I’m assuming that you have already watched Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness trailers and now perhaps thinking about catching up with the story after being clueless about what the hell happened in the trailer. I get it, you watched the trailer of a certain movie of a certain franchise, and you really liked it, but you can’t understand everything because you haven’t watched the previous films, and now you want to, in order to catch up with the story.
After marvel dropped an atom bomb on us with Multiverse of Madness at the super bowl. The expectations and anticipation for the film have never been higher and is currently unparalleled, given what marvel showed us in the trailers. My perfect way to describe the trailer would be “the embodiment of bonkers”. Indeed, what we have seen is the most wildest shit we have ever seen in MCU nor in any other film if I have to say. It’s insane, crackers, and mind-boggling to say the least. There are certain shots and images in the trailers that blew our minds and I still can’t get over them and the fact they literally revealed professor X in the trailer. This easily insinuates that we have only seen the tip of the iceberg and we haven’t seen the actual bigger picture, which amps up our excitement for this film to come.
What to Watch Before Doctor Strange 2 :
Given what is happening in the Multiverse of Madness, it’s fair to expect and think that we could be seeing more cameos and more characters in the film. I mean the universes are now literally collided and the multiverse is now unleashed. As of now, we have four variants of doctor strange that includes ( Doctorstrange, Sinister Strange, Supreme Strange, Defender strange ) and as far as Wanda is concerned, we saw seemingly two variants of her ( one in Scarlet Witch costume, and the other one in normal clothing who may later become zombie ). And we wouldn’t be surprised if we see variants for other characters as well ( Mordo, Wong, Christine, American Chavez & others). Moreover, it’s also reasonable to expect TVA, ( Loki, Sylvie, & Morbius characters ) to pop up in the film as in a way they’re liable for the multiverse.
Above all of that, now that Professor X is in the film, it is not foolish to think that there will be more Xmen and other characters appearing in the Multiverse of madness. As evidence, we saw a glimpse of the Illuminati, a secret organization that comprises Doctor Strange; Iron Man, Charles Xavier, Reed Richards, Black Bolt, and Namor the Sub-Mariner. This means we’ll be seeing cameos of these above-mentioned characters and many more than that including:
Confirmed Cameos in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness :
- Doctor Strange + ( Sinister Strange, Supreme Strange, Defender strange )
- Scarlett Witch + Variant
- America Chavez + Variant ( most likely)
- Master Mordo + Variant ( most likely)
- Wong + Variant ( most likely)
- Christine Palmer
- Rintrah
- Gargantos
- Ultron Bots
- Illuminerdi
- Captain Carter ( we saw a glimpse of her on poster )
- Billy & Tommy Maximoff ( Glimpse in TV spot)
- Patrick Stewart as Charles Xavier – Trailer
Rumored/ Reported Cameos in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness :
- Tom Cruise as Superior IronMan
- Deadpool
- Maria Rambo’s Captain Marvel
- John Krasinski Reed Richards
- Captain Carter ( we saw a glimpse of her in poster )
- Kang the Conqueror
- Blade
- White Vision
- Dormammu
- Loki, Sylvie, Mobius
- Tobey Maguire’s Spider-Man
- Wolverine
- Michael B. Jordan as a Multiverse Killmonger/ BlackPanther
- Magneto
- Evan Peters
- Storm
- The Watcher
I know what you might be saying; that’s all rumor crap, no way that’s going to happen. But, trust me, people said something when Andrew and Tobey were rumored for No way home and you know what happened later, indeed they appeared in the film. Although I wouldn’t say all the above cameos are certain to happen, I am certain that some of them will surely end up in the movie. Rumors are only prospects, not a certainty.
Movies To Watch Before Multiverse Of Madness: Non-MCU films
Considering the number of cameos we’re likely to get, it is prudent to watch films that involve all of these characters. As the rumors and speculation regarding cameos continue to grow over time, the anticipation for the film continues to pile up and start to raise the question ” What should I watch before Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness”. Even though some of the abovementioned cameos may sound impossible or questionable, it’s also not a good idea to judge early since the impossibility of the multiverse is limitless that anything can be done with the Multiverse of madness as the title says itself.
For those of you who have the same doubt and wondering, you are right. It is plausible and wise to watch some non-MCU films before you get into the Multiverse of Madness. If not, you will likely be thrown off and oblivious to certain characters from outside of the MCU.
