The Marvels: Do You Need to Watch the MCU's Disney+ Shows Beforehand?

The Marvels arrives in theaters this weekend, delivering a whole new chapter of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The Marvel Studios film serves as a sequel or follow-up to a number of the franchise's installments — not only 2019's Captain Marvel and Avengers: Endgame, but the Disney+ series WandaVision, Ms. Marvel, and Secret Invasion. On paper, it might seem daunting to keep track of all of the narrative threads going into The Marvels, especially for those who might not have watched the Disney+ shows as they were initially released. if you've been debating whether or not to binge, or revisit, the Disney+ shows tied to The Marvels, we're here to help. Mild spoilers for The Marvels lurk below! Only look if you want to know!

While watching WandaVision and Ms. Marvel would absolutely add to the experience of watching The Marvels, you won't be lost without watching them. The film provides a decent summary of how Monica Rambeau (Teyonah Parris) got her powers in WandaVision, and also cleverly introduces the status quo of Kamala Khan / Ms. Marvel (Iman Vellani) as a teenage superhero and fangirl. There are also a few fleeting references to the events of Ms. Marvel Season 1, but they are explained in a casual enough manner that newer audience members will likely be able to fill in the gaps. Surprisingly, given how significant the series was for Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), Secret Invasion has next-to-no bearing on the events of The Marvels.

How Long Is The Marvels' Runtime?

Earlier this fall, it was confirmed that The Marvels will have the shortest runtime yet in the MCU, with the film clocking in at 1 hour and 45 minutes. For frame of reference, the title of shortest film in the franchise was previously held by both Thor: The Dark World and The Incredible Hulk, with a total of 1 hour and 52 minutes. Even then, DaCosta has hinted that the film will deliver on a lot of elements.

"The biggest difference from the other MCU movies to date is that it's really wacky, and silly," DaCosta explained in a recent interview. "The worlds we go to in this movie are worlds unlike others you've seen in the MCU. Bright worlds that you haven't seen before."

What Is The Marvels About?

In The Marvels, which arrives in theaters on November 10th, Carol Danvers aka Captain Marvel (Brie Larson) has reclaimed her identity from the tyrannical Kree and taken revenge on the Supreme Intelligence. But unintended consequences see Carol shouldering the burden of a destabilized universe. When her duties send her to an anomalous wormhole linked to a Kree revolutionary, her powers become entangled with that of Jersey City super-fan, Kamala Khan (Iman Vellani) aka Ms. Marvel, and Carol's estranged niece, now S.A.B.E.R. astronaut Captain Monica Rambeau (Teyonah Parris). Together, this unlikely trio must team-up and learn to work in concert to save the universe as "The Marvels." The Marvels will also see the franchise returns of Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury, Saagar Shaikh as Aamir Khan, Zenobia Shroff as Muneeba Khan, and Mohan Kapur as Yusuf Khan. New cast members include Zawe Ashton, Park Seo-joon, and Shamier Anderson. Produced by Marvel Studios, The Marvels is directed by Nia DaCosta with a script from DaCosta, Megan McDonnell, and Elissa Karasik.