How to Watch Every Marvel Movie and TV Show Before Avengers: Secret Wars

At this years’ San Diego Comic-Con International, Marvel Studios brought out the big guns and announced the full slate for Phase Five of the Multiverse Saga, and that Phase Six would end with an Avengers double-header in 2025 with Avengers: The Kang Dynasty in May and Avengers: Secret Wars in November. For those of you wondering how the MCU could ever top the massive scale seen in Avengers: Endgame, let’s do a brief summary of what we could be seeing in Kang Dynasty and Secret Wars.

The re-birth of the multiverse from *Loki*. Source: Community99

What’s Happened So Far

In Loki, we learned that there was once a massive multiversal war caused by the variants of one man battling each other for supremacy throughout the multiverse. One of the good variants of that man, He Who Remains (Jonathan Majors) ended the multiversal war by creating the sacred timeline: one universe instead of infinite parallel universes. The Time Variance Authority was created to eliminate any potential stray timelines that might occur. However, in the season finale of Loki, Sylive (Sophia Di Martino) kills He Who Remains, resulting in the shattering of the sacred timeline and the re-creation of the multiverse.

Then, in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, we learned that the multiverse is only stable when the infinite number of parallel universes are vibrating together in harmony. When two universes clash against each other, an incursion occurs, which leads to the destruction of one or both of the universes that come into conflict.

This concept of incursions is going to play a pivotal role throughout the phases of the Multiverse Saga, and I’m betting that Kang Dynasty will focus around an incursion of not only two universes, but all of the parallel universes. At the end of the film, we will most likely see every single universe destroyed, with one planet remaining that is made up of fragments of all the different universes that previously existed.

How Secret Wars Fits In

That’s where Secret Wars picks up, at least in the comics. In the most recent version of this event, the planet that is created after the massive incursion is called Battleworld, and all of the various heroes across all the universes are forced to battle each other in hopes of restoring their own universe.

For the MCU version of this story, this means that Secret Wars will most likely include cameos not only from previous MCU entries, but cameos across all Marvel properties (the former Fox X-Men films, Sony’s Spider-Man films, and previous, non-MCU entries such as Ben Affleck’s Daredevil and Fantastic Four featuring Chris Evans as the Human Torch). The movie is shaping up to be a tribute to the history of Marvel in film and television, and will likely dwarf the portals scene from Avengers: Endgame in both size and scale.

Speaking of Avengers: Endgame, before that movie came out, my best friend and I did a marathon where we watched one movie per week in the 23 weeks leading up to that movie to prepare for it, and it made the viewing experience for Endgame that much more impactful. I was curious what it would take to do that for the infinitely more massive Secret Wars, so I did a little digging.

Across all Marvel properties and the studios that have released major motion pictures and television shows throughout the years, there will be 153 projects that could tie into the events of Secret Wars. Sure, some are short films, but that is a lot of screen time to get through before November 7, 2025 – we’re talking an estimated 44,413 minutes of content. This means you’d have to watch 38 minutes of something a day starting on August 1, 2022 to end the day before Secret Wars releases.

How would you even go about doing this? Lucky for you, I’ve done all the research for you, and come up with a full list, including where to stream them, of all the shows and movies you need to watch to be fully caught up before Avengers: Secret Wars. First, let’s talk about how I came up with this list.

The list is not organized by release date; instead it is organized by impact to the story both from a timeline perspective and from a thematic perspective:

Timeline perspective:
- Using this approach, I organized the list based on the events that were taking place within the movie or the episode. For example, Captain America: The First Avenger came out in 2011 and Iron Man came out in 2008, but we start the list with Captain America because the events of the film take place before the events of the first Iron Man film.
- Similarly, I pulled out individual episode blocks of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. that related specifically to events in certain movies, such as the fallout of the Hydra reveal in Captain America: The Winter Soldier. So, instead of watching an entire season of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. at once, I’ve split it up due to how they interacted with the films (especially in the first few seasons).
Thematic perspective:
- In Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, we are introduced to the Illuminati, a group that includes Mr. Fantastic (John Krasinski), Black Bolt (Anson Mount) and Professor Charles Xavier (Patrick Stewart). I thought it would be interesting to see other versions of those characters before seeing them in the MCU proper, so I put all the X-Men and Fantastic Four films as well as the Inhumans TV show before the Doctor Strange sequel for thematic purposes.

