Russo Brothers Reveal Two MCU Films Fans Should Watch Before 'Avengers: Endgame'

We are just three weeks away from Avengers: Endgame, the conclusion of Marvel Studios' 22-film Infinity Saga. The upcoming installment will surely attract new fans and perhaps smash the box office records Avengers: Infinity War broke last year.

For fans who are not well-versed in the MCU, they can take the initiative of watching all 21 Marvel films to get them prepared for Endgame. Whether it be through AMC's nearly 60-hour marathon of each movie or just watching a Marvel film once a day in the lead up to Endgame, it's probably smart to do so for context.

However, there's another option for the Marvel fandom's newcomers who are gearing up to see Endgame. According to one of the film's directors, there's primarily two films fans must see before the upcoming film if they don't want to be a deer caught in the headlights at the movie theater.

"I would say, certainly, Captain America: Civil War and Infinity War are probably the two biggest lead-ins to this movie in the sense that Civil War created the situation where the Avengers were divided," Anthony Russo, one-half of the Russo Brothers, told Fandango.

Russo's suggestion makes sense and it's not just because those were the two previous Marvel films the brothers directed. Civil War was the first film in Phase 3 and planted the seeds for the Avengers going their separate ways. Not only that, it also saw the debut of a few major characters that the Avengers will look to avenge in Endgame.

As for Infinity War, that's a given considering Endgame is a direct sequel and the entire plot of the film is based on undoing the events of Infinity War, which saw Thanos snap half of the universe into dust.

Russo also discussed the dynamic of making a film that culminates and links to the 21 previous ones in the MCU, while also assuring the first-time Marvel viewers can understand its plot.

"I will say we do work hard to make sure that the story works in a way that even people who haven't seen any thing [can still enjoy the movie] because we feel like that's very important," Russo stated.

Avengers: Endgame is set for an April 26 theatrical release.