Ahhh, the X-Men, one of the best franchises ever created (in my opinion). But yeah\u2026 it can get pretty confusing. So let me try to break it down for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I\u2019ll explain everything first, and then give you the watchlist. Just a heads up: this explanation contains spoilers, so if you haven\u2019t seen the movies yet, you might want to skip straight to the list.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We start with X-Men: First Class<\/em>, where we see the formation of the mutant group that will eventually become the beloved X-Men. In this movie, they go from working together to turning against each other, and it ends with Erik (aka Magneto) leaving Charles and taking Mystique and a few others with him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Next is X-Men Origins: Wolverine<\/em>, which dives into Logan\u2019s backstory, how he got his metal claws and how he became the Wolverine we know.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Now, you don\u2019t have<\/em> to do this, but I\u2019d recommend watching X-Men: The Animated Series<\/em> (seasons 1\u20135) here. It doesn\u2019t perfectly line up with the movies, but if you\u2019re going to watch it somewhere in between, this is a good spot. You can also watch it before or after everything else, it\u2019s totally up to you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n X-Men \u201897<\/em> continues right where the animated series left off.<\/p>\n\n\n\n After that, it\u2019s time for the original X-Men trilogy (yay): X-Men<\/em>, X2: X-Men United<\/em>, and X-Men: The Last Stand<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Then comes The Wolverine<\/em>, which is set after The Last Stand<\/em>. Logan is still dealing with the aftermath of Jean Grey\u2019s death, and we follow him on a journey to Japan to say a final \u201cgoodbye\u201d (wink wink).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Now\u2026 this is where things get a bit tricky but it does<\/em> make sense, I promise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Next up is X-Men: Days of Future Past<\/em>. It starts in a dark future (2023), where mutants are being hunted and killed by Sentinels. Basically, everything is terrible. Wolverine is sent back in time to 1973 (11 years after the events of \u201cFirst Class\u201d) to change the past and prevent this future from happening. He teams up with a younger Professor X and Beast to fix things. This movie is very iconic because it brings together both the younger and older versions of the characters. In the end, they save the day and the timeline is changed, meaning Logan remembers the original events, but no one else does. Logan teaches history in this new future, but asks Charles\u2019 help, since he wasn\u2019t really there for the history that he has to teach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Because of that, the next movies take place in this new<\/em> timeline. Only First Class<\/em>, X-Men Origins: Wolverine<\/em>, and the past scenes from Days of Future Past<\/em> have happened here. The original trilogy hasn\u2019t happened in this version of events, so it\u2019s basically a fresh start (with a few plot holes you\u2019ll just have to ignore). I like to think these movies are Charles telling Logan what happened in the last couple of decades.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Next is X-Men: Apocalypse<\/em> (set in 1983), where we meet younger versions of characters like Jean, Scott, and Nightcrawler. It also introduces Apocalypse, played by Oscar Isaac (who also plays another Marvel character that is deeply rooted in Egyptian mythology: Moon Knight).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Then comes X-Men: Dark Phoenix<\/em>, where Jean Grey transforms into the Dark Phoenix and the team tries to stop her. I say<\/em> I hate this movie\u2026 but honestly, I\u2019m just still not over what happens to Mystique. It\u2019s actually pretty good.<\/p>\n\n\n\n After that, it\u2019s time for chaos: Deadpool<\/em> and Deadpool 2<\/em>. Just sit back and let Ryan Reynolds do his thing. Then there\u2019s Once Upon a Deadpool<\/em>, a more family-friendly version of Deadpool 2<\/em> with a fun Princess Bride<\/em>-style twist. And finally, the short Deadpool: No Good Deed<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Next up is The New Mutants<\/em>, which is generally considered to take place in the original timeline after Days of Future Past<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Then we have The Gifted<\/em>, which is set in an alternate timeline where both the X-Men and the Brotherhood have mysteriously disappeared.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To wrap things up, you watch Logan<\/em> where, yes, Logan dies. And then Deadpool & Wolverine<\/em>\u2026 where he\u2019s suddenly alive again. Don\u2019t worry, it\u2019s not a mistake, the movie explains that this is a different<\/em> version of Logan, and even references the original\u2019s death.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Okay\u2026 after all that, you\u2019re probably a bit confused, right? Don\u2019t worry, that\u2019s exactly why the list below exists \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n\n\n\n Still lost?: <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n