Alright, Enough Discussion! Here’s the List:

Updated 8/19/22

Captain America: The First Avenger (Disney+)
- The MCU’s first superhero. Most of the film takes place during World War II in the 40s, making this chronologically the first movie in the marathon.
What If… Captain Carter Were the First Avenger (season 1, episode 1) (Disney+)
- We’ve watched what happened if Steve Rogers got the super soldier serum in Captain America: The First Avenger, now see what would have happened if Peggy Carter got it instead.
Marvel One-Shot: Agent Carter (Disney+)
- Set one year after the events of Captain America: The First Avenger.
Agent Carter season 1 (Disney+)
- The first season of this show continues the story from the Agent Carter One-Shot.
Agent Carter season 2 (Disney+)
- The second season takes place after the first, with Peggy moving to LA.
Captain Marvel (Disney+)
- Set in the mid-nineties, Captain Marvel details Carol Danvers’ transformation into Captain Marvel and the creation of the Avengers Initiative.
Iron Man (Disney+)
- The movie that kicked off the whole notion of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Takes place in 2008.
Iron Man 2 (Disney+)
- Set six months after the events of the first Iron Man film.
The Incredible Hulk TV series (seasons 1-5) (NBC.com)
- Before we get into the first, non-MCU Hulk movie and the MCU one, we should watch all five seasons of the 70s show on NBC.com.
Ang Lee’s Hulk (Available to rent)
- The first non-MCU film in the list, this was the first attempt at making a more serious Hulk movie. A pseudo-prequel to the MCU-centric The Incredible Hulk, in this film we see how Bruce Banner becomes the Hulk.
The Incredible Hulk (HBO Max)
- Relegating all of the origin story to the opening credits, The Incredible Hulk sees an already infected Bruce Banner on the run and desperately trying to find a cure for the accident that turned him into the Hulk in the first place. An experiment that was designed to replicate the super soldier serum from Captain America: The First Avenger, by the way.
Marvel One-Shot: The Consultant (Disney+)
- An expanded version of the post-credits scene from Iron Man 2.
Marvel One-Shot: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Thor’s Hammer (Disney+)
- In Iron Man 2, Phil Coulson leaves to investigate something, which turns out to be Thor’s hammer, which has appeared in the New Mexican desert. This short film takes place on journey from Tony Stark’s home to New Mexico.
Thor (Disney+)
- The MCU’s first cosmic film tells the Shakespearean story of Thor and Loki, and an alien race who humans believed to be gods.
What If…Thor Were an Only Child? (season 1, episode 7)
- Discover an alternate universe where Thor and Loki were not raised as brothers, but as friendly princes from neighboring worlds.
Avengers (Disney+)
- Nick Fury executes the Avengers Initiative after Loki invades Earth looking for a powerful artifact.
Marvel One Shot: Item 47 (Disney+)
- Set in the aftermath of the Battle of New York, two regular people discover a discarded Chitauri weapon and go on a bank-robbing spree.
Iron Man 3 (Disney+)
- Suffering from PTSD after the events of Avengers, Tony Stark engages in battle with a terrorist known only as the Mandarin.
Marvel One-Shot: All Hail the King (Disney+)
- Discover what happened to Trevor Slattery after his big reveal in Iron Man 3.
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. season 1, episodes 1-7 (Disney+)
- Phil Coulson, miraculously alive after seemingly dying in Avengers, is tasked with putting together an elite team of agents to handle any street-level threats in the aftermath of the Battle of New York.
Thor: The Dark World (Disney+)
- Jane Foster and Thor travel to Asgard to help Jane, who has been infected with the Aether, an ancient relic that is wrecking havoc on her body.
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. season 1, episodes 8-16 (Disney+)
- Episode 8 references the end of Thor: The Dark World and the rest of this block of episodes deals with a growing conspiracy within the ranks of S.H.I.E.L.D. itself.
Captain America: The Winter Soldier (Disney+)
- Steve Rogers must battle a friend from his past while exposing Hydra’s infiltration into the ranks of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. season 1, episodes 17-22 (Disney+)
- The show’s biggest tie into the MCU movies, these episodes deal with the fallout of the Hydra reveal from Captain America: The Winter Soldier.
Howard the Duck (Available to rent)
- This non-MCU film tells the tale of Howard the Duck, who is featured in the post-credits scene of Guardians of the Galaxy.
Guardians of the Galaxy (Disney+)
- Witness the formation of the Guardians of the Galaxy, a rag-tag group of outlaws who band together to save the galaxy from cosmic threats.
I Am Groot: Groot’s First Steps (Disney+)
- After Groot’s death, Rocket grows his son and puts him in a pot to grow.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (Disney+)
- Picking up a few months after the events of the first film, Peter Quill meets his father for the first time.
