X-Men Movies before Doomsday

Which X-Men movies do I need to watch before Doomsday comes out? I don’t need any long-winded responses and reasons I’d just love a list of the movie titles

Edit: Sorry I wasn’t clear: I’m asking this as a person who hasn’t seen any of the X-Men films before so I don’t know the lore or the characters. this isn’t for my rewatch, I don’t care about timelines, Im just wanting to know the correct ones to watch to familiarize myself with the cast/characters

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Vast-Bat-32026-01-12 22:50

Just watch them all for the culture

spreerod15382026-01-12 22:51

Unfortunately the X-men timeline is so wonky, it's pretty much impossible to know which versions of the X-men are even going to be in this movie. Like, there are multiple timelines with the X-men played by the same actors lol GL unpacking it.

But I'd just watch the good ones... X-Men 1, X-Men 2, X-Men 1st Class, X-Men Days of Futures Past, Logan, Deadpool & Wolverine.

1st Class isn't needed, because it doesn't seem like the younger versions of the characters will be in Doomsday, however, it does tie in nicely to Days of Futures Past.

wizard_of_awesome622026-01-12 23:02

Plus it's a good movie in it's own right, so I think you correctly included it.

spreerod15382026-01-12 23:09

Yeah, I forgot to mention... it is still a very good movie. The Magneto bar scene is incredible and worth the watch just for that IMO.

MadmanIgar2026-01-12 23:05

The continuity and timeline between them all is so wonky that the only way to make sense of them is to say that each movie takes place in a slightly different timeline than the previous one. So when you watch a sequel, you are watching a sequel to a movie that was kinda like the previous movie, but not the same.

The simplest example of this is how the first class movies each take place in a different decade despite the actors not aging appropriately.

Or they set up a cliffhanger before the next movie that just doesn’t line up with the events of the next one.

Harry_Mess2026-01-12 23:18

Definitely worth watching Deadpools 1 and 2 before Deadpool & Wolverine

spreerod15382026-01-12 23:24

I was going to leave Deadpool out completely, but for Wolverine being in the last one... not because they're not good (though I really don't like the 2nd one), but they really have nothing to do with the X-men that are going to be in Doomsday.

Harry_Mess2026-01-12 23:31

Maybe not, but it’s still the third movie in a trilogy. Feels weird to watch it without the first two. And you added Logan and First Class despite them probably having nothing to do with Doomsday

DelcoUnited2026-01-12 23:36

Uhhh respectfully, I disagree.

There’s the original X-men timeline, the reboot first class timeline which *might* be in the same continuity.

The Logan standalone future timeline.
And unfortunately because the ending doesn’t fit into any other movies the stand alone The Wolverine timeline.

Then the really weird days of future past timeline that has a unique future timeline, and also spawns a new reset future timeline. While also muddying the past timeline.

(Not really a spoiler) Patrick Stewart has died as Professor X 4 times onscreen including the MCU Multiverse of Madness.

So although that’s a very good list. I’d say keep it as simple as possible. The fact that Cyclops, Professor X and Gambit are in there I’d start with X1, X2 and Deadpool & Wolverine.

I can’t think of a reason to do more.

ItsAProdigalReturn2026-01-12 22:54

We don't know. Safest cleanest bet we currently believe viewing order is:

X-Men -> X2 -> DOFP -> Logan -> Deadpool & Wolverine

If you want a completionist order (minus the fat)

First Class -> X-Men Origins: Wolverine -> X-Men -> X2 -> The Last Stand -> The Wolverine -> DOFP -> Apocalypse -> Dark Phoenix -> Deadpool -> Deadpool 2 -> Logan -> Deadpool and Wolverine.

FerrusManlyManus2026-01-12 23:02

Beast being in Doomsday means X-Men 3 is more important than X-Men 1.

Logan will not matter *at all* for Doomsday, not in plot, nor in needing to know the characters. It’s an excellent movie but won’t be needed for Doomsday. Ditto for DOFP and Deadpool and Wolverine.

Dude should watch all those ones on your short list for fun, but to have a clue for Doomsday characters can easily just watch the X-Men trilogy or even just X2 and X3.

ItsAProdigalReturn2026-01-12 23:08

Beast is in X2 and DOFP though too. And it kind of explains why he's in his human form in X2 but Beast form at the end of DOFP (and in the Marvels). I don't think you *really* need TLS.

FerrusManlyManus2026-01-12 23:11

Beast is not in X2, Hank is in a tiny cameo that no one will notice except comics nerds. DOPF does not introduce any characters that are in Doomsday, besides ones already seen in X2 X3.

ItsAProdigalReturn2026-01-12 23:15

But going from X2->X3->DOFP is kinda more confusing in a lot of ways. Because then you also need The Wolverine to confirm Xavier blink-and-you'll-miss-it post credit from TLS is legit.

If you go straight from X2->DOFP (especially the Rogue Cut) you get the sense that "okay Beast was here when he was younger - he was Charles's caretaker and close friend" and if you care for the X2 cameo, you can see him there too.

