Marvel Studios Reveals The 1 Disney+ Show You Need To Watch Before Avengers: Doomsday

Published Jul 20, 2026, 11:59 AM EDT Ben is a Senior Writer on the New TV team at Screen Rant. He graduated from the University of Central Lancashire with a First Class B.A. Degree in English Literature and History. Born and raised in Ireland, Ben has always had a love for storytelling in all forms of media and operates multiple projects under the name Benjamin Blogs. Ben is a comic book writer and podcast host, in addition to his work as an entertainment journalist. He has worked as both a writer and editor for Screen Rant, Collider, and other media outlets across various departments, including features, news, reviews, and interviews. Avengers: Doomsday finally released the trailer for the film five months ahead of its release, and it points to one Disney+ TV show as being essential viewing. While the Multiverse Saga has been the target of plenty of criticism from audiences who feel like Marvel Studios has lost its way, Avengers: Doomsday is being touted as a return to form, with directors the Russo Brothers back on board and several returning cast members transforming this film into an Avengers: Endgame sequel. With the likes of Steve Rogers, Thor, and even Robert Downey Jr. returning, this film is likely to grab the attention of fans who stepped away from the MCU after the Infinity Saga ended. And yet, the Avengers: Doomsday trailer has just revealed that one show is certainly going to be required viewing for anyone who wants to properly understand the story. Of course, that is Loki, starring Tom Hiddleston, which is one of only a handful of Marvel TV shows to get a second season, and a series that initially started to explore Jonathan Majors' Kang the Conqueror before Marvel announced the pivot to RDJ as Doctor Doom. Now, Avengers: Doomsday is doubling down on the Loki lore, making him an important figure in the upcoming movie. Loki Has A Prominent Appearance In The Avengers: Doomsday Trailer For anyone who has not revisited the MCU since Avengers: Endgame, the fate of Loki was left unknown due to his initial death in Avengers: Infinity War, and a variant of Loki subsequently stealing the Space Stone and breaking free of his capture after the events of the Battle of New York when the Avengers traveled back in time in Endgame. So, when Loki shows up with a badge that reads TVA and is seen staring out an indistinct window in the Avengers: Doomsday trailer, it seems as though a lot must have happened between Endgame and now. Evidently, that is very true, but much of that story is covered in the Loki series, which is now confirmed to directly tie in to the events of Avengers: Doomsday. Loki's Story Will Be An Important Part Of Avengers: Doomsday MovieStillsDB In Loki season 1, Hiddleston reprises his role as a variant of Loki, not precisely the same one that appeared throughout the Infinity Saga, but the variant who evades capture in Avengers: Endgame. Unfortunately, almost immediately after making his escape, he is captured by a mysterious group of agents who wear the letters TVA. This is soon revealed to stand for the Time Variance Authority. The TVA captures variants who diverge from the correct timeline, and prunes them in order to keep time flowing as they have determined it should flow. Eventually, the show reveals Kang to be the mastermind behind the TVA, before moving on to the events of the second season, where things get even wilder. Despite Kang no longer being a focus of the MCU, the story as it is laid out in season 1 and season 2 does build up Loki as a part of the Multiverse Saga, and places him in a special position ahead of Avengers: Doomsday, so it makes perfect sense that the character has returned. But this does mean that fans looking to tune in to Avengers: Doomsday should revisit that series as well. WandaVision Could Also Be Worth A Revisit Along with Loki, there is also another project from the Multiverse Saga that has more relevance than most, and that is, of course, WandaVision. Wanda Maximoff's story was a tragic one in the Infinity Saga, losing the love of her life, Vision. WandaVision unpacks the fallout of that and does an incredible job of setting up the Multiverse. While it is considerably less central to the narrative than it appears in Avengers: Doomsday, and Loki already does a stellar job of introducing the Multiverse, WandaVision is worth a watch for anyone looking for a more complete experience, and it may just lead to more excitement for Avengers: Doomsday in the long run. Release Date June 9, 2021 Network Disney+ Showrunner Michael Waldron Directors Kate Herron Writers Bisha K. Ali, Michael Waldron Franchise(s) Marvel Cinematic Universe Creator(s) Michael Waldron