Marvel has released a 15-title watchlist of essential media to prepare for Avengers: Doomsday, and the sole TV entry is arguably the most important.
With close to 40 films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and a whole heap of Disney+ series too, it would be an arduous task to watch everything before Avengers: Doomsday rolls around on 18 December.
Moreover, with Fox’s X-Men also involved in the fight against Doom, and rumours that Tobey Maguire’s Spidey will also be involved, it would be hard to know where to start the MCU homework.
Thankfully, Marvel has helped trim the fat with the following list of recommended titles to watch before Avengers: Doomsday.
The list includes:
- X-Men
- X2
- Captain America: The First Avenger
- The Avengers
- Avengers: Infinity War
- Avengers: Endgame
- Loki
- Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
- Spider-Man: No Way Home
- Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
- Captain America: Brave New World
- Deadpool & Wolverine
- Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
- Thunderbolts
- The Fantastic Four: First Steps
Why is ‘Loki’ so important?
Tom Hiddleston’s God of Mischief, Loki, has been present in the Avengers: Doomsday teasers, so we know he’s a major player.
But catching up on the only TV series in Marvel’s list is important for many more reasons.
First, being a Disney+ MCU show, it’s more than likely that many film-focused fans of this mega franchise may have skipped Loki, missing crucial information.
To find out how the villainous Avengers iteration of Loki, who escaped during time-bending events in Avengers: Endgame, became a compassionate hero is backstory worth knowing.
Second, Loki explores in detail the destructive power of a multiverse in flux, a theme that has been littered throughout various titles ahead of Doomsday, and is heavily implied to be a major motivation for Doom in the film.
Lastly, unlike some Marvel Disney+ series, Loki is actually very good.
So, if you feel like you’re up to speed on the MCU films, make sure you watch Loki before 18 December.
What else does this list tell us?
Three of the films on this list give credence to some more fan speculation.
First, Spider-Man: No Way Home being on the list buys into the theory that Maguire’s Spider-Man will confront Dr Doom during Doomsday.
Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman were part of a fun bit trying to get cast in Doomsday during the Disney D23 event, and Deadpool & Wolverine being on Marvel’s list suggests the title characters could be involved in some capacity.
Finally, fans have also been theorising that Doctor Strange and Scarlet Witch will be in league with Doom in the upcoming Avengers mega movie.
Now, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness might be on Marvel’s list purely for the ‘Multiverse’ element, but it could also be because its two leads are taking a potentially villainous course of action by Doom’s side.
So get watching, take notes, and be ready for Avengers: Doomsday.
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