by undoing their birth and entire history. She-Hulk herself was handed this harsh sentence, but it was overturned as a reward when she helped defeat the villain Clockwise.[13]

Employees[edit]

Lower-ranked TVA employees, called Chronomonitors, are literally faceless. They are created artificially, using "quantum technology". The moment a new reality appears, a new faceless agent is created to monitor it, along with the necessary equipment (a personal computer-like device, plus a desk and a chair) to do so. Cloned managers of the Chronomonitors resemble Mark Gruenwald—and, later, Tom DeFalco—both longtime Marvel Comics writers. The most frequent recurring manager is Mobius M. Mobius, a Gruenwald clone.[14]

On occasion, the TVA hires mercenaries for use in the more dangerous missions, such as Justice Peace and Death's Head. These mercenaries often lose limbs which the TVA replaces with clunky robotic parts. Another example of their seemingly anachronistic technology is a time machine shaped like an old locomotive. Professor Justin Alphonse Gamble, a pastiche of the Doctor,[15][16] is a renegade from the TVA.

Known staff members[edit]Mr. Alternity[17] – Upper managementFirst Secretary[volume & issue needed]Professor Justin Alphonse Gamble[15] – A former employee, resigned and stole one of the time capsulesJustice Mills[18] – A member who appears briefly in a flashback.He Who Remains[19] – The last survivor of the Time Variance Authority who is present at the end of time.Mobius M. Mobius[20] – A bureaucrat and middle management, attempted to discipline the Fantastic Four for violations of the TVA's lawsMr. Ouroboros[21] – A future clone of Mr. Paradox, ceased to exist when Clockwise used the Retro-Active Cannon on ParadoxMr. Paradox[21] – He ceased to exist when Clockwise blasted him with the Retro-Active CannonMr. Tesseract (Junior Management)[17] – A subordinate to Mobius, he was assigned to reconstruct the lost data from Earth-616Time Zone Manager[volume & issue needed]Time Variance Authority Police Department[22] – A time police group that accompanied Justice Peace in effort to capture GodwulfJustice Peace[23] – A former freelance agent. He was punished for infractions of time travel. Currently a member of the Federal Police and Special Services Units that are based in BrooklynopolisJustice Might, Justice Truth, and Justice Liberty[24] – Three time police officers who aided Mobius in recapturing the Fantastic Four while they were running loose inside the Null-Time Zone.Justice Love[25] – A TVA agent and Justice Peace's partner. She appears to have legal training.Justice Goodwill[21] – A court officer. He ceased to exist when Clockwise blasted him with the Retro-Active Cannon.Time-Keepers[26] – A group of beings created by He Who Remains to protect time.Minutemen[27] – The armored agents of the TVA who are assigned to guard the TVA's facilities from the Null-Time Zone and extract the disruptive entities that come from the other time periods. Each of its members are either a clone, a cyborg, or a robot.In other media[edit]Marvel Cinematic Universe[edit]Further information: Time Variance Authority (Marvel Cinematic Universe)The logo of the Time Variance Authority as depicted in LokiThe Time Variance Authority (TVA) appears in the Disney+ series Loki (2021 & 2023),[28] with Mobius M. Mobius portrayed by Owen Wilson,[29] He Who Remains portrayed by Jonathan Majors, a variant of Kang at the end of time,[30] (who also provided the uncredited voices of the Time-Keepers),[31] and exclusive members Hunter B-15 portrayed by Wunmi Mosaku,[32] Hunter C-20 portrayed by Sasha Lane,[33] receptionist Casey portrayed by Eugene Cordero,[34] and Ouroboros "O.B." (who is loosely based on Mr. Ouroboros) portrayed by Ke Huy Quan.[35] In addition, Ravonna Renslayer (portrayed by Gugu Mbatha-Raw[36]) a former commander and partner of He Who Remains, who becomes a judge within the TVA before betraying and leaving the TVA. The organization has an animated anthropomorphic clock entity named Miss Minutes (voiced by Tara Strong[37]) who was created by He Who Remains.This version of the organization was created by He Who Remains, who sought to stop evil variants of himself from coming into being after a "multiversal war" waged between them led to him destroying the multiverse to stop them, by keeping the "Sacred Timeline", a collection of universes that did not have a variant of himself in it, such as Earth-616, isolated and in check. In building the TVA, he pulled variants of various people from across time, erased their memories, made them believe they and the TVA were created by the Time-Keepers, and built androids to serve as the Time-Keepers. He Who Remains, wanting a replacement, laid the foundation for a variant of 616-Loki to be brought into the TVA headquarters and to help the TVA find Sylvie, a female Loki variant. In the first-season finale "For All Time. Always.", He Who Remains meets Loki and Sylvie, but is murdered by Sylvie, which creates a new multiverse to form, causing the Sacred Timeline to be exposed to it. Unprepared for dealing with the multiverse, the TVA becomes in danger of destruction, until Loki, who believes the TVA is the best protection against the infinite variants of Kang, finds a way to save it.[38]The logo of the TVA appeared in "Whose Show Is This?", the ninth episode of the Disney+ series, She-Hulk: Attorney at Law (2022).The TVA appear in Deadpool & Wolverine (2024),[39] with Paradox (who is loosely based on Mr. Paradox) portrayed by Matthew Macfadyen.