The one essential: Avengers: Doomsday
Avengers: Doomsday is the first half of the two-film finish to Phase 6, and Secret Wars follows it directly. Doomsday is the single prerequisite on our list, and it is hard to imagine the finale making sense without it.
That is the whole shortest route. One film. If you have seen Doomsday, you can walk into Secret Wars and follow the main story. Doomsday itself has two essentials, The Fantastic 4: First Steps and Thunderbolts*, so if you skipped those, they are the next titles to add.
Why the list is this short right now
Avengers: Secret Wars is still at the announced stage. The studio has confirmed its name, its place as the Multiverse Saga finale and its release date. Story details have not been revealed, and we do not fill that gap with guesses.
The prerequisite list will likely grow once Doomsday is out and the shape of the finale becomes clearer. We will update this page then and keep any new additions spoiler-safe.
Avengers: Secret Wars watch order, three ways
Pick the route that matches the time you have:
| Route | What to watch | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Short | Avengers: Doomsday | Viewers who are up to date |
| Middle | The Fantastic 4: First Steps, Thunderbolts*, Avengers: Doomsday | Anyone who fell behind recently |
| Full | Loki, the multiverse films, Deadpool & Wolverine, the two Doomsday lead-ins, Doomsday | Fans who want the whole saga fresh |
Whichever route you choose, Doomsday comes last before Secret Wars. Everything else feeds into it first.
A full catch-up on the Multiverse Saga
The Multiverse Saga covers Phases 4, 5 and 6, so a complete catch-up is long. If you want to arrive fully prepared, these are the threads most worth following, roughly in the order we suggest:
- Loki, which explains the multiverse and the forces that guard time.
- What If...?, an animated look at alternate realities, for anyone who enjoys the concept.
- Spider-Man: No Way Home, where other universes spill into the main one.
- Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, a darker trip through alternate worlds.
- Deadpool & Wolverine, which brings characters from another studio's films into the mix.
- Thunderbolts* and The Fantastic 4: First Steps, the two lead-ins to Doomsday.
- Avengers: Doomsday, the direct setup for the finale.
That list is a starting point, not a final word. Our MCU chronological order shows every title in the saga if you would rather go through all of it.
How to plan the wait
There is a long gap between Doomsday and Secret Wars, which is good news if you are behind. A relaxed pace works:
- Watch Doomsday when it arrives.
- Over the following months, work through the Multiverse Saga films in story order.
- Fit in the Disney+ series that interest you, using the Marvel TV shows in order guide to see where each one lands.
- Rewatch Doomsday shortly before Secret Wars, so its ending is fresh.
That last step is the one most people skip, and it is probably the most useful. A two-part finale works best when part one is still vivid.
What to watch before Secret Wars if you are new
Coming in cold is harder for a saga finale than for almost any other Marvel film. The Multiverse Saga builds on everything from the earlier Infinity Saga, so a true newcomer has a lot of ground to cover.
The good news is that there is time. Start with the core Avengers films and the essentials, then move into the multiverse titles above. Even one title a week adds up over the months before release. Begin with our list of all Marvel movies in order, which lays out every film so you can see the size of the job and decide how much of it you want to take on.
How Doomsday and Secret Wars fit together
Marvel has done this before. Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame were built as one story in two parts, and audiences who watched them close together got the most out of both. Doomsday and Secret Wars follow a similar pattern: two Avengers films that close a saga, released about a year apart.
That suggests a simple rule. Treat Doomsday as the first half of the finale, not a separate adventure. Anything that puzzles you in it is likely to matter again in Secret Wars, so keep a mental note of the questions it leaves open.
Why this order
Secret Wars is the end point, and Doomsday is its direct setup. Everything else feeds into Doomsday first, so the sensible order is to catch up on the saga, watch Doomsday, then go into Secret Wars. Jumping straight from older films to the finale would skip the chapter it builds on.
Within the catch-up, story order beats release order. The multiverse ideas build step by step: Loki sets the rules, the later films stretch them, and the Doomsday lead-ins bring the newest teams into play.
Common mistakes
Reading comic plot summaries and assuming the film will match. Secret Wars borrows its title from well-known Marvel crossover comics, but MCU adaptations often change a great deal. Treat the comics as fun background, not a preview.
Trusting leaked casting lists. Lots of names circulate. Wait for official confirmation.
Starting from scratch too late. The whole franchise is a lot to cover in a hurry. If you are new, begin well ahead of time and pace yourself.