The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is an ever-expanding saga, and the latest piece of that puzzle is about to hit theaters in the form of The Marvels, a sequel to 2019's Captain Marvel, which has been on Disney Plus for the past few years. It will also include elements of several Marvel TV shows that debuted and will fly to the big screen on Friday, November 10.

To date, the MCU consists of 32 movies, 9 TV shows (10 if you count Loki season 2 separately), and 2 TV specials. Currently, marathoning all phases of the MCU would take over 7,000 minutes, or approximately 117 hours. This makes catching up completely in advance of the release of "Marvels" a task that only a time-controlled superhero could comfortably handle.

Fortunately, it is not necessary to consume every frame of the MCU so far in order to get up to speed before Carol Danvers' next adventure. So here's what you need to see before "Marvels". All of these movies and shows are currently streaming on Disney Plus, so you don't have to worry about where to watch them.

"Captain Marvel," released between "Avengers: Infinity War" and "Avengers: Endgame," featured Carol Danvers (Brie Larson), who, while living on Earth in 1995, was introduced to S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Nick She meets Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), and the two work together to uncover secrets from her past and prevent a galactic war from breaking out between two alien civilizations.

The Marvels was originally released as "Captain Marvel 2," so naturally it is imperative that the previous film be seen first. It is also recommended that you make time to see Captain Marvel, as it is one of the most enjoyable films in the MCU to date. This is thanks to Larson's engaging lead performance and cosmic storytelling. In addition, there is a scene-stealing appearance by a feline animal called Goose (who also reappears in "The Marvels").

Wander Vision was the first Marvel TV show to be released on Disney Plus and has aged rather well over the past two and a half years as the MCU's latest small screen effort lands with a bit of a bang. The film is important to the Marvels because it marks the first appearance of Monica Rambo (Teyonah Parris), one of the Marvels' three main characters.

The show itself focuses primarily on Wanda Maxmioff (Elizabeth Olsen) and Vision (Paul Bettany) and takes place immediately after the events of Avengers/Endgame. After Vision's death at the hands of Thanos, Wanda constructs a false reality to cope with her grief. In this surreal sitcom-inspired world, Wanda and Vision live an idyllic suburban life, but things are not as they seem and the town of Westview has secrets to reveal.

Kamala Khan (Iman Velani), aka Miss Marvel, is the last member of the central trio, and the final scene of her Disney Plus show even sets the core premise for The Marvels.

In addition, "Ms. Marvels" should be seen. Khan is a wide-eyed, rooting protagonist, and while the show stumbles a bit in the second half, the first couple of episodes are particularly strong and showcase some creative filmmaking; Ms. Marvel is also a big fan of the Avengers, so her excitement when she gets her own power is relatable and very enjoyable.

If you want a complete overview of all of Captain Marvel's appearances in the MCU so far, you may want to watch "Avengers/Endgame" (after "Avengers: Infinity War," of course). While the events of "Endgame" are unlikely to have a direct impact on "The Marvels," small references are not impossible, and you can get a stronger sense of the character of Carol Danvers.

Samuel L. Jackson will also return as Nick Fury in "Marvels," so a tie-in with the recent Fury-led "Secret Invasion" is likely. But "Secret Invasion" isn't very good; Rotten Tomatoes has it at only 54%, the lowest rating for an MCU TV show. So if you want to be super thorough, I suggest skipping that show and reading the Wiki summary.