Robert Downey Jr. might be making his debut as Doctor Doom in the MCU in an earlier movie before Avengers: Doomsday.
Last weekend, Marvel Studios announced to the San Diego Comic-Con Hall H crowd that the Oscar winner will be making his return to the MCU as the fan-favorite villain in the upcoming Avengers movies.
While it remains to be seen whether he will be playing a Tony Stark variant who becomes Doctor Doom or not, some fans are wondering whether they will establish him first in another MCU movie before showing up as the main villain of Doomsday and Secret Wars.
Robert Downey Jr. Reportedly Makes His First Doctor Doom Appearance in The Fantastic Four
According to insider Jeff Sneider, Downey will be making his first appearance as Doctor Doom in the post-credits scene of The Fantastic Four: First Steps.
So far, Marvel Studios has not confirmed the claims that were made in the report.
However, during an interview at last weekend's San Diego Comic-Con, director Matt Shakman was asked whether Downey's Doctor Doom will be appearing in his film.
As expected, he played coy in his response. "I cannot say anything," he simply said.
Shakman also revealed that he knew about Downey's casting as Doctor Doom for a while and he had to keep it a secret until the Hall H reveal.
"It’s incredibly exciting. I’m a huge fan of Robert Downey Jr., of course, and there’s no one bigger. And I have heard about it for a while, and I had to keep that secret for a while. But it’s really exciting! I kept it under wraps," he said.
Considering Doctor Doom's association with the Fantastic Four in the comics, it won't be surprising if he will be making an appearance in the movie's post-credits appearance to hype him up as the big baddie of Doomsday.
It will be similar to the Infinity Saga when Thanos was teased in the post-credits scene of The Avengers before setting him up as the big baddie in the subsequent films.
For now, let's wait and see whether Downey's Doctor Doom will indeed make his debut in the First Family's movie.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps is slated for release in theaters on July 25, 2025.
Do you think Downey will appear in the movie's post-credits scene? Let us know in the comments!
Make sure you follow our Marvel Facebook Page for the latest Marvel news and trends!