Seven years after it electrified moviegoers around the world in 2019, Avengers: Endgame has returned to theaters and reclaimed the top spot at the all-time box office.
Avengers: Endgame Encore, rereleased in North America on September 25, earned about $86 million worldwide in its first weekend and topped the box office. On October 4, its cumulative gross reached about $2.9255 billion, surpassing Avatar’s roughly $2.9237 billion.
Part of the reason a film that wrapped up seven years ago is drawing audiences back is anticipation for Avengers: Doomsday, due out this December.
The encore screening features new footage directly connected to Doomsday, showing Loki visiting Steve Rogers, Doctor Doom meeting Bruce Banner, and the TVA watching a multiverse collapse amid simultaneous incursions.
Robert Downey Jr., who played Iron Man, is returning as Victor von Doom, also known as Doctor Doom. The film will bring together not only the existing Avengers but also heroes from different worlds, including the X-Men, the Fantastic Four and the Thunderbolts.
Marvel’s new story connects to several previously released titles, so understanding the established characters’ relationships and the multiverse could make the film even more enjoyable.
So which titles are worth watching before Doomsday?
Based on official information and cast announcements so far, we’ve put together 19 Marvel films and series that can help you follow the new Avengers story.
1. The Avengers’ beginnings and the changing of the guard
Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)
This film shows how Steve Rogers became Captain America. It also introduces his relationship with Peggy Carter and the themes of choice and sacrifice that run through the MCU.
With Chris Evans returning as Steve Rogers in Doomsday, there’s good reason to revisit the film where his story began.
The Avengers (2012)
Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, the Hulk and other heroes who had been operating separately form a team for the first time to face a common threat.
The Avengers were born in response to Loki’s invasion. This starting point shows how heroes from their separate worlds came to work together.
Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
The Avengers, Doctor Strange, the Guardians of the Galaxy and the forces of Wakanda come together against a common enemy: Thanos.
By bringing so many heroes’ stories together around one event, the film offers a useful reference for understanding Doomsday’s convergence of different worlds.
Avengers: Endgame (2019)
The final installment of the Infinity Saga closed the era of the original Avengers with Tony Stark’s death and Steve Rogers’ retirement.
But new footage in the encore edition released in 2026 suggests that ending could be the starting point for new events, making this the top priority to revisit before Doomsday.
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (2021)
This Disney+ series follows Sam Wilson as he takes up the shield Steve Rogers left behind and becomes the new Captain America.
It also explores the relationship between Bucky Barnes and John Walker, providing background on characters who later join the new Avengers lineup.
Captain America: Brave New World (2025)
Sam Wilson takes his first solo lead as Captain America, while Joaquin Torres steps into the role of the new Falcon.
Both characters are in the Doomsday cast, making the film a chance to see the transition from the original Captain America to a new generation.
2. The multiverse and colliding worlds
Loki Seasons 1 and 2 (2021 and 2023)
This series explores how a single timeline splits into countless branches and the role of the TVA, which manages those timelines.
Season 2 also shows how Loki comes to sustain the multiverse’s timelines, providing crucial background for the large-scale collision of worlds expected in Doomsday.
Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)
Three Spider-Men from separate film universes meet in one world, offering one of the clearest illustrations of the multiverse.
The film is significant because it showed that characters from Marvel films previously made by other studios could reappear in the MCU.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022)
The film introduces incursions: collisions between different universes that can destroy one or both worlds.
Because incursions also feature prominently in the new Endgame Encore footage, this film is particularly relevant to understanding Doomsday’s world.
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023)
Scott Lang and Cassie Lang enter the Quantum Realm, revealing a broader MCU world than before.
The Quantum Realm is not itself the same thing as another universe. But with both Ant-Man and Cassie Lang in the Doomsday cast, the film offers a look at their most recent major story.
The Marvels (2023)
At the end of the film, Monica Rambeau moves from her home universe to another world, where she meets the X-Men’s Beast.
The scene suggests a possible connection between the MCU and the X-Men universe. With Beast actor Kelsey Grammer also named in the Doomsday cast, the film is worth revisiting.
Deadpool & Wolverine (2024)
Characters from 20th Century Fox’s earlier Marvel films enter the MCU in earnest through the TVA and the multiverse.
Channing Tatum appears as Gambit, extending the film’s ties to earlier X-Men films. Gambit is among the characters officially confirmed for Doomsday.
3. The X-Men return after more than 20 years
X-Men (2000)
Patrick Stewart’s Professor X, Ian McKellen’s Magneto, James Marsden’s Cyclops and Rebecca Romijn’s Mystique first appeared together in this film.
With those actors named in the Doomsday cast, it’s the starting point for understanding the original X-Men’s relationships and history as they join the MCU.
X2 (2003)
The original X-Men’s conflicts and alliances deepen, particularly those involving Professor X and Magneto.
Alan Cumming’s Nightcrawler makes his first appearance; the character is also set to return in Doomsday.
X-Men: The Last Stand (2006)
Kelsey Grammer’s Beast takes a prominent role in a film about the established X-Men members’ conflicts and choices.
With the original X-Men actors confirmed to return, knowing the relationships among Professor X, Magneto and Beast should help make sense of their reunion in the new film.
4. New heroes and factions join the fray
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021)
The film introduces Shang-Chi as a new MCU hero and tells his origin story alongside the ancient powers of the Ten Rings.
After a relatively minor role in other titles for some time, Shang-Chi is back in the spotlight as part of the Doomsday cast.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022)
Following T’Challa’s death, Shuri grows into the new Black Panther, while Namor emerges as the leader of the underwater kingdom of Talokan.
Shuri and M’Baku are confirmed to return, as are Namor and Namora, making it worth watching to see how Wakanda and Talokan’s relationship develops in Doomsday.
Thunderbolts* (2025)
Yelena Belova, Bucky Barnes, Red Guardian, Ghost and John Walker, all with different pasts, come together as a team.
The film also introduces changes surrounding the new Avengers, making it important for understanding how the MCU’s current hero factions are being reshaped.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025)
This film introduces Reed Richards, Sue Storm, Johnny Storm and Ben Grimm, who live in a universe separate from the MCU’s main world.
All four are confirmed for Doomsday. With different groups of heroes set to meet, they are expected to play a major part in the new Avengers story.
Do you need to watch them all?
You don’t have to watch all 19 titles to understand Doomsday.
If you’re short on time, we recommend starting with Endgame and Loki Seasons 1 and 2 to follow the changing timelines. Then watch Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and Deadpool & Wolverine to get to grips with the multiverse, followed by Thunderbolts* and The Fantastic Four: First Steps to see how the new hero factions fit together.
