The only must-watch show before Avengers: Doomsday is dominating Disney+.
A new trailer for Avengers: Doomsday came out this week, giving fans their first glimpse of Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom – and a preview of his voice performance. The trailer also features the different teams that will appear in the movie, such as the Avengers, New Avengers, Fantastic Four, X-Men, along with characters like Loki (played by Tom Hiddleston) and Captain America (Chris Evans).
Just two days after its trailer dropped, Loki is already a hit on Disney+, ranking as the fifth most-watched show in the U.S. It’s currently behind only Dancing with the Stars: The Next Pro, Bluey Compilations, X-Men ’97, and Marvel’s Spidey and His Amazing Friends – all of which have recently had new episodes released, except for Bluey. Despite finishing its second season in 2023, Loki is performing well, outranking shows like Lost Treasures of Ancient Greece, King of the Hill, Daredevil: Born Again, Theme Song Takeover, and Star Wars: Maul — Shadow Lord.
Ever since his show finished, fans have been wondering if Loki will appear in the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday. Unlike the other heroes who are already confirmed for the movie—like those from the Avengers, New Avengers, Fantastic Four, or X-Men—Loki isn’t part of any of those teams. The movie is expected to feature a reunion with Thor, but it will be tricky, as Thor has never encountered this particular version of Loki before.
The new trailer shows Loki with a TVA identification card, looking thoughtful. Since the Loki series fully explains the TVA and his current job protecting the multiverse, it’s helpful to watch the series first. Considering Loki’s appearance in Avengers: Doomsday, what we see in the trailer, and how central the multiverse is to the plot, understanding the show will give you important context before seeing the movie.
While Disney+ has several Marvel shows, none feel as essential to watch before Avengers: Doomsday as Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Although Sam Wilson (the new Captain America, played by Anthony Mackie) and Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) are the focus of that series, they’ve mainly appeared in the films. Most of the other characters confirmed to be in the movie have also primarily been established through the films.
Despite having a huge number of well-known characters, Marvel has been trying to reassure fans that they won’t need to catch up on specific movies or shows before seeing Avengers: Doomsday. Co-director Joe Russo has even called the movie the start of a “new beginning” for the franchise. Still, many Disney+ subscribers are already watching Loki, months before the film is even released.
There’s a good chance we’ll see some well-known characters in Avengers: Doomsday who haven’t been officially announced yet, and Monica Rambeau (played by Teyonah Parris) is a likely candidate. If she does appear, watching WandaVision might be helpful context, but right now, Loki is the only Marvel show you really need to watch before seeing the film.
Loki is streaming on Disney+. Avengers: Doomsday releases in theaters on December 18.
2026-07-23 03:29