It can be difficult to navigate the X-Men franchise’s convoluted timeline. The series, which has 13 films spread over two decades, crafts a complicated story that veers between several timelines, parallel universes, and reboots. Whether you’re a die-hard fan wanting to revisit the X-Men films or a beginner eager to explore the mutant world, viewing the films in chronological sequence can provide a unique insight on the characters’ experiences and the plot as a whole.
The X-Men Movies in Chronological Order
Here’s the recommended viewing sequence for the X-Men films if you want to experience the tale as a single, seamless narrative that follows the character arcs from the first appearances to the pivotal fights:
1. X-Men: First Class (2011)
The events of X-Men: First Class take place mostly in 1962, at the start of the X-Men universe. In the movie, Michael Fassbender plays Erik Lehnsherr/Magneto, while James McAvoy plays a teenage Charles Xavier. The film also tells the story of the founding of the Brotherhood of Mutants and the X-Men. It opens with a moving scene set in 1944, during the Holocaust, and then fast-forwards to the early 1960s, when the mutant community is being born, using the Cuban Missile Crisis as a backdrop.
2. X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014)
Because it connects the dots between the earlier prequels and the original trilogy, this movie stands apart in the franchise. Although movie takes place mostly in 1973, there are important scenes set in a dystopian future (2023) in which mutants are in danger of being extinct.Days of Future Past is a time-travel story that reunites younger Magneto and Xavier with their elder incarnations, Ian McKellen and Patrick Stewart, in an attempt to avert a disastrous occurrence.
3. X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009)
In this film, Hugh Jackman’s character Wolverine (born in 1845) explores his past, with the majority of the action taking place in 1979. It shows his beginnings, from his difficult upbringing to the instant he gets his adamantium bones and claws. Additionally, Ryan Reynolds makes his debut in the movie as Wade Wilson, the character who would go on to become the beloved Deadpool.
4. X-Men: Apocalypse (2016)
In X-Men: Apocalypse, the first mutant, En Sabah Nur (Oscar Isaac), is introduced in ancient Egypt approximately 3600 BC. En Sabah Nur later transforms into Apocalypse. The majority of the movie takes place in 1983, when this formidable opponent opposes the revived X-Men squad. The film tells the story of Magneto, younger Xavier, and their group of mutants as they band together to stop the end of the world.
5. X-Men: Dark Phoenix (2019)
Dark Phoenix, the last movie in the prequel series starring James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, and Sophie Turner as Jean Grey, is mostly set in 1992. The movie follows Jean’s metamorphosis into the Phoenix, a formidable force that poses a threat to global destruction. The major events of the story, which concludes the saga of the younger X-Men, take place in the early 1990s, while the story opens with a flashback to 1975.
6. X-Men (2000)
In the early 2000s, the world is introduced to mutants living covertly among humans in the first film in the franchise, X-Men. It centres on the conflict between Magneto (Ian McKellen) and an ageing Professor Xavier (Patrick Stewart). In addition, this movie introduces Rogue and Wolverine, laying the groundwork for the first three films.
7. X2: X-Men United (2003)
In X2: X-Men United, which takes place soon after the events of the first movie, Wolverine’s former mentor Colonel William Stryker opposes the X-Men. The film concludes with a significant occurrence that immediately sets up the following movie while also strengthening the bonds between the characters.
8. X-Men: The Last Stand (2006)
The final installment of the original trilogy and the first effort at telling the Phoenix story is X-Men: The Last Stand. The main plot points are the finding of a “cure” for mutants and Jean Grey’s metamorphosis into the Phoenix, which sets up a pivotal conflict between Magneto’s Brotherhood and the X-Men.
9. The Wolverine (2013)
In this movie, which picks up where X-Men: The Last Stand left off, Wolverine travels to Japan, where he meets new foes and experiences a personal dilemma. The Wolverine, which takes place after Jean Grey’s passing, delves into Logan’s conflict with his immortality and yearning for a typical life.
10. Deadpool (2016)
Although he has a far lighter tone, Deadpool is a spinoff that operates within the X-Men universe. Wade Wilson, played by Ryan Reynolds, is a mercenary who receives an experimental therapy that speeds up his healing abilities but causes severe disfigurement. The 2016 movie takes place in the present and, while mostly standing alone, has multiple connections to the wider X-Men universe.
11. Deadpool 2 (2018)
Deadpool 2 is a time travel and dark comedy film that continues the tale of the Merc with a Mouth and introduces new characters including Cable (Josh Brolin) and X-Force. It is a late addition to the timeline, with no specific release date but an assumed setting some years after the first Deadpool film.
12. The New Mutants (2020)
The New Mutants is a horror-themed spinoff that centres on a group of teenage mutants being kept in a covert facility and is set in the late 2020s. The movie is a distinct installment in the series, exploring issues of trauma and identity while having a tenuous connection to the larger X-Men universe.
13. Logan (2017)
Logan, the last chapter in Wolverine’s narrative, takes place in 2029 and shows an almost extinct future for mutants. Logan, who is getting older and worn out, has to watch out for a little girl who shares his powers. The movie represents the X-Men saga’s definitive conclusion and a potent, poignant culmination of the character’s journey.
X-Men Movies in Order of Release
Here’s how the timeline played out for viewers if you’d rather see the films in the order they were released:
- X-Men (2000)
- X2: X-Men United (2003)
- X-Men: The Last Stand (2006)
- X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009)
- X-Men: First Class (2011)
- The Wolverine (2013)
- X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014)
- Deadpool (2016)
- X-Men: Apocalypse (2016)
- Logan (2017)
- Deadpool 2 (2018)
- X-Men: Dark Phoenix (2019)
- The New Mutants (2020)
Upcoming X-Men Movies and Shows
The X-Men saga is far from ended. There are many things to look forward to now that the mutants have been incorporated into the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU):
- X-Men ’97: An animated series that is currently developing a second season that takes up where the original 1990s series left off.
- Deadpool & Wolverine (2024): The much awaited crossover film that unites these two legendary characters and introduces them to the MCU.
Reviewing the previous films in the series’ chronological order is a great approach to get ready for what lies ahead for mutants in the MCU while we wait for the next installments of the X-Men narrative.