The rest of the I Am Groot shorts (Disney+)
- The Little Guy
- Groot’s Pursuit
- Groot Takes a Bath
- Magnum Opus
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. season 2, episodes 1-10 (Disney+)
- Not really tied into the MCU movies at all, these episodes deal with the Kree race and their history on Earth.
Daredevil movie starring Ben Affleck (Hulu)
- Before we watch the MCU’s version of ol’ horn head, now seems a good time to watch the non-MCU version starring Ben Affleck.
Daredevil season 1 (Disney+)
- Set after the events of Avengers, this show follows Matt Murdoch, blind lawyer by day, vigilante hero by night.
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. season 2, episodes 11-19 (Disney+)
- The end of this batch of episodes leads directly into the second Avengers film.
Avengers: Age of Ultron (Disney+)
- Wanting to ensure the world is protected from inter-galactic threats, Tony Stark builds a robot AI named Ulton that becomes self-aware and threatens to destroy all of humanity.
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. season 2, episodes 20-22 (Disney+)
- Loosely tied to the MCU, these episodes deal with the fall out from Age of Ultron.
Ant-Man (Disney+)
- Con-man Scott Lang is recruited by original Ant-Man Hank Pym to steal a prototype suit from corporate rivals.
What If…The World Lost Its Mightiest Heroes? (season 1, episode 3) (Disney+)
- Nick Fury tries to enlist heroes for his Avengers Initiative, but they are all murdered before
Jessica Jones season 1 (Disney+)
- We know this takes place after the Battle of New York and after the first season of Daredevil, so here seems like a good place.
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. season 3, episodes 1-10 (Disney+)
- The first episode references Pym Particles, placing this batch after the events of Ant-Man.
Elektra (Hulu)
- Before her debut in season 2 of Daredevil, this non-MCU film is a spin-off of Ben Affleck’s Daredevil starring Jennifer Garner as Elektra.
The Punisher (Available to rent)
- The first non-MCU movie to feature the Punisher, who makes his MCU debut in season 2 of Daredevil.
Punisher: War Zone (Available to rent)
- A pseudo-sequel to The Punisher, this is the second non-MCU attempt to bring the character to the big screen.
Daredevil season 2 (Disney+)
- This season introduces Punisher and Elektra to the MCU.
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. season 3, episodes 11-19 (Disney+)
- There are no overt references to the MCU proper in this season, so here seems like a good place to watch this batch of episodes.
Captain America: Civil War (Disney+)
- The introduction of the Sokovia Accords causes fractures in the Avengers.
Team Thor Part 1 (Disney+)
- Why was Thor absent from Civil War? This two-part short film explores what he was up to.
Team Thor Part 2 (Disney+)
Black Widow (Disney+)
- Though released in 2020, this mid-quel takes place immediately after the events of Civil War.
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. season 3, episodes 20-22 (Disney+)
- With references to the Sokovia Accords, its best to watch the final three episodes of season 3 here.
Black Panther (Disney+)
- This movie takes place as King T’Challa is on his way home with the body of his deceased father, who died in Civil War.
What If… T’Challa Became a Star-Lord? (season 1, episode 2) (Disney+)
- Now that we are introduced to T’Challa and Wakanda, watch what happens in a universe where T’Challa becomes Star-Lord rather than Peter Quill.
What If… Killmonger Rescued Tony Stark? (season 1, episode 6) (Disney+)
- Tony Stark saved himself in the first Iron Man film. What if Killmonger rescued him instead?
Spider-Man: Homecoming (Amazon Prime)
- After briefly meeting the character in Civil War, we get to see his side of the story during the events of Civil War and the immediate aftermath.
Luke Cage season 1 (Disney+)
- There are brief references to the Battle of New York and the character of Luke Cage was introduced in Jessica Jones season 1, so here seems like a good place for this season.
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. season 4, episodes 1-8 (Disney+)
- Season 4 really stopped tying into the MCU proper, but dealt with more thematic similarities with the introduction of the supernatural through the character of Ghost Rider.
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: Slingshot webisodes (YouTube)
- A series of webisodes dedicated to the character Slingshot.
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. season 4, episodes 9-22 (Disney+)
- This second batch takes place after the Slingshot webisodes and may or may not feature a cameo of a different version of Ghost Rider from a non-MCU film…
Ghost Rider (Hulu)
- We’ve met the MCU version of Ghost Rider, now seems like a good time to meet the non-MCU version starring Nicholas Cage.
Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance (Amazon Prime)
- The sequel to the first Ghost Rider film.
Iron Fist season 1 (Disney+)
