The MCU After Avengers: Endgame Explained

During the first three phases of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it was relatively easy to keep track of everything. However, things took a wild turn after "Avengers: Endgame," and we're at a point where even the most devoted MCU fan could probably do with a refresher ahead of "Avengers: Doomsday." Looper has your back: Watch the video above for a handy recap of the current state of the MCU. 

Back in the day, progression of the grander MCU story was reasonably linear. Some superheroes got a handful of solo movies, others played supporting roles, and every once in a while there was an Avengers team-up movie. Nowadays, things are pretty convoluted, and it may actually be a relief if possible Tony Stark variant Doctor Doom (Robert Downey Jr.) takes the hammer to the vast majority of the Multiverse. Not only are some classic Phase 1 Avengers still around, but so are many of the players who had a role in "Avengers: Endgame," as well as all the new prospective Avengers who have been turning up ever since. 

From Phase 4 onwards, the franchise has constantly introduced new characters who seem destined to join the ranks of the Avengers in one way or another, but not all of them have received regular live-action love. Combine this with the fact that the MCU Disney+ shows are increasingly impacting the movies, and things would be pretty complicated even if they remained within the confines of a single timeline — which they don't. 

After "Avengers: Endgame," the MCU has focused heavily on alternate timelines. The concept was, of course, already in play during the events of "Endgame," and the end of "Avengers: Endgame Encore" makes clear that the film's fallout will be explored in "Avengers: Doomsday." 

However, in the lengthy space between the two movies, multiple films and TV shows have played with the concept of alternate universe variants, different realities, and time travel. In other words, the MCU is bigger than it's ever been, and honestly, things are getting unwieldy: For example, the Fox-era X-Men are a part of the multiversal proceedings while the MCU's own upcoming X-Men movie has already been cast with new names. 

Individual projects like "Spider-Man: No Way Home" have played with multiversal themes effectively, and the two-season Disney+ show "Loki" did a lot of heavy lifting by introducing the Time Variance Authority and the way the Multiverse works in the MCU. However, for those who don't have the time to watch every post 2019 MCU project, Looper's video above offers a concise and effective summary of everything that's happened since "Avengers: Endgame," which should clear things up before "Avengers: Doomsday" premieres on December 18.