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The Doctor Doom guide

Doctor Doom in the MCU

Doctor Doom spent decades outside Marvel Studios' reach. Here is how he arrived in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, step by step, with only what Marvel has confirmed.

By the editors of The Iron Mask Files · Updated October 18, 2026

The short answer

Doctor Doom has not yet had a full appearance in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Robert Downey Jr. was announced as Doom at San Diego Comic-Con in July 2024, a cloaked figure, face unseen, appears beside Franklin Richards in the mid-credits scene of The Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025), and Doom's full debut is Avengers: Doomsday on December 18, 2026, followed by Avengers: Secret Wars on December 17, 2027.

The road to Doomsday

DateWhat happened
March 20, 2019Disney completes its purchase of 21st Century Fox, bringing the Fantastic Four and Doctor Doom's film rights to Marvel Studios.
July 27, 2024At San Diego Comic-Con, Marvel announces Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom in Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars, with the Russo brothers directing.
March 26, 2025A livestream reveals much of the Doomsday cast on the backs of director's chairs, ending with Downey himself.
July 25, 2025The Fantastic Four: First Steps opens. Its mid-credits scene, set four years later, shows a cloaked figure beside Franklin Richards, face unseen.
December 2025Four Doomsday teasers arrive; The Hollywood Reporter reported they passed 1.02 billion combined views.
July 2026The first full trailer; Variety reported 503 million views in its first 24 hours.
August 14, 2026At D23, Marvel shows a special look and new poster and confirms Chris Evans and Hayley Atwell.
December 18, 2026Avengers: Doomsday opens.
December 17, 2027Avengers: Secret Wars opens.

Is the MCU's Doctor Doom Tony Stark?

Marvel's cast list names Downey's character as Doctor Doom, Victor von Doom. Marvel has not said whether this Doom has any connection to Tony Stark, the role Downey played from 2008 to 2019, and this page will not guess. In the comics, Doom and Iron Man have been rivals since 1981, and Doom even wore the Iron Man name for a year: see Doctor Doom vs. Iron Man.

Doom on film before the MCU

Three actors played Doom before Downey: Joseph Culp in the unreleased The Fantastic Four (1994), Julian McMahon in Fantastic Four (2005) and Rise of the Silver Surfer (2007), and Toby Kebbell in Fantastic Four (2015). Our article on who plays Doctor Doom ranks them all.

Which Doom are we getting?

Nobody outside Marvel knows yet. The comics offer plenty of possibilities: the monarch of Latveria, the sorcerer, the man who stole the Beyonders' power and ruled the world as God Emperor Doom. Our Avengers: Doomsday hub tracks everything confirmed, and Secret Wars explained covers the comics the next film shares its name with.

Questions and answers

Is Doctor Doom in the MCU yet?

Not in a full appearance. A cloaked figure, face unseen, appears in the mid-credits scene of The Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025); Doom's full debut is Avengers: Doomsday (December 18, 2026).

Who plays Doctor Doom in the MCU?

Robert Downey Jr., announced at San Diego Comic-Con in July 2024.

Was Doctor Doom in Fantastic Four: First Steps?

Only as a tease: the mid-credits scene shows a cloaked figure beside Franklin Richards without showing his face.

Is the MCU's Doctor Doom Tony Stark?

Marvel has not said. Its cast list names Downey's character as Doctor Doom, Victor von Doom.

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