[40] Paradox, a rogue TVA agent operating in a department that oversees Earth-10005, sends his rogue crew of Minutemen to capture Wade Wilson. Inside his department, he offers Wilson a spot in Earth-616 although at the cost of his own universe as it had lost its "anchor being" Logan / Wolverine and is dying. Wilson refuses and steals Paradox's TemPad to find a variant of Logan, one who failed to save his own timeline, and brings him to Paradox, who prunes them both to the Void. The new TVA leader, Hunter B-15, learns of an unsanctioned "Time-Ripper" in Paradox's department and investigates. At Paradox's TVA outpost in 10005, Wilson and Logan stop Cassandra Nova from using the Time-Ripper on every universe, and B-15 arrives, having Paradox arrested for violating the TVA's new rules.Film[edit]The Time Variance Authority (TVA), modeled after the MCU version, appears in The Good, the Bart, and the Loki.See also[edit]El ministerio del tiempo – a Spanish fantasy television series depicting the eponymous time-protection organizationEternity, a time-changing organization featured in the Isaac Asimov novel The End of EternityExiles (Marvel Comics)Federal Time Bureau (DC Comics)Linear Men – an organization in the DC Comics universe that performs a similar function to the TVAThe commission – a time-protection organization in The Umbrella AcademyThe Department of Temporal Investigations – an organization similar to the TVA featured in the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode "Trials and Tribble-ations"Time Lords – a race of time-traveling humanoids central to the Doctor Who universe, who unlike the TVA, refuse to interfere in events in time.Chronology protection conjecture, an hypothesis in physicsReferences[edit]^ Thor vol. 1 #372 (October 1986). Marvel Comics.^ "Alternate Earths". Marvunapp.com. Retrieved 2015-06-21.^ Avengers vol. 1 #69 (October 1969). Marvel Comics.^ Brevoort, Tom; DeFalco, Tom; Manning, Matthew K.; Sanderson, Peter; Wiacek, Win (2017). Marvel Year By Year: A Visual History (Updated and expanded ed.). DK. p. 148. ISBN 9781465455505.^ Squadron Supreme #1–12 (Marvel Comics, Sept. 1985 – Aug. 1986).^ The Daredevils #6–8 (June–August 1983). Marvel Comics.^ The Daredevils #7 (July 1983). Marvel Comics.^ ibid.^ "Marvel.com Blogs - Blah Blah Blog by Tom Brevoort". 2008-12-11. Archived from the original on 2008-12-11. Retrieved 2019-08-21.^ See "Introduction" in Squadron Supreme (TPB, 352 pages, 1997, ISBN 078510576X). Marvel Comics.^ Thor #372 (October 1986). Marvel Comics.^ Avengers: The Terminatrix Objective #3 (Nov. 1993). Marvel Comics.^ She-Hulk vol. 2, #1-4 (Dec. 2005–Mar. 2006). Marvel Comics.^ Fantastic Four Annual #24 (1991).^ Jump up to:a b Power Man and Iron Fist #79 (Mar. 1982).^ Avengers Annual #22 (1993).^ Jump up to:a b Fantastic Four Annual #27 (1994). Marvel Comics.^ Thor #372 (Oct. 1986). Marvel Comics.^ Thor #245 (Mar. 1976). Marvel Comics.^ Fantastic Four #346 (Nov. 1990). Marvel Comics.^ Jump up to:a b c She-Hulk vol. 2 #3 (Feb. 2006). Marvel Comics.^ Deathlok vol. 2 #32 (Feb. 1994). Marvel Comics.^ Thor #371 (Sept. 1986).^ Fantastic Four Annual #27 (May. 1994). Marvel Comics.^ She-Hulk vol. 2 #1. Marvel Comics.^ Thor #282. (Jan. 1979). Marvel Comics.^ Fantastic Four #352. (May 1991). Marvel Comics.^ Schedeen, Jesse (February 3, 2020). "Marvel's Time Variance Authority Explained: Why Is Loki Imprisoned in the Disney Plus Series?". IGN. Retrieved February 3, 2020.^ Polo, Susana; Patches, Matt; McWhertor, Michael (December 11, 2020). "All the Easter eggs in Marvel's Loki and Falcon and the Winter Soldier trailers". Polygon. Archived from the original on December 11, 2020. Retrieved December 11, 2020.^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (July 16, 2021). "'Loki' Season One Finale Postmortem: Director & EP Kate Herron On Whether He Who Remains Is Really Immortus". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on July 16, 2021. Retrieved July 16, 2021.^ Agard, Chancellor (July 16, 2021). "Loki director Kate Herron and star Jonathan Majors on his pivotal character's wild debut". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on July 16, 2021. Retrieved July 16, 2021.^ Lovett, Jamie (April 5, 2021). "Loki: New Images From Marvel's Disney+ Series Released". Comicbook.com. Archived from the original on April 5, 2021. Retrieved April 5, 2021.^ Robinson, Joanna (June 7, 2021). "Loki: A Complete Beginner's Guide to Marvel's New Show". Vanity Fair. Archived from the original on June 7, 2021. Retrieved June 7, 2021.^ Sepinwall, Alan (June 9, 2021). "'Loki' Premiere Steps Into the MCU Time Machine". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on June 9, 2021. Retrieved June 9, 2021.^ Egan, Toussaint (July 31, 2023). "Loki season 2's trailer sees the God of Mischief coming unstuck in Kang's timeline". Polygon. Archived from the original on July 31, 2023. Retrieved August 1, 2023.^ Lovett, Jamie (April 5, 2021). "Loki: New Images From Marvel's Disney+ Series Released". Comicbook.com. Archived from the original on April 5, 2021. Retrieved April 5, 2021.^ Ankers, Adele (May 19, 2021). "Marvel's Loki: We Now Know Who that Weird Cartoon Clock Character Is". IGN. Archived from the original on May 26, 2021. Retrieved June 10, 2021.^ Polo, Susana (July 14, 2021). "Loki built up to the reveal of an even bigger Marvel Comics villain". Polygon. Archived from the original on July 14, 2021. Retrieved July 14, 2021.^ Romano, Nick (February 11, 2024). "Deadpool 3 trailer breaks the Marvel multiverse with Wolverine at Super Bowl 2024". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on February 12, 2024. Retrieved February 11, 2024.^ Pulliam-Moore, Charles (February 11, 2024). "The first Deadpool & Wolverine trailer is one big joke about Marvel's past". The Verge. Archived from the original on February 12, 2024. Retrieved February 12, 2024.External links

