Marvel Studios has officially given fans their homework ahead of Avengers: Doomsday. Disney+ has published a curated list of 15 movies and television projects that Marvel considers useful viewing before the next Avengers blockbuster arrives in cinemas on December 18, 2026.
The list is considerably shorter than the full Marvel Cinematic Universe catalogue. Instead of requiring fans to revisit dozens of films and television episodes, Marvel has selected a mixture of essential Avengers stories, multiverse-focused projects, newer MCU entries and even a couple of films from the original Fox X-Men universe.
That makes the list particularly interesting because some inclusions are obvious, while others raise questions about what Marvel may be setting up for Avengers: Doomsday.
Marvel’s Complete 15-Title ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ Watchlist
According to Marvel’s official Disney+ recommendation, fans should watch these projects before Avengers: Doomsday:
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Add Hunterfly on Google- 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
The selection covers stories from different corners of Marvel’s cinematic history, including the original Fox X-Men movies and the current MCU.
Why Are ‘X-Men’ and ‘X2’ on the List?
The biggest surprise is arguably the inclusion of 2000’s X-Men and 2003’s X2.
Neither movie belongs to the main MCU continuity established by Marvel Studios. Both were produced by Fox and helped establish the modern superhero movie era long before the Avengers became a global franchise.
Their appearance on Marvel’s official Doomsday preparation list is therefore significant.
The Multiverse Saga has increasingly opened the door to characters and stories from previous Marvel continuities. Deadpool & Wolverine was a major example, bringing Fox-era characters into the MCU’s wider multiverse.
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Add Hunterfly on GoogleThe inclusion of X-Men and X2 could consequently help audiences become familiar with the older versions of characters who may be relevant to Marvel’s upcoming multiverse storyline.
It is also notable that Marvel has not included every Fox X-Men movie. ** X-Men: Days of Future Past **, arguably one of the franchise’s most important films for understanding alternate timelines, is absent.
‘Loki’ Remains Essential Multiverse Homework
If there is one Disney+ series that makes obvious sense on the list, it is Loki.
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Add Hunterfly on GoogleBoth seasons are recommended, giving viewers a foundation for understanding Marvel’s treatment of branching timelines and alternate realities.
The series became one of the MCU’s most important pieces of multiverse storytelling, making it particularly relevant as Marvel approaches Avengers: Doomsday.
For viewers who have not followed the Disney+ side of the MCU, Loki is arguably one of the most useful entries on the entire list.
Why ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ Made the Cut
Spider-Man: No Way Home is another interesting selection.
The 2021 film brought together different cinematic versions of Spider-Man and demonstrated just how far Marvel could push the concept of alternate universes.
Its inclusion could simply reflect the movie’s importance to the Multiverse Saga. However, it has naturally encouraged speculation about whether Tom Holland’s Peter Parker could have a larger role in the events surrounding Doomsday.
Marvel has not confirmed every rumored appearance, so the watchlist should not be interpreted as a character announcement.
Still, the choice is notable.
Doctor Strange’s Multiverse Story Is Back in Focus
Marvel has also included ** Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness **.
The film directly explores alternate realities and introduces audiences to different versions of familiar characters.
Doctor Strange has also been one of the MCU’s most important characters when it comes to explaining the mechanics and dangers of the multiverse.
That makes the film a natural companion to Loki and No Way Home for anyone trying to understand the larger multiversal storyline.
‘Infinity War’ and ‘Endgame’ Are the Obvious Choices
Nobody should be surprised to see ** Avengers: Infinity War ** and ** Avengers: Endgame ** on the list.
Together, the two films define the conclusion of the Infinity Saga and establish the enormous consequences that followed Thanos’ actions.
They also provide essential context for the current generation of MCU heroes.
For new viewers, these two movies are arguably the most important starting point for understanding how the Avengers reached the point where another major threat requires them to come together.
Why Is ‘The Avengers’ Still Recommended?
The inclusion of ** The Avengers ** is somewhat more surprising.
Released in 2012, the film was the first major crossover event for Marvel Studios and established the original Avengers team as a cinematic unit.
However, viewers who have already watched Infinity War and Endgame may find that they understand much of the team’s history without revisiting the original movie.
Nevertheless, Marvel may be recommending it because it provides the clearest introduction to the original Avengers and their relationships.
Captain America Gets Two Important Entries
Marvel has selected ** Captain America: The First Avenger ** and ** Captain America: Brave New World ** for the list.
The first film introduces Steve Rogers and establishes his origins, while Brave New World represents the modern evolution of the Captain America mantle.
The choice is interesting because Marvel has not included every Captain America film.
It instead appears to be using the two movies to connect the original Captain America mythology with the modern MCU.
