9 MCU Shows You Should Take A Peek At Before Watching The Marvels

Lucas Aquino
Nov 01, 2023
Nov 09, 2023

The Marvels is one of the most anticipated Movies coming out this November, and is the final MCU installment of 2023. The movie will feature not one, but three protagonists: Carol Danvers (Captain Marvel), Kamala Khan (Ms. Marvel), and Monica Rambeau (Photon), alongside Nick Fury, the Avengers’ executive.

Similar to other MCU titles, The Marvels’ plot ties heavily to previous Marvel installments. Therefore, if you are a newbie to the cinematic universe, here are 9 MCU movies and TV series you should really check out before watching The Marvels in theaters to understand its upbringing.

#1. Captain Marvel (2019)

Source: Marvel

Of course, Captain Marvel would be the first movie you need to watch to understand the whole thing, since it tells the story of the main protagonist, Carol Danvers. Taking place in the 1990s, the movie introduces Carol (Brie Larson) into the scene, her encounter with Nick Fury and Maria Rambeau (Monica’s mother), and how she got her supreme power.

Needless to say, the events in Captain Marvel are crucial to the plot of The Marvels, so it’s definitely one of the movies you should check out firsthand.

#2. Ms. Marvel (2022)

Source: Marvel

Similar to Captain Marvel, the 2022 miniseries Ms. Marvel marks the debut of Kamala Khan (Iman Vellani), a 16-year-old teenager who gains the ability to harness and construct cosmic energy into objects with her magical bangle. Kamala is also one of the three protagonists in The Marvels alongside Carol and Monica.

The ending of Ms. Marvel also sets things up nicely for The Marvels, with Kamala and Carol suddenly swapping places by using their powers. The upcoming installment will see how they, and Monica, will resolve the problem and defeat Dar-Benn at the same time.

#3. Guardians Of The Galaxy (2014)

Source: Marvel

The first Guardians of the Galaxy movie isn’t directly related to any of the main characters of The Marvels, but it introduces to us the Kree, one of the most powerful empires in the galaxy, and also Carol Danvers’ biggest nemesis. Ronan the Accuser, the main villain of Guardians of the Galaxy, is also Carol’s former ally. His fleet is later destroyed by Carol single-handedly in Captain Marvel (2018).

The main villain of The Marvels, Dar-Benn, is also a Kree commander just like Ronan, so we can expect to see the two’s relationship getting further exploited in the upcoming title.

#4. WandaVision (2021)

Source: Marvel

The first TV series of Phase 4, Wanda Vision, introduces to us Monica Rambeau, Maria’s daughter. In the series, the SWORD agent gains mysterious cosmic power after passing through the Hex created by the Scarlet Witch. She will be a part of the trio in The Marvels to fight against the Kree.

Maria, who’s a close friend of Carol Danvers in Captain Marvel, passed away during the Blip. Monica was snapped away during that time, and by the time she was back, her mother had already gone. Therefore, the former bears some resentment against Carol for not being with her mom when she was on her deathbed, and it will be interesting to see how their conflict turns out at the end of The Marvels.

#5. Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019)

Source: Marvel

The second Spider-Man installment in the MCU gives us a shocking twist in the post-credit scene, as Nick Fury on Earth was actually Talos in disguise. The real Nick Fury at the time was on the SABER space station, working with other Skrulls to protect Earth from outer space.

This sudden event sets things up for the 2023 series Secret Invasions, which in turn makes way for The Marvels as well.

#6. Secret Invasion (2023)

Source: Marvel

Prior to Loki Season 2, Secret Invasion is the latest TV series to grace the MCU. Following the introduction of the Skrulls and Nick Fury’s whereabouts, the series focuses on the Avengers’ executive’s attempt to stop a grand scheme by a betrayed Skrull faction. This faction, led by Gravik, tries to take over Earth by kidnapping and changing themselves into different political figures.

Fury’s endeavor to save Earth is a success, and afterward, he and his wife (who’s also a Skrull) go back to SABER to attend a peace treaty between the Skrulls and the Kree, leading to the events of The Marvels.

#7. Shang-Chi And The Legend Of Ten Rings (2021)

Source: Marvel

Unlike the previous titles on this list, this movie doesn’t have a direct connection to The Marvels. However, in the post-credit scene, we see Shang-Chi and Katy get invited to the Sanctum Sanctorum, as Wong, and the hologram versions of Bruce Banner and Captain Marvel explain how the Ten Rings are sending a beacon to an unknown destination, and how the Ten Rings and Ms. Marvel’s bangle can be connected.

#8. Avengers: Infinity War (2018)

Source: Marvel

In the post-credit scene of Avengers: Infinity War, Nick Fury and Maria Hill got snapped away by Thanos, but he still managed to send out a call of distress to Captain Marvel in outer space. This event sets up perfectly for Carol Danvers’ debut in the MCU, and her role in Avengers: Endgame.

#9. Avengers: Endgame (2019)

Source: Marvel

As Captain Marvel is introduced to the MCU, she plays a crucial role in the latest Avengers movie up-to-date. First, she rescues Tony Stark who was on the brink of starvation, and brings him back to Earth. Secondly, she helps defeat Thanos by taking down his entire flying fleet and even overwhelms the Mad Titan at one point in the movie.

What other MCU movies do you think one should watch before watching The Marvels in theaters? Let us know in the comments.

Share this article