FerrusManlyManus2026-01-12 23:36

You don’t need DOFP at all if the goal is to prep for Doomsday. Does not introduce you to a single character.

ItsAProdigalReturn2026-01-12 23:39

For me it's a better intro to Beast than TLS. TLS creates weird problems with character deaths and half-ass hints at shit.

FerrusManlyManus2026-01-12 23:52

But none of it matters.

Doomsday will have zero plot points from any old X-Men movies. All the dude needs is to know who the characters are.

Hell he could watch X-Men 97 to get a primer on these characters even. Lol.

marioxb2026-01-13 01:19

DP&W is needed for Gambit, as well as multiverse stuff. And I'm betting they'll surprise us with Deadpool and Wolverine in the movie too.

FerrusManlyManus2026-01-13 01:54

Shit lol, like Fox itself I neglected Gambit.

Scott_J_Doyle2026-01-12 23:04

Minus? I would consider Origins, Last Stand and Dark Phoenix all extra-fatty, but would consider arguments for as those were all trashy one-watch and never-think-about-again type movies for me. Apocalypse I also consider to be mostly trash but for whatever reason I have a guilty-pleasure style soft spot for it (maybe it's just the Eric and Quicksilver scenes?)

Strong agree on the top/essential list tho! I'm considering doing a X-2/DoFP/Logan trilogy watch with my son sometime this year as he doesn't remember X-2 and is mature enough for Logan now. Still think Deadpool might be too much tho, but we'll see as a year might make the difference there too.

ItsAProdigalReturn2026-01-12 23:07

I guess I just meant completionist in the sense that it gives you every bit of the story. It's really just New Mutants that's completed isolated. I do believe the top order is the best bet though.

Scott_J_Doyle2026-01-12 23:09

Do you mean "New Mutants" is the fat? I had zero interest in that one after Phoenix. I hope that similar to the MCU finally nailing F4 after the previous two iterations, we can get a great Phoenix story in the MCU after two previous bungles

ItsAProdigalReturn2026-01-12 23:10

Yeah New Mutants is 100% the fat.

Harry_Mess2026-01-12 23:20

Sorry, but watching First Class and Origins: Wolverine before X-Men 1 on OP’s first time watching these movies is a crazy idea. I’d also
add the first two Deadpools to your first list

ItsAProdigalReturn2026-01-12 23:28

I know... it's controversial lol For a completionist viewing it's the only viewing order I can think of that makes sense because of all the timeline hopping after TLS.

Harry_Mess2026-01-12 23:32

That’s why I just stick with release order. The timeline doesn’t make enough sense to try and follow it in any other order imo

ItsAProdigalReturn2026-01-12 23:40

Yeah that's fair. The series is riddled with continuity issues.

Sncrsly2026-01-12 22:54

Just watch them all. We don't know what the connection will actually be. It's entirely possible it's not even the same X-Men we are used to. Could be a completely different universe from the old movies

FerrusManlyManus2026-01-12 23:03

It is extremely likely the “Fox X-Men” we see in Doomsday will be like ones from the old movies, but won’t actually be the exact variants from any of the old movies.

Sncrsly2026-01-12 23:35

That's what I said

eagc72026-01-12 22:54

Well currently we don't know if any of them will be important or heck we don't know if they are the same exact versions from the films. but in any case here's a list of the movies and i mean unlike the MCU, you don't know to see 30 something projects, just a few.

X-Men - X2 - X-Men: The Last Stand - X-Men Origins: Wolverine - X-Men: First Class - The Wolverine - X-Men: Days of Future Past - Deadpool - X-Men: Apocalypse - Logan - Deadpool 2 - Dark Phoenix - The New Mutants - Deadpool & Wolverine (DP3 is an MCU film, but i am adding it in case you haven't seen it, or would like to rewatch it with the new added context)

Now just note that continuity in the X-Men film is a complete mess, Fox never cared about continuity, so expect each film to contradict each other, especially once you reach the prequel films like Origins and First Class

mvrander2026-01-12 22:54

Please make it stop

10+ posts a day asking what to watch before doomsday

Just click on one of the other ones

Wooden_Site_16452026-01-12 22:56

Worth watching:

X-Men (2000)

X2

X-Men: First Class

X-Men: Days of Future Past

Logan

Deadpool Vs. Wolverine

The rest are very skippable. X-Men: The Last Stand concludes the original trilogy but is crap.

FerrusManlyManus2026-01-12 23:05

Wrong. They asked about Doomsday prep not what was worth watching.

Logan, DOFP, Deadpool / Wolverine, none of those will matter at all for Doomsday. Neither will First Class.

Since we know Nightcrawler and Beast are in Doomsday, he needs to at least watch X2 and X3. Only other one is perhaps X1. That’s all he needs.

Wooden_Site_16452026-01-12 23:08

I disagree. I think the only prep worth doing is prep that makes you like X-Men and look forward to an X-Men story. There won’t be a requirement for viewing as it’s for general audiences.

LBIdockrat2026-01-12 22:56

None.

You don't need to watch any of them.

colderstates2026-01-12 23:03

Correct answer.

Some of them are worth watching. Some of them are not. None of them will really have any direct, tangible storytelling impact on Doomsday.