1. X-Men Film Series
- X-Men (2000)
- X2 (2003)
- X-Men: The Last Stand (2006)
- X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009)
- X-Men: First Class (2011)
- The Wolverine (2013)
- X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014)
- X-Men: Apocalypse (2016)
- Logan (2017)
- Dark Phoenix (2019)
- The New Mutants (2020)
You might be wondering; common, do we need to watch all of these films? Well, the answer is yes, if you want to get to learn about the characters. However, I would say that it may not be compulsory in my opinion. There’s no way marvel wants us to go all over these films to understand the events in Multiverse of Madness, at least I hope so. Because, if the events in Xmen films connect to MCU in a way, that means Xmen films would be tagged as MCU films, and people who haven’t watched them would have to catch up with all of the events, which is again a long process.
The thing is we really don’t know what Marvel is going to do, but the truth is indeed the characters in the X-Men films are going to appear in Multiverse of Madness. But, if you ask me whether you should watch these films. I will say either is fine. If you’re someone who is a huge marvel devotee and a big cinema fan, who wants to learn more about X-Men characters, you can go binge-watch all of them. While on the other side, if you’re someone who is mostly busy, doesn’t have time, You can skip them. Do you know why? Because there are a lot of other films you MUST watch. Yeah, take a look at the emphasis I gave for must. I’ll talk about this in an MCU films segment.
Nevertheless, in regards to how good X-Men films or you ask if they’re worthy of watching. I will say YES, as they’re great and provide sheer entertainment. Yet, it isn’t applicable to all the x-men films since there are some bad ones as well.
Do you need to watch these films: Advisable
2. Deadpool Movies: X-Men Standalone
Well, the X-Men franchise is going to be very complicated for you since you’re just a newbie to these movies. Particularly, we’re talking about timelines that are disorganized and scattered throughout the franchise. But to put it in a nutshell, Deadpool 1 and Deadpool 2 are both standalone films that don’t really connect with the X-Men franchise, but they kind of do. That’s the catch here. All I’m saying is you really don’t need to watch the above X-Men films in order to understand Deadpool. On a side note, Deadpool has joined the MCU, following Ryan Reynolds’s announcement, which Kevin Feige later confirmed. Because these films are now part of MCU, watching them has now become mandatory.
Do you need to watch these two movies: MUST
3. Sam Raimi’s Spiderman Trilogy
After Spider-Man: No Way Home, I’m pretty sure you have all watched this trilogy, or even if you haven’t, please do watch these films. Because as the rumors say, Tobey’s Spiderman may appear again in the Multiverse of Madness after his first appearance in MCU in No way home. Those of you who watched No Way Home know that his character is significant to the plot and that you would all be clueless if you did not know who he was. Just like that, since he’ll be reappearing in Multiverse of Madness, Sam Raimi’s Spiderman Trilogy comes to the list of movies you should watch before Doctor Strange 2.
Do you need to watch the trilogy: MUST
Additional Non-MCU films that feature characters who are rumored to appear in Doctor Strange 2:
These films are optional.
- Blade trilogy
- Fantastic Four and its sequel
- Ghost Rider and its sequel
READ: These are the films that are outside of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which means neither of the events in these movies takes place in MCU. All of these movies belong to another franchise ( Fox and independent franchises [though they are all marvel characters] ) Deadpool is the exception here since it has become part of MCU. The story in these movies has nothing to do with the Multiverse of Madness, but the characters might have, or I don’t know. It might be the biggest crossover in comic-book history and these universes might collide with the MCU just like what happened in Spiderman: No way home. But for all we know, Marvel is doing something crazier, and we have to prepare for it, thus watching these films is purely advisable, some optional, and some also kind of mandatory considering that these characters might appear in the film. I mean Imagine not getting excited when a certain character shows up ? or Imagine when a certain character starts to explain stuff that had actually happened in the aforementioned film. It’s going to throw you off surely. For the same reason, it’s a good idea to watch all of these films and be ready for everything.
What To Watch Before Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness ( MCU) :
It is compulsory to watch the previous MCU films to follow the development of the storyline and to understand what is going on in Multiverse of Madness. I mean Doctor Strange 2 is literally an MCU film, so you must watch previous MCU films as well. You have no option here. You may ignore the above non-MCU films, but there’s no way you can avoid all of these and straightly watch Doctor Strange 2. I bet you will be completely oblivious and clueless while watching the film.
Just trust me. Diving into Marvel Cinematic Universe is completely worth it. This is what I was talking about earlier, you need to watch a lot of MCU films & series to keep track of the narrative in Doctor Strange 2. For now, I will be talking about some must-watch MCU movies you should watch.
1. Doctor Strange (November 4, 2016)
Way to the magical world of MCU, where we meet a well-esteemed neurosurgeon, Stephen Strange whose life heads to a world of mystic arts, where he learns about the internal world and something the world isn’t aware of. Doctor Strange is the first MCU film that features doctor strange, I mean ofcourse the title says it. But Captain America: Winter Soldier (2014) first referred to Doctor Strange’s character as a foreshadowing event, which is crazy to think about how well Marvel had planned.
