The Fantastic Four’s Newest MCU Reveal Has Me Even More Convinced That Doctor Doom Will Appear in the Phase 5 Movie

I’m even more convinced that Doctor Doom will appear in The Fantastic Four: Getting Started following the reveal of the first official synopsis for the MCU reboot. Of all the upcoming MCU projects, The Fantastic Four: Getting Started It’s one I’m most looking forward to. Not only am I excited to see Marvel’s First Family reimagined by Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach, but I’m also intrigued to see the multiverse explored in more detail and to see some of Marvel’s most iconic supervillains, including Galactus and the Silver Surfer, finally appear in the MCU.

After the Fantastic Four were confirmed to be joining the MCU following Disney’s acquisition of 20th Century Fox in 2019, there was huge speculation about what story would unfold in the MCU reboot. I was thrilled to see Ralph Ineson and Julia Garner cast as the planet-devouring Galactus and his herald, the Silver Surfer of Shalla-Bal, suggesting they would be the main antagonists of the Phase 5 film. However, following further updates, I think another powerful villain, Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom, will make his MCU debut in The Fantastic Four: Getting Started.

Synopsis of Fantastic Four: First Steps confirms a “personal” battle

The Fantastic Four: First Steps is scheduled to premiere on July 25, 2025

Amid news that filming for the upcoming film is nearly complete, a new synopsis for The Fantastic Four: Getting Started was also released. This synopsis not only confirms the “vibrant backdrop of a retro-futuristic world inspired by the 1960s,” but also highlights the Fantastic Four’s battle against “ravenous god of space” Galactus and his “enigmatic herald”. However, the final line of the official synopsis of The Fantastic Four: Getting Started makes me think the film will include another formidable villainas the plot will suddenly become “very personal.”

Set against the vibrant backdrop of a retro-futuristic world inspired by the 1960s, “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” introduces Marvel’s First Family – Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic, Sue Storm/Invisible Woman, Johnny Storm/Human Torch and Ben Grimm/The Thing as they face their most daunting challenge yet. Forced to balance their roles as heroes with the strength of their familial bond, they must defend Earth from a voracious space god named Galactus (Ralph Ineson) and his enigmatic Herald, the Silver Surfer (Julia Garner). And if Galactus’ plan to devour the entire planet and everyone on it wasn’t bad enough, it suddenly gets very personal.

I’m convinced that Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom will appear in Fantastic Four: First Steps

Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom Cast Confirmed at 2024 SDCC

I was one of the many who were shocked when MCU veteran Robert Downey Jr. was confirmed to be returning to the franchise at the 2024 SDCC presentation, albeit not as Tony Stark’s Iron Man, but as the iconic Marvel villain, Doctor Doom. I can’t wait to see Downey Jr.’s portrayal of Doctor Doom in Phase 6 of the MCU, as he’s currently set to debut in 2026 Avengers: Judgment Day. However, after the release of The Fantastic Four: First Steps’ official synopsis, I’m convinced we’ll see Doctor Doom make his first appearance in the MCU in 2025.

it has not been announced that Robert Downey Jr. will be involved in The Fantastic Four: Getting Startedbut there has been a lot of speculation about his possible appearance in Phase 5 of the MCU. The Fantastic Four: Getting Started director Matt Shakman knew about casting Downey Jr. as Victor Von Doomalthough there have been reports, including from internal sources Jeff Sneidersuggesting that Doctor Doom will appear in the film’s end credits scenes. Following the provocation of the film’s synopsis being “very personal” I am even more convinced that this will happen.

How Doctor Doom Could Make the Fantastic Four’s MCU Debut Even More Personal

Doctor Doom has personal connections to the Fantastic Four

While some have theorized about how Galactus and the Silver Surfer might forge a personal history in The Fantastic Four: Getting StartedI think it’s much more likely that this personal touch will introduce Doctor Doom to the MCU. In Marvel Comics, Doctor Doom has strong connections with the Fantastic Four team, mainly because he studied alongside Reed Richards, the future Mister Fantastic, at university. Doctor Doom also held Richards and Ben Grimm responsible for sabotaging an experiment that scarred his face and spurred his descent into villainy.which contributed to his lifelong vendetta against the Fantastic Four.

I would love to see this twisted connection established in the MCU, especially since previous Fantastic Four adaptations have failed to capture the full impact of Doctor Doom and the Fantastic Four’s personal bonds. It would be great to see Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom as a childhood friend and archenemy of Pedro Pascal’s Mister Fantastic in the MCU. This would give Richards and Doom an element of humanity, vulnerability, and exposure that would make their Phase 6 stories even more powerful and intimate..

Doctor Doom in the Fantastic Four: first steps perfectly set up Avengers 5 and 6

Doctor Doom will be the main villain of Avengers: Judgment Day and Secret Wars

In Marvel Comics, Doctor Doom is a significant component of 1984 and 2015 Secret Wars events, with the latter featuring him as the architect of Battleworld, and he could be given that role in the MCU as well. We already know that the Russo brothers are wanting to adapt the story of Avengers: Secret Wars as faithfully as possiblemeaning Doctor Doom can be placed front and center. This means it will be crucial to define it as a major threat before Avengers: Judgment Dayand I think The Fantastic Four: Getting Started presents the perfect opportunity.

The Fantastic Four: Getting Started will be set in an alternate universe, and since it seems likely that Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom isn’t from Earth-616, it’s very possible he’ll command from First Steps’ parallel world. He could become aware of the destruction happening across the multiverse in The Fantastic Four: Getting Startedwhich could kick off the Phase 6 storyline, with him fighting to save the multiverse by any means necessary. This would lay the groundwork for a battle between Doctor Doom and Mister Fantastic in Avengers: Secret Warswhich I can’t wait to see.