"MCU" redirects here. For other uses, see MCU (disambiguation).For a topical guide, see Outline of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.Marvel Cinematic UniverseMarvel Cinematic Universe intertitle from Marvel Studios: Assembling a Universe (2014)Created byMarvel StudiosOriginal workIron Man (2008)OwnerThe Walt Disney CompanyYears2008–presentBased onMarvel ComicsPrint publicationsBook(s)Marvel Cinematic Universe booksNovel(s)Marvel Cinematic Universe literary materialComicsMarvel Cinematic Universe tie-in comicsFilms and televisionFilm(s)Marvel Cinematic Universe filmsShort film(s)Marvel One-ShotsTelevision seriesMarvel Cinematic Universe television seriesWeb seriesMarvel Cinematic Universe digital seriesAnimated seriesMarvel Studios Animation seriesTelevision special(s)Marvel Studios Special PresentationsTelevision short(s)I Am GrootTheatrical presentationsMusical(s)Rogers: The MusicalGamesVideo game(s)Marvel Cinematic Universe video game tie-insAudioOriginal musicMusic of the Marvel Cinematic UniverseMiscellaneousTheme park attraction(s)Avengers CampusStarringMarvel Cinematic Universe cast membersIn-universe elementsCharactersFeaturesSpeciesTeams and organizationsTimelineMultiverseOfficial websiteMovies on Marvel.comTV shows on Marvel.comMarvel Cinematic Universe

PhasesThe Infinity SagaPhase One (2008–2012)Phase Two (2013–2015)Phase Three (2016–2019)The Multiverse SagaPhase Four (2021–2022)Phase Five (2023–2025)Phase Six (2025–2027)ListsFilms • Television series • Television specialsvte

The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is an American media franchise and shared universe centered on a series of superhero films produced by Marvel Studios. The films are based on characters that appear in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The franchise also includes several television series, short films, digital series, and literature. The shared universe, much like the original Marvel Universe in comic books, was established by crossing over common plot elements, settings, cast, and characters.

Marvel Studios releases its films in groups called "Phases", with the first three phases collectively known as "The Infinity Saga" and the following three phases as "The Multiverse Saga". The first MCU film, Iron Man (2008), began Phase One which culminated in the 2012 crossover film The Avengers. Phase Two began with Iron Man 3 (2013) and concluded with Ant-Man (2015), while Phase Three began with Captain America: Civil War (2016) and concluded with Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019). Black Widow (2021) is the first film in Phase Four, which concluded with Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022), while Phase Five began with Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023) and will conclude with Thunderbolts* (2025). Phase Six will begin with The Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025) and it will conclude with Avengers: Doomsday (2026) and Avengers: Secret Wars (2027).

Marvel Television expanded the universe to network television with Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. on ABC in 2013 before further expanding to streaming television on Netflix and Hulu and to cable television on Freeform. They also produced the digital series Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: Slingshot (2016). Marvel Studios began producing their own television series for streaming on Disney+, starting with WandaVision in 2021 as the beginning of Phase Four. That phase also saw the studio expand to television specials, known as Marvel Studios Special Presentations, starting with Werewolf by Night (2022). The MCU includes various tie-in comics published by Marvel Comics, a series of direct-to-video short films called Marvel One-Shots from 2011 to 2014, and viral marketing campaigns for some films featuring the faux news programs WHIH Newsfront (2015–16) and The Daily Bugle (2019–2022).

The franchise has been commercially successful, becoming one of the highest-grossing media franchises of all time, and it has received generally positive reviews from critics. The studio attributed several Multiverse Saga projects performing below expectations to the increase in the amount of content being produced post-Endgame, and began decreasing its content output from 2024. The MCU has inspired other film and television studios to attempt similar shared universes and has also inspired several themed attractions, an art exhibit, television specials, literary material, multiple tie-in video games, and commercials.

DevelopmentMarvel Studios films and seriesThe Infinity Saga films

By 2005, Marvel Entertainment was planning to produce its own films independently and distribute them through Paramount Pictures.[1] Previously, Marvel had co-produced several superhero films based on Marvel Comics with Columbia Pictures, New Line Cinema, 20th Century Fox, and others.[2] Marvel made relatively little profit from these licensing deals and wanted to get more money out of its films while maintaining artistic control of the projects and distribution.[3] Avi Arad, head of Marvel Entertainment's film division known as Marvel Films, was pleased with director Sam Raimi's Spider-Man film trilogy (2002–2007) at Sony Pictures and Columbia but was less enthused with some of the other films. Arad decided to form Marvel Studios, Hollywood's first major independent film studio since DreamWorks Pictures was founded in 1994. Kevin Feige, Arad's second-in-command,[4] realized that unlike Spider-Man, Blade, and the X-Men which were respectively licensed to Sony, New Line, and Fox, Marvel owned the rights to the Avengers team. Feige, a self-described "fanboy", envisioned combining these characters in a shared universe similar to the one created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby for Marvel Comics in the 1960s.[5]

"It's never been done before and that's kind of the spirit everybody's taking it in. The other filmmakers aren't used to getting actors from other movies that other filmmakers have cast, certain plot lines that are connected or certain locations that are connected, but I think... everyone was on board for it and thinks that it's fun. Primarily because we've always remained consistent saying that the movie that we are making comes first. All of the connective tissue, all of that stuff is fun and is going to be very important if you want it to be. If the fans want to look further and find connections, then they're there. There are a few big ones obviously, that hopefully the mainstream audience will [be] able to follow as well. But... the reason that all the filmmakers are on board is that their movies need to stand on their own. They need to have a fresh vision, a unique tone, and the fact that they can interconnect if you want to follow those breadcrumbs is a bonus."

—Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige on constructing a shared film universe[6]

To raise capital, the studio secured funding from a seven-year, $525 million revolving credit facility with Merrill Lynch.[3] Marvel planned to release individual films for their main characters and then merge them in a crossover film;[7] Arad, who resigned in 2006, doubted this strategy would work. He insisted that it was his reputation that helped secure the initial financing.[4][8] In 2007, Feige was named studio chief. To preserve its artistic integrity, Marvel Studios formed a creative committee of six people familiar with its comic book lore: Feige, Marvel Studios co-president Louis D'Esposito, Marvel Comics' president of publishing Dan Buckley, Marvel Entertainment's chief creative officer Joe Quesada, comic book writer Brian Michael Bendis, and Marvel Entertainment president Alan Fine, who oversaw the committee.[4] Feige initially referred to the shared narrative continuity of the films as the "Marvel Cinema Universe",[9] but later used the term "Marvel Cinematic Universe".[10] Since the franchise expanded to other media, some have used this phrase to only refer to the feature films.[11]

The MCU films are released in groups called "Phases", beginning with Phase One and Phase Two.[12][13] In December 2009, the Walt Disney Company purchased Marvel Entertainment for $4 billion. Disney said future Marvel Studios films would be distributed by its own studio once the prior deal with Paramount expired.[14][15] The films of Phase Three were announced at a special press event in October 2014.[16] By September 2015, Marvel Studios was integrated into Walt Disney Studios. Feige was reporting to Walt Disney Studios chairman Alan F. Horn instead of Marvel Entertainment CEO Isaac Perlmutter,[17] and the creative committee began having only "nominal" input on the films. They continued to consult on Marvel Television productions, which remained under Perlmutter's control.[18][19] All key film decisions moving forward were to be made by Feige, D'Esposito, and executive vice president Victoria Alonso.[18] The studio went on to establish the Marvel Studios Parliament, a "brain trust" of long-time executives at the company who help to elevate each other's projects where possible.[20] In November 2017, Feige said Avengers: Endgame (2019) would provide a definitive conclusion to the films thus far and begin a new period for the franchise.[21] He later said Phase Three would conclude "The Infinity Saga".[22]

The Multiverse Saga films and series

Disney was reportedly developing a Marvel-based television series for their new streaming service Disney+ by November 2017.[23] In July 2018, Feige said discussions had begun with Disney regarding any potential involvement Marvel Studios could have with the streaming service, which he felt was important for the wider company.[24] In September 2018, Marvel Studios was reported to be developing several limited series centered on "second-tier" characters from the MCU films who had not and were unlikely to headline their own films. Each series was expected to be six to eight episodes and would be produced by Marvel Studios rather than Marvel Television, with Feige taking a "hands-on role" in each series' development.[25] Feige said these series would "tell stories... that we wouldn't be able to tell in a theatrical experience—a longer-form narrative".[26] He added that being asked by Disney to create these series "energized everyone creatively" within Marvel Studios, since they "could play in a new medium and throw the rules out the window in terms of structure and format".[27] Television specials from the studio are marketed as "Marvel Studios Special Presentations".[28][29] The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special (2022), a Special Presentation, was the first project Marvel Studios began planning for Disney+.[30]

In December 2017, Disney agreed to acquire assets from 21st Century Fox.[31] The transaction officially closed on March 19, 2019.[32] This saw the return of the film rights for Deadpool, the X-Men, and the Fantastic Four to Marvel Studios,[31] although Feige explained that despite the acquisition finalizing in 2019, access and integration of these characters and concepts were unavailable "for a very long time" because of corporate acquisition laws.[33] Some of the first elements to be integrated into the MCU following the acquisition were the organization S.W.O.R.D. in the Disney+ series WandaVision (2021) and the fictional country Madripoor in the series The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (2021).[34][35] Additionally, Patrick Stewart appeared as Professor Charles Xavier in the film Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022), portraying a different version of the character that he previously played in Fox's X-Men film series,[36] while Kamala Khan was revealed to have a genetic mutation in Ms. Marvel,[37] with star Iman Vellani confirming that she is the first mutant (a term related to the X-Men) in the MCU.[38] Namor is also revealed to be a mutant in the film Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022), as he is in the comics.[39][40] Feige called Deadpool & Wolverine (2024) the true start to Marvel Studios' exploration and use of the Fox characters,[33] and said every project after it would be part of the MCU's "Mutant era".[41]

Kevin Feige helped conceive a shared media universe of Marvel properties.[4]

In July 2019, Feige announced the Phase Four slate at San Diego Comic-Con, consisting of films and, for the first time, television event series on Disney+.[42] The Phase Four slate includes What If...?, the first animated series from Marvel Studios, and by July 2021 the studio was creating an "animation branch and mini studio",[43] known as Marvel Studios Animation,[44] to focus on more animated content beyond What If...?.[43] Alonso said Marvel had around 31 projects in various stages of development by September 2021.[45] In April 2022, Feige said he and Marvel Studios were on a creative retreat to plan and discuss the MCU films for the following 10 years.[46] That July, Feige announced some of the films and series for Phase Five and Phase Six at San Diego Comic-Con, revealing that the second three Phases were collectively known as "The Multiverse Saga".[47] After the "creative experience" of ending Phase Three and "The Infinity Saga" with Avengers: Infinity War (2018) and Avengers: Endgame, and the expansion in the number of projects being produced by the studio in a short amount of time, Marvel Studios decided to move away from having an Avengers crossover movie at the end of each Phase and instead decided to have a crossover culmination at the end of "The Multiverse Saga" with Avengers: The Kang Dynasty and Avengers: Secret Wars (2027).[48] The studio was excited to explore Kang the Conqueror as an overarching villain of the Multiverse Saga after Thanos in the Infinity Saga, because Kang was a different villain in part because he has multiple variants from different timelines within the multiverse.[40] The studio did not initially plan to build the next saga around Kang, and made that decision after seeing actor Jonathan Majors's performance in the first season of the Disney+ series Loki (2021), as well as dailies from the filming of Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023).[49] After Majors was found guilty of assault and harassment amidst legal issues in December 2023, he was fired by Disney and Marvel Studios. At that time, Marvel was internally referring to The Kang Dynasty as Avengers 5.[50]

