Let's be real for a second. Trying to map out the timeline of x men movies is a bit like trying to solve a Rubik's cube while someone is actively changing the colors on the stickers. It’s a total headache. You’ve got prequels that act like sequels, reboots that aren't actually reboots, and a Canadian guy with claws who seems to be everywhere at once.
Honestly, Fox didn't really care about "shared universe" logic back in 2000. They just wanted to make cool movies. But now that the X-Men are basically knocking on the door of the MCU, everyone is scrambling to make sense of the 24-year mess.
The Problem With "Official" Lists
If you search for a watch order, you’ll find two types of people. The "Release Order" purists and the "Chronological" dreamers.
The release order is simple. You start with X-Men (2000) and end with Deadpool & Wolverine (2024). It’s safe. It’s how we all experienced the gray leather jumpsuits and the early CGI.
But the chronological order? That’s where the wheels fall off. If you try to watch them based on the year they take place, you hit a massive wall in 1973.
The Great Schism of 1973
Basically, everything hinges on X-Men: Days of Future Past. This movie is the "Reset Button."
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In the original timeline, things go south. Mutants are hunted by giant robots called Sentinels. By 2023, the world is a graveyard. So, they send Logan back to 1973 to stop a political assassination.
He succeeds.
Because he succeeds, the entire timeline splits. The events of the original trilogy (X-Men, X2, The Last Stand) technically "never happened" in the new reality. Or they happened differently. It’s confusing.
The "Original" Timeline (Earth-10005)
This is the path of the OGs. It’s darker, grittier, and ends in total disaster.
- X-Men: First Class (1962): This is the foundation. Charles and Erik are besties, then they aren't. It’s the 60s, there are flared pants, and the Cuban Missile Crisis is actually caused by mutants.
- X-Men Origins: Wolverine (1979): Most fans try to forget this one exists. It’s where we see Logan get his metal bones and where we see a version of Deadpool with his mouth sewn shut. Yikes.
- X-Men (2000): The one that started it all. Set in the "not too distant future" (which was basically just 2000).
- X2: X-Men United (2003): Generally considered one of the best. It takes place almost immediately after the first film.
- X-Men: The Last Stand (2006): The "Cure" movie. Jean Grey goes Phoenix and kills basically everyone. It’s a mess, which is why the studio eventually wanted to erase it.
- The Wolverine (2013): Logan goes to Japan. He’s sad about Jean. This leads directly into the post-credits scene that sets up the Sentinel invasion.
- X-Men: Days of Future Past (2023/Future Scenes): The end of the line for this version of the world.
The "Revised" Timeline (The Reboot Era)
Once Logan changed 1973, a new branch grew. This is where the younger cast stayed in the spotlight for three more movies.
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X-Men: Apocalypse (1983) happens here. Since the timeline changed, some characters meet for the "first" time again. Jean Grey is a teenager. Cyclops is a teenager. They fight an ancient Egyptian mutant.
Then we get Dark Phoenix (1992). It’s another attempt at the Jean Grey story, just set in the 90s. Honestly? It doesn't connect well with the ending of Days of Future Past, but that’s just Fox being Fox.
Where Does Logan Fit?
This is the big debate. Logan (2017) takes place in 2029.
Director James Mangold has basically said he viewed it as its own thing. It’s a "possible" future. In this world, no new mutants have been born for 25 years. This doesn't really line up with the happy ending of Days of Future Past where the school was full of kids.
Some fans insist it’s the end of the Revised Timeline. Others say it’s a third, separate universe. Honestly, it’s better if you just treat it as a standalone masterpiece.
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The Deadpool Factor and the MCU
Then there's Wade Wilson.
Deadpool doesn't care about your timeline. He breaks the fourth wall. He makes fun of the fact that there are two different actors playing Professor X.
Deadpool & Wolverine (2024) finally cleared some things up. It confirmed that the Fox movies exist in a universe designated as Earth-10005. It also introduced the "Anchor Being" concept. Logan was the anchor. When he died in the movie Logan, his entire universe started to wither away.
This effectively ties Logan back into the main Fox timeline, even if the math doesn't perfectly add up.
How to Actually Watch Them
If you're doing a marathon, don't overthink it.
- Watch the Original Trilogy first. You need to know who these people are before you care about them being "erased."
- Watch the Prequels. First Class is essential.
- Watch Days of Future Past. It's the bridge.
- Watch Logan last. It's the emotional weight that makes the whole journey worth it.
The timeline of x men movies is a disaster of continuity errors, but that's almost part of the charm. It reflects the comics—messy, sprawling, and constantly rewriting itself.
To get the most out of your next rewatch, pay attention to the dates mentioned in the background of Days of Future Past. There are tons of newspaper clippings and TV reports that explain exactly how the world diverged after the 1973 incident. Checking those details is the best way to see the "hidden" logic the writers tried to bake into the chaos.