Of all the movies and TV shows in theMarvel Cinematic Universe, only a select few seem to completely change when rewatched. Throughout theMCU’s timeline of moviesand TV shows, the many stories of the franchise have connected to build the most successful shared universe ever created. There are many factors that have contributed to the MCU’s continued success, but one of the most crucial has been its dedication to delivering compelling individual narratives in every release.
To that end, the movies andTV shows of the MCUhave employed a number of storytelling tactics in order to keep the franchise’s audience entertained. These include unexpected narrative twists and developments, which, combined with the ever-growing nature of the franchise, contribute to a continuously evolving storytelling landscape. This means that revisiting specific MCU releases often allows the viewer to see them in an entirely different light, armed with the knowledge of what comes next in the franchise. With that in mind, here are 10 MCU movies and shows that totally change on a rewatch.
10Knowing How Things Play Out Makes Infinity War More Tragic
Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
It’s no secret thatAvengers: Infinity Waris one of the most crucial entries in the MCU’s timeline. The 2018 movie marked the beginning of the Infinity Saga’s two-part finale, offering up one of the most shocking high-stakes stories in the history of Marvel movies. As well as being one of the most importantmovies in the MCU,Infinity Waris also one of the franchise’s titles that feels distinctly different when it’s revisited after the first viewing.
Infinity Warended with the Avengers’ shocking defeat, setting up an epic conclusion inAvengers: Endgame. However, rewatchingInfinity Warwith the knowledge of the movie’s ending takes away from the tension it builds, andwhen rewatched afterEndgameit loses a portion of its emotional impact.Though resolvingInfinity War’s devastating ending was always going to have that effect, it doesn’t change that the movie feels decidedly different when rewatched than it did on release.
9Understanding The Central Mystery Transforms Eternals' Story
Eternals (2021)
2021’sEternalsis far from the most loved movie in the MCU, but it did introduce an exciting new cosmic aspect to the franchise’s wider narrative. The movie saw the debut of the titular heroes, though with a number of distinct differences from their comic book counterparts.Eternals’ story featured a central mystery regarding their life on Earth and the death of Ajak, which was only resolved at the end of the film’s second act.
Theending ofEternalsrevealed that not only was Ikaris responsible for Ajak’s death, but that the heroes themselves were created by the Celestial Arishem in order to harvest planets and bring about the birth of new Celestials. Rewatching the movie armed with that knowledge changes several aspects of the film, particularly in relation to Ikaris.Knowing that Ikaris has been manipulating his fellow Eternals for the majority of the movie paints him in a far more villainous light much earlier on, subtly transforming the entire film.
8Rewatching Moon Knight Makes Many Things Clear From The Start
Moon Knight (2022)
The MCU’sMoon Knightintroduced the titular hero into the franchise, but it also brought with it a host of characters, many of whom are from or connected to Marvel’s pantheon of Egyptian gods. From the show’s first episode, it proved to be a mind-bending exploration of its hero, asMoon Knight’s story began from the perspective of Stephen Grant, later revealed to be one of the alters of Marc Spector. Over the course of the show, the events surrounding Marc’s Dissociative Identity Disorder become clear, as does his connection to Khonshu.
RewatchingMoon Knightis an entirely different experience than watching it for the first time.Understanding Stephen and Marc from the off paints the story in a different light, and the viewer is able to pick up on hints and subtleties that they almost certainly would have missed or misunderstood the first time around. The nature ofMoon Knight’s story means that it’s perfect to rewatch, as it feels different with foreknowledge of its many revelations.
7Iron Man 3’s Third Act Reveal Hurts The Movie On A Rewatch
Iron Man 3 (2013)
Iron Man 3remains one of the MCU’s most divisive movies, which is unsurprising considering it’s packed with highs and lows. Despite being a key part of Tony Stark’s character development and featuring some excellent action sequences, the movie was also criticized for its story beats and underwhelming twist. The latter concerns the movie’s use of the villain known as the Mandarin, who is revealed to be an actor using an identity created by real villain Aldrich Killian.
When rewatchingIron Man 3, it’s clear thatthe Mandarin twist hurts the movie considerably.Instead of appreciating the MCU’s portrayal of the villain, it’s hard to ignore how cheap and unfair the twist really was, especially considering the more recent introduction of the actual Mandarin meant audiences had to wait years to see the actual character. Simply put,Iron Man 3is a different movie on a rewatch, because knowing its underwhelming twist ahead of time makes it worse.
