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Which Marvel movies do you really need to be familiar with in order to make sense of Avengers: Infinity War? The film is the 10-year celebration of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the culmination of everything Marvel has been building up to for the last decade. As such, it assumes a level of familiarity with the MCU; viewers are really expected to know most of the character beats, and to recognize overarching themes and narratives.

There’s no longer enough time to rewatch the entire MCU before heading to the theater for Infinity War. In fact, if you really wanted to rewatch everything, you’d need to dedicate a week to it; it’s been estimated that the MCU’s pre-Infinity War runtime is a staggering 6 days, 15 hours, and 41 minutes. Fortunately for casual fans, while Infinity War does contain references to almost every Marvel movie to date, only a handful are absolutely essential.

With no spoilers, these five movies introduce the core concepts that are in play in Infinity War. They establish important parts of the status quo, essentially setting the scene for some of the most important character beats. If you really want to appreciate Infinity War, these are the films you need to be familiar with.

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY

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Infinity War is the film where Marvel’s Earth-bound and cosmic adventures collide. As such, it’s absolutely essential that viewers be familiar with Guardians of the Galaxy. The movie introduces Gamora and Nebula, Thanos’s children, and establishes their bitter relationship with the Mad Titan. It also sets up Drax’s obsessive vendetta against Thanos, who he holds responsible for the death of his family.

Meanwhile, not only does Guardians of the Galaxy set up some key character dynamics, it also sets up some important themes. Where other Marvel movies had already featured the Infinity Stones, this film actually explains them, with the Collector revealing their history.

CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR

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The beginning of the MCU’s Phase 3, Captain America: Civil War essentially sets the Earth-bound heroes’ status quo for Infinity War. In the aftermath of a tragic mistake, the United Nations pass the Sokovia Accords, establishing government oversight of the Avengers. The heroes divided over the Accords, and matters are made worse courtesy of Baron Zemo.

Civil War ends with the Avengers torn apart, and Steve Rogers leading a team on the run from the world’s governments. Iron Man, for his part, is left essentially alone; only Vision and an injured War Machine are on his side when the dust settles.

DOCTOR STRANGE

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Although Doctor Strange is really a traditional superhero origin story, it’s also an important step in the journey to Infinity War. The movie sees Stephen Strange become a member of the Masters of the Mystic Arts, sworn defenders of reality itself. The Masters aren’t just sorcerers, though; they also possess powerful relics, including the Time Stone.

All other Marvel movies have treated the Infinity Stones as terrible threats; in contrast, Doctor Strange reveals what a hero could do if they wielded the power of an Infinity Stone. The official Avengers: Infinity War Prelude established that the Masters are among the few who know the history of the Infinity Stones.

THOR: RAGNAROK

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Its plot may be knockabout, but Taika Waititi’s superhero comedy actually has the darkest themes in the MCU to date; Thor: Ragnarok ends with the destruction of Thor’s homeworld, Asgard, with only a relatively small number of refugees surviving. An after-credits scene sees the refugee ship intercepted by a massive vessel; Sanctuary II, Thanos’s ship. This scene is literally set minutes before the beginning of Infinity War.

BLACK PANTHER

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Nobody will be surprised to see Black Panther on this list. The film introduced audiences to the fictional African nation of Wakanda, a technological paradise that is ruled by King T’Challa, the latest Black Panther. Most of Infinity War‘s third act is set in Wakanda, so it’s important you’re familiar with the country. A number of Black Panther supporting characters also play key roles in the film, most notably T’Challa’s genius sister, Shuri.

Every MCU movie plays some role in Avengers: Infinity War, but these are the core five. Once you’ve seen them – or at least grasped our summaries, you’re ready to go!