Avengers: Doomsday Has Gotten Doctor Doom All Wrong

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The upcoming movie, Avengers: Doomsday, will introduce a legendary comic book villain to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. However, Robert Downey Jr.’s version of Doctor Doom will differ significantly from how he’s portrayed in the comics. The MCU has revolutionized the superhero genre with many blockbuster films, bringing it to a wider audience.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has seen both successes and challenges over the past twenty years. While the ‘Infinity Saga’ reached a thrilling peak with a massive battle between Earth’s heroes and Thanos, the current ‘Multiverse Saga’ has faced more difficulties as it moves towards its conclusion.

Originally, Kang the Conqueror was planned as the main villain for this phase of Marvel films. However, the story changed direction, and Doctor Doom became the focus, with Robert Downey Jr. surprisingly returning to play the role. Despite this shift, and with the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday movie, Doctor Doom hasn’t yet become a firmly established character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Victor von Doom And Reed Richards’ Rivalry Hasn’t Been Established

Thanos wasn’t originally intended to be the main villain of the Infinity Saga, but the idea quickly gained traction. With over a decade passing between the first Marvel film and Avengers: Endgame, there was ample opportunity to subtly develop his character. We started to see hints of Thanos’s impact throughout the Marvel Cinematic Universe, creating suspense leading up to his major appearance in Avengers: Infinity War.

However, the situation is different with Victor von Doom. He’s a hugely famous comic book villain, even more so than Thanos was before the Marvel movies. This popularity, though, means people have very high expectations for how he’s portrayed.

Most Marvel fans know Doctor Doom is Reed Richards’ greatest enemy. While Doom causes trouble throughout the Marvel Universe, his conflict with Reed is key to understanding who he is. Interestingly, even though The Fantastic Four: First Steps introduces Doctor Doom, it doesn’t show the beginning of their rivalry.

Okay, so the movie strongly suggests Victor is operating out of Latveria, but honestly, the complete absence of any real connection between him and Reed Richards feels
weird. It just doesn’t quite land, especially when you consider where they’re headed with this character in Avengers: Doomsday. It leaves me feeling disconnected from his motivations and a little unsure about his future role.

MCU Doom Will Be An Avengers Villain Before He’s A Fantastic Four One

As a huge cinema fan, I’m incredibly excited for Avengers: Doomsday! From what I understand, it’s going to be a massive crossover where Doctor Doom battles heroes from all different universes. We’re not just talking the main Avengers team either – the X-Men, a version of the Avengers from the comics, and Sam Wilson’s Avengers will all be in it, plus the Fantastic Four! It sounds absolutely epic.

However, spreading the focus so widely could be a drawback. It might leave less room to explore the personal connections between important characters like Reed Richards and Victor von Doom. While they’ll likely still interact, the lack of close, intense conflict that has always defined their relationship could be noticeable.

Mister Fantastic And Doctor Doom Were The Heart Of Marvel’s 2015 Secret Wars

Marvel’s 2015 Secret Wars comic book series was a huge success. The story focuses on the destruction of the multiverse, bringing together many versions of heroes and villains. At the heart of it all are the characters Mister Fantastic and Doctor Doom.

Throughout the story, the characters drive the plot forward. After the initial issue, it’s discovered that Doctor Doom kidnaps Reed Richards’ family, transforms himself into God Emperor Doom, and seizes control of Battleworld. To counter this, Reed Richards is forced to join forces with allies like Molecule Man to rescue his family, save everyone else, and destroy Doom’s scheme.

It’s understandable that Reed Richards holds a deep, personal grudge against Doctor Doom, considering Doom’s actions against his family. However, their rivalry goes way back, and even if the Marvel Cinematic Universe adapts the storyline from Secret Wars, it likely won’t have the same emotional impact as it did in the original comics.

The MCU’s Wild New Take On Doctor Doom Is A Huge Gamble

This new version of Doctor Doom is directly connected to Iron Man’s story in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The upcoming Avengers: Doomsday is essentially a continuation of Avengers: Endgame, picking up after Iron Man sacrificed himself to save everyone.

The groundwork laid is promising, and the Russo Brothers are skilled storytellers, but it’s hard to picture Doctor Doom’s introduction to the Marvel Cinematic Universe diverging significantly from his origins in the comics. Everything about this version of Doom – his reasons for acting, his abilities, and everything else – could potentially be quite different.

It’s hard to see how this version of the character will fit into the bigger picture, and what it means for their role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Doctor Doom is too important a villain to disappear after just a couple of movies, but it’s unclear what Marvel has planned for him in Avengers: Doomsday and beyond.

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2026-01-03 20:29