Prepare for Avengers: Doomsday by Binge-Watching Over 41 Hours of MCU Content!
And to think some folks say the MCU requires too much prep! On December 18, we’ll see the launch of Avengers: Doomsday, the latest blockbuster in the Marvel Cinematic Universe—a franchise that has been revitalized thanks to Spider-Man: Brand New Day raking in $2 billion in just two weeks. However, since Doomsday draws from nearly two decades of content, Disney+ is recommending a list of 15 movies and TV shows to binge-watch (or revisit) over the next four months to get ready for its debut.
In the U.S., Disney+ has rolled out a new collection titled “Countdown to Avengers: Doomsday” under the Marvel section. This collection features a chronological lineup of 15 MCU entries that Disney believes you should check out before hitting the theaters this holiday season. (To be honest, the delivery is a bit of a mess. If you use the web app, it only shows nine titles unless you’re logged out, while the mobile app will display all 15 if you’re in the right region…)
The journey begins ages ago with the original 26-year-old X-Men, which will reintroduce a whole new generation to characters making a comeback (often with the original actors) in Doomsday. Next up is 2003’s X2, also directed by Bryan Singer, who has faced his share of controversies. We then jump to 2011’s Captain America: The First Avenger, followed by a trio of major Avengers films, before diving into three less obvious picks: the Loki series, the movie Shang-Chi: Legend of the Ten Rings, and the penultimate Spider-Man film, No Way Home.
Next on the list is 2022’s Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, followed by the rather dull Captain America: Brave New World, and then Deadpool & Wolverine, likely included for its X-Men connections. You’ll wrap up with the fantastic Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, the lackluster Thunderbolts*, and the charming The Fantastic Four: First Steps.
Doomsday and the upcoming Avengers: Secret Wars in 2027 aim to conclude the drawn-out “Multiverse Saga,” which has allowed characters from outside the MCU’s main timeline to join the fray. This includes the Fantastic Four and the classic X-Men, with much of the groundwork laid out in season two of the Disney+ series Loki. Unfortunately, unlike its first season, the second was a bit of a slog to get through. However, given Loki’s new role at the timeline-maintaining TVA and the way season two wraps up, understanding those events will be crucial for what’s ahead. Shang-Chi is a surprising inclusion here, as it didn’t seem all that essential to the MCU’s overarching narrative.
Several films that technically belong to the Multiverse Saga are absent, like the forgettable Eternals (are they just trying to sweep that under the rug?) and the underrated The Marvels, which is likely missing because it only tangentially connects to the broader MCU through Nick Fury.
So there you have it. Your homework is set, so get cracking! I’m definitely planning to revisit the early X-Men films, especially since my kid has never seen them (being born 14 years after their release), but there’s no way I’m sitting through Brave New World or Thunderbolts* again. The real chore on this list that feels mandatory is Loki season 2, which is painfully dull but seems too important to skip. Here’s the complete list for you to print out and check off as you go. I expect your assignments in by December 1.
• X-Men
• X2
• Captain America: The First Avenger
• The Avengers
• Avengers: Infinity War
• Avengers: Endgame
• Loki
• Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
• Spider-Man: No Way Home
• Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
• Captain America: Brave New World
• Deadpool & Wolverine
• Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
• Thunderbolts
• The Fantastic Four: First Steps