Alonso was fired from her role at Marvel Studios in March 2023 for serving as a producer on the Amazon Studios film Argentina, 1985 (2022), in breach of a 2018 agreement between Alonso and Disney to not work for a competing studio. The decision was made by a group that included Disney Entertainment co-chairman Alan Bergman and Disney's human resources and legal departments.[51][52] Alonso reportedly did not seek permission to work on the film and was asked by Disney to stop working on it or promoting it. The situation was deemed serious enough that Disney requested a new agreement be signed. The company consistently reminded her of this while she continued to promote the film following its September 2022 premiere, ultimately leading to her firing.[51] Alonso's lawyers refuted these claims, saying Disney was aware of, and agreed to, Alonso's work on Argentina, 1985 and Alonso had been "silenced [and] was terminated when she refused to do something she believed was reprehensible";[53] this was reported to be a disagreement with a Disney executive over the censoring of gay pride elements in Quantumania so the film could be released in Kuwait in compliance with the country's restrictive anti-LGBTQ laws.[54][55] A Disney spokesperson reiterated that Alonso was fired due to "an indisputable breach of contract and a direct violation of company policy" among other factors.[53] Disney and Alonso reached a multi-million dollar compensation settlement in April.[56]

Disney CEO Bob Iger said in July 2023 that the company would be reducing the amount of Marvel content created moving forward, admitting that Marvel Studios' expansion into Disney+ series and more films had "diluted focus and attention" after several underachieving films at the box office.[57][58] He clarified their plans in May 2024, saying Disney would now release two, or at most three, Marvel films and two Marvel series a year. This was a decrease from up to four films and around four series being released in some recent years. The company was reducing output and focusing on quality across all its divisions, but Iger felt the change was especially needed for Marvel.[59] Feige and D'Esposito said 2023 had been a particularly difficult year and a "rough time" for the studio but they had learned their lesson on trying to make too much content at once. They added that no longer being "on top" of the box office allowed them to be underdogs again, as they had been when starting work on Phase One, and they would be "coming back strong" with the hope of surprising audiences and exceeding expectations.[60]

In 2024, Marvel Studios introduced their "Marvel Animation" and "Marvel Television" banners for their animated and live-action series, respectively. This was done, along with the previously established Marvel Spotlight banner, to help indicate to audiences that they did not have to watch all of the studio's projects to understand the overall story and could choose which storylines and characters under these banners to follow.[61] At San Diego Comic-Con 2024, the fifth Avengers film was retitled Avengers: Doomsday (2026), with Robert Downey Jr. cast as the Multiverse Saga's new antagonist Victor von Doom / Doctor Doom (after previously portraying the superhero Tony Stark / Iron Man in the MCU from 2008 to 2019) for both Doomsday and Secret Wars.[62]

Marvel Television seriesJeph Loeb led Marvel Television and served as executive producer of every television series on ABC, Netflix, Hulu, and Freeform

Marvel Television was launched in June 2010 with Jeph Loeb as head,[63] and had entered into discussions with ABC to create a show set in the MCU by July 2012;[64] the network went on to release Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Agent Carter,[65] and Inhumans. The latter was a co-production with IMAX Corporation.[66][67][68] In November 2013, Disney was set to provide Netflix with the live-action series Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and Iron Fist, building up to the crossover miniseries The Defenders.[69] In April 2016, Netflix ordered The Punisher, a spin-off of Daredevil.[70] By February 2019, Netflix had canceled all of its Marvel series.[71] In April 2016, the Disney-owned cable network Freeform announced Cloak & Dagger.[72] In May 2017, Marvel announced that Runaways had received a series order from Hulu.[73] In May 2019, Marvel announced that Helstrom had been greenlit for Hulu.[74]

In October 2019, further corporate restructuring saw Feige named Chief Creative Officer of Marvel Entertainment, with Marvel Television becoming part of Marvel Studios and executives of Marvel Television reporting to Feige.[75] In December 2019, Marvel Television was folded into Marvel Studios, with Marvel Studios taking over production of the remaining series and no further series expected to be developed by Marvel Television.[76] In January 2021, Feige said "never say never" to potentially reviving the Netflix series, but noted that Marvel Studios was focused on their new Disney+ series.[77] In May 2022, Marvel Studios was revealed to be developing a new Daredevil series for Disney+,[78] which was announced in July as Daredevil: Born Again.[47]

Expansion to other media

In 2008, the first comic book to tie-into the MCU was released.[79] Quesada explained that these comics would be set within the continuity of the films, but were not intended to be direct adaptions. Rather, they would explore "something that happened off screen" or flesh out something briefly mentioned. Feige was involved with the creation of the comics, with the film's screenwriters sometimes as well.[80] Marvel Comics worked with Brad Winderbaum, Jeremy Latcham, and Will Corona Pilgrim at Marvel Studios to decide which concepts would be carried over from the Marvel Comics Universe to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, what to show in the tie-in comics, and what to leave for the films.[81] Marvel later clarified which of the tie-in comics are considered canonical MCU stories, with the rest being merely inspired by the MCU "where we get to show off all the characters from the film in costume and in comic form".[82]

In August 2011, Marvel announced a series of direct-to-video short films called Marvel One-Shots.[83] The name was derived from the label used by Marvel Comics for their one-shot comics.[84] Winderbaum said the shorts were "a fun way to experiment with new characters and ideas" and to expand the MCU.[83] Each short was designed to be a self-contained story that provided more backstory for characters or events introduced in the films.[85]

In March 2015, Marvel's Vice President of Animation Development and Production, Cort Lane, said animated tie-ins to the MCU were "in the works".[86] That July, Marvel Studios partnered with Google to produce the faux news program WHIH Newsfront with Christine Everhart, a series of in-universe YouTube videos serving as the center of a viral marketing campaign to promote the films and universe.[87] In December 2016, a six-part web series, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: Slingshot, debuted on ABC.com. It follows Elena "Yo-Yo" Rodriguez on a secret mission, shortly before the start of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s fourth season, with Natalia Cordova-Buckley reprising her role from the series.[88] In September 2019, Sony created a real version of the fictional The Daily Bugle website as part of a viral marketing campaign to promote the home media release of Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019). Inspired by real-world "conspiracy-pushing" websites such as Alex Jones's InfoWars, the website features J. K. Simmons reprising his role as J. Jonah Jameson in a video where he speaks out against Spider-Man before asking viewers to "like and subscribe".[89][90] In December 2020, Marvel Studios announced I Am Groot, a series of photorealistic animated shorts starring Baby Groot for Disney+.[91][92][93]

Business practicesJoss Whedon was a significant contributor to the MCU's Phase Two: he offered creative insight to all of the films; launched the first MCU television series, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.; and wrote and directed the crossover film Avengers: Age of Ultron.

