http://www.listal.com/list/marvel-cinematic-universe <img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/a/ad/MarvelStudios.jpg" /> Marvel Cinematic Universe refers to those movies based on Marvel Comics property that share the same continuity and are developed independently by Marvel Studios. This is a huge, bold, risky and all around awesome attempt to bring comic-style crossover continuity to films in order to introduce storylines that need a lot ground work. The universe is created by sharing characters, their actors, plot elements and settings in several different movies. However, not all superhero movies based on Marvel heroes are in this continuity. For example, the Fantastic Four and the Spider-Man both hang out in New York but not in the same universe - they don't team up and events present in one hero's movie don't effect the other hero's movie. These movies are not developed by Marvel themselves but other studios who have bought the licence for these characters. On the other hand, in The Avengers we see Iron Man, the Hulk, Captain America, Thor and others gather to save New York City - which according to Hollywood logic means saving the world. * * * My related lists: <a href="http://www.listal.com/list/stan-lees-marvel-movie-cameos">Stan Lee's Marvel movie cameos</a> en-us GMT GMT Listal.com <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/iron-man-2008' title="Iron Man"><img src='http://i2.listal.com/image/249993/50full.jpg' style="float:left;" /></a>Director: Jon Favreau<br /> Screenplay: Mark Fergus &amp; Hawk Ostby and Art Marcum &amp; Matt Holloway<br /> Release: May 2, 2008 Thu, 03 May 2012 03:52:40 GMT http://www.listal.com/movie/iron-man-2008 http://www.listal.com/movie/iron-man-2008 <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/the-incredible-hulk' title="The Incredible Hulk"><img src='http://i2.listal.com/image/544373/50full.jpg' style="float:left;" /></a>Director: Louis Leterrier<br /> Screenplay: Zak Penn<br /> Release: June 13, 2008 Thu, 03 May 2012 03:53:35 GMT http://www.listal.com/movie/the-incredible-hulk http://www.listal.com/movie/the-incredible-hulk <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/iron-man-2' title="Iron Man 2"><img src='http://i2.listal.com/image/1074864/50full.jpg' style="float:left;" /></a>Director: Jon Favreau<br /> Screenplay: Justin Theroux<br /> Release: May 7, 2010 Thu, 03 May 2012 03:52:55 GMT http://www.listal.com/movie/iron-man-2 http://www.listal.com/movie/iron-man-2 <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/thor' title="Thor"><img src='http://i2.listal.com/image/1801895/50full.jpg' style="float:left;" /></a>Director: Kenneth Branagh<br /> Story: J. Michael Straczynski and Mark Protosevich<br /> Screenplay: Ashley Edward Miller &amp; Zack Stentz and Don Payne<br /> Release: April 21, 2011 Thu, 03 May 2012 03:53:08 GMT http://www.listal.com/movie/thor http://www.listal.com/movie/thor <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/captain-america-40128' title="Captain America: The First Avenger"><img src='http://i2.listal.com/image/2186573/50full.jpg' style="float:left;" /></a>Director: Joe Johnston<br /> Screenplay: Christopher Markus &amp; Stephen McFeely<br /> Release: July 22, 2011 Thu, 03 May 2012 03:53:57 GMT http://www.listal.com/movie/captain-america-40128 http://www.listal.com/movie/captain-america-40128 <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/the-avengers' title="The Avengers"><img src='http://i2.listal.com/image/3390769/50full.jpg' style="float:left;" /></a>Director: Joss Whedon<br /> Story: Zak Penn and Joss Whedon<br /> Screenplay: Joss Whedon<br /> Release: May 4, 2012 Thu, 03 May 2012 03:53:21 GMT http://www.listal.com/movie/the-avengers http://www.listal.com/movie/the-avengers <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/iron-man-3' title="Iron Man 3"><img src='http://i2.listal.com/image/5053667/50full.jpg' style="float:left;" /></a>Director: Shane Black<br /> Screenplay: Drew Pearce &amp; Shane Black<br /> Release: May 3, 2013 Thu, 03 May 2012 03:52:57 GMT http://www.listal.com/movie/iron-man-3 http://www.listal.com/movie/iron-man-3 <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/thor-2' title="Thor: The Dark World"><img src='http://i2.listal.com/image/5214227/50full.jpg' style="float:left;" /></a>Director: Alan Taylor<br /> Story: Don Payne &amp; Robert Rodat<br /> Screenplay: Christopher Yost, Christopher Markus &amp; Stephen McFeely<br /> Release: November 8, 2013 Thu, 03 May 2012 03:53:11 GMT http://www.listal.com/movie/thor-2 http://www.listal.com/movie/thor-2 <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/captain-america-2' title="Captain America: The Winter Soldier"><img src='http://i2.listal.com/image/5328098/50full.jpg' style="float:left;" /></a>Director: Joe and Anthony Russo<br /> Screenplay: Christopher Markus &amp; Stephen McFeely<br /> Release: April 4, 2014 Thu, 03 May 2012 03:53:51 GMT http://www.listal.com/movie/captain-america-2 http://www.listal.com/movie/captain-america-2 <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/guardians-of-the-galaxy' title="Guardians of the Galaxy"><img src='http://i2.listal.com/image/3957793/50full.jpg' style="float:left;" /></a>Director: James Gunn<br /> Screenplay: Nicole Perlman, Chris McCoy &amp; James Gunn<br /> Release: August 1, 2014 Sat, 28 Jul 2012 15:08:43 GMT http://www.listal.com/movie/guardians-of-the-galaxy http://www.listal.com/movie/guardians-of-the-galaxy <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/the-avengers-2' title="The Avengers 2"><img src='http://i2.listal.com/image/5199932/50full.jpg' style="float:left;" /></a>Director: Joss Whedon<br /> Screenplay: Joss Whedon<br /> Release: May 1, 2015 Sun, 02 Sep 2012 04:58:52 GMT http://www.listal.com/movie/the-avengers-2 http://www.listal.com/movie/the-avengers-2 <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/antman-2008' title="Ant-Man"><img src='http://i2.listal.com/image/4282911/50full.jpg' style="float:left;" /></a>Director: Edgar Wright<br /> Screenplay: Edgar Wright &amp; Joe Cornish<br /> Release: November 6, 2015 Sat, 28 Jul 2012 15:08:55 GMT http://www.listal.com/movie/antman-2008 http://www.listal.com/movie/antman-2008 <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/doctor-strange-2010' title="Doctor Strange"><img src='http://i2.listal.com/image/297149/50full.jpg' style="float:left;" /></a>Details unknown. In Januray 2013, Marvel Studios' President of Production Kevin Feige confirmed in an interview that the character Doctor Strange, who has had a movie in pre-production for a long time, will be a part of Phase Three. It remains unclear, however, whether he'll have a movie of his own or an appearance in somebody else's movie. Sun, 27 Jan 2013 12:27:35 GMT http://www.listal.com/movie/doctor-strange-2010 http://www.listal.com/movie/doctor-strange-2010