- With limited references to the MCU proper, now seems like a good time for Iron Fist.
The Defenders season 1 (Disney+)
- The Avengers-style team up show for Netflix’s corner of the MCU.
Inhumans season 1 (Disney+)
- Originally supposed to be a movie in the MCU, it was downgraded to a TV show that got horrible reviews. Thematically tied to Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. season 4, which saw the rise of the Inhumans.
The Punisher season 1 (Disney+)
- We know this has to happen after The Defenders so here seems like a good place.
Doctor Strange (Disney+)
- Putting this here because of release date as well as the reference to Rhody’s accident in Civil War.
What If… Doctor Strange Lost His Heart Instead of His Hands? (season 1, episode 4) (Disney+)
- An alternate universe story that sees the good doctor witnessing the death of Christine Palmer over and over and over again.
Cloak & Dagger season 1 (Hulu)
- Marvel’s attempt to spread the MCU into other corners of television, this series would have very limited ties to the MCU.
Jessica Jones season 2 (Disney+)
- This season takes place after The Defenders.
Luke Cage season 2 (Disney+)
- This season takes place after The Defenders.
Iron Fist season 2 (Disney+)
- This season takes place after The Defenders.
Daredevil season 3 (Disney+)
- This season takes place after The Defenders and The Punisher.
Cloak & Dagger season 2 (Hulu)
- This season follows the events of the first season.
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., season 5, episodes 1-10 (Disney+)
- The first 10 episodes of season 5 are set in a dystopian future timeline, completely removed from the MCU.
Thor: Ragnarok (Disney+)
- Hulk has crash landed on an alien planet after the events of Age of Ultron, making this look like a good spot for this film.
Team Darryl (Disney+)
- Now that Thor has gone back into space to deal with Ragnarok, Darryl has to find a new roommate.
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. season 5, episode 11 (Disney+)
- There is a reference in this episode that ties its events to the same time as Thor: Ragnarok.
Runaways season 1 (Amazon Prime)
- This seems like a good place for this season.
Runaways season 2 (Amazon Prime)
- Takes place after season 1.
Ant-Man and the Wasp (Disney+)
- Though the post-credits scene takes place after Infinity War, the majority of this film happens before.
What If…Zombies!? (season 1, episode 5) (Disney+)
- We saw Hank rescue his wife in Ant-Man and the Wasp, but what if she brought back a deadly disease?
The Punisher season 2 (Disney+)
- Takes place after the first season of The Punisher and the third season of Daredevil.
Jessica Jones season 3 (Disney+)
- Takes place after the second season of Jessica Jones.
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. season 5, episodes 12-18 (Disney+)
- Deals with the lead-up to Infinity War.
Avengers: Infinity War (Disney+)
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., season 5, episodes 19-22 (Disney+)
- Season 5 was originally going to end with Thanos’ snap, but there were rumors of cancellation, leading the showrunners to change the ending to a less pessimistic note.
Runaways season 3 (Amazon Prime)
- Featuring a crossover with Cloak & Dagger, this season has to take place after that show.
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. season 6 (Disney+)
- No references to the MCU, so putting this here because of release date.
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. season 7 (Disney+)
- No references to the MCU, so putting this here because of release date.
Helstrom (Hulu)
- No references to the MCU, so putting this here because of release date.
Avengers: Endgame (Disney+)
- The Avengers devise a plan to undo the effect of Thanos’ snap in Infinity War.
Spider-Man: Far From Home (Available to rent)
- Deals with the fallout of Endgame.
Loki season 1 (Disney+)
- Follows the Loki that escaped during the botched time heist in Endgame.
What If… Ultron Won? (season 1, episode 8) (Disney+)
- The final two episodes of season one of What If… are here based on release date.
What If… The Watcher Broke His Oath? (season 1, episode 9) (Disney+)
WandaVision (Disney+)
- After the death of Vision in Infinity War, Wanda deals with her grief in an interesting way.
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (Disney+)
- Takes place after Steve Rogers gives his shield to Sam Wilson.
Captain America: New World Order (Disney+)
- This film isn’t out yet, but assuming it takes place after Sam Wilson has become Captain America.
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (Disney+)
- Putting this here based on release date.
The Eternals (Disney+)
- Though parts of the movie take place well before the events of the first Captain America film, the modern-day portions take place after Endgame.
In Spider-Man: No Way Home, two other Peter Parkers from other universes are brought into the MCU. I thought it would be nice to watch their films first, to get the full story:
- Spider-Man (Netflix)
- Spider-Man 2 (Netflix)
- Spider-Man 3 (Netflix)
