Canon

Canon is a term applied to most franchises with one or more possible storylines, and refers to which of them is the official one to follow. In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, canon may be used to describe the correct or official way the multiverse functions.

Marvel tries at every possible opportunity to keep to the established canon, but there is still dispute about certain subjects, especially on sketchy and highly-speculated subjects, such as video games.

Sources of information

Usually considered canon

• The Marvel Cinematic Universe itself is usually considered canon. On rare occasions, different in-universe sources may contradict one another; logic and common sense should determine which is canonical.

Debatable canonicity

• Howard Stark's S.H.I.E.L.D. file states Maria Stark's date of death as December 27, 1991, although the assassination of Howard and Maria Stark occurred on December 16, 1991. December 16 is considered the canonical date, not December 27.
• In Spider-Man: Homecoming, a production mistake occurred in the beginning of the film; the film states that it takes place eight years after the events of The Avengers and the Battle of New York. However, this has since been corrected as a "mistake" by official Marvel Studios sources. No other timeline should be used that utilizes this eight year title card. Marvel Studios The Marvel Cinematic Universe: An Official Timeline confirms this as a Time Variance Authority mistake.
• The She-Hulk: Attorney at Law episode "Whose Show is This?" depicts She-Hulk leaving the Marvel Cinematic Universe and rewriting the events of the episode. The canonicity of the episode is highly contentious, although the ending of the episode with Skaar is generally considered canon. The events of the episode regarding K.E.V.I.N. are considered to be in a separate universe.
• The novel Thanos: Titan Consumed is not considered canon, although it was written under the pretenses that it was.
• Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is of debatable canonicity. While it concerns events in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it is not referenced in Marvel Studios The Marvel Cinematic Universe: An Official Timeline. Specifically, Phil Coulson is not mentioned to have been resurrected. However, it has been confirmed as canon by Marvel Studios and Kevin Feige.