Every Movie You Need To Watch Before 'Avengers: Doomsday'
With the Avengers: Doomsday cast confirmed and a record-breaking trailer, Marvel fans have a lot to be excited about ahead of the film's theatrical release on December 18, 2026. And there's no better way to prepare for Marvel's next Avengers-level threat than by revisiting the Marvel Cinematic Universe's film library. More specifically, you can rewatch every major Marvel movie that has a confirmed connection to Avengers: Doomsday—including everything from 20th Century Fox's X-Men saga to Spider-Man: Brand New Day.
Marvel Studios began hyping up the movie with four short, character-focused teasers that give viewers a glimpse into what their faves have been up to since the last time we saw them. Since then, the first full trailer has been released, giving us our best look yet at which characters will play prominent roles in the movie. The trailer sees a very frightened Thor giving a passionate pep talk to Earth's Mightiest Heroes, who are preparing to face off against Doctor Doom (played by Iron Man's Robert Downey Jr.).
We might not know exactly what Doom is up to yet, but these teasers and trailers give Marvel fans everything they need to prepare a list of movies to watch before Avengers: Doomsday. So here's a complete list of everything you should watch before we finally get to see Doctor Doom's plan unfold.
One of the biggest surprises of the Avengers: Doomsday cast announcement was the presence of the original X-Men team from Fox's film series. For the first time in decades, Professor X (Sir Patrick Stewart), Magneto (Sir Ian McKellen), Beast (Kelsey Grammer), Cyclops (James Marsden), Mystique (Rebecca Romijn), and Nightcrawler (Alan Cumming) will share the screen. To fully enjoy their thrilling return, you can watch all the original movies, starting with X-Men (2000).
X-Men is the first ever live-action movie about Marvel's iconic mutants, and it marks the debut for a number of Doomsday cast members. This is where you can get a refresher on Professor X and Magneto's complicated friendship-turned-rivalry, as well as introducing Cyclops, who is an established X-Men member from the very beginning, and Magneto's deadly ally, Mystique.
You can then watch the iconic sequel, X2 (2003), which sees Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) return to Professor Xavier's (Patrick Stewart) school to help track down a mutant known as Nightcrawler (Alan Cumming.) At the same time, Magneto (Ian McKellen), who believes mutants are superior to humans and that they need to prepare for war with the humans, escapes his special prison.
X2 is widely regarded as one of the best X-Men movies of all time, and it's also the introduction of Kurt Wagner, a.k.a. Nightcrawler, the blue-skinned mutant with teleportation abilities. The movie opens with a stunning Nightcrawler action sequence, and Alan Cumming is among the actors reprising their roles for Doomsday—so don't miss his iconic portrayal of the character in X2.
X-Men: The Last Stand (2006) completes the trilogy and includes Grammer's debut as Beast. In addition to watching X-Men for the original stars, the trilogy is perfect for any Marvel or superhero fan. It's faithful to the comic books and action-packed. If you enjoy superhero films featuring teams, such as The Avengers (2012) and The Guardians of the Galaxy (2014), the original X-Men series will be a real treat.
Marvel's third Avengers: Doomsday teaser reinforces the importance of this trilogy by shining a light on the original X-Men lineup. This clue features Cyclops (Marsden), with Professor X (Stewart) and Magneto (McKellen) in a somber, ominous scene which suggests that the legacy versions of these characters (not variants) will play a big role in Doomsday's story.
It's unclear if Avengers: Doomsday will also bring back any of the X-Men prequel series' cast, but this movie is still important to the X-Men mythos. X-Men: Days of Future Past also essentially changed the original trilogy's ending, making it essential viewing before Avengers: Doomsday.
While X-Men: Days of Future Past is an origin story, it features actors from the original and prequel X-Men series, as Wolverine travels back in time to enlist the help of a young Professor X (James McAvoy) and Erik Lehnsherr (Michael Fassbender).
Critics and fans often hail Days of Future Past as one of the best X-Men films, across both the original X-Men movies and their prequels. It boasts a darker tone than its predecessors and convincingly fixes some continuity issues. Days of Future Past especially shines because of its emphasis on character development, featuring the X-Men at some of their darkest moments with the highest stakes. Its darker tone parallels later, more mature X-Men adaptations, such as Logan (2017) and X-Men '97.
Loki features on the official Doomsday poster and has a brief moment in the first full trailer, highlighting his importance in the upcoming movie. So you'll need to catch up on his TV show, Loki, to get up to speed.
The first two seasons of Loki are crucial to understanding the Multiverse Saga, as they delve into the technical aspects of the multiverse, explaining the Time Variance Authority, branching timelines, and variants. The series is especially relevant because Tom Hiddleston's Loki is confirmed to return in Avengers: Doomsday. With Loki's close connection to the multiverse potentially playing into Avengers: Doomsday, Loki is a must-see.
