X-Men Movie Franchise Overview
The X-Men film series spans multiple timelines and production companies, beginning with 20th Century Fox's original trilogy and evolving into the Marvel Cinematic Universe under Disney and Marvel Studios. The franchise includes solo films, team-up sagas, and multiverse stories that reimagine the mutant heroes from the X-Men comic books. The newest additions integrate the X-Men into the broader MCU continuity, following Disney's acquisition of 21st Century Fox's entertainment assets. For a detailed timeline of the franchise evolution, see the overview at Forbes.
Box office performance across the X-Men films reflects shifting audience interest, with the original trilogy and Deadpool installments leading in global grosses. Disney's integration of the X-Men into the MCU has reset the continuity and introduced new creative teams. The franchise now operates under the Marvel Studios banner, with production timelines and release dates managed alongside other MCU phases. The latest official slate and production updates are tracked by major trade outlets and SEC filings for Disney.
Complete X-Men Movie Release Order
Original Fox X-Men Trilogy and Spin-Offs
X-Men (2000) launched the series, followed by X2: X-Men United (2003) and X-Men: The Last Stand (2006), all produced by 20th Century Fox. X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009) and The Wolverine (2013) expanded the timeline with solo stories for Logan. X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014) merged timelines, while X-Men: Apocalypse (2016) and X-Men: Dark Phoenix (2019) closed the Fox era. The Deadpool films (2016, 2018) and Deadpool & Wolverine (2024) added R-rated entries that blended humor with the broader mutant narrative. For current release details and official announcements, see Deadline.
MCU X-Men Integration and New Timeline
Deadpool & Wolverine (2024) marked the transition of the X-Men into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with Marvel Studios now overseeing the mutant franchise. The film features cameos and multiverse elements that set up future X-Men stories within the MCU. Upcoming projects include new X-Men team films and additional solo movies under the Marvel Studios banner. The integration aligns the X-Men with other Marvel properties, including Avengers and Spider-Man, under a unified production and distribution strategy. Official announcements and release windows are published by Marvel Studios and reported by The Hollywood Reporter.
X-Men Movies in Chronological Story Order
Timeline Placement by Story Events
Chronologically, the X-Men films begin with X-Men: First Class (1962 setting), followed by X-Men: Days of Future Past, X-Men: Apocalypse, and X-Men: Dark Phoenix. The original trilogy and The Wolverine fit into a separate continuity, while Deadpool and Deadpool 2 occupy a shared timeline with variant versions of Wolverine