Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark in Avengers: Endgame and Doctor Doom in the comics

Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom will reportedly debut in The Fantastic Four: First Steps. For the first time since 2019’s Avengers: Endgame, Downey will come back to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. RDJ has been cast as Doctor Doom, with the character set to play a major role in the next two Avengers movies, Doomsday and Secret Wars. However, the villain will reportedly debut in one of Marvel’s biggest 2025 movies.

According to The InSneider, Downey’s Doctor Doom will be introduced to the MCU in the mid/post-credits sequence in The Fantastic Four: First Steps. The report also reveals that the original info the outlet received was that RDJ’s character, who was described as Victor von Doom by Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars directors the Russo Brothers at San Diego Comic-Con, would be a multiverse variant of Tony Stark, though that might not be the case. Downey will reportedly make $50 million per movie, not counting back-end deals. The move would be massive for The Fantastic Four: First Steps‘ story.

How The Fantastic Four: First Steps Can Set Up RDJ’s Doctor Doom

The MCU Movie’s Setting Could Explain It

Pedro Pascal looking serious in Gladiator 2

While Marvel Studios still has to say it, it is all but confirmed that The Fantastic Four: First Steps will take place not just in the past but in a different universe. Elements like official concept art from the movie showing a retro-futuristic New York and more, the first teaser for the Fantastic Four reboot confirming the 1960s retro-futuristic aesthetic, and casting have teased that the movie takes place in an alternate universe, with the Fantastic Four possibly coming to Earth-616 by the end of the film.

With The Fantastic Four: First Steps likely taking place in a different universe and Ralph Ineson’s Galactus being the film’s main villain, there is a clear story that could be in play. The heroes could spend the movie trying to stop Galactus from coming to Earth and consuming their home. However, by the end of the movie, the team either realizes it has to escape and goes to Earth-616 — the main MCU — or Reed Richards and the others are brought to the MCU by an entity like the Watcher.

RDJ’s Doctor Doom could then come from the Fantastic Four’s universe. As Galactus is the main villain of The Fantastic Four: First Steps and Doom has appeared in all of the team’s live-action films to date, it would make sense for the character to appear in his reported post-credits scene role. Doctor Doom could stay behind to watch his Earth get devoured by Galactus as the Fantastic Four escape. This would lead to Doom blaming Reed Richards and the others for the destruction of his home, which could culminate in RDJ’s Doctor Doom multiversal journey that starts in Avengers: Doomsday.