'The Avengers' series
The world keeps going to pieces and getting saved by the super frenemies in these four chapters, aided (mostly; it's complicated) in the last three by Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen). Paul Bettany appears in all four "Avengers" movies but in two forms. He's the voice of artificial intelligence system J.A.R.V.I.S. in the MCU movies that feature Iron Man, but beginning in 2015's "Avengers: Age of Ultron" (Scarlet Witch's debut), Bettany also appears as Vision, who's sort of like C-3PO with love scenes.
"WandaVision" connection: Wanda and Vision are the main characters, hence the title.
'Ant-Man and the Wasp'
The movie reunites the most playful hero in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Paul Rudd's Ant-Man, with the funniest sidekick, Michael Peña's Luis. It's about attempts to rescue the mother (Michelle Pfeiffer) of the Wasp (Evangeline Lilly), who is trapped in a subatomic state, with Randall Park as Jimmy Woo, Ant-Man's long-suffering parole officer/antagonist/straight man.
"WandaVision" connection: Park is expected to make an appearance.
'Captain Marvel'
We meet Monica Rambeau as a kid, at ages 5 and 11. She's pals with Brie Larson's title character and, with single mom Maria, establishes one of the few tight parental bonds in the orphan-heavy MCU.
"WandaVision" connection: A grown-up Rambeau is a key character. But is she an ally or a spy?
'Doctor Strange'
Marvel has been working Benedict Cumberbatch's witty hero into the MCU gradually, so it's almost entirely a stand-alone film, but events do feed into subsequent "Avengers" movies. It's worth catching one of the most distinguished casts in all the MCU, including Rachel McAdams, Benedict Wong, Tilda Swinton and Chiwetel Ejiofor.
"WandaVision" connection: Scarlet Witch will appear in "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness," which currently has a March 25, 2022, release date.
'Thor' & 'Thor: The Dark World'
Kat Dennings' Darcy Lewis, initially the intern of scientist Jane Foster (Natalie Portman), isn't crucial to the action, but Dennings' fresh, seemingly improvised dialogue is like a blast of triple espresso piercing through the MCU mumbo-jumbo.
"WandaVision" connection: Lewis is also expected to pop up, although her role remains unclear.
Chris Hewitt/Neal Justin
