30 Filler MCU Movies & TV Shows Fans Can Skip

The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) has expanded far beyond almost anyone’s expectations. Marvel releases multiple films and TV shows every year, most of which tie into several overarching narratives. However, not every story is connected, even in a web as complex as the MCU’s.

Catching up with the MCU’s sprawling plot requires a significant amount of time. So, fans who aren’t completionists will want to skip the movies and series that don’t substantially advance the universe’s story. Not every “filler” series or movie is bad, but the studio designed many of them to stand independently, at least compared to films like Avengers: Infinity War or Endgame. With so many hours of video to review, fans might want to ignore some of these less impactful MCU entries.

Updated by Jordan Iacobucci on January 20, 2025: The MCU is headed toward another epic crossover event in Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars, which will collectively act as the two-part finale of the Multiverse Saga. While most entries in the franchise are very enjoyable, not all are particularly important for the overall storyline. If audiences are looking to get through the main story of the MCU fast, they can skip these movies, series, and special presentations.

30

The Marvel One-Shots Are Fun But Mostly Forgotten

These Shorts Are Mostly Used to Plug Various MCU Plotholes

Many fans might have forgotten that the MCU produced five one-shots in Phase 1 and Phase 2. These short films were often included with the DVD releases of new MCU films and occasionally filled in the gaps from the franchise. Most one-shots followed S.H.I.E.L.D. agents Phil Coulson and Jasper Sitwell. However, one was used as a backdoor pilot for Agent Peggy Carter’s spinoff series and another to reveal the truth about the Mandarin after Iron Man 3‘s infamous plot twist.

Although each is a fun adventure that brings its own flavor to the sprawling Marvel universe, the MCU one-shots aren’t particularly important to the franchise’s overall storyline. However, die-hard fans with questions about certain Phase 1 plotholes might want to check out some of these short films, which find clever ways to fix the MCU’s continuity.

29

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania Isn’t a Vital Piece of the Multiverse Saga

Quantumania Was Essential Until Marvel Axed Its Kang Storyline

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania kicked off Phase 5 of the MCU, following its titular superheroes as they are dragged into the Quantum Realm, where they encounter the villainous Kang the Conqueror. Though they eventually defeat Kang, Scott Lang and Hope van Dyne aren’t aware that endless variants of the time-traveling villain wait to conquer the multiverse.

Quantumania was originally meant to be the lynchpin of the Multiverse Saga, setting up its main villain and kickstarting the chaos that would lead to Avengers: The Kang Dynasty and Avengers: Secret Wars. However, after Jonathan Majors was fired, the MCU moved away from Kang, making his debut in Quantumania much less important to the overarching story of the Multiverse Saga.

28

Thor: Love and Thunder Is Worth Forgetting Entirely

Thor’s Disappointing MCU Sequel Doesn’t Add Anything to the Multiverse Saga

Thor: Love and Thunder is the fourth entry in Chris Hemsworth’s solo MCU franchise and the second film in Phase 5. The film follows the god of thunder as he reunites with Jane Foster, who has inherited Thor’s powers and wields Mjolnir. Together, they take on the nefarious Gorr the God Butcher, who is hunting down deities across the universe.

Although Christian Bale’s Gorr the God Butcher is a great villain, there is little worth remembering in Love and Thunder. Not only does it add very little to the overarching MCU or the Multiverse Saga, but it also fails to entertain viewers in the same way Thor: Ragnarok did. In the end, fans are better off skipping Love and Thunder entirely.

27

Captain Marvel Introduces a New Hero But Little Else

This Captain Marvel MCU Prequel Isn’t All That Impactful

Captain Marvel acts as a flashback entry in the Infinity Saga, depicting Carol Danvers’s origin story in anticipation of her return in Avengers: Endgame only a few months later. Set in the 1990s, Captain Marvel follows Danvers as she pieces together her history after losing her memories in the accident that gave her her powers. However, she must do so while being hunted down by both the Skrulls and the Kree.

Although Captain Marvel was a successful movie that proved entertaining, it isn’t particularly important to the larger MCU. While it introduces characters and concepts that come back later, its specific events have yet to become important in later projects. Secret Invasion is the only exception, which itself is an extremely skippable entry in the MCU.

