A new Avengers: Doomsday rumor teased a tragic twist to why Doctor Doom needs the infant Franklin Richards in the upcoming film. Earth's Mightiest Heroes will have their hands full in the new Avengers movie, as they take on the villainous Doctor Doom, played by Robert Downey Jr. Not much is known about Doom's plan in the film, other than he will need the help of one Franklin Richards, as teased in the Fantastic Four: First Steps post-credits scene.
Downey's masked villain was caught nabbing the super-powered baby at the end of the Fantastic Four film, coming hot off the heels of Franklin showing off some of his epic superpowers in the movie's third act. Many had assumed the iconic comic book villain needed the gifted youngster because of his sheer power potential, but it may go even deeper than that.
Insider MyTimeToShineHello shared a new rumor on X, revealing yet another reason why Doctor Doom is coming after Franklin Richards in Avengers: Doomsday. According to the known scooper, Franklin reminds the Doomsday big bad of his own son.
This seems to tease that Doomsday may include a tragic backstory for its central villain, with him potentially losing his son for one reason or another.
In the comics, there is little history for Doom's wider family. The closest thing to a son the character has is longtime comic character Kristoff Vernard. Vernard is a Latverian orphan whom Doctor Doom adopts as his son and heir to the Latverian throne.
Kristoff eventually assumed the Doom moniker himself, being sent on a Doomsday-esque mission to kidnap Franklin Richards, so that Doom can use his immense powers to bargain for the soul of his mother, Cynthia. The Fantastic Four ultimately kill Kristoff as Victor Von Doom sneaks in and reclaims the Latverian throne, leaving his adopted son to die.
In Avengers: Doomsday, it seems as though Marvel Studios is adding even more tragedy to Doom's past (at least this particular Variant of Doom), perhaps giving him a son and a wife who have been tragically killed prior to the events of the movie.
Avengers: Doomsday will mark Doctor Doom's first proper MCU appearance, with former Iron Man actor, Robert Downey Jr., playing the beloved Marvel villain. The new MCU film from franchise veterans Joe and Anthony Russo will follow the Avengers, forced to team up with heroes from across multiple realities to take down Doom and his Multiversal plot. Doomsday is set to arrive in theaters on December 18, 2026.
What Could Marvel Be Hiding In Doctor Doom's Doomsday Story?
It is interesting to hear a mention of a son in relation to Doctor Doom in Avengers: Doomsday. There are several exciting directions the movie could take, and if this is the case, Franklin does, in fact, remind the villain of his son in some way.
Of course, there is always the chance that this is in reference to a new backstory for Doom in the upcoming film, adding a new layer to this Variant's already presumingly tragic backstory. With rumors that Downey's version of the character will bear significant scarring on his face, perhaps his son passed in whatever accident caused the big bad's brutal injuries.
However, what if Marvel Studios is getting fun with this version of Doom and bringing in a unique corner of the character's comic book history? This version of Doom could have been known as the villain for some time, with the Fantastic Four having already clashed with him several times.
Maybe one of these super-powered battles included Doom's adopted son, Kristoff Vernard. Marvel Studios could be working the angle in which this Kristoff has already come and gone by the time Doomsday comes along.
Or, given the popular story in which Kristoff steals away Franklin Richards, is there a chance that Downey's Doom is actually Kristoff (who, at one point, thinks he is Doctor Doom), and not Victor Von Doom at all?
That could be a fun yarn to weave for the character's first appearance in a Marvel Studios project, as it would make it super easy to explain away bringing in a new actor that did not look and sound like Downey to play the MCU Doctor Doom proper.
We know Downey is playing Doctor Doom, but nothing has been said about him being Victor Von Doom.
