Listen, we get it! The Marvel Cinematic Universe is pretty long and can be complicated now that there are things like alternative timelines and maybe even some other universes. And with The Marvels bringing together three different heroes and seemingly tying together a few TV shows, it does feel like it could be hard to follow for some people, especially if you don’t have Disney+ or just haven’t gotten the chance to watch the shows just yet. But worry not, we have the ultimate guide to help you figure out what you need to watch and what you need to know going into it.
Here’s everything you need to watch before The Marvels.
Wait, do I actually need to watch everything before The Marvels?
Surprisingly, the movie is not that hard to follow even if you haven’t had the chance to catch up the all of the MCU by now. For the most part, the movie knows that not everyone is able to watch the TV shows and does a very good job of explaining things, even if you’re new to these characters and the universe. Since this is coming after a lot of discoveries, especially for Kamala and Monica, there’s not a lot you really need to watch ahead of time.
Is there anything you still recommend watching before The Marvels?
If you really want to do a deep dive into everything that you need to watch, there are a couple of things that you can watch or revisit just to have them fresh in your mind:
Captain Marvel
This is the movie that started it all for Carol and even Monica. You get to see more of how she became the hero that she is today, along with a lot of the basic points about the Kree and Skrulls that continue to come into play in the MCU today. Oh, and who can forget about Goose?!
Watch ‘Captain Marvel’ on Disney+
WandaVision
While this should be a must-watch on how incredible it is, it also re-introduces us to Monica now that she is older and a part of SABER, a team that comes into play in The Marvels. You also discover how she got her powers, but they also explain this in the movie so not super necessary to watch.
Watch ‘WandaVision’ on Dinsey+
Ms. Marvel
This beautiful and fun series gives us our first look at the one and only Kamala Khan. The Marvels does explain her powers and how she got them, but if you want to know more about the teenager who saved Jersey City, there’s no better thing to watch. Oh, and the show’s post-credit scene leads right into the movie.
Secret Invasion
Listen, this is easily very skippable but it does include Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury and we can all use more of that in our lives. Unfortunately, the show doesn’t really live up to the hype, but it does explain a bit more of what Fury has been up to lately and also more about the current Kree vs. Skrull situation. So, ya know, totally up to you.
Watch ‘Secret Invasion’ on Disney+
Entertainment Editor
Tamara Fuentes is the current Entertainment Editor at Cosmopolitan, where she covers TV, movies, books, celebrities, and more. She can often be found in front of a screen fangirling about something new. Before joining Cosmopolitan, she was the entertainment editor over at Seventeen. She is also a member of the Television Critics Association and the Latino Entertainment Journalists Association. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram.
