Summary

• Doctor Doom may have been in the MCU all along, as proposed by a major The Fantastic Four theory.
• The film could feature both Galactus and Doctor Doom, fitting into a potential storyline of incursions and cosmic destruction.
• The MCU could benefit from introducing Doctor Doom as the next main antagonist, paving the way for Avengers: Secret Wars in 2027.

A new The Fantastic Four's cast does not include Doctor Doom at the moment, the character can never be discarded.

Adding to that, Doctor Doom has appeared in The Fantastic Four's story might secretly include Doctor Doom for a major Multiverse Saga reveal, and it would change MCU history in an interesting way.

The Fantastic Four Theory: Doctor Doom Will Destroy Another Universe

Doom Has Been In The MCU All This Time

The MCU is gearing up for the arrival of some of the biggest movies in the Multiverse Saga thus far, and after this year's Deadpool & Wolverine — which is a bona fide multiverse event — 2025's The Fantastic Four is the next major film that could be related to the multiverse. The film is rumored to take place in an alternate universe, which would mean that Pedro Pascal's Reed Richards and the rest of the Fantastic Four are not part of the MCU's Earth-616. However, a new The Fantastic Four theory claims Doctor Doom has been in the MCU.

According to the MCU theory shared on Reddit by Cidwill, the Fantastic Four and Doctor Doom would come from different universes, with Victor von Doom having always been in the MCU's Earth-616. Doctor Doom would be revealed to have a major role in the Multiverse Saga, with the villain being responsible for protecting the MCU's main Earth from incursions. Incursions are events where two universes collide and one or both are destroyed, being introduced in the MCU in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Doctor Doom would have been destroying the other universes as incursions with Earth-616 occurred.

The Fantastic Four theory proposes that the team's universe and Earth-616 would come together in an incursion, which would see the Fantastic Four and Doctor Doom meet for the first time. Doom and Reed Richards would attempt to work together to find a solution, but the villain would turn on him and destroy the Fantastic Four's universe. That would lead to the team and a handful of other characters finding refuge in the MCU, setting up their role among other heroes, and the start of Reed's major rivalry with Doctor Doom.

How Galactus Would Fit In The Fantastic Four If Doctor Doom Plays A Big Role

The Devourer Of Worlds Is Confirmed For The MCU Movie

If The Fantastic Four theory were to come true, then it would certainly impact what has been revealed of the film so far. For now, Doctor Doom has yet to be confirmed as part of the MCU's Fantastic Four reboot. Ralph Ineson has been cast as Galactus, with the character reportedly serving as the film's main villain. As The Fantastic Four theory proposes that Doctor Doom would have a major role to play in the movie, that directly clashes with reports about Galactus' role. However, there is still a way for both to work together in the film.

Doctor Doom could be the one to make Galactus come to the Fantastic Four's Earth. In order to destroy the team's Earth and save the MCU's Earth-616 in a possible incursion, Doom could use an energy source to lure Galactus in the direction of the Fantastic Four's Earth. This way, the cosmic being would devour the team's world and open the door for the Fantastic Four to escape onto Earth-616. There are also theories that Galactus could receive a power boost in the MCU, eating universes instead of just planets, which would fit Doctor Doom's possible plan.

Every Clue The Fantastic Four Takes Place In Another Universe Explained

There Are A Few Teases

The actual plot of The Fantastic Four has yet to be revealed. That said, Marvel has released plenty of teases about the movie's setting, serving as fuel to theories that the team will come from an alternate universe. When revealing The Fantastic Four's core cast, Marvel Studios released official concept art of Pedro Pascal's Reed Richards and the rest of the team with their suits. The aesthetic of the piece and details like the newspaper The Thing read heavily hint at the movie taking place in the 1960s. Another official concept art further teased that direction.

The Fantastic Four's Human Torch poster showed the skyline of a retro-futuristic city that would not be possible to exist in Earth-616's past. Adding to that, Julia Garner has been cast as the Shalla-Bal version of Silver Surfer. Since the character comes from the Earth X comics run, Marvel could be saving the main Silver Surfer, Norrin Radd, for a future Fantastic Four film in the main MCU. Coming from another universe would also explain where the Fantastic Four have been more easily, with the team not choosing to avoid major MCU events like Thanos' crusade.

Why The MCU Needs To Introduce Doctor Doom As Soon As Possible

Avengers: Secret Wars Is Coming

Following the firing of Kang the Conqueror actor Jonathan Majors, the MCU is currently without a main villain for the Multiverse Saga. While a new actor could be cast as Kang — or multiple as him and his variants from the Council of Kangs — there is a chance that Marvel could pivot to another major villain. Doctor Doom emerges as the next best possible option to serve as the main antagonist of the Multiverse Saga, and a debut in The Fantastic Four would get him ready for a role in 2027's Avengers: Secret Wars.

In the comics, Doctor Doom was incredibly important to the story of both major Secret Wars events. The MCU could repeat that, making the villain the major threat to the entire MCU that he is to the Marvel universe in the comics. The Fantastic Four theory would establish Doctor Doom as a player with multiverse knowledge who has the necessary experience and power to take control of the MCU's Multiverse Saga and lead to the creation of Battleworld and the rumored MCU reboot, just like what happened in 2015's Marvel Comics Secret Wars event.