X-Men Film Series Overview and Release Order
The X-Men film series began in 2000 with 20th Century Fox releasing the first live-action movie directed by Bryan Singer. The original trilogy ran from 2000 to 2006, followed by a prequel trilogy from 2011 to 2016, and the Fox–Marvel crossover films Deadpool (2016), Logan (2017), and Deadpool 2 (2018). After Disney acquired 21st Century Fox in 2019, the X-Men rights moved to Marvel Studios, which has since integrated mutant characters into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Marvel.com lists the X-Men as part of the broader MCU multiverse, with several projects in development.
In release order, the Fox X-Men films are X-Men (2000), 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), X-Men: Apocalypse (2016), Logan (2017), Deadpool 2 (2018), and Dark Phoenix (2019). The chronological timeline within the films starts in the 1940s with young Wolverine, jumps to the 1960s in First Class, moves to the 1980s in Days of Future Past, and extends to the 2020s in Logan and Dark Phoenix. IMDb user lists rank X-Men: Days of Future Past and Logan among the highest-rated entries in the franchise.
X-Men Television Series and Their Place in the Timeline
Fox and Marvel Television X-Men Shows
Before Disney's acquisition, Fox aired the animated series X-Men: The Animated Series (1992–1997), which remains a benchmark for X-Men adaptations. Fox later launched live-action series including Legion (2017–2019), set in a divergent timeline, and The Gifted (2017–2019), which follows the aftermath of the X-Men film timeline. These shows introduced new characters such as Polaris, Eclipse, and the Strucker family while connecting to the broader mutant mythology.
Marvel Cinematic Universe X-Men Integration
Marvel Studios has confirmed that the X-Men will enter the MCU, with SEC filings and Disney