FerrusManlyManus2026-01-12 23:10

Correct. If OP dude is clueless about who the characters even are, merely watching X-2 and X-3 will expose them to the mutant characters appearing in Doomsday.

But absolutely zero plot points from any of the Fox movies will matter for Doomsday.

bswalsh2026-01-12 22:56

You'll have to ask someone who has already seen Doomsday, obviously. AKA how the hell would any of us know????

MiwasObsessions2026-01-12 23:00

I’m asking this as someone who hasn’t seen the X-Men movies before and is therefore wanting the lore damn

bswalsh2026-01-12 23:03

Then watch all of them. They are all the lore.

Murfilious2026-01-12 23:03

hey, it's gonna be okay, buddy.

FerrusManlyManus2026-01-12 23:06

We know the announced cast. If they want to be familiar with some of the X-Men then X-Men 2 and 3 gets him exposed to all characters announced.

IronLadFromHeck2026-01-12 22:57

Straight to the point, then. I won't give my reasons.

*X-Men, X2,* maybe *First Class; Days of Future Past, Logan, Deadpool and Wolverine.*

MiwasObsessions2026-01-12 23:03

Thank you!
I just haven’t seen any of them and I’m wanting to know the right ones. I appreciate this!

GullibleGap99662026-01-12 23:21

There is no way to know if that is a good answer or not. The time line is convoluted and nobody knows who exactly is going to be in the movie outside of the ones that were in the trailer and they were introduced in the first Xmen

The lore probably wont matter that much in ANY of these movies tbh.

CharacterOld86912026-01-12 22:57

Days of Future Past will give you a quick intro to both generations of characters, but it picks up in the middle of an ongoing saga with little explanation.

FerrusManlyManus2026-01-12 22:58

None of them are going to have plot points that matter. You just need to somewhat know who the character are.

To be familiar with the characters watch X-Men 2 and 3 at the very least.

kh7302026-01-12 22:59

At least 1, 2 and 3 because we know a lot of those characters will be in Doomsday. Days of Future Past is also good. 3 kinda sucks but to me those are the best ones. If you like them just do all of them. Quicksilver is a highlight in the later movies and worth watching just for him.

Bonus watches: The Wolverine and Logan are also good. Have tissues ready for Logan.

Fictionj2026-01-12 23:00

If you just want a list, here you go:

X-Men (2000)
X2 (2003)
X-Men: The Last Stand (2006)
X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009) **
X-Men: First Class (2011) **
The Wolverine (2013) **
X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014) **
Deadpool (2016)
X-Men: Apocalypse (2016) **
Logan (2017)
Deadpool 2 (2018)
X-Men: Dark Phoenix (2019) **
The New Mutants (2020) **
Deadpool & Wolverine (2024)

The ones with ** after it are probably skippable since they are the newer franchise, but they’re all worth watching. I put XMen Origins Wolverine and The Wolverine in there because while they are pretty good, they’re probably not needed for Doomsday and I threw Deadpool in here but I predict there won’t be anything referenced before D&W in Doomsday.

Also… I am of the kind that anything you “need” to know will be mentioned in exposition and you dont HAVE to see any of these… I might be in the minority in that line of thinking.

If you haven’t seen D&W, watch Logan first.

BroeknRecrds2026-01-12 23:01

You could honestly probably get by just by watching X-Men 1-3, First Class, and DoFP

demonoddy2026-01-12 23:01

I would say
x1-x3
First class
Days of future past

Comfortable-Ear-70372026-01-12 23:07

As others have said no one is quite sure how the x-men are going to “enter the chat” in Doomsday yet. They will most likely be an entirely new variant/universe version of the characters and not the exact same ones from the original films (though who knows)

The reason it’s hard for anyone to just give you a list with out saying something is because the X-Men timeline is famously convoluted and confusing, even more so than the MCU. There’s been so many retcons and time travel shenanigans that it’s hard to definitively say what’s necessary and what’s going to end up being irrelevant.

Best just to watch all of them! Including “The Wolverine” where he goes to Japan (the unrated version if you can find it). It’s not an essential movie but if you’re gonna go on a Wolverine binge you can’t exclude one of his best films.

SupremeActives2026-01-12 23:08

If all you want is a list of movie titles why are you posting here? Ask chat gpt or google. It’ll take you 4 seconds

CanaDoug4202026-01-12 23:12

They are all decent to good. I’m rewatching them all as we speak

ki7002026-01-13 06:25

If you haven’t seen any then I’d honestly recommend just watching all of them. Go in release order.

- X-Men (2000)

- X2 (2003)

- X-Men: The Last Stand (2006)

- X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009)

- X-Men: First Class (2011)

- The Wolverine (2013)

- X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014)

- Deadpool (2016)

- X-Men: Apocalypse (2016)

- Logan (2017)

- Deadpool 2 (2018)

- Dark Phoenix (2019)

- The New Mutants (2020)

- Deadpool & Wolverine (2023)

Then you’ll be familiar with every character and be prepped for anybody who might return in Doomsday or Secret Wars.