Marvel Studios teased the importance of Reed Richards and Doctor Doom's rivalry by prominently highlighting it in an official Avengers: Doomsday merchandise. The Fantastic Four: First Steps didn't really explore the dynamic between Pedro Pascal's Reed Richards and Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom, since the latter was absent from the main portion of the film. Doomsday will look to rectify that by focusing on Reed and Doom's friendship-turned-rivalry. A July 2026 report from insider Daniel Richtman claimed that Reed Richards and Sue Storm won't view Victor Von Doom as an enemy in Avengers: Doomsday, considering that they've known him for years prior to the events of the upcoming MCU crossover. The fact that Reed and Doom already share a history makes the pivotal clash in Doomsday more heartbreaking.
As part of the promotional wave for the 2026 MCU crossover ahead of its December 18 release date, Marvel Studios revealed an official new Avengers: Doomsday Beyblade X merch tied to the film, pitting Pedro Pascal's Reed Richards and Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom against each other.
This piece of official Doomsday merchandise strongly hints that a clash between the two former friends is inevitable in the film, a moment already teased in the "Special Look" trailer.
In the said trailer, Reed confronted Doom amid the wreckage of a seemingly destroyed Earth, demanding to know whether Victor is responsible. Doom didn't deny any of it, completing his heel turn in Avengers: Doomsday as he targets the heroes whom he claimed to have lived stolen lives.
This moment between Pedro Pascal's Reed Richards and Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom is being framed as the first public fracture in their friendship, setting the stage for Doom to unleash his evil plans for the Multiverse and Franklin Richards, and dropping the act of being friendly toward the Fantastic Four.
Marketing for Avengers: Doomsday has clearly emphasized the importance of Reed Richards and the Fantastic Four in the upcoming Multiverse-heavy story. Sideshow and Beast Kingdom placed Mister Fantastic as one of the three-inch chibi figures for Doomsday, showcasing him in a lineup alongside Thor, Cyclops, Bucky Barnes, Gambit, and Doctor Doom.
The Reed Richards mini-figure features his classic Fantastic Four costume from The Fantastic Four: First Steps, captured in a dynamic mid-battle pose. It also has the "Chibi-fied" look of Pedro Pascal.
BoxLunch also revealed its exclusive lineup of Avengers: Doomsday enamel pins in blind box packaging. One of the designs features Ben Grimm in his Fantastic Four uniform, seemingly prepared for battle. Other designs included in the lineup highlighted Yelena Belova, Beast, Sam Wilson, and Doctor Doom.
Avengers: Doomsday-inspired everyday essentials (courtesy of Cerda) gave fans a plethora of options, which include a wallet-and-keyring set, keychains, lanyards, stickers, and socks.
The Fantastic Four-related merch includes socks inspired by the team's suit designs and logo badges built around the team's "4" logo.
Aside from the fact that Marvel is selling Avengers: Doomsday as an ensemble collision, it clearly treats the Fantastic Four as an important piece in the Multiverse puzzle, which makes sense considering one of the movie's emotional cores revolves around Doom's betrayal of Reed's friendship.
Why Doctor Doom & Reed Richards' Rivalry Is the Key to Understanding Avengers: Doomsday
The clash between Pedro Pascal's Reed Richards and Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom in Avengers: Doomsday is philosophical as much as personal.
Both are brilliant scientists facing the massive weight of incursions and the looming destruction that came with them, and each approaches this conflict with a different strategy that defines who they are.
Reed treats the situation as a hero, wanting to preserve as many of the realities as he can. However, Doom, if the rumored backstory of losing his wife and child to incursions is true, has more firsthand experience with incursions, which explains why he wants to rebuild everything in his own twisted image in a Battleworld kind of setup. These two very different approaches are what make the clash so equally compelling and heartbreaking to see on-screen.
Avengers: Doomsday is poised to show how fractured friendships go too far when two men who once recognized each other's genius can no longer agree on what a life, or a universe, is worth keeping.
