X-Men movies in order of release date (and where to stream them)

Trying to keep up with superhero franchises isn’t always that easy. There are multiple X-Men movies covering different time periods and versions of characters.

You could watch them in chronological order, but that takes time to work your way through. A lot of streaming platforms make sure you know the release date order. And this is often the best way to watch franchise movies. The earlier movies tend to offer some teases of things that are to come, while later movies offer Easter eggs from the previous ones, even when they’re set in the past.

It’s worth getting the know the characters in the order they were introduced to us. So, if you're planning on watching the saga (or even revisiting it before the beloved team of mutants' eventual arrival in the Marvel Cinematic Universe), this is the order of the X-Men movies, along with where they’re streaming right now.

The initial X-Men trilogy of movies

The franchise started with X-Men, which introduced Patrick Stewart as Charles Xavier, along with Hugh Jackman as Wolverine and Anna Paquin as Rogue. It was released in July 2000 and Bryan Singer directed it. This was the one that started the franchise.

X2: X-Men United followed in 2003. Again, directed by Bryan Singer, this continued the story of the core group of heroes. Yes, the titular team were more focused than ever on taking down Magneto, and we got to see some of his backstory as the movies progressed.

X-Men: The Last Stand was the third movie in the franchise, released in 2006 with Brett Ratner directing this one. This was the most divisive of the three movies, and it concluded the initial X-Men trilogy, but it was clear the franchise wasn’t finished.

Wolverine, Deadpool, and the prequel movies

Considering the love for Jackman’s Wolverine, it wasn’t surprising that movies focused on his character were in order. The first one was X-Men Origins: Wolverine, which came out in 2009. Jackman reprised his role as Logan, and we got to see how he became the jaded man that we knew him as. This was a chance for us all to see how he went from his original mutant form to the one bonded with adamantium.

Before getting into other Wolverine movies, it was all about the prequel movies. We got X-Men: First Class in 2011. This movie brought us James McAvoy as a young Charles Xavier, Michael Fassbender as a young Magneto and Jennifer Lawrence as a young Mystique. We learned how Magneto and Xavier were initially on the same side in 1962, and then how and why things changed.

The franchise went back to Jackman’s character with The Wolverine in 2013 to give us more of Wolverine’s backstory. This time, we learn how he saved a Japanese soldier and how the two were reunited years later. Of course, this soldier had aged while Logan had not.

Then it was back to the prequel storyline with X-Men: Days of Future Past in 2014, which proved to be a crossover that incorporated aspects from the three corners of the franchise: The original trilogy, the prequel films, and the Wolverine spinoffs. This one involves time travel as Wolverine ends up in 1973 to prevent an assassination that would lead to the creation of the Sentinels, a weapons system that threatens all mutants.

There is a Rogue Cut of Days of Future Past. This is interesting but the timeline is wiped out by the end of the movie.

Another character needed to be introduced in the franchise. Deadpool came out in February 2016, telling us the story of Wade Wilson (played by Ryan Reynolds), who ends up being experimented on and finding out that he can no longer die. That leads to an intriguing story of him becoming an anti-hero.

X-Men: Apocalypse followed on in May 2016. It picks up 10 years after Days of Future Past with the first mutant waking up centuries into the future. Of course, he is disillusioned by what he finds, and he decides that he will create a new world order. Oscar Isaac stars as the titular villain, who goes on to battle the younger versions of the X-Men characters.

Logan followed in 2017. We needed more Wolverine in the story, and this one sees Logan and Xavier working together. They find out that Laura is the daughter of Wolverine via test-tube. Now Laura is being hunted by Reavers, and Logan needs to protect his daughter at all costs. It's the final entry in Hugh Jackman's trilogy, and it was set to be the last time we saw the actor in the role until his return in the MCU's Deadpool and Wolverine was confirmed.

Wrapping up Wade’s story (for now), we got Deadpool 2 in 2018. This one sees a time-traveling villain who is after a mutant. Wade puts a team together to protect this young kid with all he has.

Dark Phoenix and New Mutants

Continuing on with the prequel stories, we got to see Game of Thrones’s actress Sophie Turner in X-Men: Dark Phoenix. This one tells us the story of a young Jean Grey, and it’s up to McAvoy’s Xavier and others to find her and save her. This is set nine years after Apocalypse, and let’s us know just how Jean got her powers and became the Phoenix. The movie came out in 2019 and was the last time fans got to see the younger cast of X-Men characters, bringing a close to their story.

The last one to make it to theaters was The New Mutants. This one was released in August 2020 after facing multiple delays. It is more of a spin-off from the X-Men movies, following five mutants who discover abilities while they are in a secret facility. They are all held against their will and decide that it’s time to escape.

Where to stream the X-Men movies

The X-Men are more popular than ever and with the success of Disney Plus animated series X-Men '97, as well as the team's imminent arrival in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, more and more people are interested in going back and watching their live-action film saga.

If you'd like to do the same, here's where you can watch them all:

• X-Men – Disney+
• X2: X-Men United – Disney+
• X-Men: The Last Stand – Disney+ and Starz
• X-Men Origins: Wolverine – Disney+
• X-Men: First Class – Disney+ and Hulu
• The Wolverine – Disney+
• X-Men: Days of Future Past – Max
• Deadpool – Disney+
• X-Men: Apocalypse – Disney+
• Logan – Disney+ and FX
• Deadpool 2 – Cinemax
• X-Men: Dark Phoenix – Disney+ and FX
• The New Mutants – Disney+ and FX