What to Watch Before Avengers: Doomsday
Here is what to watch before Avengers: Doomsday, which opens in US theaters on 18 December 2026: a 15-title short list, or the complete MCU in watch order.
The checklist opens on Road to Doomsday, Marvel’s official list. Tap the countdown to see whether your weekly hours get you there in time.
Can you finish in time?
Route: ·
Coming up in the MCU
US dates. Month-only dates are Marvel announcements without a day yet.
Updated 23 October 2026 · Official list: Marvel.com's Countdown to Avengers: Doomsday watch guide · Release date and cast: Marvel.com · Unofficial fan guide
You have two paths. The short list below has 15 movies and shows, about 39 hours, and covers the Avengers story, the multiverse and the newest heroes. The full list is the complete MCU in watch order, 69 titles and about 191 hours, which you can track in the Marvel movies in order checklist.
Marvel also publishes its own Countdown to Avengers: Doomsday list, with 14 films and both seasons of Loki, about 41 hours. The checklist above opens on that list, so you can start ticking titles straight away.
Avengers: Doomsday release date and runtime
| Fact | Details |
|---|---|
| US release date | Friday 18 December 2026, in theaters |
| Runtime | Not announced by Marvel as of 23 October 2026 |
| Directors | Joe Russo and Anthony Russo |
| Phase | Phase Six, the last phase of the Multiverse Saga |
| Official logline | Heroes from three distinct universes on a deadly collision course, facing an existential threat |
| Cast (from Marvel.com) | Robert Downey Jr. as Victor von Doom, Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Pedro Pascal, Paul Rudd, Anthony Mackie, Florence Pugh, Tom Hiddleston, Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen and more |
| Next film | Avengers: Secret Wars, 17 December 2027 |
From 23 October you have eight weeks until release. Marvel's 41-hour list works out at a little over 5 hours a week, and our 39-hour short list at just under 5.
The short list: 15 movies and shows you must watch
This is our pick of the marvel movies to watch before Doomsday, in release order. It keeps the Avengers films that set up the team, the Loki seasons that explain the multiverse and the newest films whose characters are in the Doomsday cast.
| # | Title | Year | Runtime | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | X-Men | 2000 | 1h 44m | Introduces the X-Men actors Marvel brings back for Doomsday |
| 2 | The Avengers | 2012 | 2h 23m | The team forms and you meet Loki |
| 3 | Captain America: Civil War | 2016 | 2h 27m | The Avengers split into two sides |
| 4 | Avengers: Infinity War | 2018 | 2h 29m | Thanos and the Snap |
| 5 | Avengers: Endgame | 2019 | 3h 01m | Ends the Infinity Saga and sets up time travel |
| 6 | Loki (season 1) | 2021 | 6 eps, ≈4h 48m | Introduces the multiverse and the TVA |
| 7 | Spider-Man: No Way Home | 2021 | 2h 28m | The multiverse breaks open |
| 8 | Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness | 2022 | 2h 06m | Incursions between universes |
| 9 | Black Panther: Wakanda Forever | 2022 | 2h 41m | Shuri's story after T'Challa |
| 10 | Loki (season 2) | 2023 | 6 eps, ≈4h 48m | Shows where the branching timelines end up |
| 11 | Deadpool & Wolverine | 2024 | 2h 08m | Brings Fox characters into the MCU |
| 12 | Captain America: Brave New World | 2025 | 1h 58m | Sam Wilson as Captain America |
| 13 | Thunderbolts* | 2025 | 2h 07m | A new team, and a post-credits scene that leads into Doomsday |
| 14 | The Fantastic Four: First Steps | 2025 | 1h 54m | Marvel's First Family, and Doctor Doom's first appearance |
| 15 | Spider-Man: Brand New Day | 2026 | 2h 25m | The newest film before Doomsday |
| Total | ≈39 hours | 15 titles |
The full list: Complete MCU in watch order
Marvel's official Countdown to Avengers: Doomsday guide is the middle option. Here it is in the order Marvel published it, starting with two Fox X-Men films.
| # | Title | Year | Runtime | Why it is on the list |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | X-Men | 2000 | 1h 44m | Fox. Marvel lists it first because Doomsday brings back X-Men actors from that era |
| 2 | X2: X-Men United | 2003 | 2h 13m | Fox. The second original X-Men film |
| 3 | Captain America: The First Avenger | 2011 | 2h 04m | Steve Rogers, Peggy Carter and the start of the Avengers story |
| 4 | The Avengers | 2012 | 2h 23m | The team forms and Loki becomes the villain |
| 5 | Avengers: Infinity War | 2018 | 2h 29m | Thanos and the Infinity Stones |
| 6 | Avengers: Endgame | 2019 | 3h 01m | How the Infinity Saga ends |
| 7 | Loki (season 1) | 2021 | 6 eps, ≈4h 48m | The TVA, variants and the Sacred Timeline |
| 8 | Loki (season 2) | 2023 | 6 eps, ≈4h 48m | Where the multiverse story picks up |
| 9 | Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings | 2021 | 2h 12m | Shang-Chi and Wong, plus the Ten Rings |
| 10 | Spider-Man: No Way Home | 2021 | 2h 28m | The multiverse cracks open |
| 11 | Black Panther: Wakanda Forever | 2022 | 2h 41m | Wakanda after T’Challa |
| 12 | Captain America: Brave New World | 2025 | 1h 58m | Sam Wilson as Captain America |
| 13 | Deadpool & Wolverine | 2024 | 2h 08m | Fox’s mutants brought into the MCU |
| 14 | Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness | 2022 | 2h 06m | Incursions and how universes collide |
| 15 | Thunderbolts* | 2025 | 2h 07m | The new team, and the post-credits scene |
| 16 | The Fantastic Four: First Steps | 2025 | 1h 54m | The Fantastic Four, and the post-credits scene |
| Total | ≈41 hours | 14 films + 2 Loki seasons |
For the complete MCU, open the Marvel movies in order checklist and pick the Everything route. It lists all 69 titles in release or story order and shows the hours you have left.
