The Chronological Order of X-Men Movies from Start to Finish

Since its first release 20 years ago in 2000, X-Men has become one of the most beloved superhero series, especially among Marvel fans. For new viewers wanting to watch X-Men, the timeline can be quite confusing.

Based on their release dates, the X-Men film series starts with X-Men (2000), followed by X2 (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), Deadpool 2 (2018), and Dark Phoenix (2019).

However, if you follow the timeline within the series, you should start with X-Men: First Class, which is set in 1962.

Due to the events in X-Men: Days of Future Past, the timeline in the X-Men movies results in several alternate timelines, causing some events in the old timeline to change.

Here's the chronological order of X-Men movies based on their timelines along with a sneak peek of each series.

1. X-Men: First Class (2011)

The story begins with X-Men: First Class, set in 1962 when Professor X and Magneto were young. It narrates the first meeting of Charles Xavier and Erik Lensherr, shortly after Erik's mother was killed by a ruthless scientist named Sebastian Shaw.

Since then, the two have been inseparable like brothers. As they grew up, Charles completed his studies at Oxford with his research on mutants.

Meanwhile, Sebastian Shaw began executing his evil plan to trigger a nuclear war between the Soviet Union and America by convincing some people to support his plan.

X-Men: First Class (2011) Trailer

If Shaw's plan succeeded, all normal humans would be eradicated and replaced by mutants.

Erik and Charles reunite in a mission to stop Shaw and his evil plan after being separated for a while.

2. X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014)

In 2023, mutants are hunted and killed by killer robots called Sentinels. The Sentinels have the ability not only to detect mutant genes but also to mimic and absorb mutant powers, bringing mutants to the brink of extinction.

The remaining mutants, including Professor X, Wolverine, Kitty Pryde, and others, decide to send someone back to the past, specifically to 1973 before the Sentinels were created.

Initially, Kitty is hesitant to send someone decades into the past, fearing it might damage their brain.

X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014) Trailer

But Wolverine volunteers because of his rapid self-healing ability, making it likely that his brain will remain intact.

His mission is to reconcile Professor X and Magneto, who are at odds. If Wolverine succeeds, the future will change, including preventing the creation of Sentinels that massacre mutants.

3. X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009)

X-Men Origins: Wolverine is set in 1981 and tells the story of Logan's life before joining the X-Men.

Young Logan grew up with his brother Victor Creed on the run. They were later recruited by William Stryker into Team X.

However, this led to conflict and hostility between them. They even fought, with Victor winning by breaking Logan's bone claws.

After that incident, Stryker offered Logan to become an experiment subject by infusing his body with a very hard material.

X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009) Trailer

From this experiment, Logan's bone claws became harder and sharper. However, he later realized that the experiment was to create Weapon X, the strongest mutant.

Logan then tried to fight Weapon X with his brother Victor. Unfortunately, Logan was shot in the head with an adamantium bullet, causing him to lose his memory at the end of the film.

4. X-Men: Apocalypse (2016) ~ Alternate Timeline

As discussed earlier, due to the events of X-Men: Days of Future Past, an alternate timeline emerged, replacing the old timeline.

In other words, the events of X-Men: Apocalypse will be an alternate timeline replacing X-Men Origins: Wolverine.

Because when Logan managed to return to the past, there was an incident where he was thrown into a lake by Magneto and saved by William Stryker, who would later create Weapon X. While captured and imprisoned by Stryker, Logan also experienced amnesia.

Fortunately, he was rescued by Jean, Scott, and Kurt, and they managed to escape from Stryker's base.

Apocalypse himself is the oldest mutant in the world, originating from Egypt. He rises again with his mutant followers, the Four Horsemen, consisting of Angel, Psylocke, Storm, and Magneto. Apocalypse and the Four Horsemen plan to build a new world.

X-Men: Apocalypse (2016) Trailer

A fierce battle between Apocalypse and the X-Men ensues, resulting in casualties, to stop Apocalypse's evil plan to exterminate humanity.

5. X-Men: Dark Phoenix (2019) ~ Alternate Timeline

In X-Men: Dark Phoenix, X-Men members Quick Silver, Cyclops, Jean Grey, Raven, Beast, Storm, and Nightcrawler are on a mission to save a group of astronauts stranded in space due to a natural phenomenon called a solar flare.

The rescue mission does not go smoothly as the solar flare moves closer to the astronauts, threatening their lives. Fortunately, with Jean Grey's power, the astronauts are saved.

However, Jean Grey is exposed to the solar flare, which turns out to be a cosmic force called Phoenix. Fortunately, Jean Grey survives without any injuries, although initially, she was thought to have died.

X-Men: Dark Phoenix (2019) Trailer

But, of course, there are consequences after this incident. The Phoenix power not only enhances Jean Grey's abilities but also destabilizes her psyche.

Jean Grey's emotions become unstable after returning from space, endangering people, both mutants and humans on Earth. She also starts losing trust in the X-Men members.

6. X-Men (2000)

Over time, the number of humans evolving into mutants increases. These mutants can do things beyond normal human logic.

Due to the significant differences between them and normal humans, mutants often face discrimination.

They are feared, shunned, and ostracized by humans. This causes many mutants to view humans as a threat and want to eliminate them. However, not all humans think this way. They just haven't understood each other yet.

Unfortunately, Magneto and his followers are planning something that could threaten the existence of humans.

