9
Avengers: Infinity War
2018
Marvel Watch Guides
What to Watch Before Avengers: Doomsday
The Marvel Cinematic Universe has reached the point where catching up can feel like revising for an exam you never signed up for. There are Avengers films, alternate timelines, old X-Men movies, a new Fantastic Four and enough multiverse complications to make even Doctor Strange ask for a diagram.
The good news is you do not need to rewatch everything. This is our practical guide to the films and series worth prioritising before Avengers: Doomsday, separating the essentials from the deeper cuts. These are editorial recommendations based on established characters and storylines, not an official Marvel-required watchlist.
The essential Doomsday watchlist
If you only have time for a handful of stories, concentrate on the end of the Infinity Saga, the multiverse and the teams coming into this crossover. The films below establish why the Avengers are no longer quite the same group we left in 2019, and why heroes from other Marvel worlds matter.
We are not claiming that every plot point will be required to understand Doomsday. Think of this as the shortest route to recognising the major players and understanding the stakes.
1. Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame
These two are the starting point. Infinity War shows the original Avengers at their most desperate, while Endgame changes the team permanently and brings Tony Stark and Steve Rogers to very different conclusions.
With familiar faces returning in new circumstances, those emotional histories are likely to matter as much to audiences as the mechanics of another enormous battle.
2. Loki: the series that makes the multiverse make sense
If you have been wondering how alternate timelines and different versions of familiar characters fit together, Loki is one of the most useful series to watch. It starts with a Loki who escaped during the events of Endgame and takes him somewhere much stranger.
Both seasons help establish the MCU's rules and language around timelines. More importantly, they turn Loki from a recurring troublemaker into someone with an extraordinary connection to the fate of multiple realities.
3. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness explores alternate universes, incursions and the consequences of crossing between realities. It also brings a version of Professor X into the MCU, making it an interesting bridge to the wider history of Marvel on screen.
You do not need to memorise every cameo. The important takeaway is that the multiverse is not simply a convenient excuse to bring back old actors; travelling between worlds can have serious consequences.
4. The Fantastic Four: First Steps
Reed Richards, Sue Storm, Johnny Storm and Ben Grimm are not just another group of superheroes to squeeze into an already crowded cast. They are Marvel's First Family, and Reed's long comic-book rivalry with Victor von Doom makes them particularly relevant to a Doctor Doom story.
First Steps is the obvious place to meet this version of the team before their world intersects with the Avengers. Pay attention to the family dynamic as much as the powers: it is what makes the Fantastic Four work.
5. Thunderbolts* and the newer generation of heroes
The original Avengers line-up is no longer the only team worth knowing. Thunderbolts* brings together characters whose relationships are far messier than the polished superhero teams we are used to.
It is a useful introduction to Yelena Belova, Bucky Barnes and the other figures who could change the balance of a crossover. Sentry also introduces a level of power that makes the team much more significant than it might first appear.
6. X-Men and X-Men: Days of Future Past
One of the biggest attractions of Doomsday is the involvement of characters from the earlier X-Men films. Start with the original X-Men to understand Professor Xavier, Magneto, Cyclops and their uneasy relationships.
Days of Future Past then provides a brilliant crash course in mutant history, alternate outcomes and the franchise's fondness for complicated timelines. X2 is worth adding if you have time, but do not feel you need every single X-Men sequel to appreciate the returning cast.
7. Deadpool & Wolverine
Deadpool & Wolverine makes the connections between the MCU and the older Fox Marvel movies much more explicit, with a healthy amount of chaos along the way. It is especially useful if you are rusty on the characters and universes Marvel inherited.
It is not a replacement for the original X-Men films, but it gives a good sense of why the crossover potential has fans so excited. And yes, some of the jokes land much better if you remember the older films.
Worth watching if you have more time
Captain America: Brave New World adds context for Sam Wilson carrying the shield. WandaVision provides essential emotional background for Wanda's story in Multiverse of Madness. Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania develops the MCU's multiverse-era ideas, although you should not assume every storyline from it will directly pay off in Doomsday.
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Thor: Ragnarok and the earlier Fantastic Four or X-Men adventures are worthwhile if you want a more complete picture of the characters rather than just the shortest possible watchlist.
The shortest possible weekend marathon
Not everyone has a spare month. For a condensed weekend, watch Infinity War, Endgame, the Loki series if time permits, The Fantastic Four: First Steps and one of the original X-Men films. Add Thunderbolts* or Deadpool & Wolverine depending on which team interests you most.
That will not cover every reference, but it should give you enough familiarity to enjoy the returning heroes without turning your living room into a full-time Marvel research department.
Do you actually need to do homework before an Avengers movie?
This is where Marvel has a slightly awkward problem. Its shared universe is one of the reasons fans love it, but it can also make the next big film look intimidating to anyone who has missed a few releases. A crossover should reward long-time viewers without making newcomers feel they have arrived halfway through a conversation.
My advice is to watch the stories that interest you, not force yourself through everything for the sake of ticking boxes. If you love the X-Men, revisit their movies. If Loki is your favourite character, spend time with his series. And if you have only seen Endgame, there should still be plenty of familiar emotion to carry you into Doomsday.
We will update this guide as new official story details arrive. Until then, character connections and suggested viewing are exactly that: useful context, not promises about the finished film.
What to Watch Before Avengers: Doomsday FAQs
Do I need to watch every Marvel movie before Avengers: Doomsday?
No. Infinity War, Endgame and selected multiverse and team introductions should give you a useful foundation. Watching everything is optional.
Is Loki important before Avengers: Doomsday?
Loki is one of the most useful series for understanding MCU timelines and the multiverse, especially given the character's wider role.
Which X-Men movies should I watch before Doomsday?
Start with X-Men and X-Men: Days of Future Past. X2 is a strong extra choice if you want more time with the original team.
Should I watch The Fantastic Four: First Steps first?
Yes. It introduces the current Fantastic Four, whose comic-book history with Doctor Doom makes them particularly relevant.
Do I need to watch Deadpool & Wolverine?
It is helpful for the connections to older Marvel movie universes, but it is not established as compulsory viewing.
Do I need to watch WandaVision?
It is recommended if you plan to watch Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and want to understand Wanda's emotional journey.
Is Doctor Doom the same as Iron Man?
Robert Downey Jr. plays Doctor Doom, a different Marvel character from Tony Stark. Any story explanation for the casting should be judged from officially released material, not assumed.
Can I watch Avengers: Doomsday without seeing the MCU?
You can, although familiarity with Endgame and the principal teams will make the character relationships and callbacks easier to follow.
Ready for Doomsday?
The best preparation is not watching absolutely everything Marvel has ever made. It is remembering why these characters matter, understanding the multiverse enough to follow the stakes and getting reacquainted with the teams you are most excited to see.
Start with the Avengers, add Loki and the Fantastic Four, then take a trip back through the X-Men films. Anything else is a bonus.