We love a good superhero story as much as the next person,?? ?? ?? but the Marvel Cinematic Universe is growing rapidly by the day. Gone are the days of a cute little rewatch of every movie before the latest hits theaters; it would now take several sunlit days to get through every MCU movie, not to mention the hours of television also streaming on Disney+.
So we're going out on a limb and mixing things up for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, which hit theaters May 6, and just watching the titles most relevant to this time and space-bending sequel. Not every movie is Avengers: Endgame(although that made the list).
Doctor Strange (2016)
The punch that changed this man's life. Credit: Marvel Studios Of course, we can’t go into a new Doctor Strange movie without exploring the titular role. Middling though it is in the MCU canon, Doctor Strangelays necessary groundwork about the Mystic Arts, Sorcerers Supreme, and the Dark Dimension. Wong, Mordo, and the Ancient One all caution Stephen against manipulating time. But then he uses the Eye of Agamoto a.k.a. the Time Stone to defeat Dormammu, Kaecilius, and the Dark Dimension.
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Mordo, the former golden child of Kamar-Taj, takes this poorly and sets out on an ostensible revenge trip to strip sorcerers worldwide of their power. The Ancient One is dead now, so only Wong is around to keep Strange and his time-bending in check…and we've seen how that goes in their last joint venture.
Where to watch: Doctor Strange is now streaming on Disney+.
Avengers: Endgame
Endgameis quite the undertaking, but its the-only-rule-is-there-are-no-rules approach to time travel is a helpful primer for how Marvel likes to wink cheekily at cinematic precedent for astrophysics and then look the other way. The Ancient One does an excellent explainer on timelines and universes, which certainly proved helpful for other titles on this list...
Where to watch: Avengers: Endgame is now streaming on Disney+.
WandaVision Season 1, episodes 8 and 9
Your friendly neighborhood Scarlet Witch! Credit: Marvel Studios Despite the initial illusion that it's set in a universe where its title characters live happily ever after, WandaVisionisn't the most multiverse, but it's important to catch up on Wanda's journey before we see her in Multiverse of Madness. Episode 8 sees Agatha walking through Wanda's history from childhood to Ultron to the events of Infinity Warthat led her to Westview. Though we're familiar with her story, this is the first time we see it with Wanda herself at the center.
Episode 9, the season finale, is a showdown between the two witches and S.W.O.R.D.'s attempt to pit Vision against Vision. The episode is formulaic, but it underscores the emotional stakes with Wanda's character: She lost her whole family, and she would crack open the cosmos to get them back.
Where to watch: WandaVision is now streaming on Disney+.
Loki Season 1, episode 6
The Lokifinale should not have worked, given how much of it was a monologue from a brand-new character — but that character is He Who Remains in the deft hands of Jonathan Majors, and we're nowhere near tired of hearing him talk. Loki and Sylvie journey to the Citadel at the End of Time, where they find the being responsible for the TVA, the Time Keepers, and the Sacred Timeline. He Who Remains was once a human who discovered the multiverse in the 31st century and ended up in a multiversal war with his own variants for control of the timeline.
That sure sounds like what the Ancient One told Bruce Banner she was trying to do on Earth, so might we have too many cooks in the multiversal kitchen? Regardless, He Who Remains is no more; Sylvie kills him, but only after he reveals that they've crossed the threshold into a future he doesn't know. The timeline begins to fracture, and He Who Remains suggests that he's a walk in the park compared to what's coming.
Where to watch: Loki is now streaming on Disney+.
What If...? Season 1
How many Stranges does it take to fix a Multiverse? Credit: Marvel Studios What If…? is worth rewatching in full as the most comprehensive and up-to-date multiverse explainer, with half-hour episodes that make for a manageable Multiverse release week binge. Elements from multiple episodes have already cropped up in Multiverse of Madnesstrailers, including Dark Strange, Zombie Strange, and a possible cameo.
The Season 1 finale brings characters from multiple universes together in a massive showdown against Ultron, a battle so tantamount to the safety of the universe that the Watcher abandons his post to help. It's also a handy reminder that Infinity Stones exist and vary in every universe. So, don't be surprised if those shiny little suckers make another appearance. The episode ends with Strange imprisoning Killmonger and Ultron in a pocket dimension where he swears to keep an eye on them — but if that's the Strange in the trailers, something went terribly wrong.
Where to watch: What If...? is now streaming on Disney+.
Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)
Did No Way Homemake life harder for literally everyone involved? Yes. Can it be fixed? Um...maybe! Stephen Strange really mucked things up when he decided to risk the fate of the universe getting a few kids into MIT (call one of your colleagues! From science!), and now he's dealing with the consequences and down a friendly neighborhood Spider-Man to boot.
Where to watch: Spider-Man: No Way Home is available for VOD rental and purchase.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madnesspremieres May 6 in theaters.
Topics Marvel Streaming