‘Shang-Chi’ and ‘Wakanda Forever’ Are Interesting Choices
Another intriguing aspect of the list is the presence of ** Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings ** and ** Black Panther: Wakanda Forever **.
Neither film is as obviously multiverse-focused as Loki or Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
Their inclusion could reflect Marvel’s interest in the characters, artifacts and wider MCU mythology established in those films.
It also demonstrates that Marvel’s preparation guide isn’t exclusively about explaining alternate universes.
‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ Connects Different Marvel Eras
The inclusion of ** Deadpool & Wolverine ** is much easier to understand.
The film became a major bridge between Marvel Studios’ MCU and characters associated with Fox’s X-Men franchise.
Ryan Reynolds’ Deadpool and Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine became central to the movie, while the film played extensively with Marvel’s history of different cinematic universes.
Its presence alongside X-Men and X2 makes the connection even more interesting.
Marvel has not necessarily confirmed that every character from those movies will appear in Doomsday, but the watchlist clearly wants viewers to understand the history behind these legacy characters.
‘Thunderbolts’ and ‘Fantastic Four’ Could Be Crucial
Two of the newest additions are ** Thunderbolts ** and ** The Fantastic Four: First Steps **.
Thunderbolts brings together a different group of morally complicated Marvel characters and develops the team that later becomes associated with the New Avengers.
Meanwhile, The Fantastic Four: First Steps introduces Marvel Studios’ Fantastic Four and provides important context for Doctor Doom, who is expected to be at the centre of Avengers: Doomsday.
The latter is particularly important because Robert Downey Jr. is returning to the MCU in the role of Doctor Doom.
His casting has been one of the biggest talking points surrounding the upcoming Avengers movie.
What Marvel Has Left Out
The omissions are almost as interesting as the 15 selections.
** The Marvels **, for example, contains substantial multiverse-related material but does not appear on the official list.
Likewise, X-Men: Days of Future Past would seem like an obvious choice for viewers attempting to understand Marvel’s complicated history of alternate timelines.
Other MCU projects, including WandaVision, are also absent.
That doesn’t necessarily mean those stories are irrelevant to Doomsday. It simply suggests that Marvel has decided they aren’t essential preparation for the particular story it intends to tell.
The Watchlist Is Not a Complete ‘MCU Timeline’
Fans should also avoid treating the Disney+ list as a definitive chronology of everything that matters in the MCU.
Marvel has released 38 films to date, alongside a growing catalogue of Disney+ series and specials. Watching everything would be an enormous commitment.
The official list instead appears designed as a shortcut.
It identifies stories that Marvel believes provide the most useful context for the characters, worlds and concepts expected to converge in Avengers: Doomsday.
That makes it more accessible for casual audiences who don’t want to spend months catching up on the MCU.
What Does the List Tell Us About ‘Avengers: Doomsday’?
The selection points toward three major areas.
First, the Avengers’ history still matters. The Avengers, Infinity War and Endgame provide the foundation.
Second, the multiverse is clearly central. Loki, No Way Home and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness all deal directly with alternate realities or multiversal consequences.
Third, Marvel’s legacy characters appear increasingly important. The inclusion of X-Men, X2 and Deadpool & Wolverine suggests that viewers should be familiar with Marvel’s pre-MCU movie history.
Add The Fantastic Four: First Steps and the arrival of Doctor Doom, and the direction becomes even clearer.
Should You Actually Watch All 15?
If you are a longtime Marvel fan, probably not.
Many viewers will already have seen most of these movies and shows. For someone completely new to the MCU, however, Marvel’s list provides a reasonable foundation.
If time is limited, the most directly relevant titles appear to be:
- Avengers: Infinity War
- Avengers: Endgame
- Loki
- Deadpool & Wolverine
- Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
- The Fantastic Four: First Steps
- X-Men
- X2
Those titles collectively cover the Avengers’ history, multiverse concepts, legacy Marvel characters and Doctor Doom’s new position within the MCU.
The Road to ‘Avengers: Secret Wars’
Avengers: Doomsday is expected to be an important chapter in Marvel’s broader Multiverse Saga, which is set to continue into Avengers: Secret Wars.
That makes the current watchlist more than a promotional exercise.
Marvel is effectively introducing audiences to several different generations of its cinematic universe before bringing them together in a single storyline.
Whether every character fans expect will actually appear remains to be seen.
For now, however, Marvel has made its homework official: 15 movies and shows are the studio’s recommended preparation for Avengers: Doomsday.
And the inclusion of X-Men and X2 may be the biggest clue that Marvel’s next Avengers story intends to look well beyond the boundaries of the MCU as audiences once knew it.