In November 2016, Feige explained that the studio would often put together a "lookbook" of influences from the comics and art by Marvel's visual development department, to create a visual template for a project. These are put together at company retreats, which the studio holds approximately every 18 months to plan out future projects and develop the phases of the MCU. However, these lookbooks are not always shown to directors, with Marvel sometimes preferring to let the director offer their own ideas first.[94] When choosing a director for a project, Marvel Studios looks for filmmakers to hire who can guide a film.[95] Some of their choices for directors have been considered "out-of-left-field based on those director's previous work. On this, Feige remarked that "you don't have to have directed a big, giant visual-effects movie to do a big, giant visual-effects movie for us. You just have to have done something singularly sort of awesome."[96]

The studio ensures directors are open to the idea of the shared universe and are willing to include connective material, such as Kenneth Branagh and Joe Johnston needing to include scenes that set-up The Avengers (2012) in their respective Phase One films Thor and Captain America: The First Avenger (both 2011).[5] Marvel Studios usually has a big idea they would like to explore or build to in a project, such as Hydra infiltrating S.H.I.E.L.D. in Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014), but they leave it up to the filmmakers to interpret and "improv a little bit" to get that point.[97] After these ideas have been developed, the creative team then begins exploring ideas from other future projects to see how to make any larger universe connections.[98]

In August 2012, Marvel signed The Avengers and Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015) director Joss Whedon to an exclusive contract through June 2015 for film and television. With the deal, Whedon contributed creatively to all of the Phase Two films and also developed Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., the first television series set in the MCU.[99] In April 2017, Guardians of the Galaxy (2014) and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017) writer and director James Gunn revealed that he would be working with Marvel to help plan future stories for the Guardians of the Galaxy characters and the wider "Marvel Cosmic Universe",[100] although Gunn became the co-CEO of DC Studios in November 2022 and signed a four-year deal to work exclusively on DC Comics-based projects.[101] For Phase Three, there was a large amount of collaboration between the filmmakers of the individual character films and the filmmakers of the crossover films Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, which were directed by the Russo brothers and written by Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely. This was to ensure their storytelling aligned for the Infinity Saga's culmination.[102]

Marvel Studios began contracting their actors for multiple films, including signing actor Samuel L. Jackson to a then-unprecedented nine-film contract.[103] Feige said the studio had all actors sign contracts for multiple films, with the normal number being for three or more while the nine or twelve film deals were rare.[104] The actors' contracts also feature clauses that allow Marvel to use up to three minutes of an actor's performance from one film in another, which Marvel describes as "bridging material".[19] By the start of Phase Four, Marvel Studios was no longer contracting actors for a large number of projects, with deal lengths varying for each actor and project. Feige said the studio was looking for actors who were excited to join the franchise and appear in multiple projects without being locked into contractual obligations. He also noted that they were starting to include theme park attractions in actors' deals.[105] By December 2020, because of the impact COVID-19 had on theaters and film studios shifting away from theatrical releases, Marvel Studios began exploring updated contracts for actors, writers, directors, and producers to receive adjusted compensation in the event a film had to debut on Disney+ instead of in theaters. TheWrap reported that the new contracts would likely only apply to films about to enter production. It was unclear if any adjustments would be made to contracts for films already completed but not yet released.[106]

For Marvel Television, Loeb said he and his executives were involved in all aspects of production: "whether it's being in the writers' room, editing, on set, casting—every step of the production goes through the Marvel team to tell the best story that we can". He said the studio was able to work on so many series across different networks and platforms because all they needed was one person working on each series to help "guide the process".[107] Actors appearing in Marvel Television series, such as Charlie Cox (who portrayed Matt Murdock / Daredevil in Daredevil) and Adrianne Palicki (Bobbi Morse / Mockingbird in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.), were contractually obliged to appear in a Marvel film if asked.[108][109] When developing the crossover miniseries The Defenders, showrunner Marco Ramirez consulted with the creators of all the individual Marvel Netflix series, having them read each of the scripts for The Defenders and provide insight into individual characters' worlds.[110] In December 2021, Feige confirmed that Cox would reprise the role of Daredevil in Marvel Studios MCU productions,[111] with Cox first reprising the role in the film Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021). Additionally, Vincent D'Onofrio first reprised his role as Wilson Fisk / Kingpin from Daredevil in the Disney+ series Hawkeye (2021).[112]

Feature filmsFor a more comprehensive list, see List of Marvel Cinematic Universe films.

Marvel Studios releases its films in groups called "Phases".[12][13]

The Infinity SagaSee also: Marvel Cinematic Universe: Phase One, Phase Two, and Phase Three

The first three phases are collectively known as "The Infinity Saga".[22] Phase One consists of Iron Man (2008), The Incredible Hulk (2008), Iron Man 2 (2010), Thor (2011), and Captain America: The First Avenger (2011), and concludes with the crossover film The Avengers (2012). Phase Two comprises Iron Man 3 (2013), Thor: The Dark World (2013), Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014), Guardians of the Galaxy (2014), Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015), and Ant-Man (2015). Captain America: Civil War (2016) is the first film of Phase Three, and is followed by Doctor Strange (2016), Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017), Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), Thor: Ragnarok (2017), Black Panther (2018), Avengers: Infinity War (2018), Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018), Captain Marvel (2019), Avengers: Endgame (2019), and Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019).[13]

