Marvel and Disney+ are piling on the homework for fans gearing up for the December 18 release of "Avengers: Doomsday," dropping an official 42-hour watchlist.
Navigating the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) can be a serious undertaking, with its 38 movies and 25 series spanning intricate storylines, massive crossovers, and multiverse madness. The upcoming "Avengers: Doomsday" is expected to dive deep into this lore, so a refresher is definitely in order.
To help fans get up to speed, Marvel has curated a "Countdown to Doomsday" playlist on Disney+. This selection features 15 key titles covering origin stories, crucial team-ups, and essential multiverse intel needed to fully grasp the "Doomsday" narrative. Adding to the prep, Marvel also launched the "Countdown to Avengers: Doomsday Official Podcast," which offers weekly recaps of the MCU's Infinity Saga, available on Disney+, YouTube, and various audio platforms.
Interestingly, the watchlist includes two early "X-Men" films. This seems to be a nod to rumors that original cast members like Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen might be reprising their roles in "Doomsday." However, the 2023 film "The Marvels" surprisingly didn't make the final cut.
If you want to tackle the entire 42-hour marathon, that breaks down to less than three hours per week before the movie hits theaters. This move by Disney+ is a clever way to leverage the buzz around the film into more engagement with their streaming service, helping justify the monthly subscription cost.
Most of the titles on the list are available to stream on Disney+, with some also accessible on other platforms or available for digital rent or purchase. The full "Before Avengers: Doomsday" watch list includes: "X-Men" (2000), "X2: X-Men United" (2003), "Captain America: The First Avenger" (2011), "The Avengers" (2012), "Avengers: Infinity War" (2018), "Avengers: Endgame" (2019), "Loki" (both seasons), "Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings" (2021), "Spider-Man: No Way Home" (2021), "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" (2022), "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness" (2022), "Deadpool & Wolverine" (2024), "Captain America: Brave New World" (2025), "Thunderbolts*" (2025), and "The Fantastic Four: First Steps" (2025).