26

The Marvels Is One of the Least Important MCU Movies

Captain Marvel’s Disappointing Sequel Was Also the MCU’s Biggest Bomb

The Marvels depicts the first team-up between Captain Marvel, Photon, and Ms. Marvel, who find their powers entangled after a mysterious cosmic force is awakened. They must learn to work together to overcome this new obstacle, all while the Kree zealot Dar-Benn destroys entire worlds to save her own.

Most of The Marvels is forgettable, adding little to the ongoing storyline of the Multiverse Saga. Only The Marvels‘ post-credit scene is of any import, marking the MCU’s first official visit to Earth-10005, the home of the X-Men franchise. The film also teases the formation of the Young Avengers, which may eventually prove important, but it has yet to be announced as an official project.

25

The Incredible Hulk Almost Feels Like a Different Continuity

The Hulk’s Recast Makes This 2008 Film Feel Dated

The MCU’s Hulk was strongest in his film debut — The Incredible Hulk — but the movie’s story wasn’t particularly notable. The Incredible Hulk depicted Bruce Banner on the run from General Thunderbolt Ross. This adventure introduced significant Marvel characters, like the Abomination. However, when these characters reappeared in later MCU installments, they differed from their iterations in this movie.

Most of the basic information The Incredible Hulk introduces is relatively straightforward. Even though it was one of the MCU’s earliest installments — following on Iron Man’s heels in 2008 — little carries over from the movie going forward. Mark Ruffalo even replaced Edward Norton as the titular character in later projects. Moreover, the Hulk himself has never had another standalone movie and his only solo film is among the MCU movies to skip. Still, this will change with the release of Captain America: Brave New World, which brings back Liv Tyler’s Betty Ross and Tim Blake Nelson’s Leader.

24

Iron Man 3 Is a Self-Contained Story of Little Consequence

Iron Man Fans May Still Want to Watch This MCU Film

Iron Man 3 introduces some exciting developments in Tony Stark’s life, but very few have significantly impacted the rest of the MCU. The movie presented a false version of one of Iron Man’s most iconic foes, The Mandarin, who destroyed Stark’s home. It also introduced a child who felt like a potential heir to Stark’s genius. However, only the divisive fake Mandarin/Trevor Slattery made a substantial appearance in later MCU entries, re-emerging as a hapless ally in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.

Iron Man 3 is about Tony learning to live with the trauma he experienced in the Battle of New York. Still, he doesn’t overcome these struggles by the end of this film. The fact he’s still grappling with the same issues at the end of the Infinity Saga takes away much of Iron Man 3‘s relevance. Tony Stark temporarily retires, but Thanos brings him back into action with hardly a nod to how he supposedly stepped off the heroic stage. Iron Man 3 has plenty of fans but is hardly required MCU viewing.

23

Spider-Man: Homecoming Is a Fun But Largely Irrelevant Superhero Outing

Spider-Man’s Homecoming Trilogy Is Mostly Self-Contained In the MCU

While technically a Sony project tied into the MCU, Spider-Man: Homecoming was the Webslinger’s first standalone film in Marvel’s current cinematic continuity, after his earlier introduction in Captain America: Civil War. The movie presents a unique look into the high school hero’s life, acting as a character study for this iteration of Peter Parker. However, the movie’s final face-off with the Spider-Man villain Vulture/Adrian Toomes doesn’t change the MCU’s larger picture.

Spider-Man: Homecoming doesn’t tie into the MCU on the same levels its sequels do. Similarly, even Spidey allies like MJ were more developed when its first sequel, Far From Home, came out. It’s an entertaining movie with Spider-Man’s spirit in its heart, but viewers looking for links to the MCU’s central narrative can skip it.

22

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 Has Little Impact on the MCU at Large

This Guardians of the Galaxy Sequel Doesn’t Connect to the Larger MCU

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 deals primarily with the return of Star-Lord’s father, Ego. The team learns about his evil plans to consume Star-Lord, ultimately slaying Ego before he can threaten the entire universe. There are a few notable events in the film that impact later MCU entries, like Mantis’ introduction to the team and the tragic fate of Star-Lord’s adoptive father, Yondu.

Although Yondu’s death in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is emotionally touching, it doesn’t impact the MCU’s grand designs despite altering the entire Guardians franchise. Plus, Avengers: Infinity War recaps Yondu and Ego’s deaths, so fans can get the gist of what happened without watching Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2.