Magneto plans to turn all remaining humans into mutants by using large-scale radiation in New York.

X-Men (2000) Trailer

Fortunately, his evil plan cannot proceed without Rogue. Rogue is at the X-Men base with Logan after they were saved by X-Men members in a car accident. Professor X then introduces them to the other X-Men members.

Unfortunately, Rogue is kidnapped by Magneto. The X-Men members prepare to fight Magneto and his followers.

7. X2: X-Men United (2003)

After stopping Magneto and his evil plan, human life returns to peace.

However, some humans still do not fully trust mutants. On the other hand, Magneto is imprisoned in a cell designed to prevent him from using his powers to escape.

But the situation is not entirely safe after Magneto's imprisonment, as a new problem arises.

A mutant named Nightcrawler appears, causing unrest by attempting to assassinate the president.

This causes public anxiety, leading to a proposal for mutant registration. Many oppose this, both mutants and humans.

They argue that such a proposal would limit the freedom and rights of mutants.

X2: X-Men United (2003) Trailer

In this situation, Stryker, who hates mutants, stirs people up to get the proposal approved. He starts capturing mutants, though some manage to escape.

Professor X decides to work with Magneto, who escaped from prison with the help of his followers, to defeat Stryker and prevent mutant extinction.

8. X-Men: The Last Stand (2006)

X-Men: The Last Stand focuses on the discovery of a cure for mutants that can remove their mutant genes.

The cure comes from a boy named Leech who has the ability or DNA to remove mutant genes, turning mutants into normal humans.

News of this cure spreads quickly through the media, followed by a confirmation statement from a pharmaceutical company producing the cure.

This angers some mutants, and Magneto uses this to reform the Brotherhood of Mutants.

Meanwhile, Jean Grey, who was thought to have died in Alkali Lake in the previous film, is alive. Controlled by Phoenix, she joins the Brotherhood of Mutants.

The Brotherhood plans to kidnap and kill Leech, whom they see as the source of mutant destruction.

The X-Men members must fight their fellow mutants, the Brotherhood of Mutants, to save the innocent Leech.

X-Men: The Last Stand (2006) Trailer

Their battle ends with Magneto losing his powers after being shot with a high-dose cure and Jean Grey being killed by Logan.

9. The Wolverine (2013)

Some time after the mutant battle, Logan decides to become a hermit in Yukon. He is haunted by memories of Jean Grey, whom he killed in the previous battle.

There, he meets Yukio, a mutant who can predict death.

Yukio invites Logan to meet Ichiro Yashida, the owner of Yashida Industries and a man Logan saved from an atomic bomb blast in Nagasaki.

Yashida asks Logan to transfer his healing ability to Yashida, who is suffering from cancer.

Initially, Logan refuses the request, not wanting to lose his mutant power. Logan stays at Yashida's residence but experiences strange symptoms.

The Wolverine (2013) Trailer

While recovering, Logan encounters a threat to his life and the life of Yashida's granddaughter.

Logan learns about a device attached to his heart by a scientist named Dr. Green, which has been absorbing his healing ability.

After removing the device, Logan regains his strength and fights a Yashida who has turned into Silver Samurai with adamantium armor, resulting in Yashida's death.

10. Deadpool (2016)

Wade Wilson, a former special forces soldier, becomes a mercenary. However, Wade only accepts jobs to help the weak.

One day, while hanging out at his favorite bar, someone approaches him with an offer to participate in an experiment that could cure his cancer and grant him superpowers.

Desperate to be rid of his debilitating illness, Wade Wilson agrees to the offer.

There, he discovers that the experiment is an illegal operation run by criminals aiming to create mutants or super-powered humans.

Deadpool (2016) Trailer

The mutants produced from the experiment are sold to the highest bidder. Wade Wilson attempts to escape from the facility.

11. Deadpool 2 (2018)

In the sequel, Deadpool is tasked with protecting a young mutant named Russell who cannot control his powers, making him quite dangerous.

Earlier, Wade had been dealing with frustration and despair, leading him to contemplate ending his immortality. At this low point, Colossus approaches him with an offer to join the X-Men.

Wade Wilson initially declines the offer, but after meeting Russell, he reconsiders Colossus' proposal.

Meanwhile, Russell is being targeted by a cyborg soldier from the future named Cable.

Deadpool 2 (2018) Trailer

Cable aims to kill Russell, who he believes will murder his family. Wade Wilson forms a team called X-Force to fight Cable, recruiting mutants including Deadpool, Domino, Colossus, Negasonic Teenage Warhead, and Bedlam.

12. Logan (2017)

Set in 2029, Logan works as a driver and cares for an aging, dementia-stricken Professor X.

They live in an old warehouse near Mexico, along with a mutant tracker named Caliban.

Logan himself is aging and unwell. His healing abilities have weakened, exacerbated by his heavy drinking. For nearly 25 years, there has been no news of new mutant births. But one day, a young girl appears.

Logan (2017) Trailer

Her name is Laura, a mutant cloned from Logan with similar abilities.

They embark on a long journey to Eden, a safe haven for mutants who have escaped Transigen.

Conclusion

And that’s the chronological order of the X-Men superhero series. As mentioned earlier, the events in X-Men: Days of Future Past created an alternate timeline that replaced the original one.

Additionally, you can watch X-Men movies legally on Disney Channel and Amazon Prime Video.