Movies you can skip before Doomsday
These films are on neither Marvel's list nor our short list, so you can skip them if time is short: The Incredible Hulk, Iron Man 2, Thor: The Dark World, Eternals, Thor: Love and Thunder, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania and The Marvels. They are worth watching later, but nothing in the Doomsday cast or story set-up depends on them.
Most Disney+ series are optional too. Loki is the one Marvel puts on its list, and WandaVision is useful background for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
Why these films matter for Doomsday
The Avengers films build the team that Doomsday brings back, and the Loki seasons explain the branching timelines behind the multiverse. Spider-Man: No Way Home and Multiverse of Madness show what happens when universes collide.
Deadpool & Wolverine, Thunderbolts* and The Fantastic Four: First Steps introduce characters who are in the official Doomsday cast. The Fantastic Four: First Steps also gives Robert Downey Jr.'s Victor von Doom his first appearance, so it is the most direct lead-in.
What to watch after Avengers: Doomsday
After Doomsday, the Multiverse Saga ends with Avengers: Secret Wars on 17 December 2027, also directed by the Russo brothers. Before that, Daredevil: Born Again season 3 is due in March 2027 and the animated special Marvel Zombies: The Winter Soldier in October 2027.
We will update this page after release with what to watch next. For the full schedule, see Marvel movies 2026, and for how it all fits, see the MCU timeline or the MCU phases guide.
Avengers: Doomsday FAQ
What movies should I watch before Avengers: Doomsday?
Marvel's official Countdown to Avengers: Doomsday list has 14 films and both seasons of Loki: X-Men, X2, The First Avenger, The Avengers, Infinity War, Endgame, Shang-Chi, No Way Home, Wakanda Forever, Brave New World, Deadpool & Wolverine, Multiverse of Madness, Thunderbolts* and The Fantastic Four: First Steps. Our short list keeps most of them and adds Civil War and Spider-Man: Brand New Day.
When does Avengers: Doomsday come out?
Avengers: Doomsday opens in US theaters on Friday 18 December 2026, according to Marvel.com. Release dates can differ by a day or two in other countries, so check your local cinema. Marvel moved the film once, in May 2025, when Avengers: Secret Wars also moved to 17 December 2027. You can track the date on this page, which we update monthly.
Where can I watch Avengers: Doomsday?
Avengers: Doomsday will be in theaters only when it opens on 18 December 2026. Marvel has not announced a streaming date as of 23 October 2026, although earlier Marvel Studios films have moved to Disney+ after their theatrical run. To catch up first, most of the films on the official list are on Disney+ in the US, and our where to watch guide links each one to JustWatch.
Do I need to watch every Marvel movie before Doomsday?
No. You do not need all 38 MCU films, which take about 83 hours. Marvel's own list has 16 titles and takes about 41 hours, and our short list has 15 titles and takes about 39 hours. If you only have a weekend, prioritise Avengers: Endgame, Loki, Thunderbolts* and The Fantastic Four: First Steps.
Is Loki required viewing before Avengers: Doomsday?
Marvel puts both seasons of Loki on its official Doomsday list, the only series it includes. Loki introduces the Time Variance Authority and the branching timelines, and season 2 shows how the multiverse ends up growing. Each season has six episodes, so the pair takes about 10 hours, which is the biggest single block on the list.
What is the shortest watch list before Doomsday?
If you have one weekend, watch Avengers: Endgame, Loki season 1, Spider-Man: No Way Home, Thunderbolts* and The Fantastic Four: First Steps. That covers the end of the Infinity Saga, the start of the multiverse and the newest heroes in the cast, in about 14 hours. Add Loki season 2 and Deadpool & Wolverine if you can stretch to about 21 hours.
Which Multiverse Saga shows are essential for Doomsday?
Loki seasons 1 and 2 are the essential Multiverse Saga shows, and they are the only series on Marvel's official list. WandaVision is helpful if you plan to watch Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, because Wanda's story continues there. The Falcon and the Winter Soldier explains how Sam Wilson became Captain America before Brave New World.
Do I need to watch the X-Men movies before Doomsday?
Not all of them. Marvel's list starts with X-Men (2000) and X2 (2003), and the official cast includes Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, James Marsden, Rebecca Romijn, Alan Cumming and Kelsey Grammer. Those two films are enough to know the characters. The rest of the Fox series is optional, and our X-Men movies in order guide covers it.
Tick your first title and the planner tells you whether you will finish by 18 December.