Marvel mania continues with the recent release of Dr. Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. With fans anxiously waiting for the film to reach the screen, theaters were packed, and tickets sold out. The movie has already made headlines across social media platforms, and the spoilers have been making their way through the stream. With the grand universe Marvel has created, the new film brings a plethora of other universes we haven’t seen. The multiverse, or multiple universes, is an essential topic in this movie – hence the film’s title. With that being said, here is a list of what you should watch or know before seeing Dr. Strange in action once more. 

First, Wandavision will be one, if not the most important, show to watch before heading to the theater. To recap, Wanda Maximoff and a very much alive Vision journey to the town of Westview to start their newlywed life together. While the two seem to be trapped in a television show that changes each episode into a different time, SWORD agent Monica Rambeau and FBI agent Jimmy Woo discover that Wanda has entrapped the entire city to reenact a sitcom starring her and a pretend Vision. Wanda and Vision have children and do normal family activities until a witch named Agatha Harkness tries to steal Wanda’s powers. After an epic battle sequence, Wanda absorbs Agatha’s powers becoming the true Scarlet Witch -an all-powerful being. Wanda lets the people of Westview go, and as the world she created slowly disappears, her fake kids and fake Vision disappear with the town. In the end credit scene, we see Wanda in the mountains astral projecting while reading a dark book of magic, where she hears her children’s screams.  

Another show to add to your watchlist is What If? This animated show explores different stories and, in other words, different universes. The first episode, for instance, is titled, “What If… Captain Carter was the First Avenger.” A storyline where Steve Rogers could not take the super-soldier serum, so Peggy Carter took his place. Along with this episode, episode four, “What If… Dr. Strange Lost His Heart Instead of His Hands,” is vital to understanding the film. However, watching all of the show’s episodes would help understand the many universes there are; watching these will be helpful when getting ready for the movie.  

Finally, one should probably watch the first Dr. Strange movie. With Dr. Strange being the origin story of the wizard himself, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to watch this. Of course, you could watch all the other Marvel movies that Dr. Strange has been in or that talk about the multiverse, but after seeing the film, these are my recommendations. This movie will have you laughing, jumping, and fangirling. With Morbius being the last superhero movie I watched, this movie made up for it tenfold. So before you buy your tickets, make sure to refresh your memory before defeating evil with Dr. Strange.  

Claire Arneson is a Dakota Student General Reporter. She can be reached at [email protected].