Disney+ Reveals New MCU Timeline Order With Moon Knight

By Sam Hargrave Updated:
Moon Knight Disney Plus

Phase 4 has already introduced audiences to new starring heroes including Shang-Chi and the Eternals on the big screen, but Disney+ just brought viewers another: Moon Knight. Reactions to the psychological thriller are beyond ecstatic, but intriguingly, Moon Knight may be the most disconnected MCU entry to release since 2008's Iron Man.

Based on the first episode and hints from reviewers towards the first four installments, the series appears to be nearly devoid of links to the larger MCU story. But the move looks to be intentional as one producer explained the decision to open up the series to new audiences as it stands alone within the universe.

Despite this, recent rumors have pointed to one Avenger showing up in the series, and the cast and crew are already talking about where Marc Spector will go within the MCU. As Phase 4 begins to expand the universe with prequels, spin-offs, and alternate universes, many may be eager to know where Moon Knight places in relation to the timeline. Well, Disney+ just answered that question.

When Does Moon Knight Take Place in the MCU Timeline?

Disney+ updated the Marvel Cinematic Universe Timeline Order following the release of Moon Knight to place the psychological order after Hawkeye.

The chronological placement of Moon Knight makes it the most recent in the timeline, taking place after EternalsHawkeye, and therefore, Spider-Man: No Way Home​​​​​​.

Marvel Cinematic Universe Disney+ Timeline Order
Disney+
  1. Captain America: The First Avenger
  2. Captain Marvel
  3. Iron Man
  4. Iron Man 2
  5. Thor
  6. The Avengers
  7. Thor: The Dark World
  8. Iron Man 3
  9. Captain America: The First Avenger
  10. Guardians of the Galaxy 
  11. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
  12. Avengers: Age of Ultron
  13. Ant-Man
  14. Captain America: Civil War
  15. Black Widow
  16. Black Panther
  17. Doctor Strange
  18. Thor: Ragnarok
  19. Ant-Man and the Wasp
  20. Avengers: Infinity War
  21. Avengers: Endgame
  22. Loki
  23. What If...?
  24. WandaVision
  25. The Falcon and the Winter Soldier
  26. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
  27. Eternals
  28. Hawkeye
  29. Moon Knight

Due to their absence from Disney+, this list excludes The Incredible Hulk and Tom Holland's MCU Spider-Man trilogy.

How Does Moon Knight Fit Into the MCU?

With its chronological placement of the MCU blockbusters and Disney+ series, the streaming service has finally offered audiences a definitive ordering of the timeline. Although, there have been a few minor mistakes in the placement that have since been corrected.

With Hawkeye taking place about a year after Endgame, this puts Moon Knight sometime after December 2024, meaning the series could be the first MCU project set in the far distant 2025. Moon Knight being devoid of connections to the rest of the superhero world may make a bit more sense now, given that the news of Endgame's universal impact will have quietened down.

This also means that Moon Knight exists in a time where the Multiverse is officially in full swing, due to the show coming after Lokand Spider-Man: No Way Home. With multiple versions of Moon Knight existing within Steven Grant/Marc Spector's own body, who knows how many more Moon Knights are floating around in alternate worlds.

Given how disconnected the Moon Knight is from the bigger mysteries building in the MCU, fans shouldn't get too bogged down with how it fits into the timeline. But if rumors of Mark Ruffalo's Bruce Banner showing up in the later episodes do pay off, then the series' chronological place may prove relevant to his upcoming role in She-Hulk

According to press reactions, the first four episodes of Moon Knight will remain a largely standalone adventure. However, there's a strong chance the final chapters will begin to create links between Marc Spector and the MCU, setting him up for team-ups down the line, and teasing his future direction in this world.

The first episode of Moon Knight is streaming now, exclusively on Disney+.

- About The Author: Sam Hargrave
Sam Hargrave is the Associate Editor at The Direct. He joined the team as a gaming writer in 2020 before later expanding into writing for all areas of The Direct and taking on further responsibilities such as editorial tasks and image creation.