It’s not clear when Doctor Doom will join the MCU, but Marvel can give their version of the villain a power he hasn’t had in any other movie.

Doctor Doom has appeared in other Marvel movies, but the MCU could be the first to give him a massive power upgrade. Doctor Doom is one of the most iconic villains from the Marvel Comics catalog, and his MCU debut is highly anticipated. The character is mainly associated with The Fantastic Four, but Doom has interacted with other Marvel heroes and is often a threat to all the Avengers. He has a sharp, scientific mind, but also possesses powers and magic that make him one of the most powerful villains in the Marvel universe.

The MCU wouldn’t be Doom’s first film appearance as he antagonized The Fantastic Four in 2005’s Fantastic Four, Rise of the Silver Surfer, and 2015’s Fantastic Four. While those movies included much of what makes him so intimidating, they left out a major part of his character that gives him significant power. The MCU could be the first to show him at his fullest potential, as one crucial aspect of his character aligns with something Marvel has done before.

No Fantastic Four Movie Has Ever Properly Shown Latveria

Latveria is a fictional country in the Marvel Universe, situated in Eastern Europe near Romania. In the comics, Victor Von Doom is born to a tribe of Latverian Romani people who are under the control of the Baron. After escaping and fleeing to the United States, he meets Reed Richards and masters his inventing and sorcery abilities. However, when one of his experiments fails, he is expelled and returns to Latveria, where he takes control of the country from the Baron, ruling Latveria with an iron fist.

Doom’s home country has been mentioned in previous Fantastic Four films, but it doesn’t go beyond just mentioning where the character is from. There isn’t much of an explanation of what Latveria is, nor Doom’s experience of his homeland. It’s an essential location in Marvel Comics that has led to plenty of conflict with not only The Fantastic Four, but also the U.S. government. Still, no Fantastic Four film has explored Latveria, but the MCU can finally break that trend.

The MCU Has Introduced Many Fictional Countries On Earth

The MCU has established an ever-expanding universe that introduces fictional planets and countries on Earth. Latveria would join several other fictional countries and cities in the MCU, such as Wakanda, Madripoor, Sokovia, and Talokan. Not only are these places mentioned, but they are also explored in depth. Wakanda has become a central location of the MCU thanks to Black Panther, and Sokovia and Talokan were involved in important conflicts. Madripoor was briefly explored in The Falcon & The Winter Soldier, but it could be important moving forward.

Similar to Wakanda and Talokan, Latveria could avoid the plot hole of its involvement in the world by suggesting that Doom has kept it hidden and out of the world’s affairs for generations. He may be planning some nefarious schemes in his country and doesn’t want other nations to find out about it. With The Fantastic Four’s return, they might know about Latveria based on past encounters with the country’s leader.

Doctor Doom Needs To Be More Than An Evil Scientist In The MCU

In his three film appearances, Victor Von Doom has been portrayed as an evil scientist who turns bad once he gains his powers. However, he is much more than that, as his leadership over Latveria shows he is a commanding force who knows how to dominate his foes through manipulation and sheer force. He also has the resources of an entire country at his disposal, giving him a level of wealth that many heroes don’t have. The MCU has the chance to make Doom more intimidating and prove why he is such a destructive force.

Additionally, Doom is a sorcerer, and the MCU can expand on that since Doctor Strange exists in this universe. So much untapped potential is in this villainous character, and Marvel has all the ingredients it needs to make him the best villain possible, especially since the studio may be moving on from Kang. Whether Marvel uses him as the villain for one film or chooses to make him the next central antagonist for the Avengers, the MCU can finally deliver the Doctor Doom that comic book readers have dreamed of.