Film Phase 4 — The Blip & New Beginnings (2023)

Avengers: Endgame

Name: Avengers: Endgame
Released: 2019-04-26
Duration: 182 min
Rating: 8.2
Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson

"Avenge the fallen."

Released April 26, 2019 3h 2m ★ 8.2TMDB ★ Essential to the MCU

After the devastating events of Avengers: Infinity War, the universe is in ruins due to the efforts of the Mad Titan, Thanos. With the help of remaining allies, the Avengers must assemble once more in order to undo Thanos' actions and restore order to the universe once and for all, no matter what consequences may be in store.

How to watch Block out 3 hours.

Watch note

Five years after the snap, the surviving Avengers execute a time heist to undo it. Tony snaps Thanos away and dies. Steve stays in the past with Peggy — passing the shield to Sam. The MCU's defining film.

Why It Matters in the MCU

Endgame is less a conventional film than a reconciliation between a franchise and its audience. Its three-hour runtime earns every minute: the first act deliberately deflates, the second retools every Avengers movie into a new story, and the third delivers the biggest assembled action sequence in blockbuster history. What makes it stick is not the spectacle but the weight — Tony Stark's sacrifice lands because twenty-two films built towards it. It remains the highest-grossing film ever made at the worldwide box office.

Watch These First

29 titles lead into Avengers: Endgame — 63 hours in total. 22 of the 29 are essential.

Captain America: The First Avenger Essential 2h 4m ★ 7.0
Marvel One-Shot: Agent Carter 0h 15m ★ 7.2
Agent Carter (Season 1) 6h ★ 7.5
Agent Carter (Season 2) 7h 30m ★ 7.5
Captain Marvel Essential 2h 4m ★ 6.8
Iron Man Essential 2h 6m ★ 7.7
Iron Man 2 Essential 2h 4m ★ 6.9
The Incredible Hulk Essential 1h 52m ★ 6.3
Iron Man 2 (Post-Credit Scene) Essential 0h 2m
Thor Essential 1h 55m ★ 6.8 +2 before this
Captain America: The First Avenger (Credits) Essential 0h 2m
Thor (Post-Credit Scene) Essential 0h 2m
The Avengers Essential 2h 23m ★ 8.1 +2 before this
Iron Man 3 Essential 2h 10m ★ 6.9
Thor: The Dark World Essential 1h 52m ★ 6.5
Captain America: The Winter Soldier Essential 2h 16m ★ 7.7
Guardians of the Galaxy Essential 2h 1m ★ 7.9
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 Essential 2h 16m ★ 7.6
Avengers: Age of Ultron Essential 2h 21m ★ 7.3
Ant-Man Essential 1h 57m ★ 7.1
Captain America: Civil War Essential 2h 27m ★ 7.5
Team Thor 0h 4m ★ 7.2
Team Thor: Part 2 0h 2m ★ 6.9
Black Widow 2h 14m ★ 7.2
Eyes of Wakanda (Season 1) Essential 2h ★ 6.2
Black Panther Essential 2h 14m ★ 7.4
Spider-Man: Homecoming Essential 2h 13m ★ 7.3
Doctor Strange Essential 1h 55m ★ 7.4
Thor: Ragnarok Essential 2h 10m ★ 7.6
Team Darryl 0h 4m ★ 6.2
Ant-Man and the Wasp Essential 1h 58m ★ 6.9
Avengers: Infinity War Essential 2h 29m ★ 8.2
Ant-Man & The Wasp (All Credits) Essential 0h 3m
Captain Marvel (Post-Credits Scene) Essential 0h 2m

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Where It Fits in the MCU

Avengers: Endgame sits at position 105 of 158 in the MCU's story-chronological order, placing it within the Phase 4 — The Blip & New Beginnings (2023) era. It is rated Essential — must-watch for following the main MCU narrative. Watching in story-chronological order provides the most coherent character development experience — individual arcs build naturally toward the franchise's major crossover events, with each film's post-credits scenes carrying forward into what follows.