The Marvel Cinematic Universe got off to a big start in 2008 with the release of Iron Man. Since then, the franchise has gone on to become one of the biggest ever with the release of more than 30 films. Four of these are among the top 10 highest-grossing films of all time. That's a lot to keep track of, but Marvel is about to publish a helpful aide to its fans. 

One reason for the success of the MCU so far is its interconnectedness. Even though there have been 32 films so far, there is a central plot that connects everything. Unfortunately, the vastness of the universe can make this interconnectedness a little hard to follow - and that's even before we consider the multiverse.

Marvel Studios is set to change that with a guidebook of the entire universe. On Monday, the company announced it is releasing Marvel Cinematic Universe: An Official Timeline which will outline the events of the Marvel Cinematic Universe from its inception.

Marvel Studios is collaborating with the British publishing house DK for this project and, according to the press release that announced the book, it will contain "exclusive infographics, illuminating timelines, and amazing movie stills."

Here is how the studio described the book, "The Marvel Cinematic Universe: An Official Timeline is a stunning visual guide created in collaboration with Marvel Studios by DK, the award-winning global book publisher and a division of Penguin Random House."

It continued, "The book will be the go-to resource for fans who are hoping to connect the dots and truly understand the complex web of interconnections between the various Marvel Studios films and streaming series."

MCU fans have wanted a resource like this for a long time. Even though it is arriving a bit later than many would have loved, they are ecstatic about it all the same. For one, this book means that fans now have an official version of every Marvel Cinematic Universe and no longer have to rely on accounts on the internet that may or may not be true.

More importantly, the book's stunning visuals make it a delight to have. The Marvel Cinematic Universe: An Official Timeline was written by Anthony Breznican, Rebecca Theodore-Vachon, and Amy Ratcliffe.

Breznican is a journalist and novelist whose work includes the 2014 novel Brutal Youth. Theodore-Vachon is a journalist with credits in Entertainment Weekly and the New York Times, and Ratcliffe is the author of Star Wars: Women of the Galaxy.

Marvel Studios has been quite busy recently and this guidebook is only the latest thing the studio is working on. A few days ago, we announced the studio has released a PC version of its digital collectible card game Marvel SNAP. There are also rumors it is working on a fifth Thor film.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe: An Official Timeline will arrive in bookstores on October 24. You can pre-order a hard copy on Amazon for $45 or a digital version on Kindle for $19.99.