Start with X-Men (2000) and go in release order for a first watch. There are 14 films: the 13 from 20th Century Fox plus Deadpool & Wolverine, which carries this universe into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Together they run 28 hours.
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1
Essential
Film14 Jul 20001 h 44 min
Two mutant leaders with opposite views clash over how mutants should live with humans.
Why essential: The first film of the main X-Men team story.
Story placement: Wikipedia's plot gives no year; placed after Dark Phoenix (1992) and before its sequel X2.
2
Essential
Film2 May 20032 h 13 min
The X-Men and their old enemy face a military scientist with a plan for all mutants.
Why essential: Continues the main team story directly.
Story placement: Follows X-Men.
3
Essential
Film26 May 20061 h 44 min
A drug that removes mutant powers divides mutants, while a friend returns changed.
Why essential: Concludes the first X-Men trilogy.
Stay through the credits: there is at least one extra scene.
Story placement: Follows X2.
4
Film1 May 20091 h 47 min
Before the X-Men, Logan's past with his brother and a secret program is revealed.
Stay through the credits: there is at least one extra scene.
Story placement: Main story set in 1979, opening in 1845 (Wikipedia plot summary).
5
Essential
Film3 Jun 20112 h 12 min
Young Charles Xavier and Erik Lehnsherr meet during the Cuban Missile Crisis.
Why essential: Starts the second X-Men cast that later films follow.
Story placement: Set mostly in 1962 (Wikipedia plot summary).
6
Film26 Jul 20132 h 6 min
Logan travels to Japan to repay an old debt and finds himself vulnerable.
Stay through the credits: there is at least one extra scene.
Story placement: Set after The Last Stand (Wikipedia plot summary).
7
Essential
Film23 May 20142 h 11 min
Facing a grim future, the X-Men send Logan back to change one event in the past.
Why essential: Connects the original cast and the First Class cast.
Stay through the credits: there is at least one extra scene.
Story placement: Moves between 2023 and 1973; most of it takes place in 1973 (Wikipedia plot summary).
8
Film12 Feb 20161 h 48 min
A foul-mouthed mercenary survives an experiment and hunts the man responsible.
Stay through the credits: there is at least one extra scene.
Story placement: Wikipedia's plot gives no year; placed with Deadpool 2 after the main team films.
9
Essential
Film27 May 20162 h 24 min
An ancient, all-powerful mutant wakes up and recruits followers.
Why essential: Continues the First Class cast's story.
Stay through the credits: there is at least one extra scene.
Story placement: Set in 1983 (Wikipedia plot summary).
10
Essential
Film3 Mar 20172 h 17 min
An ageing Logan protects a young mutant on a road trip across America.
Why essential: Closes the original Wolverine's story.
Story placement: Set in 2029 (Wikipedia plot summary).
11
Film18 May 20181 h 59 min
Deadpool forms a team to protect a young mutant from a soldier from the future.
Stay through the credits: there is at least one extra scene.
Story placement: Follows Deadpool.
12
Essential
Film7 Jun 20191 h 54 min
An accident in space leaves Jean Grey with a power she cannot control.
Why essential: Concludes the First Class cast's story.
Story placement: Set in 1992, opening in 1975 (Wikipedia plot summary).
13
Film28 Aug 20201 h 34 min
Five young mutants held in a remote hospital start seeing their worst fears.
Story placement: A stand-alone story; Wikipedia's plot gives no year, so we place it with the other side stories.
14
Essential
Film26 Jul 20242 h 8 minMCU
A time-keeping agency recruits Deadpool, and he needs a Wolverine to help.
Why essential: Brings this universe into the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Stay through the credits: there is at least one extra scene.
Story placement: Made to be watched after Logan and the Deadpool films; we keep it last.
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Why the X-Men order is tricky
The series restarted in 2011 with a younger cast in X-Men: First Class, set in 1962, decades before the original films. Days of Future Past then joins the two casts, and later films build on the history it changes. That is why story order and release order look so different here.
How our story order works
No studio publishes a story order for these films, so we made one with a single rule: each film goes where most of it takes place, using the year stated in its Wikipedia plot summary. Films that give no year sit right after the film they follow on from. Every row says how it was placed, so you can disagree with a choice and still follow the rest.
The essentials route
Essentials keeps 9 films, about 18.8 hours. It follows the main team across both casts and leaves out the side stories: the earlier Wolverine and Deadpool solo films and The New Mutants. They are good to watch, but the main story does not need them.
Which films are part of the MCU?
Only Deadpool & Wolverine (2024). The other 13 were made by 20th Century Fox before Disney bought the studio. Avengers: Doomsday is set to bring the X-Men of this universe into the MCU's main story, which is why the Marvel planner marks Deadpool & Wolverine as essential too.
How this list was made
What is included. All 13 live-action X-Men films from 20th Century Fox (2000 to 2020), plus Deadpool & Wolverine (2024), the Marvel Cinematic Universe film that continues them.
Release order uses each title's first US release (theatrical for films, premiere on Disney+ for series). Story order: There is no official story order for these films. Ours sorts them by the year in which most of each film takes place, as stated in its Wikipedia plot summary. Films with no stated year are placed after the film they follow on from, and each one says how it was placed.
Essential. Essential means a film that moves the main X-Men team story forward, or the two films that connect the casts. Spin-offs and stand-alone stories (the Wolverine and Deadpool solo films before 2024, and The New Mutants) are optional.
Runtimes. Films use the theatrical running time. Series add up each episode's runtime as listed by TVmaze. Upcoming titles have no confirmed runtime and are left out of every total.
Where our two sources disagree, we use the figure from the title's Wikipedia article (it cites the classification board or the studio) and list both here:
X2: runtime: Wikipedia 133 min, Wikidata 134 min
The Wolverine: runtime: Wikipedia 126 min, Wikidata 138 min
X-Men: Apocalypse: runtime: Wikipedia 144 min, Wikidata 131 min
Facts checked 12 October 2026. Upcoming and new labels follow today's date in your browser.
Questions people ask
How many X-Men movies are there?
14 live-action films: 13 from 20th Century Fox between 2000 and 2020, and Deadpool & Wolverine (2024) from Marvel Studios. That count includes the Wolverine and Deadpool films and The New Mutants.
What order should I watch the X-Men movies in?
Release order for a first watch: X-Men, X2, The Last Stand, then on through the list. For a rewatch, story order starts with X-Men: First Class in 1962 and ends with Logan in 2029, followed by Deadpool & Wolverine.
How long are all the X-Men movies?
28 hours back to back, using theatrical running times. The essentials route is about 18.8 hours.
Do I need to watch the Deadpool movies?
Not for the main X-Men story. They are side stories in the same universe. Deadpool & Wolverine works best after Logan and the first two Deadpool films, which is why it sits last in both orders.
Is X-Men '97 included?
No. This planner covers the live-action films only. X-Men '97 is an animated series with its own continuity.