Avengers: Endgame Prep: The Marvel Movies You Need To Watch (And Where To Stream Them)

Captain Marvel, Marvel's final movie before Avengers: Endgame, in cinemas now and has made a massive splash at the box office, and thus the countdown to Endgame has officially begun. That movie will be the culmination of 11 years of epic inter-connected storytelling, and anticipation amongst Marvel fans could not be higher. That's especially true now, with the release of the second Endgame trailer that has left us with numerous new questions about what's going to happen next month.

Last year's Avengers: Infinity War delivered a devastating ending, with half the universe instantly wiped out when Thanos completed his collection of Infinity Stones. Endgame will deal with the fallout from this and everything in Captain Marvel (and its post-credits scene), as the remaining heroes set out to confront Thanos and--presumably--attempt to return their friends back to existence.

Endgame is the 22nd film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. All the movies are important to some degree in developing both the overall narrative of the MCU and the character arcs for its heroes and villains, but let's face it, it's still a lot of movies. Those fans looking forward to Endgame might not necessarily remember every last detail of a Marvel movie released a decade ago--and with so much attention-grabbing TV and cinema out there, rewatching the entire MCU in preparation for Endgame might not be realistic. Luckily, watching them all again isn't likely to be crucial to getting the most out of Endgame. Heck, you may not even need to see Captain Marvel before Endgame.

So here's our list of every movie in the MCU to date, with details of where you can stream them to rewatch at home--and if you should bother. We're not looking at the relative quality of each movie; as with our judgment on Captain Marvel, we're simply evaluating whether a Marvel movie can be skipped in the build-up to Endgame, or if it contains plot or character information that is important to know before Endgame is released. For instance, while footage from the original Iron Man and Thor are briefly shown in the latest Endgame trailer, it doesn't seem like their specific plots will be all that important in the new movie.

As you might expect, it's much easier to catch the recent MCU entries on streaming services, as Netflix has the likes of Infinity War, Thor: Ragnarok, Black Panther, and Ant-Man and the Wasp all available. Older movies, unfortunately, will probably require you to pay for a digital rental, although some of these could always pop up on a subscription service between now and Endgame's release on April 26.

Where to stream: digital rental

Should you bother? No. Iron Man is notable for being the first movie in the entire MCU--not only does it introduce us to Tony Stark, it gives us our first taste of the wider universe, with Nick Fury turning up at the end. It's also a great movie. But purely in terms of preparing for Endgame, there's nothing in here that can't be found elsewhere in the franchise, making it inessential to watch before the new movie arrives.

Where to stream: digital rental

Should you bother? No. Bruce Banner has featured so regularly across the MCU that there is little in his first appearance to make this film worth a rewatch for Endgame prep. Admittedly it also marks the MCU debut of Thunderbolt Ross, who is an important figure in the unfolding narrative of the Avengers. But again, it's Ross's actions in Civil War that we need to check out, not in this movie. Also, Edward Norton's portrayal of Banner is so different to Mark Ruffalo's, it's hard to reconcile it as the same character.

Where to stream: digital rental

Should you bother? No. Like the first Iron Man, there's nothing in the sequel in terms of character or plot that is necessary to rewatch going into Endgame. And unlike Iron Man, it doesn't even have the bonus of being a particularly good movie. The best thing about Iron Man 2 is the introduction of Natasha Romanoff, and we know that she is one of the Avengers who survives Thanos's snap. But fans wanting to remind themselves of how awesome Black Widow is have plenty of better films to choose from.

Where to stream: digital rental

Should you bother? No. For the most part, Thor has very little bearing on anything that is happening in the MCU 18 movies later. If you’re an absolute Infinity Stone completists the post-credit scene contains the first appearance of the Tesseract, but it’s hardly worth sitting through the whole movie for.

Where to stream: Digital rental

Should you bother? No. There's nothing vital in terms of characters, and while it marks the first chronological appearance of the Tesseract (in this case it's used by the Red Skull and HYDRA to power their weapons), it can be safely skipped.

Where to stream: digital rental

Should you bother? Yes. For fans of everyone's favourite mad intergalactic tyrant, it's worth reminding yourself of Thanos's first MCU appearance. It occurs during the movie's post-credit sequence, where it is revealed that he is the Other's master, thus laying the seeds of his eventual rise to universe-destroying power. The Space Stone also plays an important part of the story, with Loki using it to aid his invasion of Earth.

Where to stream: digital rental

Should you bother? Maybe. It's possible that Iron Man 3 is not an essential rewatch. However, some reportedly leaked images of Endgame Lego kits have suggested that Tony Stark's Hall Of Armor, which appeared in this movie, will reappear in Endgame. Of course, the strange thing is that all those suits were destroyed at the end of Iron Man 3 as a result of the Clean Slate Protocol--suggesting that some time travel could be involved. However, it's also possible that none of this is the case at all. But hey, Iron Man 3 is a hugely entertaining movie, so your time won't be entirely wasted.

