4 Ways Fantastic Four: First Steps Sets Up Avengers: Doomsday

The road to Avengers: Doomsday just got more interesting after The Fantastic Four: First Steps.

By Sam Hargrave Posted:
Reed Richards, Doctor Doom, Sue Storm, Avengers Doomsday logo

The Fantastic Four: First Steps teased Avengers: Doomsday and Doctor Doom in four major ways. The MCU's Phase 6 has officially begun with The Fantastic Four: First Steps, introducing a new superhero team who will play a major role next year in Avengers: Doomsday. The much-anticipated Avengers 5 will pit heroes from across the Marvel Multiverse against the Fantastic Four's arch-rival, Doctor Doom, curiously played by former Iron Man actor Robert Downey Jr. 

Leading up to The Fantastic Four: First Steps, there were rumors that Downey Jr. would play a role as Doctor Doom ahead of Avengers 5. Unfortunately, this didn't really prove true as the MCU's next big bad only appeared briefly in the mid-credit scene, where the Oscar-winner's face was never actually shown. Doctor Doom will still make his true MCU debut next December in Doomsday before returning one year later for Secret Wars to close out the Multiverse Saga. 

How The Fantastic Four Teases Avengers: Doomsday & Doctor Doom

Introducing the MCU's Doctor Doom

Robert Downey Jr, Doctor Doom
Marvel

The Fantastic Four: First Steps offered Doctor Doom's first appearance ahead of Avengers: Doomsday in the mid-credit scene. Robert Downey Jr.'s MCU villain is sporting a simplistic, dark green cloak with his iconic shiny mask, arguably matching the more bare bones aesthetic of Earth-828's superheroes.

Unsurprisingly, The Fantastic Four's mid-credit scene was shot by the Russo Brothers on the set of Avengers: Doomsday. The credits fail to confirm whether Robert Downey Jr. was actually under that cloak for the shot (more on that later), but it's easy to imagine it may be a body double instead.

The Fantastic Four seems to confirm what fans have suspected all along, being that Avengers: Doomsday's Victor von Doom hails from Earth-828 and the same corner of the Multiverse as MCU's newest heroes.

Not just that, Victor von Doom already seems to be ruling over Latveria based on the Eastern European nation's absence from the Future Foundation meeting, where Sue Storm was attempting to carve out a demilitarization charter.

Reed's Bridge Technology Could Go Multiversal

Fantastic Four 2025 Finally Reveals How Galactus Will Be Introduced - And  It's Disturbing
Marvel Studios

Thunderbolts*'s post-credit scene (which is also the first clip from Avengers: Doomsday) indicated the Fantastic Four are about to land on Earth-616. But, after The Fantastic Four, there is no evidence that Reed has discovered how to hop between universes to facilitate such a Multiversal trip.

Pedro Pascal's Smartest Man Alive is clearly well aware of as he explained to the kids in Fantastic Science with Mr. Fantastic class. While his current understanding seems to be more theoretical, one of his inventions in First Steps indicates it could become real very soon in time for Avengers 5.

One of Reed's most recent inventions in First Steps was the Bridge, which started by moving an egg across a room and later sent Galactus across the universe. That said, the Bridge has a very different purpose in Marvel Comics, allowing Reed to peer into other universes and, eventually, travel between them.

This could explain how the Fantastic Four make their way to Earth-616 as Reed evolves his teleporter into a universe-hopper. The Bridge may one day also facilitate the Council of Reeds as it does in Marvel Comics, with other Variants who have invented the same technology using it to communicate and solve problems.

Doctor Doom's Plans for Franklin Richards

Pedro Pascal's Reed Richards and Vanessa Kirby's Sue Storm with Franklin Richards in The Fantastic Four: First Steps
Marvel Studios

A suspicious four years after Galactus' attack on Earth-828, Doctor Doom looks to be enacting his own villainous plans in The Fantastic Four's mid-credit scene. While Sue briefly turned her back on Franklin to get a book, her all-powerful son was approached by Victor von Doom in the Baxter Building. 

It's unclear exactly what Franklin was doing to Doom as he touched his face in that moment, but it's easy to imagine the Avengers 5 villain may not be finished with the Fantastic Four's child. Perhaps Doctor Doom may have bigger plans with Franklin that will help him achieve dominion in Doomsday.

The rivalry between Reed Richards and Victor von Doom is infamous in Marvel Comics, and while there's no telling whether that already exists on Earth-828, the two are bound to have beef after Doom manipulated Franklin.

Explaining Robert Downey Jr.'s Doom Casting

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Marvel Studios

Interestingly, Doctor Doom did something rare to approach Franklin as he removed his mask while the god-like toddler held his face. The Fantastic Four's arch-nemesis famously has a disfigured face that he may have sought Franklin's help to heal, but this may have a deeper link to Avengers: Doomsday.

One has to wonder if Victor von Doom originally had a completely different face but sought Franklin's cosmic powers to transform him into Robert Downey Jr. This may be the beginning of an elaborate ploy to trick Earth-616's heroes into trusting him as they mistake him for their fallen friend, Tony Stark.

This could also be the key to the rumors that Doom will be recast after Avengers: Secret Wars, possibly to resume his original likeness for future stories where another, less expensive actor could take over from Downey Jr.

- In This Article: The Fantastic Four
Release Date
July 25, 2025
Platform
Theaters
Actors
- About The Author: Sam Hargrave
Sam Hargrave is the Associate Editor at The Direct. He joined the team as a gaming writer in 2020 before later expanding into writing for all areas of The Direct and taking on further responsibilities such as editorial tasks and image creation.