The two essentials before Doomsday
The Fantastic 4: First Steps
The Fantastic 4: First Steps finally brings Reed, Sue, Johnny and Ben into the MCU, but in a world of their own. That detail matters. The official overview for Doomsday talks about heroes from three distinct universes on a collision course, and this film introduces at least one of those universes. It also works as a standalone adventure, so it is the easiest homework you will get.
Thunderbolts*
In Thunderbolts*, Yelena Belova leads a group of reluctant antiheroes who look nothing like a classic Avengers lineup. The film ends with a clear move toward the next big team-up, which is why it earns a spot on this short list. Stay through the credits.
If you only have two evenings, that is the route. Watch Fantastic 4 first, then Thunderbolts*, and you will be caught up on what the studio has signaled most directly.
Avengers: Doomsday watch order at a glance
Three routes, depending on how much time you have before opening night:
| Route | What to watch | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Short | The Fantastic 4: First Steps, Thunderbolts* | Viewers who are mostly caught up |
| Middle | Avengers: Endgame, Loki, then the two essentials | Fans who skipped the Disney+ era |
| Full | Endgame, Loki, the multiverse films, Deadpool & Wolverine, Brave New World, then the two essentials | Anyone who wants every thread fresh |
All three end the same way: Fantastic 4, then Thunderbolts*, then Doomsday. The only difference is how much ground you cover before those two.
Where Doomsday sits in the timeline
On our list, Avengers: Doomsday belongs to Phase 6. It comes after Spider-Man: Brand New Day and VisionQuest and right before Avengers: Secret Wars. It is the first of the two Avengers films that close the Multiverse Saga, so think of it as part one of a finale rather than a standalone event.
Our MCU chronological order places it among every film and series, so you can see exactly what leads into it in story terms. That view is also handy if you want to check where the Disney+ series fall between the films below.
The MCU watch order before Doomsday, step by step
Doomsday is an Avengers film, so it will almost certainly draw on years of story. Without guessing at plot, these are the titles that give you the best foundation for a multiverse crossover, in the order we suggest:
- Avengers: Endgame. The last time the original team assembled, and the starting point for where every surviving hero stands now.
- Loki. The clearest explanation of how the multiverse works in the MCU and why other realities keep bleeding through.
- Spider-Man: No Way Home. Other universes spill into the main one, with consequences Peter Parker is still living with.
- Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. A tour of alternate worlds and the dangers of crossing between them.
- Deadpool & Wolverine. Characters from another studio's universe arrive, and the film has plenty to say about which realities survive.
- Captain America: Brave New World. Sam Wilson's first film as Captain America, which matters for who might lead a new team.
- Thunderbolts* and The Fantastic 4: First Steps. The two essentials, saved for last.
That is a weekend or two on top of the essentials. If you would rather keep it lean, Loki is the single most useful addition.
The MCU watch order for Doomsday if you are starting late
Short on time and far behind? Do not try to cram the whole saga in the final week. A tight plan works better:
- Week one: Endgame and the first season of Loki.
- Week two: No Way Home and Deadpool & Wolverine.
- Final days: Thunderbolts*, then The Fantastic 4: First Steps.
You will miss some background, but you will reach Doomsday knowing the main players and the basic rules of the multiverse. Everything else can wait until after the film, when you know which threads it actually pulls on.
Why this order
The two essentials go in story order rather than release order. Thunderbolts* came out first, but Fantastic 4 introduces a separate world, while Thunderbolts* ends by pointing straight ahead. Watching it second leaves you closest to the starting line.
For the optional titles, follow our list rather than release dates: Endgame and Loki first, then the multiverse films, then Deadpool & Wolverine and Brave New World. That way each film builds on the one before it, and the newest faces are still fresh when the lights go down.
Want the series too?
The films carry most of the setup, but a few series add useful context. Loki is the big one. If you have time for more, our guide to Marvel TV shows in order shows which Disney+ series sit closest to the Multiverse Saga's main line and which ones you can save for later.
What we will not tell you
Doomsday has not been released yet. Casting reports, leaks and fan theories are everywhere, and many of them will turn out to be wrong. We keep this page to what is confirmed: the release date, the official overview and the titles most clearly tied to it. Once the film is out, we will update the list and add a spoiler-safe note on any post-credits scene.
If you are starting from zero and want to see everything, our list of all Marvel movies in order is the place to begin. Pace yourself, and you can reach Doomsday ready for it.