Marvel Assigns 42 Hours of Homework Before 'Avengers: Doomsday'

Marvel and Disney+ have put together a viewing list for fans preparing for the theatrical release of 'Avengers: Doomsday' on December 18. The Marvel Cinematic Universe now includes 38 films and 25 series, making it a complicated piece of storytelling to navigate without guidance.

The official playlist, called 'Countdown to Doomsday', features 15 selected titles. It is meant to refresh viewers on character origin stories, team-ups, and key multiverse events leading into the new movie.

In addition, the studio has launched the 'Countdown to Avengers: Doomsday Official Podcast', available on Disney+, YouTube, and audio platforms. The podcast offers weekly recaps of the MCU's Infinity Saga.

Attentive fans quickly noticed that two X-Men entries in the list were made before the MCU existed. This is likely because Patrick Stewart, James Marsden, Ian McKellen, and Alan Cumming are all rumored to return for 'Doomsday'. Interestingly, the 2023 movie 'The Marvels' was not included in the lineup.

The full watch list runs for 42 hours. That works out to just under three hours per week if divided evenly until the film opens in December. The move also helps Disney+ convert pre-release hype into streaming activity, giving subscribers another reason to keep their monthly plan.

All titles are available on Disney+, which operates in many global markets. Some are also found on other streaming services, and most can be rented or purchased digitally through Amazon Prime Video or Apple TV.

The complete list includes 'X-Men' (2000), 'X2: X-Men United' (2003), 'Captain America: The First Avenger' (2011), 'The Avengers' (2012), 'Avengers: Infinity War' (2018), 'Avengers: Endgame' (2019), both seasons of 'Loki' (2021–2023), 'Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings' (2021), 'Spider-Man: No Way Home' (2021), 'Black Panther: Wakanda Forever' (2022), 'Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness' (2022), 'Deadpool & Wolverine' (2024), 'Captain America: Brave New World' (2025), 'Thunderbolts*' (2025), and 'The Fantastic Four: First Steps' (2025).