21

Black Widow Doesn’t Say Much That MCU Fans Didn’t Already Know

Black Widow Takes Place Earlier on the MCU Timeline

Black Widow was the only MCU film released after its titular character died in the main timeline. The movie details Natasha Romanoff’s journey to gather her former superspy family and free the Widows from the Red Room’s mind control. By the movie’s end, Natasha puts her demons to rest, and her sister, Yelena, steps forward as her successor. Still, Black Widow has had more impact on the Hawkeye series than any other MCU property.

Black Widow is part of the MCU’s Phase 4, but it takes place at the beginning of Phase Three, just after Captain America: Civil War. Because audiences already know Natasha’s fate, the movie’s stakes feel less significant than they would otherwise. While Yelena was a clear breakout star and will return in the upcoming Thunderbolts, Marvel will surely give her a sufficient reintroduction when necessary.

20

Hawkeye Does Little to Develop Any Characters or Plotlines

Disney+’s Hawkeye Does Introduce Hailee Steinfeld’s Kate Bishop

Hawkeye is the smallest-scale MCU-Disney+ series yet, focusing primarily on the partnership between Clint Barton and Kate Bishop. They spend the Christmas season evading Kingpin’s forces while Hawkeye trains Kate as his successor. It’s a fun side venture that introduces high-tech trick arrows to Hawkeye’s repertoire, but it primarily exists in a small corner of the MCU.

Hawkeye features guest cameos from major characters like Yelena Belova’s new Black Widow and Kingpin. The show also introduces Echo and the Tracksuit Mafia to the MCU, paving the way for future appearances by all. Still, aside from Echo’s official MCU debut, Hawkeye does little to develop characters in a way that will affect them in future MCU installments.

19

Moon Knight Feels Too Disconnected from the MCU’s Central Stories

Moon Knight Is a Classic Self-Contained Superhero Origin Story

Moon Knight is about Marc Spector and his alters, working in service of the moon god Khonshu to battle a mythological threat to humanity. While well-received, the show has little to no substantial connection to the rest of the MCU.

Moon Knight‘s main characters are exclusive to the series and haven’t appeared in any other films or shows. So, for fans content to watch supernatural superheroes and ignore the lack of links to the rest of the MCU, Marc Spector’s adventures are enjoyable and easy to watch. However, viewers looking for the interconnectedness the MCU is known for will be disappointed.

18

She-Hulk: Attorney at Law Is Amusing But Doesn’t Add Substance to the MCU’s Plot

Disney+’s Polarizing She-Hulk Series Can Safely Be Skipped

She-Hulk Attorney at Law is the MCU’s purest sitcom to date, satirizing its franchise beautifully. It also reimagines forgotten MCU characters like Emil Blonsky and introduces weird and wonderful villains like Leapfrog. However, it plays the professional and personal difficulties of a superpowered lawyer for laughs. By the end of the series, Jennifer accepts her She-Hulk identity but never fully embraces the superhero lifestyle.

She-Hulk’s story is so irrelevant to the MCU that Jen breaks the fourth wall in the finale and changes her ending. The show shines by developing secondary characters like Wong and Daredevil and showcasing its actors’ comedic chops. Ultimately, She-Hulks‘s attributes are more like enhancements than meaningful developments. As a result, they’re unlikely to affect anything in the MCU’s future.

17

The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special Was Never Meant to Add to the Story

This Guardians MCU Special Presentation Is Still a Terrific Time

Unlike every other MCU film and show, The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special has no villains. It’s a silly and breezy 40-minute special about aliens learning the true meaning of Christmas — and abducting Kevin Bacon in the process. Drax, Mantis, Rocket, and Groot are at their comedic best as they try to lift Star-Lord’s spirits, but the film doesn’t affect the MCU’s status quo.

Likewise, The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special has little plot and doesn’t feature fan-favorite, Gamora. Given these facts, MCU fans can watch it any time without spoiling anything or simply ignore it if they’re not in the mood.

16

Inhumans Doesn’t Do Anything Important and Was Quickly Canceled

It’s Unclear If Inhumans Is Still Considered Canon

Inhumans is the MCU’s most derided series, and Marvel essentially dropped it before its first season concluded. The show is now available on Disney+, but even with this accessibility, many fans don’t recommend it, even to other MCU enthusiasts. One of Inhuman’s leads, Anson Mount, returned as Black Bolt in Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness, so the show has a tenuous link to the MCU.