Loki is one of the MCU’s best original series, as it delves into the fan-favorite trickster god and offers a wild story of redemption and time shenanigans. The ever-changing setting and time keep the show engaging, while Loki's character arc and development are everything MCU fans ever hoped for. Viewers who enjoyed Avengers: Endgame (2019) and The Adam Project (2022) for their blend of action and time travel but hoped for something with even more depth and character development will love Loki.
One of the newest heroes appearing in Avengers: Doomsday is Simu Liu's Xu Shang-Chi, who debuted in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. We already know that he goes head-to-head against Gambit, and anyone who knows his backstory and his powers is going to enjoy his scenes to the fullest.
The film serves as an introduction to his character, as well as one of the first Marvel movies to launch the current Multiverse Saga. It contains an ambiguous but crucial mid-credits scene that explains how Shang-Chi first connected with some of The Avengers, and strongly hints that his Ten Rings will play a significant role in the MCU’s future.
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is one of the most distinctive new Marvel features, often leaning more into fantasy and kung fu than superhero action. As a more self-contained film, it's easy to forget its part of the MCU at all. Hence, it's an excellent film for viewers struggling with superhero fatigue and looking for a refreshing MCU entry. The unique tone makes it feel more in line with Eternals (2021) than the MCU films that came before.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is essential to watch before Avengers: Doomsday because it's the first official introduction to the multiverse. It marked the first time a Marvel character explored the multiverse on-screen. Understanding the multiverse will likely be the key to understanding how the MCU and X-Men collide in Avengers: Doomsday. On top of that, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness marked the most recent appearance of confirmed Avengers: Doomsday star Professor X.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is similar to Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings in that it’s a refreshing and unique entry in the MCU. However, it leans more into horror than fantasy with an emphasis on body horror. If you loved the blend of superhero action and body horror in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023) or What If…?'s (2021) Marvel zombies, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness will be right up your alley.
Thor (Chris Hemsworth) is the only original Avengers member confirmed for Avengers: Doomsday, so it's important to rewatch his adventures throughout the Multiverse Saga. Thor last appeared in Thor: Love and Thunder, where he was pulled out of retirement by the arrival of Gorr the God Butcher (Christian Bale) and the return of his ex-girlfriend, Jane Foster (Natalie Portman). It's unclear if the events of Love and Thunder will have an impact on Avengers: Doomsday, but it will explain where we last saw Thor in the MCU.
Love and Thunder matches the tone and vibe of Guardians of the Galaxy and Thor: Ragnarok, with an emphasis on comedy and good music. Director Taika Waititi's influence is evident, marked by his signature humor and absurdism. Viewers who enjoyed Jojo Rabbit (2019) and Next Goal Wins (2023) may be interested in his take on Thor: Love and Thunder. Ultimately, it's an excellent film for viewers seeking a more self-contained and irreverent MCU movie.
The second Avengers: Doomsday teaser focuses entirely on Thor (Hemsworth) in a stark tonal contrast to Love and Thunder, showing him alone, kneeling in prayer to Odin, and visibly fearful for the safety of his adopted daughter This clue hints at a more solemn, mythic direction for Thor in Doomsday and suggests that the consequences of Love and Thunder will weigh heavily on him.
Avengers: Doomsday will mark the return of multiple characters from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, including the new Black Panther (Letitia Wright), mutant-hybride Namor (Tenoch Huerta), and Wakanda's new king, M'Baku (Winston Duke). The movie explains the significant changes to Wakanda’s leadership and the Black Panther mantle. Since Wakanda’s leadership will figure into Avengers: Doomsday, you'll definitely want to revisit Black Panther: Wakanda Forever before the upcoming movie.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is an excellent sequel to Black Panther (2018), which continues the story of Wakanda and pays a beautiful tribute to the late Chadwick Boseman, who portrayed King T'Challa in the original movie. It's a moving, emotionally raw, diverse, and powerful film that makes you excited for Marvel’s future and potential. Viewers who loved Black Panther can’t miss Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
The fourth Avengers: Doomsday teaser directly builds on the story of Wakanda Forever by featuring Shuri (Wright), M'Baku (Duke), and Namor (Tenoch Huerta) alongside members of the Fantastic Four. This clue suggests a growing alliance between global powers and rival nations as they prepare for an unseen but existential threat – which is likely Doctor Doom.
Paul Rudd’s Ant-Man is returning for Avengers: Doomsday, and the last time viewers saw him was in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, which introduced Kang the Conqueror (Jonathan Majors). Marvel has since dropped the Kang storyline, so most of the plot points tackled aren't likely to figure into Avengers: Doomsday, but it's still worth a watch to explain where Ant-Man currently is in the MCU.
Quantumania is perfect for fans of the first two Ant-Man films, as it boasts the same lighthearted tone and heartwarming themes about family. Despite its lighter tone and dropped storyline, it still contains some treats for Marvel fans with its inclusion of Kang and MODOK (Corey Stoll). Mostly, though, Quantumania stands out for its entertainment value. If you're a fan of funny superhero movies in general, from Mystery Men (1999) to Shazam! (2019), the film is a good fit for you.
