X-Men Film Series Overview
The X-Men film series is a superhero franchise based on the Marvel Comics team, produced by 20th Century Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. The series began with X-Men in 2000 under 20th Century Fox and continued through multiple sequels, prequels, and spin-offs. The franchise includes the original trilogy, the First Class prequel trilogy, the Wolverine solo films, the Deadpool trilogy, and the latest installment, Deadpool and Wolverine, which integrates the X-Men into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The movies are available in both release order and chronological timeline order, with the latter following the internal story chronology from X-Men: First Class onward. For a full breakdown of the timeline, see the chronological guide on Forbes.
As of the latest update, the X-Men franchise consists of 14 theatrically released films, including the animated movie Marvel's Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse crossovers and the live-action Deadpool and Wolverine. The series generated billions in global box office revenue and spans genres from political thriller to superhero comedy. The Walt Disney Company acquired the X-Men film rights through its purchase of 21st Century Fox's entertainment assets in 2019, and the franchise is now fully integrated into the Marvel Cinematic Universe under Marvel Studios. The upcoming X-Men movie slate is being developed by Marvel Studios with a new creative team.
X-Men Movies in Release Order
The release order lists the films as they premiered in theaters. It starts with X-Men (2000) and ends with Deadpool and Wolverine (2024). The complete release sequence is: X-Men, X2: X-Men United, X-Men: The Last Stand, X-Men Origins: Wolverine, X-Men: First Class, The Wolverine, X-Men: Days of Future Past, Deadpool, X-Men: Apocalypse, Logan, Deadpool 2, Dark Phoenix, and Deadpool and Wolverine. This order reflects the production and distribution timeline managed by 20th Century Fox and later Marvel Studios. Each film features a core cast including Hugh Jackman as Wolverine, Patrick Stewart as Professor X, and Ian McKellen as Magneto, with later entries introducing new characters like Deadpool and Gambit.
The release order is the most common way fans and new viewers experience the franchise, as it preserves the original narrative arc and production evolution. The first three films, directed by Bryan Singer, established the core team and set the tone for the series. The later entries, including the Deadpool films, introduced R-rated humor and meta-commentary on the franchise itself. Deadpool and Wolverine serves as the culmination of the Fox-era X-Men storyline and the bridge to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, featuring cameos from characters across multiple Marvel franchises. The box office performance of each film in this order is tracked by industry sources such as Box Office Mojo.
X-Men Movies in Chronological Timeline Order
The chronological order arranges the films based on the in-universe events, starting with X-Men: First Class and ending with Deadpool and Wolverine. The timeline begins in the 1960s with the Cuban Missile Crisis and the formation of the X-Men, then jumps forward through the 1980s, 1990s, and 2020s. Key events include the origin of Wolverine, the rise of Apocalypse, the Phoenix Force saga, and the creation of the mutant nation of Krakoa. This order is recommended for viewers who want to understand the cause-and