6Captain Marvel’s Twist Changes The Entire First Half Of The Movie
Captain Marvel (2019)
Another MCU movie to put a major twist on its Marvel Comics source material was 2019’sCaptain Marvel, albeit to much greater effect thanIron Man 3. The movie introduced an amnesiac Carol Danvers living among the Kree, fighting for the Kree empire against their enemies, the Skrulls. After landing on Earth and recovering her memories, she realizes that the Skrulls are not the enemies she was taught, putting an interesting spin on their typical comic book role.
Rewatching the movie with knowledge of the twist doesn’t hurt the film at all. In fact, it actually strengthensCaptain Marvel’s narrative, with it clear from the beginning just how manipulative its villain is and the complexity of Danvers’ situation.The way in whichCaptain Marvelchanges on a rewatch serves as a testament to the depth of its storytelling, as it works on multiple levels.
5Revisiting The MCU’s Beginning Highlights Many Changes
Iron Man (2008)
As the very first movie in the MCU, 2008’sIron Manhas a staggering amount of narrative that follows it. Looking back on the movie, it not only highlights just how far the MCU has come since its release, but it also subtly transformsIron Manitself in multiple ways. Rewatching the first movie in the franchise changes it on two fronts: one from the perspective of its protagonist, and another from the broader strokes of its individual narrative.
As Tony Stark’s story played out across the Infinity Saga, going back to his beginnings as a hero is bittersweet, because it makes clear just how far he comes in his journey as Iron Man. Additionally, the movie features something of a twist, as it’s revealed that Stark’s trusted business partner, Obadiah Stane, had been working against him all along. Watching with the knowledge of Stane’s intentions obviously changes things, as does knowing how tragically and heroically Iron Man’s story is destined to end.
4After Kang’s Departure, Quantumania Is A Different Movie
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023)
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumaniawas once tipped to be a landmark title for the MCU, formally introducing the franchise’s next major antagonist, Kang the Conqueror. It also explored the Quantum Realm, answering some of the MCU’s most burning questions. However, rewatching it even a year after its release demonstrates how much things have changed, andQuantumania’s story seems completely different as a result.
Since Marvel has since pivoted away from Kang as the MCU’s next Avengers-level villain,the movie’s teases of Kang’s Multiversal return fall far flatter now. In fact,Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania’s endingsees the apparent death of Kang, which was initially speculated to have been a fake-out but now seems permanent. The ways in which Marvel’s future has changed to move away from Kang’s story makes his MCU debut seem much different – and much more final – as a result.
3Knowing The Avengers' Ending Makes Their MCU Debut More Poetic
The Avengers (2012)
2012’sThe Avengerswas once considered the most triumphant moment in the history of the superhero movie genre. The first big team-up movie that incorporated characters introduced in separate movies was groundbreaking, andThe Avengersthoroughly earned every ounce of its success. Even so, the ways in which the MCU continued the Avengers’ respective stories has seen the movie subtly change when rewatched after the end of the Infinity Saga.
Knowing the ways in which Steve Rogers and Tony Stark’s stories end in particular, the dynamic between the heroes is made all the more poetic. Their iconic argument in the movie has since taken on a prescient tone, hinting at their respective futures.Rewatching the initial power struggles and personality clashes only serves to make clear just how well the MCU handled their narrative arcsas individuals and as a deeply flawed team.
2Rewatching WandaVision Brings The Depth Of Wanda’s Grief Into Focus
WandaVision (2021)
2021’sWandaVisionhelped bridge the narrative gap between the Infinity Saga and the Multiverse Saga, but it also gave one of the MCU’s most under-explored characters her time in the spotlight. The series saw Wanda Maximoff and Vision living in a suburban town, with their lives taking on aspects of different eras of TV sitcom in each episode. Though its premise at first was confusingly unexplained, as its story unfolded, it became clear that Wanda’s grief played a significant part.
After having experienced the show in its entirety, and understanding the depths of Wanda’s loss,WandaVisionfeels like a different show.Even its most lighthearted moments seem tragic when watched in the knowledge that Wanda is both heartbroken and being manipulated by Agatha. Once its central mystery has been unraveled,WandaVisionis one of the MCU’s most tragic stories.
1Agatha All Along’s Twists Reframe The Whole Show From A Different Perspective
Agatha All Along (2024)
By theending ofAgatha All Along, the show had brought a number of revelations to light that completely reframe its entire story. The nature of the Witches’ Road, the true identity of Teen, and the sad truth of Agatha’s backstory all served as key parts of the show’s story, with each twist and turn contributing to its narrative. Rewatching it with that knowledge in mind completely changes the whole show.
Obviously, knowing that Agatha is the only one who knows the Road was never real repaints her as the true villain of the show. However, it also brings a number of questions to the fore regarding her character’s intentions, rendering the show a fascinating exploration of a deceptively deep character. As such, it’s perhaps the release in theMarvel Cinematic Universethat appears to change the most on a rewatch.