- The Amazing Spider-Man (Netflix)
- The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (Netflix)
- Venom (FuboTV)
- Venom: Let There Be Carnage (FuboTV)
- Morbius (Netflix)
- Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (Netflix)
- Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse Part 1 (Netflix?)
- Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse Part 2 (Netflix?)
Spider-Man: No Way Home (Starz)
- Continues the story of the multiverse that started with Loki season 1.
In Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, we are introduced to an alternate-universe version of the Illuminati, made up of characters from previous non-MCU films. I thought it would be cool to see those characters before watching the Doctor Strange sequel:
- X-Men: First Class (Disney+)
- X-Men: Days of Future Past (Disney+)
- Legion season 1 (Hulu)
- Legion season 2 (Hulu)
- Legion season 3 (Hulu)
- X-Men Origins: Wolverine (Disney+)
- X-Men: Apocalypse (Disney+)
- X-Men: Dark Phoenix (Disney+)
- X-Men (Disney+)
- X2: X-Men United (Disney+)
- X-Men: The Last Stand (Disney+)
- The Wolverine (Amazon Prime)
- Deadpool (Disney+)
- Deadpool 2 (Disney+)
- The New Mutants (Amazon Prime)
- Logan (Disney+)
- X-Men: The Animated Series season 1 (Disney+)
- X-Men: The Animated Series season 2 (Disney+)
- X-Men: The Animated Series season 3 (Disney+)
- X-Men: The Animated Series season 4 (Disney+)
- X-Men: The Animated Series season 5 (Disney+)
- X-Men ’97 (Disney+)
- Fantastic Four (Disney+)
- Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (Available to rent)
- Fantastic Four 2015 (Disney+)
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (Disney+)
- Must take place after the events of WandaVision and Spider-Man: No Way Home.
Agatha: Coven of Chaos (Disney+)
- This isn’t out yet, but the theory is that Wanda being crushed by the explosion at the end of Multiverse of Madness leads to Agatha being freed from imprisonment (which was shown at the end of WandaVision).
Hawkeye (Disney+)
- Takes place after Endgame and Falcon and the Winter Soldier.
Echo season 1 (Disney+)
- A spin-off of Hawkeye, this probably fits best here.
Daredevil: Born Again (Disney+)
- Knowing that Daredevil and Fisk will be back in this series, the first season might fit well after their introductions in Hawkeye and No Way Home/Echo.
Moon Knight (Disney+)
- Putting this here based on release date.
She-Hulk: Attorney at Law (Disney+)
- Putting this here based on the official Disney+ timeline.
Ms. Marvel (Disney+)
- Putting this here based on release date.
The Marvels (Disney+)
- The post-credits scene of Ms. Marvel leads directly to this movie sequel.
Thor: Love and Thunder (Disney+)
- Putting this here based on release date.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (Disney+)
- Putting this here based on release date.
Ironheart season 1 (Disney+)
- Putting this here based on release date.
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (Disney)
- Putting this here based on release date.
Secret Invasion (Disney+)
- Putting this here based on release date.
Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special (Disney+)
- The director of the Guardians franchise has stated that the upcoming Holiday Special is required viewing for Vol. 3.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (Disney+)
- Putting this here based on release date.
Loki season 2 (Disney+)
- Putting this here based on release date.
In the lead up to Blade’s introduction to the MCU, I thought it would be a good idea to see his initial trilogy here:
- Blade (HBO Max)
- Blade II (HBO Max)
- Blade: Trinity (HBO Max)
Blade 2023 (Disney+)
- Putting this here based on release date.
Thunderbolts (Disney+)
- Putting this here based on release date.
Unknown movie or TV show (Disney+)
- Putting this here based on release date.
Fantastic Four 2025 (Disney+)
- Putting this here based on release date.
Unknown movie or TV show (Disney+)
- Putting this here based on release date.
Unknown movie or TV show (Disney+)
- Putting this here based on release date.
Unknown movie or TV show (Disney+)
- Putting this here based on release date.
Unknown movie or TV show (Disney+)
- Putting this here based on release date.
Unknown movie or TV show (Disney+)
- Putting this here based on release date.
Avengers: The Kang Dynasty (Disney+)
- Putting this here based on release date.
Unknown movie or TV show (Disney+)
- Putting this here based on release date.
Unknown movie or TV show (Disney+)
- Putting this here based on release date.
Avengers: Secret Wars (Disney+)

NOTE: There is a lot of unknowns on this list, especially because Marvel is going to keep rolling out content in the MCU between now and 2025, and Sony will as well in their Spider-Man universe. I’ll continue to update this list as release dates shift and more information comes out. We’re also covering each MCU movie on our Standard Definition podcast – check it out via the links below. Be sure to stay tuned to Boss Rush for all MCU updates, and follow along with me on Twitter starting 8/1/22!