Zack Sharf Digital News Director With over 40 films and television series under its belt and counting, the Marvel Cinematic Universe can often times feel like an unwieldy beast that’s impossible to conquer. The record-breaking Hollywood franchise kicked off in 2008 with the release of “Iron Man,” starring Robert Downey Jr. in the title role, but that’s not where an MCU newcomer should start if they’re trying to experience the universe in chronological order.