The countdown to one of the most anticipated superhero events in cinematic history has officially begun. On December 18, 2025, Marvel Studios will unleash Avengers: Doomsday upon audiences worldwide, promising to deliver what many industry analysts believe could be the studio’s most ambitious and consequential film since the record-breaking Avengers: Endgame in 2019. With the return of Robert Downey Jr. to the Marvel Cinematic Universe—this time portraying the villainous Doctor Doom—and the Russo Brothers back in the director’s chairs, expectations have reached fever pitch among the global fanbase that has followed this franchise for nearly two decades.
While official plot details remain tightly guarded by Marvel Studios, industry insiders and eagle-eyed fans have pieced together compelling evidence suggesting that the film will center around the concept of incursions—catastrophic multiversal events where entire realities collide with devastating consequences. This phenomenon, first introduced to mainstream audiences in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, has deep roots in Marvel Comics lore, particularly the acclaimed 2015 Secret Wars storyline by writer Jonathan Hickman. When universes experience an incursion, the collision point manifests at each reality’s Earth, and without intervention, one or both universes face complete annihilation.
The Multiversal Collision Course
Based on available evidence and strategic marketing materials, it appears that the primary Marvel Cinematic Universe, designated as Earth-616, will find itself on a catastrophic collision course with at least two other significant realities. The first is the universe featured in the upcoming The Fantastic Four: First Steps, which introduces Marvel’s first family in what appears to be a retro-futuristic 1960s setting. The second involves some iteration of the beloved Fox X-Men universe, which entertained audiences for over two decades before Disney’s acquisition of 21st Century Fox in 2019. This merger finally opens the door for comic-accurate costumes and characterizations that fans have long demanded for characters like Wolverine, Cyclops, and Storm.
Disney has released an official watchlist to help audiences prepare for Avengers: Doomsday, guiding viewers through the essential films and series necessary to understand the complex narrative threads being woven together. However, careful analysis of this list reveals some notable and perhaps puzzling omissions. At least three Marvel films that appear directly relevant to the multiverse storyline are conspicuously absent from Disney’s recommended viewing guide, leaving fans to speculate whether these exclusions are intentional misdirection or simple oversights.
The Missing Pieces of the Puzzle
The absence of certain films from the official watchlist raises important questions about narrative continuity and corporate strategy. Films that have previously established multiversal concepts, introduced key characters, or set up plot threads that logically connect to an incursion-level event would seem essential viewing for audiences hoping to fully appreciate the scope of Avengers: Doomsday. Yet Disney’s curated list appears to prioritize certain storylines while potentially downplaying others, perhaps to streamline the viewing experience for casual fans who haven’t followed every installment of the ever-expanding Marvel Cinematic Universe.
This selective approach to franchise continuity reflects a broader challenge facing Marvel Studios as it navigates the post-Endgame era. The Multiverse Saga, as this current phase has been dubbed, requires audiences to track an increasingly complex web of interconnected stories spanning films, Disney+ series, and even properties from other studios. The success of Avengers: Doomsday may ultimately depend on whether Marvel can balance rewarding dedicated fans who have absorbed every detail while remaining accessible to viewers who may have missed several entries during the pandemic-affected release schedule of recent years.
Setting the Stage for Secret Wars
Avengers: Doomsday serves as the penultimate chapter before the highly anticipated Avengers: Secret Wars, scheduled for release in 2027. Together, these two films represent the culmination of the Multiverse Saga and arguably the most significant storytelling undertaking in Marvel Studios’ history. The stakes extend beyond mere box office performance; these films will determine whether the studio can recapture the cultural dominance it enjoyed during the Infinity Saga while simultaneously integrating beloved characters from previously separate franchises into a cohesive narrative universe.
The return of the Russo Brothers, who previously helmed Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Infinity War, and Avengers: Endgame, signals Marvel’s commitment to delivering a spectacle worthy of the anticipation. Their track record includes directing the only film to ever challenge Avatar’s long-held box office records, and their understanding of ensemble storytelling makes them uniquely qualified to orchestrate what promises to be the largest superhero crossover ever attempted on screen.
Expert Opinion: The strategic omissions from Disney’s official watchlist likely reflect Marvel Studios’ attempt to manage audience expectations while preserving narrative surprises for Avengers: Doomsday. Given the studio’s history of calculated misdirection in marketing campaigns, these missing films may actually contain the most significant connections to the upcoming storyline, making them essential viewing for fans seeking the complete picture before December’s premiere.