The Multiverse SagaSee also: Marvel Cinematic Universe: Phase Four, Phase Five, and Phase Six

The second three phases are collectively known as "The Multiverse Saga", and include television series on Disney+.[47] Phase Four includes Black Widow (2021), Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021), Eternals (2021), Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021), Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022), Thor: Love and Thunder (2022), and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022). Phase Five begins with Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023), followed by Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023), The Marvels (2023), Deadpool & Wolverine (2024), and Captain America: Brave New World (2025), and will conclude with Thunderbolts* (2025).[13] Phase Six begins with The Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025),[113] followed by Avengers: Doomsday (2026) and the untitled fourth Spider-Man film (2026), and will conclude with Avengers: Secret Wars (2027).[62][114] The planned film Blade is also intended to be part of the phase but does not have a release date.[115][113]

Television series and specialsFor a more comprehensive list, see List of Marvel Cinematic Universe television series.Marvel Television seriesSee also: Marvel's ABC television series, Marvel's Netflix television series, Marvel's young adult television series, and Adventure into Fear (franchise)

Marvel Television produced multiple television series set in the MCU across broadcast, streaming, and cable. Its ABC series included Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (2013–2020), Agent Carter (2015–2016), and Inhumans (2017); its Netflix series included Daredevil (2015–2018), Jessica Jones (2015–2019), Luke Cage (2016–2018), Iron Fist (2017–2018), the crossover miniseries The Defenders (2017), and The Punisher (2017–2019); its young adult series included Runaways (2017–2019) streaming on Hulu and Cloak & Dagger (2018–2019) airing on Freeform; and the Hulu series Helstrom (2020) was originally intended to be the start of a planned "Adventure into Fear" franchise,[116] but was ultimately "not tied to the MCU", according to showrunner Paul Zbyszewski.[117]

Marvel Studios seriesSee also: Marvel Cinematic Universe: Phase Four § Television series, Phase Five § Television series, and Marvel Studios Special Presentations

Beginning with Phase Four, television series were included as part of the Phases in addition to their feature films. Each series is released on Disney+. Phase Four includes the series WandaVision (2021), The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (2021), the first season of Loki (2021), the first season of the animated series What If...? (2021), Hawkeye (2021), Moon Knight (2022), Ms. Marvel (2022), and She-Hulk: Attorney at Law (2022). The television specials Werewolf by Night (2022) and The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special (2022) are also included in the phase. Phase Five includes Secret Invasion (2023), the second season of Loki (2023), the second season of What If...? (2023), Echo (2024), Agatha All Along (2024), the third season of What If...? (2024), the first season of Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man (2025), the first season of Daredevil: Born Again (2025), and Ironheart (2025).[13][118]

Short filmsMarvel One-ShotsMain articles: Marvel One-Shots and Team Thor

Marvel One-Shots are a series of direct-to-video short films that are included as special features in the MCU films' Blu-ray and digital distribution releases. The films included The Consultant (2011), A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Thor's Hammer (2011),[83] Item 47 (2012),[119] Agent Carter (2013),[120] and All Hail the King (2014).[121]

Following the One-Shots becoming available on Disney+ in January 2022, Marvel classified the Team Thor mockumentary shorts as One-Shots.[122][123][124] Team Thor is a series of direct-to-video mockumentary short films that were released from 2016 to 2018, consisting of Team Thor, Team Thor: Part 2, and Team Darryl, all written and directed by Taika Waititi.[125][126][127]

I Am GrootMain article: I Am Groot

I Am Groot is a series of photorealistic animated short films for Disney+ starring Baby Groot going on adventures with new and unusual characters.[91][92][93] Vin Diesel reprises his role, with five shorts releasing on August 10, 2022.[128] A second season with five additional shorts was released on September 6, 2023.[129]

Other mediaDigital series

WHIH Newsfront (2015–16) is an in-universe current affairs show that serves as a viral marketing campaign for some of the MCU films, created in partnership with Google for YouTube.[87][130] The campaign is an extension of the fictional news network WHIH World News, which is seen reporting on major events in many MCU films and television series.[131] Leslie Bibb reprises her role as Christine Everhart from the Iron Man films.[130]

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: Slingshot (2016) is one of several Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. web series created for ABC.com and produced by Marvel Television that is a supplement to Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., with the main cast reprising their roles.[88]

The first two seasons of The Daily Bugle (2019–2022) are an in-universe current affairs show serving as a viral marketing campaign for the films Spider-Man: Far From Home and Spider-Man: No Way Home, with the videos released on YouTube and TikTok. It is based on the fictional sensationalist news outlet of the same name that appears in the MCU—itself based on the fictional newspaper agency of the same name appearing in several Marvel Comics publications. J. K. Simmons and Angourie Rice reprise their roles as J. Jonah Jameson and Betty Brant from the Spider-Man films.[132]

Comic booksMain article: Marvel Cinematic Universe tie-in comics

Multiple limited series or one-shot comic books that tie into the MCU films and television series have been published by Marvel Comics. They are intended to tell additional stories about existing characters or to make connections between MCU projects, without necessarily expanding the universe or introducing new concepts or characters.[81][133]

BooksFor books written about the MCU, see § Literary material below.

