ESSENTIALS

Why it matters: Xavier, Magneto, Cyclops and Mystique. Stewart, McKellen, Marsden and Romijn all return in Doomsday. On Disney+’s official “before Doomsday” list.

Why it matters: Alan Cumming’s Nightcrawler, confirmed for Doomsday. On Disney+’s official “before Doomsday” list.

Why it matters: Kelsey Grammer’s Beast, who is back for Doomsday.

Why it matters: Steve Rogers, Bucky and Peggy Carter. All three are back for Doomsday.

Why it matters: Young Charles Xavier and Erik Lehnsherr in 1962. How the friendship and the war between them began. Recommended by marvelwatchlist.

Why it matters: The team forms, Loki invades, and Thanos is teased.

Why it matters: Bucky returns as the Winter Soldier, and Sam Wilson, the future Captain America, debuts.

Why it matters: Time travel and both X-Men casts. The closest thing to a multiverse primer.

Why it matters: Scott and Cassie Lang, plus the Quantum Realm. Both Langs are in Doomsday.

Why it matters: The Avengers split, Black Panther arrives, and the Bucky–Tony wound opens.

Why it matters: Asgard falls, and Thor and Loki finally act like brothers.

Why it matters: Wolverine’s farewell. Deadpool & Wolverine opens by digging up this Logan’s grave.

Why it matters: Shuri and M’Baku, both confirmed for Doomsday.

Why it matters: The Russos’ first Avengers epic. Doomsday is built the same way.

Why it matters: Tony’s sacrifice and Steve’s ending. The emotional set-up for everything since.

Why it matters: Introduces Yelena and Red Guardian, the heart of the Thunderbolts.

Why it matters: Shang-Chi is confirmed for Doomsday.

Why it matters: The multiverse cracks open with villains and Spider-Men from other universes.

Why it matters: Sam takes up the shield, Bucky heals, and US Agent arrives.

Why it matters: The TVA, variants, and how the multiverse broke open.

Why it matters: Names the Incursion, the event Doomsday is about, and cameos Patrick Stewart’s Professor X.

Why it matters: Shuri becomes Black Panther and Namor arrives. Both are in Doomsday.

Why it matters: Scott and Cassie in the Quantum Realm, a set-up for the multiverse war.

Why it matters: Loki’s fate at the heart of the multiverse.

Why it matters: The TVA, the Void and Gambit (Channing Tatum, confirmed for Doomsday).

Why it matters: Sam Wilson as Captain America, and the new Falcon.

Why it matters: Yelena, Bucky, Red Guardian, US Agent, Ghost and Sentry. A whole Doomsday team.

Why it matters: Marvel’s First Family, from another universe and headed for Doomsday.

Why it matters: The last MCU film before Doomsday.