Summary
Marvel may have accidentally revealed timeline changes in their upcoming book, Marvel Studios The Marvel Cinematic Universe An Official Timeline.
A YouTube creator asserts that they have identified the official timeline by carefully comparing the years and characters mentioned in the book's Table of Contents and Index.
According to the official timeline, there are retcons that involve alterations to the chronological order of events, such as the timing of Iron Man in relation to Iron Man 2. Additionally, errors like She-Hulk referencing Mighty Thor have been rectified.
Marvel unintentionally revealed potential changes to the Marvel Cinematic Universe timeline through an Amazon listing for their upcoming book. The book, titled Marvel Studios The Marvel Cinematic Universe An Official Timeline, is set to be released on Oct. 24 and aims to clarify the chronological order of events in the MCU movies and shows. As the MCU has expanded and began referencing past events, confusion has arisen regarding the exact sequence of events. A meticulous YouTube creator, known as A bit of Everything, claimed to have uncovered the official timeline and the possible revisions it entails. Prior to the book's release, they shared a "preview" on Amazon, consisting of the Table of Contents and Index, revealing significant details.
A comprehensive analysis was conducted by A bit of Everything, where they meticulously compared the pages containing specific years with those that showcased particular characters in the Index. By deciphering the corresponding MCU events based on this comparison, an informed estimation can be made regarding their placement within the timeline.
All The Theorized Marvel Timeline Retcons Explained
As expected, organizing all events from phases 1-5 on an official timeline has resulted in some inaccuracies in the information portrayed in certain MCU movies and shows, albeit to a small extent. One notable revision occurs at the beginning of the MCU, specifically with Iron Man. Previously, references in Iron Man 2 and official statements suggested that the events of Iron Man occurred in 2009/2010. However, the official timeline now places it in 2008, aligning with the year of the movie's release. Consequently, the frequent mentions of "6 months ago" in Iron Man 2 are deemed incorrect, creating a gap of at least a full year between these events. Nevertheless, this revision does validate Vision's claim in Avengers: Age of Ultron, which positions Iron Man's emergence 8 years prior.
Iron Man 3 is set in December 2013 instead of 2012, which creates a discrepancy regarding the references to events from 13 years ago at the 1999 New Year's Eve Party. However, it is possible to interpret the "13 years" as referring to 2000, considering it was midnight. Although this may be a stretch since the movie occurs just before 2014, it somewhat justifies the references.
As for the book, the events of Thor: Love & Thunder primarily take place in October 2025, following Jane's diagnosis on April 30. Initially, the official Disney+ timeline seemed inaccurate due to the mention of "Lady Thor" in She-Hulk. Yet, it can now be explained that Mighty Thor was indeed present during the events of She-Hulk, which occur in the summer of 2025. The majority of Thor: Love & Thunder then takes place in October 2025.
Furthermore, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings happens right before the events of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, validating Shang-Chi's reference to the Qingming Festival in April.
Interestingly, the contested Disney+ timeline is finally validated here. According to the official book, the only alteration required for the Disney+ timeline is swapping Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings with The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. However, until the official release of Marvel Studios The Marvel Cinematic Universe An Official Timeline on Oct. 24, all speculations on the precise Marvel Cinematic Universe timeline remain mere conjecture.
