10 MCU Movies & TV Shows You Need to Watch Before Avengers: Doomsday

Before Avengers: Doomsday arrives, it's worth taking a trip back to where it all began for Marvel's mutants. The 2000 film X-Men introduces Professor Xavier's team of heroes as they face Magneto and his Brotherhood, while newcomers Wolverine and Rogue find themselves caught in the middle of the battle. It's the movie that kicked off Fox's X-Men franchise and remains an important watch as mutants are playing a bigger role in the MCU's future. You can stream X-Men now on Disney+.

You definitely can't get ready for Doomsday without revisiting the movie that started it all. Marvel's The Avengers finally brings Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, Hulk, Black Widow, and Hawkeye together as Earth's Mightiest Heroes. Sure, they spend plenty of time arguing at first, but they eventually join forces to stop Loki and his alien invasion from taking over the planet. It's the film that proved the MCU's big crossover dream could actually work, and it's still one of the franchise's must-watch entries. You can stream it anytime on Disney+.

If you're only rewatching one MCU movie before Doomsday, make it Avengers: Endgame. This blockbuster brings together the surviving heroes for one last shot at undoing Thanos' devastating snap by traveling through time to collect the Infinity Stones. Their plan leads to an all-out showdown featuring heroes from across the Marvel universe in one unforgettable battle. Beyond the action, Endgame also reshapes the future of the MCU and sets the stage for what comes next. You can revisit the epic on Disney+.

Things get wild in Spider-Man: No Way Home, and that's exactly why it's essential before Doomsday. After Peter Parker's identity becomes public, he turns to Doctor Strange for help, but one spell goes horribly wrong and cracks open the multiverse. Suddenly, powerful villains from earlier Spider-Man movies start showing up, along with two familiar Spider-Men. The film doesn't just deliver unforgettable fan service, it also pushes the MCU's multiverse story forward in a huge way. And that heartbreaking ending? It changes Peter's life forever. You can stream it on Prime Video.

Don't let this one slip through the cracks. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is well worth revisiting, especially since Simu Liu is officially returning as Shang-Chi in Doomsday. The film follows the skilled martial artist as he's pulled back into his family's complicated past and faces his father, Wenwu, whose desperate mission threatens a hidden mystical village. Along the way, Shang-Chi accepts his destiny and unlocks the true power of the Ten Rings. You can stream it on Disney+.

There's another MCU movie you shouldn't skip before Doomsday. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever picks up after King T'Challa's death as Shuri, Queen Ramonda, and the people of Wakanda struggle to move forward while protecting their nation. The story also introduces Namor and his underwater kingdom, Talokan, setting up one of the MCU's most fascinating rivalries. With reports suggesting Avengers: Doomsday will further explore the uneasy relationship between Wakanda and Talokan, this sequel could end up being more important than ever. You can stream Black Panther: Wakanda Forever on Disney+.

Want to make sense of the MCU's multiverse before Avengers: Doomsday? Then Loki is a must-watch. The series follows the God of Mischief after his escape with the Tesseract in Avengers: Endgame, leading him straight into the Time Variance Authority (TVA). It’s the organization responsible for keeping the Sacred Timeline in check. Alongside his variant, Sylvie, Loki uncovers shocking truths that completely change the future of the multiverse. Since Doomsday is expected to lean into multiverse storytelling, both Season 1 and Season 2 are essential viewing. You can stream them on Disney+.

And don't forget the MCU's wildest team-up yet. Deadpool & Wolverine isn't just packed with jokes and action, it also plays a big role in the multiverse story. The film follows Wade Wilson after the TVA recruits him to save his fading universe, forcing him to team up with a grumpy alternate-universe Wolverine. Together, they take on the dangerous Cassandra Nova in a mission that could change everything. With the TVA once again front and center, this movie could contain more Doomsday clues than fans first realized. You can stream it on Disney+.

Forget the superheroes for a minute! Thunderbolts* is all about the MCU's biggest troublemakers. The film introduces a team of unlikely allies made up of assassins, soldiers, and other morally complicated characters who are recruited by CIA director Valentina Allegra de Fontaine. But when everything goes sideways, they're forced to work together to make it out alive. Since several members of this team are set to appear in Doomsday, watching Thunderbolts* now will help you get familiar with Marvel's newest group of reluctant heroes. It's streaming on Disney+.

Before Marvel's first family joins the battle in Doomsday, you'll want to spend some time with The Fantastic Four: First Steps. Set in a retro-futuristic version of the 1960s, the film follows Reed, Sue, Johnny, and Ben as they take on the cosmic threat of Galactus. The stakes get even higher when Galactus targets Sue and Reed's unborn child, sending the team on a desperate mission through space. Since the Fantastic Four are confirmed for Doomsday, this one definitely deserves a spot on your watchlist. It's streaming on Disney+.