Marvel Studios has released a new Countdown to Avengers: Doomsday teaser that draws on several essential MCU films. Avengers: Doomsday is the next major MCU film on the slate, collating characters from Marvel’s Infinity and Multiverse Sagas for one big crossover event. To prepare audiences for Doomsday, Marvel Studios has begun highlighting which MCU titles are required viewing to best understand Avengers 5.
A new trailer promoting Avengers: Doomsday, as well as the November 13 release of Avengers Endgame: Encore on Disney+, compiles moments from essential MCU movies and TV series that will be important to Avengers: Doomsday.
Marvel encourages audiences to “relive the saga” on Disney+, pulling clips from a variety of films and spotlighting characters who will be crucial in the upcoming film.
Remember what brought us together. Relive the saga with the Countdown to Doomsday Collection now on Disney+ and stream Avengers Endgame: Encore beginning November 13 on Disney+, all before Avengers: Doomsday arrives only in theaters everywhere December 18.
Marvel Studios has released over 50 MCU projects since it began in 2008, with the cinematic universe now spanning film, TV, and animation. That makes for a lot of homework if audiences want to rewatch the MCU before Avengers: Doomsday. Hence, Marvel has tried to ease the burden by highlighting the most important projects to watch before Avengers: Doomsday.
This list closely mirrors the Countdown toAvengers: Doomsday collection on Disney+, though it omits several films from that list, including the Fox X-Men movies and Spider-Man: No Way Home, potentially due to licensing issues. Instead, wider-universe characters are featured in the trailer, using clips from Marvel Studios-owned films, such as Tom Holland’s Spider-Man in Avengers: Infinity War and Patrick Stewart’s Professor X in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
The trailer ends with a green-tinged Disney+ logo before cutting to a brief snippet from Avengers: Doomsday, further enforcing the connection between the highlighted MCU projects and the upcoming Avengers flick.
The Countdown to Avengers: Doomsday trailer can be seen below:
11 MCU Projects Highlighted in New Avengers: Doomsday Promo
Captain America: The First Avenger
Despite hanging up the shield at the end of Avengers: Endgame, Chris Evan’s Steve Rogers will be returning for Avengers: Doomsday (though his mantle has since been passed on). Steve was shown breaking the rules at the end of Avengers: Endgame by choosing to spend his life with his lost love, Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell), whom he had given up after his 60-year freeze in the ice.
The origins of Steve and Peggy’s romance, plus Steve’s sacrifice, are all featured in Captain America: The First Avenger, which makes it a must-see before Avengers: Doomsday.
Avengers: Infinity War
Like Doomsday, Avengers: Infinity War was the first of a two-part Avengers story, setting up the climactic events of the Infinity Saga.
Several of the main team members who will be featured in the next Avengers film are highlighted in their scenes from Avengers: Infinity War in this new trailer, including Steve Rogers, Chris Hemsworth’s Thor, and Robert Downey Jr.’s Tony Stark. Interestingly, Paul Bettany’s Vision and Tom Holland’s Peter Parker also appear in these clips, and neither has been confirmed for Doomsday yet.
Avengers Endgame: Encore
Marvel deemed Avengers: Endgame so important to Avengers: Doomsday that the studio recently re-released the film as Avengers Endgame: Encore in cinemas, with additional scenes. This version of the film will soon arrive on Disney+ on November 13 and contains some very direct connections to the story of Avengers: Doomsday (which is also being directed by the Russo Brothers).
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
After making his debut in the Multiverse Saga, Simu Liu’s martial arts hero Shang-Chi will make his return inAvengers: Doomsday, joining the superhero team’s lineup for the first time.
Seeing as Marvel Studios hasn’t had any prior Avengers team-up films in the Multiverse Saga, those coming to Avengers: Doomsday may wish to know who some of the new members are, making Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings required viewing to understand Shang-Chi’s origins.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
The world of Black Panther saw a significant shake-up in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever following the tragic real-world passing of star Chadwick Boseman. The sequel addressed this by having T’Challa’s sister, Shuri (Letitia Wright), take on the mantle. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever also introduced the world of Talokan, with several of these characters, including Namor (Tenoch Huerta), set to play a role in Avengers: Doomsday.
Despite an onslaught of new Marvel Disney+ shows in this latest MCU Saga, Loki is the only series featured in the Countdown to Avengers: Doomsday trailer.
Tom Hiddleston’s newly minted God of Stories is confirmed for an important role in Avengers 5, and Loki’s journey through the Multiverse and his interactions with the TVA make for important stepping stones when it comes to understanding the goings-on of Avengers: Doomsday.
Thunderbolts*
After being introduced in disparate projects across the MCU, Thunderbolts* brought together an unlikely bunch of antiheroes, with Yelena Belova, Red Guardian, Sentry, Ghost, US Agent, and the Winter Soldier eventually forming a team. All of the characters will have a role to play in Avengers: Doomsday,and their unauthorized appointment as Earth’s New Avengers will no doubt be the cause of some friction.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
While it remains unconfirmed whether Benedict Cumberbatch’s Doctor Strange will have a role in Avengers: Doomsday (or whether the actor will play someone else), Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is another pivotal movie in the Multiverse Saga that explores the titular Multiverse. The film also included the first major legacy X-Men crossover, with the late, great Patrick Stewart returning to play a variant of Professor X, a role he will continue in Avengers: Doomsday.
Deadpool & Wolverine
Deadpool & Wolverine briefly gets a shout-out in the Countdown to Avengers: Doomsdayteaser, despite neither Ryan Reynolds nor Hugh Jackman being confirmed for roles in the upcoming film (although the two have heavily hinted at their involvement).
One character from that film who isa big part of the next Avengers flick is Channing Tatum’s Gambit, who made his on-screen debut as the character inDeadpool & Wolverine after plans for his solo film fell through years prior.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps
Another integral team in Avengers: Doomsday is The Fantastic Four, who made their MCU debut inThe Fantastic Four: First Steps. While existing on Earth-828, the Fantastic Four will make the journey to link up with the existing Avengers heroes on Earth-616, and their history with Victor von Doom (also from their universe) will undoubtedly be vital in the next Avengers film.
Captain America: Brave New World
Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson has been an Avengers mainstay since Captain America: The Winter Soldier, but he’s entered a new era in the Multiverse Saga following Steve Rogers’ decision to hand him the Captain America mantle. Wilson came to terms with this in the Disney+ series The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, before leading his first film as the new Captain America in Captain America: Brave New World.
Mackie will return as Captain America in Avengers: Doomsday, making his solo movie required viewing.
