Updated List of MCU Movies to Watch Before Avengers: Endgame
Having seen Avengers: Endgame, it is much easier to put together a list of films which will [...]
Having seen Avengers: Endgame, it is much easier to put together a list of films which will provide the best viewing experience for Marvel's massive spectacle which culminates 22 films and more than 10 years of storytelling. The list, to some, may be indicative of minor spoilers for Avengers: Endgame.
Warning: Potential spoilers for Avengers: Endgame follow.
Avengers: Endgame relies heavily on knowledge of previous Marvel Cinematic Universe endeavors for its narrative. Not having seen any of the previous movies won't disable a moviegoer from enjoying the film but understanding each reference and story point will exponentially enhance the experience.
The perfect list of films to watch before Avengers: Endgame to get the maximum viewing experience (aside from all of them) is below...
- Captain America: The First Avenger
- The Avengers
- Thor: The Dark World
- Captain America: The Winter Soldier
- Avengers: Age of Ultron
- Captain America: Civil War
- Guardians of the Galaxy
- Avengers: Infinity War
- Captain Marvel
Captain Marvel's narrative does not directly play a role in Avengers: Endgame. However, getting to know Captain Marvel and her power set ahead of Endgame will certain prevent a level of confusion for moviegoers unfamiliar with Brie Larson's super heroine. In the same vein, Doctor Strange will also enhance the viewer experience, but as the time crunch is on, it doesn't seem 100% necessary.
"Civil War and Infinity War without question because the events of Civil War directly affected Infinity War, and we would argue that the reason they lost to Thanos is because of Civil War," Avengers: Endgame co-director Joe Russo told ComicBook.com when asked which movies were most important before Avengers: Endgame. "Clearly, that carries over to Endgame. If you're going to add one more in there, I'd probably say Winter Soldier, only in that those are the four movies we directed, and they're all thematically connected to one another."
"This is from our point of view in the storytelling," Anthony Russo added. "This is the thread we're working with."
Of course, each of the 21 Marvel Studios movies before Avengers: Endgame will enhance the experience in their own way as certain character moments, story beats, or lines of dialogue will be better understood with a deeper understanding for the characters and their respective histories.
Which movies are you re-watching before Avengers: Endgame? Have any burning questions to prepare? Leave them in the comment section or send them to me on Instagram or Twitter.
Avengers: Endgame opens in theaters on April 26.
