Thanks to some recent headlines, a Phase 6 debut for the Marvel villain Doctor Doom could be on the horizon in the MCU.
Dr. Victor Von Doom has been a long time coming in the super-powered franchise, as one of the most asked-for characters since the very beginning of Marvel Studios' big screen efforts.
While teases to the character have made it into recent films, it seemed as though fans would have to wait for Doom a bit longer, as the red brand has been setting up Jonathan Majors' Kang the Conqueror as the next Avengers-level big bad.
Doctor Doom Could Be Coming to MCU Phase 6
Following Jonathan Majors' recent firing from the MCU, speculation started swirling about a potential Doctor Doom introduction in Phase 6 of the storied cinematic universe.
For years, Majors' Kang the Conqueror looked as though he was being set up to carry the torch left by Josh Brolin's Thanos as the next major threat to shake the MCU.
However, the Loki actor was officially fired from the franchise after being found guilty of reckless assault and harassment.
This could potentially point to the Marvel Studios braintrust fast-tracking a Doctor Doom introduction into the MCU to fill the villainous void left by Kang.
According to a November 2023 report from Variety, as Majors remained embroiled in legal trouble, one of Marvel's plans - should the studio have been forced to pivot from the actor - was to bring in Victor Von Doom.
While some may think Marvel Studios will opt to simply recast Majors and continue on the Kang path. However, if that is the case, then the reported internal name-changing of Avengers: The Kang Dynasty to Avengers 5 would not make a whole lot of sense.
Marvel Comics recently made a major change to the Doom character on the page, potentially setting the character up for his MCU introduction.
There has been talk of Doom being present in the upcoming Fantastic Four movie (as a post-credit tease), so he may have already been in the plans for Marvel Studios. The Majors firing though could expedite the process, turning him from a potential villain down the line, into a much more imminent threat.
Who Could Play Doctor Doom?
If Doctor Doom is, in fact, already planned to appear in some capacity in the Fantastic Four movie, then the iconic Marvel villain may have already been cast.
However, if he has not and this is the direction Marvel is about to pivot to, Doctor Doom just became the hottest ticket casting call in Hollywood.
Given the whole Jonathan Majors fandango, Marvel Studios is going to want to make a splash with whatever it does to pick up the Kang-sized pieces. Coming off this controversy, it would not be all that surprising if Marvel goes big game hunting in a potential Doctor Doom casting call.
That means - if Doom is the next big thing headed to the MCU - no name is too big.
Actors who may have been out of the question before are not in contention. If it is going to cost the studio an arm and a leg, the MCU creative team will likely back the dump truck of cash up just to secure that perfect name.
When the idea of an MCU Doom comes up, a few names are common in those fan-casting conversations.
People like Cillian Murphy, Rami Malek, and Christoph Waltz are all actors who have been popular picks to take on the character, and they feel like natural fits especially given the circumstances.