The Wakanda Files: A Technological Exploration of the Avengers and Beyond is "a collection of papers, articles, blueprints, and notes amassed throughout history by Wakanda's War Dogs" at the request of Shuri. It is organized by areas of study and covers the technological advancements throughout the MCU. The book, which exists within the universe, was written by Troy Benjamin and published by Epic Ink and Quarto Publishing Group. The Wakanda Files has content printed with UV ink that can be viewed with Kimoyo bead–shaped UV lights included with the book. It was released on October 20, 2020.[134]

Look Out for the Little Guy, the fictional memoir written by Scott Lang as seen in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, was released by Hyperion Avenue on September 5, 2023. It was created alongside Marvel Studios and the Quantumania filmmakers,[135] and was written by Rob Kutner,[136] featuring "over 20 short pieces exploring different aspects of Scott's experiences" as a father and Avenger.[135] Quantumania writer Jeff Loveness wrote the material from the memoir that was featured in the film.[136]

MusicMain article: Music of the Marvel Cinematic Universe

Various composers have created the film and television scores of the MCU films, television series, One-Shots, Special Presentations, and other related projects of the MCU, primarily released by Marvel Studios's record label Marvel Music. Original songs have also been created specifically for use in the franchise, while Brian Tyler and Michael Giacchino have both scored fanfares for the Marvel Studios production logo.[137][138]

Fictional universeTimelineMain article: Marvel Cinematic Universe timeline

The fictional timeline of the MCU includes the feature films, television series, television specials, short films, and the I Am Groot shorts from Marvel Studios and Marvel Television's Netflix series. While the early films of Phase One and Phase Two of the franchise followed each other in the timeline similar to their release order, Phase Three saw many of the films overlapping with each other in the timeline, while also introducing the first prequel property, Captain Marvel. The Phase Three film Avengers: Endgame featured characters traveling into the past and introduced a five-year time jump, with many subsequent releases in Phase Four and Phase Five set after Endgame's events in the timeline. The television series Loki and What If...? were the first properties to occur outside of the main timeline and explore alternative timelines and universes.

There have been numerous attempts by Marvel Studios and others to codify the events of the MCU, which have been subject to perceived continuity errors, resulting in Marvel Studios releasing an official timeline book in 2023 for their first four phases that were designated as part of their "Sacred Timeline". This book did not feature projects produced by other companies, such as Marvel Television's series which all had been loosely connected to the films, however, it was noted all of these outside projects were part of the larger Marvel canon. In early 2024, Marvel Studios formally integrated Marvel Television's group of Netflix series into their Disney+ timeline.

As of the Phase Five television series Secret Invasion and the film The Marvels, the "present day" in the MCU is 2026.[139][140][141] The following covers and discusses MCU media released by Marvel Studios and the Netflix series by Marvel Television. Loki and What If...? are excluded from the diagram because they occur outside of the main timeline. Werewolf by Night is also excluded given the special explicitly does not indicate where it takes place in the MCU. Disney+'s timeline order places the first seasons of Loki and What If...? between Avengers: Endgame and WandaVision, their second seasons after The Marvels, and Werewolf by Night after Thor: Love and Thunder; Werewolf by Night is also placed here in The Marvel Cinematic Universe: An Official Timeline.

Key: Occurs on the MCU's Sacred Timeline Occurs outside the MCU's Sacred Timeline at a set timeframeMarvel Cinematic Universe timeline

(as of Agatha All Along) hide1943–1945The First Avenger[142]1946Agent Carter[120]1947–19941995Captain Marvel[143]1996–20092010Iron Man[144][142]2011Iron Man 2[144][142]The Incredible Hulk[144]A Funny Thing...[144][83]Thor[144]The Consultant[144][83]2012The Avengers[145]Item 47[119]2013The Dark World[145]Iron Man 3[142][146]2014All Hail the King[121]The Winter Soldier[142][146]Guardians of the Galaxy[147]I Am Groot ep. 1[148]Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2[149]I Am Groot eps. 2–10[148][150]2015Daredevil season 1[151][152][153]Jessica Jones season 1[151][152][153]Age of Ultron[142]Ant-Man[142][154]Daredevil season 2[152][153]Luke Cage season 1[151][155][153]2016Iron Fist season 1[151][153]The Defenders[151][153]Civil War[142][156]Black Widow[157]Black Panther[158]Homecoming[159]The Punisher season 1[151][153]2016–2017Doctor Strange[160][161]2017Jessica Jones season 2[152][153]Luke Cage season 2[152][153]Iron Fist season 2[152][153]Daredevil season 3[152][153]Ragnarok[162][163]2018The Punisher season 2[152][153]Jessica Jones season 3[152][153]Ant-Man and the Wasp[164]Infinity War[165][166]2019–20222023Endgame[166]WandaVision[167]2024Deadpool & Wolverine[168][a]Shang-Chi[171]The Falcon and the Winter Soldier[172]Far From Home[173]Eternals[174][175]No Way Home[176]Multiverse of Madness[177]Hawkeye[178]2025Moon Knight[179]Wakanda Forever[180]Echo[181]She-Hulk[182]Ms. Marvel[183]Love and Thunder[184]The Guardians of the Galaxy

Holiday Special[185]2026Quantumania[186][139]Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3[187][188]Secret Invasion[189][139]The Marvels[141]Agatha All Along[190]MultiverseMain article: Multiverse (Marvel Cinematic Universe)

The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z, Vol. 5, published in 2008, originally designated the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Earth-199999 within the continuity of Marvel's comic multiverse, a collection of fictional alternate universes, although, this designation was rarely used officially outside of the source material.[191] The television series Loki and What If...? were the first to explore the concept of the multiverse within the MCU,[192][193] as well as the film Spider-Man: No Way Home, which connected the MCU to other Spider-Man film franchises by featuring characters from Sam Raimi's Spider-Man trilogy, Marc Webb's The Amazing Spider-Man films, and Sony's Spider-Man Universe (SSU).[194][195] The SSU film Venom: Let There Be Carnage briefly featured the main universe of the MCU as well.[195] In Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, the main universe of MCU events was designated as Earth-616 (a designation first referenced in Spider-Man: Far From Home), sharing the name of the main Marvel Comics universe, while another universe was designated as Earth-838.[196] Sony's animated film Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse references the events of No Way Home, citing the MCU's primary reality as Earth-199999.[197] 20th Century Fox's X-Men film series is designated as Earth-10005 in Deadpool & Wolverine.[198] That film features several actors reprising their roles from the X-Men film series along with characters from Fox's films Daredevil and its spin-off Elektra, Fantastic Four (2005) and its sequel, and New Line Cinema's Blade film trilogy.[199][200] Phases Four, Five, and Six comprise "The Multiverse Saga".[47]

With the release of The Marvel Cinematic Universe: An Of