Robert Downey Jr. revealed himself as Doctor Doom during a surprise appearance at San Diego Comic-Con 2024. Photo: Getty Images for Disney
A major surprise in The Fantastic Four: First Steps has fans talking. A mid-credit scene shows a mysterious figure kneeling before little Franklin Richards. He wears a green cloak and hood, holding a metal mask. It’s clear—Doctor Doom has arrived. But where did he come from? And what does he want with Franklin?
Doom says nothing, but his sudden appearance raises big questions. Franklin is Reed Richards and Sue Storm’s son. He's shown to have special powers, and Doom clearly knows that. Some believe Doom wants to use Franklin’s cosmic power for something dangerous.
Is Doom from Another Universe?
The Fantastic Four live in Earth-828. That’s a different world from the main MCU setting, Earth-616. It’s still unclear if this Doom is from 828 or another universe. He might’ve traveled through a portal to find Franklin. The scene offers no answers, just mystery.
We know Latveria exists in this world. That’s Doom’s usual home in the comics. But he’s not mentioned by name, unlike other villains in the movie. Maybe Doom is still rising to power. Or maybe this version of him is from a different reality entirely.
What About That Other Scene?
There’s also a post-credits scene from Thunderbolts that shows the Fantastic Four’s ship flying toward Earth-616. But First Steps never shows the team leaving their own world. That tease still hasn’t been explained. It looks like Marvel is saving that twist for a future movie.
So far, First Steps keeps its action grounded in one universe. Even with Doom’s arrival, the characters stay in Earth-828. It’s a slow build toward something bigger—Avengers: Doomsday.
How This Connects to Doomsday
Marvel has confirmed some details about Avengers: Doomsday. The movie hits theaters in December 2026. It brings back the Russo brothers as directors. Robert Downey Jr. leads a massive cast. This includes the Fantastic Four, the New Avengers, X-Men from past movies, and more.
Photos from the set are leaking. One shows The Thing with U.S. Agent on a spaceship. It looks like Marvel is mixing many characters from different stories.
Fans believe Doctor Doom will be the main villain. He might try to reshape the multiverse using Franklin’s powers. This could lead to something like “Battleworld,” a single world made from many universes. That idea comes from Marvel comics, especially the Secret Wars storyline.
What’s the Big Theory?
Some fans even wonder if this version of Doom is a Tony Stark variant. That would explain Downey’s return in a new role. But Marvel is keeping that secret—at least for now.
A Fun Ending
After all the serious moments, the movie ends with a lighthearted scene. It shows a fake animated Fantastic Four cartoon. It’s made just for laughs, but fans loved the surprise. The cartoon comes after a tribute to comic legend Jack Kirby.
