A specal look from the makers of Marvel Studios' upcoming magnum opus Avengers: Doomsday has set the tone for the granduer and scale of the movie that features a vast ensemble cast. In it, we can see a host of characters from the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) and the 20th Centure Fox-era X-Men characters coming together to create the fascinating combinations of interactions. The latest preview also offers a deep, insightful peek at the antagonistic character of Doom played by the inimitable Robert Downey Jr. This offers a more meaningful angle to the story which is bringing together decades worth of storytelling, character arcs, etc.
While the hype-train urges one to dive into the breakdowns and analysis of the news coming out of the story, one may feel overwhelmed when planning to do deep dive by watching or rewatching all the Marvel films from the past that knowingly or unknowingly set up this film.
To ease that process, we've got you covered with a curated list of films from the entirety of the Marvel universe that you may watch to help you prepare for the events of Avengers: Doomsday. These films maybe crucuial in understanding the different worlds that are set to collide during the runtime of Avengers: Doomsday, while also highlighting how the Multiverse incursions came to be develeoped as concept over the last few years within the MCU projects. This list has also been curated keeping in mind the need to introduce certain teams and groups that are vital to the narrative of the fifth Avengers film and may even feature in it. Have a super binging!
Loki starring Tom Hiddleston, Owen Wilson and Sophia Di Martino is a major MCU project that is an imperative watch on the road to Doomsday. From formally setting down rules to the functionings of the multiverse to defining the functioning parameters for the Time Variance Authority (TVA), the extra-dimensional bureaucratic body that monitors the flow of time across different universes, this two-part series is a must-watch to truly understand how Doom's villainous plan will come to be.
Directed by Joe and Anthony Russo, the directorial sibling-duo that are also the directors of Avengers: Doomsday, the third and fourth Avengers films not only culminate to the climax of an interconnected storyline built over a span of ten years, but also given immense preview into the original Avengers team and their camraderie that extends to different planets and even universes. Rewatching these films will also solidify in understand how and why Robert Downey Jr.’s history in the MCU is so respectfully regarded. These films will also help bring about the establishment of the emotional weight that is reflected in his return to the MCU as Victor von Doom.
One of the first films in the MCU to truly help viewers understand the implications, scope and threats of the existence of the Multiverse within the said cinematic universe, this Doctor Strange sequel also introduced viewers to the concept of incursions — the catastrophic sci-fi phenomenon that refers to the collision of two or more universes resulting in the devastaion and destruction of one or more universe. This is expected to be the central defining threat to the worlds that will collide in Avengers: Doomsday.
As the first film to explore a story in a universe beyond Earth-616 (the designated universe reference for the main storyline of the MCU), this films from the past year follows the superhero family in Earth-828. While the film does very little to give an indepth view into Doom's life himself, most viewers believe that it is this universe from which Doom arrives into the picture alongside the other multiversal heroes and even has a past with Reed Richards/Mr Fantastic, Sue Storm/The Invisble Woman and the rest of the Fantastic Four team.
Two years ago, the first mutant-led narrative made its debut in the MCU. With Hugh Jackman reprising his role as an alternate universe's Wolverine, this film brings into the picture various non-MCU universes and their characters into narrative elements of The Void (from the Loki series). The film also sheds light into the concept of Anchor Beings — characters within each universes who are vital to the existence of that particular universe and upon who's death the who universe begins to wither.
Thunderbolts* or The New Avengers is fairly recent critically acclaimed film that reintroduces a host of various supporting characters from past MCU merging them together in a mission, during the team-up for which they are viewed as disposible figures. The squad navigates a rather interesting journey to create the new, grounded team which is controlled by the US Government and is at odds with the Avengers faction that sides with Sam Wilson's Captain America.
The ending of the 'Home' triology in Tom Holland-led Spider-Man films was the first feature film to truly embrace the concept of the multiverse vividly. The iterations of the web-slinging New Yorker played by Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfeild became vital supporting characters in fight against the multiversal threats of the villains from their respected universes. With many theorising both actors to reprise their versions of Spider-Man in Avengers: Doomsday, this film is a fun rewatch leading up to its release date.
With marvel just announcing the new faces that will take up the roles of the famed mutant team in the 2028 film X-Men, Doomsday will bring back the original class of 2000 to reprise their role. Re-watching these films will provide further depth and understanding to the featuring characters adn their relatioships over multiple conflicts.