Key Takeaways
- Downey Jr.’s Dr. Doom may debut earlier than expected in The Fantastic Four: First Steps, hinting at Marvel’s plans for the character.
- Feige’s comments at Disney’s APAC Content Showcase suggest a connection between the Fantastic Four and Dr. Doom in the MCU’s future.
- Dr. Doom’s potential appearance in The Fantastic Four: First Steps could pave the way for future storylines and character connections in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
From the moment Robert Downey Jr.’s return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe to play the role of Dr. Doom was confirmed, there has been lots of excitement about what will be next for the MCU and Marvel generally. The former Iron Man actor has that quality to capture people’s attention, and audiences are now eagerly awaiting his return to this world, albeit in a new role.
It was originally claimed that Downey Jr. would be debuting as the character in Avengers: Doomsday, which is set to release in 2026. However, new comments from Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige have seemingly hinted at the character making a slightly earlier arrival, potentially in The Fantastic Four: First Steps.
Related
The Fantastic Four: First Steps Should Not Lead To This Conclusion
The Fantastic Four: First Steps has an iconic villain in Galactus, but the character must last longer than this film.
What Did Kevin Feige Say To Get People Speculating About Dr Doom?
When appearing at Disney’s APAC Content Showcase, Feige said, via Deadline, “Finally, [we’re] bringing Marvel’s First Family into the MCU. They rap next week, the movie comes out next summer, and then all those characters go right into the next Avengers movies, so I’m very excited for the future of the Fantastic Four.” The comments were all about The Fantastic Four: First Steps, a movie that will be released in 2025 and has lots of hype. Fans have wanted these characters in the MCU for a long time.
However, this quote has also had fans speculating about the possibility of Dr. Doom turning up in that movie, especially considering the longstanding history the character has with the Fantastic Four. It is expected that Dr. Doom will be the main villain for The Avengers when the Marvel heroes team up once again, but the fact that Feige has confirmed the Fantastic Four will be part of that movie means a connection needs to be made, as there currently is none. Therefore, Dr. Doom himself could end up being that link, which could allow him to make an earlier appearance as a surprise in the MCU.
Could Dr Doom Be In The Fantastic Four: First Steps?
There is now a real possibility that Downey Jr. will be part of The Fantastic Four: First Steps, which would be bound to get audiences worldwide talking about the movie. Marvel will want this one to be a huge hit, considering how much hype is surrounding it, and injecting Downey Jr. into it would certainly aid that situation, even if it only ends up being a cameo or post-credit scene.
Marvel often likes to spend several movies teasing things for the future; therefore, planting Dr. Doom into this movie would instantly excite people about Avengers: Doomsday. The character is brand new in the MCU, so allowing him to be dripped in ahead of time would get lots of hype building toward that film. It would also create a storyline narrative for the Fantastic Four to get involved in the fight alongside the Avengers, which is a connection that doesn’t exist currently.
Comic book fans will be aware of the history between Dr. Doom and the Fantastic Four, but that’s not the case for casual audiences who will need things to be explained or a fresh backstory to be created. Doing that before Avengers: Doomsday would be wise because that movie will likely feature a vast cast, meaning there’s limited time for those explanations.
How Can It All Connect Within The Marvel Cinematic Universe
The multiverse opens up all manner of possibilities to connect characters and link storylines together, and that’s likely what will happen with Downey Jr’s return to the franchise. Having him appear from a different timeline would explain the obvious fact that he looks like Tony Stark, which is something Marvel should be leaning into in order to drag the most emotions possible out of his interactions with other MCU characters he used to know.
It’s already known that Galactus will be the main villain for The Fantastic Four: First Steps, so adding in Dr. Doom does play a risk of overshadowing the story. But that’s something that can be avoided by subtly teasing Doom, bringing him in at the end of the film, or having him be a puppet master pulling the strings, which will ensure that it makes sense without becoming the focal point of the story, especially for the Fantastic Four’s first outing in the MCU.
If the Fantastic Four are going to be moving straight into Avengers: Doomsday, there ultimately needs to be a reason for it. So far, they’ve not existed within the MCU and have yet to fight the same battles alongside the other characters against the likes of Thanos, which is why a reason needs to be created. Dr. Doom causing some form of harm to them or just having an interaction will be enough to set things up for the upcoming movies within Marvel. It’s all about creating buzz with a franchise as big as this, and if done right, bringing Dr. Doom into The Fantastic Four: First Steps would do precisely that.
Marvel
Marvel is a brand associated with a wide array of popular superhero comics, movies, television shows, and merchandise. The company owns the rights to popular characters like The Avengers, Spider-Man, Black Panther, Deadpool, and many more.