Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom in ‘Avengers: Doomsday’
Marvel/Disney
Are you planning to see Avengers: Doomsday?
Fans should start brushing up, as Marvel has published a list of 15 recommended titles to prepare for the cameo‑packed blockbuster.
Which MCU Titles Should You Watch Before ‘Doomsday’?
The list opens with Fox’s first two X-Men films, which predate the MCU and helped launch the superhero era; the remaining entries are official Marvel films and series.
Here it is in chronological order:
- 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 (2021)
- Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021)
- Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)
- Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022)
- Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022)
- Deadpool & Wolverine (2024)
- Captain America: Brave New World (2025)
- Thunderbolts (2025)
- The Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025)
Watching every title on the list exceeds 42 hours, highlighting the narrative burden inherent in a sprawling cinematic universe.
Fans Ridicule the MCU Watchlist as ‘Homework’
Fans frequently joke that watching Marvel films feels like homework, given how much MCU content relies on established plot points and character dynamics.
Even Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige has likened the flood of MCU content to homework rather than pure entertainment.
Marvel’s lengthy list certainly fits that description; on social media fans responded with jokes and memes, noting that 15 titles of backstory may be excessive even for the MCU.
Notably, the two most recent MCU releases—Spider-Man: Brand New Day and Fantastic Four: First Steps—are far more accessible to newcomers and casual viewers.
Brand New Day ties into the MCU without feeling beholden to earlier films, whereas Fantastic Four demands no prior viewing—although its end credits segue directly into Doomsday.
‘Doomsday’ Represents the MCU’s Major Nostalgia Drive
Marvel’s shared universe began as a novelty and a major box‑office draw, spawning numerous imitators with mixed success.
Most of those rival cinematic universes have faded; DC is on its second shared universe, which is already showing signs of struggle.
Since Avengers: Endgame wrapped up over a decade of MCU storytelling, box‑office results have been uneven—though Spider‑Man continues to dominate.
Doomsday leans on nostalgia, bringing back Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom and coaxing Chris Evans out of retirement to reprise Captain America.
Deaths and conclusions have grown increasingly meaningless for Marvel characters, much like in the comics.
One commentator likened today’s MCU output to the distorted echoes of Kane Parsons’ Backrooms.
Some fans feel Doomsday leans too heavily on beloved classics, while others argue Doctor Doom hasn’t received sufficient buildup.
‘Doomsday’ Scheduled to Debut Against *Dune 3*
Marvel plans to release Doomsday on December 18, 2026—the same date as Dune 3.
Fans have coined the term “Dunesday” for the simultaneous release; it will be intriguing to see which film prevails.
Online, the rivalry is already heating up.
In terms of prerequisite viewing, Dune 3 asks far less—only two earlier films need to be seen (a Dune spin‑off series exists, but it has garnered little attention).
Avengers: Secret Wars is slated to follow Doomsday in 2027, positioned as a soft reset for Marvel’s aging, expansive universe.
In 2028 Marvel will launch the highly anticipated X-Men reboot, featuring a fresh cast of young talent that includes Inde Navarrette from Obsession.
Hopefully, X-Men will demand no prior viewing.
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