Where to stream: digital rental

Should you bother? No. Thor: The Dark World is simply not a good movie--even star Chris Hemsworth thinks so. The Reality Stone does figure in the plot--the evil Malekith creates Aether from it, in order to transform matter into dark matter. But all you need to know is that the end of the movie, the stone is handed over the Collector to keep it away from Space Stone. There, we saved you two hours.

Where to stream: digital rental

Should you bother? No. The only thing that really links Winter Soldier to Endgame is the return of the stealth suit--Endgame's trailers reveal that Steve will be wearing the distinctive, very cool suit last seen in Winter Soldier. But if you're pressed for time, this one can be skipped.

Where to stream: FX until April 1

Should you bother? Yes. In many ways, the story path that leads of Endgame started in the first Guardians of the Galaxy. It is ironic that on the face of it, this was the MCU movie with the least amount of crossover with the wider movie universe. But looking back, it is the film that properly introduces Thanos (and his relationship with Gamora), and the scene in which the Collector explains the history and power of the Infinity Stones is essential to understanding where we are as Endgame begins.

Where to stream: digital rental

Should you bother? Yes. It's the weakest Avengers movie but a vital piece of the puzzle. The Mind Stone plays an important part--not only is it used by Tony Stark to build Ultron, the seemingly benevolent AI that ultimately turns on the Avengers, but it's also part of the creation of Vision. With the stone embedded in Vision's forehead, he is both a powerful force for good, but also an obvious target for Thanos when he comes looking to complete his collection.

Where to stream: digital rental

Should you bother? No. Ant-Man is an entertaining movie, but in terms of Endgame, it's unlikely to offer anything necessary for a rewatch. While we know that Scott Lang will play a role in the new movie, the character arc that leads him to that point is covered in both Civil War and Ant-Man and Wasp.

Where to stream: digital rental

Should you bother? Yes. Civil War might not feature Thanos or Infinity Stones, but its ramifications still echo throughout the MCU. The fallout between the different superhero factions was deep and painful--in particular between Steve Rogers and Tony Stark. The pair don't reunite in Infinity War, but since both survived the snap, we can expect them to finally meet again in Endgame. In addition, we know from the Endgame trailer that Ant-Man comes to visit Steve and Natasha--the last time that Scott Lang saw any of the Avengers was during Civil War.

Where to stream: digital rental

Should you bother? Yes. Stephen Strange is one of the victims of the snap, but let's face it--if there's one character able to do something clever with time and space and come back, it's this guy. Also, Doctor Strange is the movie that really shows the incredible power of the Time Stone, with the evil Dormammu trapped in a time-loop that stops him from destroying the Earth. Could this stone hold the key to defeating Thanos and resurrecting the universe’s mightiest heroes?

Where to stream: Netflix

Should you bother? No. While the first Guardians was important in establishing Thanos as a major character, the mad tyrant doesn't appear at all in the sequel. There are no Infinity Stones, and nothing here you need to remind yourself of going into Endgame. Good movie, but not an essential rewatch.

Where to stream: Starz

Should you bother? Yes. Peter Parker's death is one of the most tragic moments in Infinity War, and a stark (pun intended!) reminder that he is just a kid. The father/son relationship between Peter and Tony is one of the emotional highs of the entire MCU, and is explored in Homecoming; there can be little doubt that Spidey's demise will weigh heavy on Stark in Endgame. But, of course, we know Spidey is back for Far From Home in July--and while the trailer doesn't provide any clues about where it fits in the MCU timeline, Marvel boss Kevin Feige previously suggested that the movie picks up after Endgame. And in any case, it's unlikely that everyone's favourite wallcrawler will stay away for long.

Where to stream: Netflix

Should you bother? No. As wonderful as Thor Ragnarok is, the only thing of note in terms of setting up Endgame is the suggestion that Loki steals the Space Stone as Asgard is being destroyed. But the opening of Infinity War confirms this, and within minutes the stone is in Thanos's possession. Watch Ragnarok for the jokes, the action, and the wonderful characters--but skip as Endgame homework.

Where to stream: Netflix

Should you bother? Yes. Black Panther was released only three months before Infinity War and proved to be one of the most popular movies that Marvel had released to date. Wakanda was a vital location in Infinity War--the entire final battle takes place there, and it is within its forests that Thanos achieves his goal and completes the Infinity Gauntlet. T'Challa (and possibly Shuri) were both victims of the snap, but with the Black Panther sequel on the way, this is definitely not the last we've seen of these fantastic characters.

Where to stream: Netflix

Should you bother? Infinity War is essential, especially since Endgame was originally titled Infinity War Part 2. The devastating climax was the biggest thing ever to happen in the MCU, and Endgame is set to explore its traumatic aftermath, as the surviving heroes learn to live in a post-snap world. At the very least you might need a reminder of exactly who is left alive--but in any case, Infinity War was such a remarkable achievement that one viewing is barely enough.

Where to stream: Netflix

Should you bother? Yes. Scott Lang was absent from Infinity War (he was under house arrest), and the plot of Ant-Man and the Wasp seemingly had little to do with the rest of the MCU. But the final scene changed everything--the Pyms disappear while Scott Lang is within the Quantum Zone. However, we know from Endgame's trailers that he makes it out, and he could play an important role in the new movie.