However, Black Bolt’s presence was little more than a brief cameo, as Scarlet Witch unceremoniously killed him alongside Charles Xavier and Reed Richards. This series is best known for getting its characters wrong and celebrating slave-owning aristocrats. Neither watchable nor significant, Inhumans is easily one of the MCU’s most-skippable entries.

15

Iron Fist Is Unpopular and Adds Nothing Relevant to the MCU

Iron Fist Is the Least Essential Part of the Defenders Saga

Iron Fist was one of Marvel’s TV series it co-produced with Netflix, including Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, Daredevil, and more. While not directly tied to the MCU’s main story, there’s always a chance its main character Danny Rand could appear in future projects à la other Marvel-Netflix characters like Daredevil or Kingpin.

Despite this potential, MCU fans should feel comfortable ignoring Iron Fist. Not only is the show unrelated to the larger universe, but it was also the worst critically received show to come from the Marvel-Netflix partnership. Both critics and fans slammed the series for poor acting, writing, and fight choreography.

14

Agent Carter Is a Solid Show But Is Disconnected From the MCU’s Other Stories

ABC’s Two-Season Agent Carter Series Isn’t Integrated in the Larger MCU

Agent Carter, the short-lived series that aired on ABC, was generally well-received as a solidly crafted and fun exploration of a beloved side character. Because of timeline constraints, Captain America’s first and forever love, Peggy Carter, was relegated to Cap’s debut movie.

Thus, Agent Carter is an excellent vehicle for fans to spend time with and learn more about her character. The series tracks Peggy’s foray into the world of espionage as she works to clear the name of Howard Stark after he’s accused of treason while grappling with the loss of Steve Rogers. Despite the show’s quality, however, little connects it to the rest of the MCU.

13

Eternals Strays Away from the MCU’s Main Characters and Plots

Marvel Seems to Have Dumped Its Eternals Storyline

Eternals is an epic exploration of the eponymous race of immortal, superpowered beings. Directed by Academy Award winner Chloé Zhao, Eternals takes Marvel fans behind the scenes of this group of ancient aliens who’ve secretly protected Earth throughout time from their longstanding enemies, the Deviants.

Behind Zhao’s expert direction and co-writing, Eternals features some of the MCU’s best cinematography and thought-provoking ideas. Still, Eternals isn’t above reproach and too often verges into melodrama over a character-driven narrative. Likewise, an inexplicable scene linking one of the group’s members to the nuclear attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki is rather reprehensible. Adding to these faults is the fact that, at least so far, Eternals isn’t meaningfully tied to the larger MCU.

12

Werewolf By Night Is Cool But Has No Connection to MCU Canon

Marvel’s Werewolf By Night Special Presentation Is More About Setting a Mood

Werewolf by Night is a throwback to the Universal monster movies of the early to mid-1900s and stars Gael García Bernal as the titular lycanthrope. The 50-minute short tells a self-contained story about a meeting of monster hunters who gather to honor their fallen leader and decide who will wield the Blood Gem and become the next head monster hunter.

As a Marvel Studios special presentation, Werewolf by Night shares no continuity with the MCU proper. Despite this lack of continuity, there’s much to recommend about the film, including García Bernal’s performance as a talented monster hunter, famed composer Michael Giacchino’s feature directorial debut, and many pulpy thrills. Still, fans primarily interested in the interconnected MCU can safely skip Werewolf by Night.

11

Secret Invasion Is a Self-Contained Story That Changes Little

Disney+’s Disappointing Secret Invasion Series Is Better Off Avoided

Secret Invasion sees Nick Fury go against a new threat: the Skrull alien species. As a shapeshifting species, the Skrulls have infiltrated every country in the world, and their leader, Gravik, is ready to turn them into Super Skrulls and take absolute control of Earth. While Secret Invasion deals with a worldwide invasion, it barely affects the overall MCU.

By the end of the series, Nick Fury manages to stop Gravik together with his allies, and they save all the shapeshifters’ victims. Likely future MCU projects will include references to this event, but all in all, it doesn’t affect its main characters.