Nonetheless, It is imperative that you watch his origin story first before watching Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, and I am sure you will because I know you’re not stupid. Get a large screen to watch this on. Because this is a visual treat with its engaging tale and stunning visuals.
2. Avengers: Infinity War (April 27, 2018)
We’re here, to witness the biggest battle and nightmare Tony Stark has had since Iron Man 3. It’s a sheer fan feast for marvel fans and an absolute masterpiece from Marvel. I guess the term “masterpiece” gives it away, as it’s a simple word to describe how bananas and first-class the film was. Infinity war was the biggest crossover in cinema history as well as in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with an unexpected ending, that no one expected.
Doctor Strange had a crucial part in this film, which ofcourse makes it must watch.
3. Avengers: Endgame (April 26, 2019)
A pathway to the most monumental event in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Avengers Endgame is a journey of how Avengers accomplish their mission and vindicate their undying purpose. A movie to behold and experience in the theatre and a film that makes you feel thrilled, excited, and emotional which collectively makes it the Masterpiece and concludes the arc of The Infinity Saga.
Doctor Strange played an equally important role in this movie as he did in Infinity War. What makes this film more important than others is that this is where the problem begins.
3. WandaVision Series (January 15, 2021)
WandaVision is a breath of fresh air in the MCU unlike what marvel had done earlier. As soon as the show begins, you’ll be introduced to Wanda and Vision in a new sitcom world. You don’t ask questions or have answers, all you do is watch. Just wait and see, as the show will unravel everything as it goes along. Soon enough, your questions will be answered. As for the show, Wandavision has been one of my most creative achievements for Marvel and therefore has received accolades at the Emmys. Their achievement in this show is nothing short of brilliant.
You might be thinking what doctor strange has anything to do with this show. But It’s not about strange here, it’s freaking Wanda who is going to play an equal part as doctor strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
4. Loki Series (June 9, 2021)
Loki, one of the MCU superstars, returns to the spotlight in a way that is outlandish and unconventional. Every single thing you see in the show is awe-inspiring and groundbreaking in the MCU so far. It is one of the best Marvel projects, with cutting-edge storytelling and setting that Marvel had never attempted before.
You know what, I won’t spill the beans on the show’s plot, but I can definitely say it will have repercussions in Multiverse of Madness.
5. What If…? Series (August 11, 2021)
What if…? is a sheer fan service that fulfills all of the what-if scenarios by diverging the MCU in infinite possibilities if just one choice had been made differently. To summarize, the consequences of the Loki show is this show.
I’m shutting my mouth here because I don’t want to ruin your experience or spoilers. As important as Loki is, what if….? is equally important.
6. Spider-Man: No Way Home ( Dec 17, 2021)
Spider-Man: No way home is indeed the culmination of all three spider-men, with the most ambitious crossover in the history of comic-book cinema. It’s a huge cinematic event that I will never forget and is one of the best theatre experiences I have had since Endgame. This film itself has so many scenes that are just so delightful, memorable, epic, heroic, poignant, and seeing three spidermen together is a treat.
You can see him on the poster, just beside Spiderman. so I guess I don’t need to say anything.
Read: All Spider-Man Movies Ranked
MUST-READ:
Okay, let me ask you something. Do you believe that you would magically understand what’s going on in these films without watching movies that actually led to them? Think about it, it’s like watching Lord of the Rings 3 without having watched Parts 1 and 2, or watching the climax of a film without having seen its before part. I assume you see my point here.
I have seen every other blog ignore this and simply recommend a few movies and leave it at that. But trust me, even if you watch the aforementioned films just to watch Dr.Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, you will not be able to catch up with the narrative, or the characters, or the stakes of those movies, since they had already been established in previous installments.
I listed the above movies because the events they depict directly or indirectly affect Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. But “to know what’s going on in the above-mentioned films“, you also have to catch up on the story and the characters, which means watching all MCU films is essential. I find it funny the way this works, as if it’s like the domino effect, you have to push the cards that are in front of it in order to knock down the last card. Symbolically, you can’t watch these above movies without watching other MCU films.
Let me sum up what I have to say: In addition to non-MCU films, all MCU films are what you have to watch Before Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
WATCH ALL MCU FILMS ( Disney+ )
WATCH ALL MCU FILMS (Hotstar IN)
Read: Marvel Movies In Order List – Marvel Marathon
Hope you have a wonderful time immersing in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It’s going to be one hell of a ride.
A few related pieces:
- Movies To Watch Before Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania
- Movies To Watch Before Spider-Man No Way Home
