Marvel Studios gave fans the first look at Fantastic Four big bad Doctor Doom.
Doctor Doom is one of the most highly-anticipated villains in Marvel Studios history. Fans look forward to his live-action introduction in 2025's The Fantastic Four.
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier even offered a small tease for Doom's homeland in the MCU, with his Multiverse Saga arrival causing quite a stir after his rights transferred to Disney.
X-Men '97 Shows Doctor Doom Design
Episode 8 of X-Men '97 on Disney+ delivered the first-ever appearance of Fantastic Four villain Victor von Doom under Marvel Studios' watch.
Doctor Doom appeared during Bastion's meeting with multiple classic Marvel villains as Bastion held Magneto hostage and collared with his powers suppressed.
The character only had one line, as he told Bastion, "Do not mistake Doom's collusion as indifference to flagrant war crimes."
Portrayed by longtime MCU veteran Ross Marquand, Doom was listed in the credits as "Latverian OZT Member," offering a nod to Doom's home nation of Latveria. Even without his official name credited, there is no question that this character is the one and only Victor Von Doom.
Doom previously appeared in a major role in the animated Fantastic Four series that ran in 1994, and he also showed up in Spider-Man and The Incredible Hulk.
As referenced by Spider-Man's recent cameo in X-Men '97, these shows all share the same continuity with X-Men: The Animated Series.
How Big Will Doctor Doom's MCU Role Be?
Unfortunately, while Doom is expected to appear in 2025's The Fantastic Four, his role is expected to be minor for his live-action Marvel Studios debut.
Thankfully, that should not be much of a deterrence for his place in the greater MCU moving forward.
This is especially true as Multiverse Saga big bad Kang the Conqueror's role will likely be reworked into something different after actor Jonathan Majors' assault conviction and arrest (see more about his firing here).
In light of that controversy, Doom may even be in line to replace Kang as the Saga's biggest antagonist, meaning he'll be in for plenty of screentime and action following next year's Fantastic Four movie.
For now, rumors hint that Doom will be set up more subtly in The Fantastic Four while still being an important character, as Galactus likely embraces the lead villain role.
However, after his inclusion in X-Men '97, Doom's stock in Marvel Studios' future should continue to rise.
The first eight episodes of X-Men '97 are available to stream on Disney+. The Fantastic Four will debut in theaters on July 25, 2025.
Read more about Doctor Doom below:
New Fantastic Four 2025 Movie Cast: Every Actor & Character Set to Appear (Confirmed & Reported)
Marvel Studios Could Be Setting up Doctor Doom's MCU Introduction With Rumored New Character
MCU Theory Reveals Doctor Doom's Major Role In Avengers 6: Secret Wars
