Here are all of the Marvel Cinematic Universe movies viewers should see before watching Doctor Strange is counted.
Thor's return in Phase 4 is set to be one of his biggest movies in the entire phase, though. Thor: Love and Thunder is not connected to the larger multiverse storyline that Marvel Studios is quickly building, and it is similarly disconnected from the apparent Young Avengers build-up taking place too. It instead serves as the potential beginning to The Marvels. As a result, Thor: Love and Thunder is expected to play a pivotal role in setting up what else is to come, especially with the Guardians of the Galaxy involved. The movie, which is directed by Taika Waititi, is not strongly connected to what else has come in Phase 4 and instead focuses on continuing Chris Hemsworth's journey as Thor.
Thanks to the ever-growing nature of the MCU and the franchise's interconnected nature, the release of any new project raises questions about what viewers need to be familiar with. Whether someone is rewatching the MCU for the hundredth time or attempting to catch up on key projects before the latest release, parsing through which 35 MCU movies and TV shows to watch can be difficult. Here is a guide to which MCU movies to rewatch before Thor: Love and Thunder, including where they can each be found online.
Thor
The first movie in any MCU rewatch for Thor: Love and Thunder is an easy one: 2011's brother Loki (Tom Hiddleston), best friend Heimdall (Idris Elba), and love interest Jane Foster (Natalie Portman). It also includes a cameo from Hawkeye (Clint Barton) to set up Thor's future.
The Avengers
Next up in the Thor: Love and Thunder MCU movie rewatch guide is Loki's invasion of Earth and is put in charge of returning his evil brother to Asgard to answer for his crimes.
Thor: The Dark World
It has long been questioned if Jane Foster and Thor's romantic relationship. Since it marks the last appearance by Natalie Portman before becoming Mighty Thor in Thor: Love and Thunder, Jane Foster's experiences will be essential.
Guardians of the Galaxy
After three movies focused on Thor, the Thor: Love and Thunder rewatch guide pivots away from the God of Thunder to introduce a new group of cosmic heroes. James Gunn's 2014 movie Guardians of the Galaxy in Thor's overall MCU story leading to his fourth solo film also includes better exploring Thanos, introducing Infinity Stones, and teasing Celestials, which are all big concepts leading up to Love and Thunder.
Thor: Ragnarok
Chris Hemsworth's next MCU movie appearance came in Phase 2's Mjolnir is destroyed, Thor loses an eye, and Asgard is destroyed as he teams up with Hulk and Loki to defeat Hela (Cate Blanchett). Thor: Ragnarok is also where Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson) makes her MCU debut ahead of her return in Thor: Love and Thunder, while characters like Korg and Meik will also be seen again.
Avengers: Infinity War
Thor's journey evolves in a major way in making Stormbreaker with Eitri (Peter Dinklage). The God of Thunder ultimately returns to Earth to play a major role in the Battle of Wakanda. Of course, Thor also comes very close to killing Thanos before he could use the Infinity Stones to snap half of all life across the universe out of existence, and the decision to not aim for the Mad Titan's head haunts him.
Avengers: Endgame
The last MCU movie to rewatch before seeing Thor: Love and Thunder is Avengers: Endgame's ending is paramount to understanding what comes in Thor: Love and Thunder too. Thor leaves Earth to be with the Guardians of the Galaxy, which is where his new peaceful mindset comes from, but he also appoints Valkyrie, the King of New Asgard, to replace him. It also will not be surprising if The Blip plays some role in Jane Foster's backstory.
Where To Watch MCU Movies Online Before Thor: Love & Thunder
With seven recommended MCU movies to rewatch before Thor: Love and Thunder, many fans might already have physical or digital copies of these titles as part of their Marvel collections. However, all of these movies are also thankfully streaming on Disney+, allowing subscribers to check out any of these titles before the movie. For those who do not have Disney+ subscriptions, the aforementioned MCU movies to watch before Thor: Love and Thunder are also available to rent on Prime Video, Apple TV, Vudu, and other online renters.
