One Marvel Movie Is 'Required Viewing' Before Avengers: Doomsday, According To The Russo Brothers
by Jeremy Mathai · /FilmAre you ready for "Avengers: Doomsday" and the arrival of Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom in the Marvel Cinematic Universe? Once upon a time, marathoning the franchise to prepare for the latest crossover event film was a fairly simple proposition. But almost 20 years into this franchise, there's something to be said for knowing which previous titles to keep fresh in our memories, and which ones we can safely assume aren't essential to the experience. Not too long ago, Marvel came right out and offered a cheat sheet of 15 movies and shows to watch ahead of "Doomsday." Now, directors Joe and Anthony Russo are making it even more straightforward by boiling it down to just one.
This ain't rocket science, people. It's a safe bet to say that, in order to fully understand a sequel, you should probably watch the movie that came before it. Surprise, surprise — that applies here, too. Fandango recently reposted an interview they conducted with the Russo brothers from this year's San Diego Comic-Con (via The Hollywood Reporter), where Joe Russo laid out exactly why viewers should consider checking out the upcoming re-release of "Avengers: Endgame" in theaters and how it's "required viewing" in order to enjoy "Doomsday" to the fullest:
"['Avengers: Endgame' is] gonna connect the story of the two movies. There's a natural progression from 'Endgame' into 'Doomsday,' which is also inclusive of all the other stories that have been playing out. But I think it's important to see 'Endgame' in theaters again for two reasons. One, if you want to have a lot of fun cheering and screaming and reliving all the emotions you had the first time you saw it. Number two, I think it's required viewing for following the story in 'Doomsday.'"
The Russo brothers really want us to watch Avengers: Endgame again -- for a very obvious reason
Marvel wants us to party like it's 2019 all over again, and who could blame them? While anything pre-pandemic might as well feel like another lifetime, it wasn't too long ago when the MCU was at its absolute highest peak in pop culture. "Avengers: Endgame" was sold as a grand culmination of over a decade of multimedia storytelling, and audiences around the globe marched out to theaters in droves to the tune of a record-smashing $2.79 billion at the box office. The studio has spent nearly seven full years since then trying to return to such lofty heights, to fairly diminishing returns (not counting the occasional "Spider-Man" juggernaut).
But, with "Doomsday" now on the horizon, Marvel is seizing the opportunity once more to put their crowning achievement at the forefront of our minds again. That goes a long way towards explaining the marketing push behind what's being billed as "Avengers Endgame: Encore," along with why the Russo brothers are playing the role of dutiful company men once more. Reportedly, this re-release will also come with a sparkling four total minutes of new footage, which will somehow further tie the film together with the events of "Doomsday." Oh, and there's this fun little tidbit, as well: If this helps push "Avengers: Endgame" beyond James Cameron's original "Avatar" to (once again) reclaim the title of highest-grossing movie of all time? All the better.
So, yeah. Everyone involved has a financial incentive to encourage folks to go out and experience this crowd-pleaser all over again. "Avengers Endgame: Encore" hits theaters on September 25, 2026, followed by the release of "Avengers: Doomsday" on December 18, 2026. As Thanos and Doom would say: Be there or be square.