next week comes Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness to theaters and continues the extensive history of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), but some fans may not know what they need to see to fully understand the film. Fortunately, the official D23 fan club revealed which productions we should watch and in what order.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe (or Marvel Cinematic Multiverse, if you prefer) is a saga with 27 movies and several TV or streaming spin-offs, so it is understandable that not everyone knows all the details of its history. For this reason we bring you the order of the essential productions that you have to see before Doctor Strange 2:
- Doctor Strange (2016)
- Wanda Vision (2021)
- What If…? (2021), episodes 4, 5, 8 and 9.
- Spider-Man: No Way Home
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The first thing you have to see is Doctor Strange, the first Sorcerer Supreme movie that was released in 2016 and was directed by Scott Derrickson. Although there have been a dozen MCU movies between the two Doctor Strange movies, Multiverse of Madness is the first to bring back nearly the entire cast of the first movie, including Dr. Palmer (Rachel McAdams).
The next production on the list is WandaVision, a Disney + series that we saw in 2021 and has a single season of 9 episodes. WandaVision’s story takes place after Avengers: Endgame but the series gives you a summary of the important points at the beginning, so you don’t have to watch the movies to enjoy the series. Without giving away any spoilers, the ending of WandaVision connects directly to Doctor Strange 2, so it’s very necessary to fully understand the sequel.
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The third production we have to see before Doctor Strange 2 is What If…?, a Disney+ series that premiered last year. This series explores the Marvel multiverse and each episode imagines what would have happened if some key events happened differently. Episode 4 of What If…? he imagines what would have happened if Dr. Palmer had accompanied Strange when she had her accident in the first film, losing her heart instead of her hands.
It is not necessary to watch all the episodes of What If…?, but 4 is essential, since Doctor Strange 2 will show a character that originated from that universe. Episode 5 shows us a variant of Wanda Zombie, while episodes 8 and 9 deal with what would have happened if Ultron succeeded, so it is recommended to watch these episodes to understand all the Easter eggs of Doctor Strange 2 and his journey. through the multiverse.
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The fourth production on the list is Spider-Man: No Way Home, as Doctor Strange has a very important role in the plot of the film. It is in this film that we learn that Doctor Strange is no longer the Sorcerer Supreme and why, which will surely be mentioned in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
Of the 27 movies and over a dozen TV series in the MCU, these four are the only ones you need to watch before Doctor Strange in the Multiverse to fully understand the story. However, if you want to understand all the easter eggs and cameos in the movie, I’m afraid you’ll have to look beyond the MCU, as it’s expected to be a celebration of Marvel with cameos like Patrick Stewart playing Professor Charles Xavier.