The Fantastic Four: First Steps, released on July 25, 2025, has ushered Marvel’s First Family into the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) with a cosmic bang, setting the stage for seismic shifts in the Multiverse Saga. At the heart of this narrative is baby Franklin Richards, the son of Reed Richards and Sue Storm, whose godlike powers have drawn the attention of Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom. In a mid-credits scene that has sparked fervent speculation, Downey’s Doom makes a chilling debut, hinting at a pivotal role for Franklin in Avengers: Doomsday (2026) and beyond. Downey’s comments, shared via Instagram and interviews, suggest that Franklin’s abilities could reshape the MCU, while his own portrayal of Doom promises a faithful yet fresh take on the iconic villain.
Set on Earth-828, a distinct universe from the main MCU’s Earth-616, The Fantastic Four: First Steps introduces Reed Richards (Pedro Pascal), Sue Storm (Vanessa Kirby), Johnny Storm (Joseph Quinn), and Ben Grimm (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) as they battle Galactus (Ralph Ineson), who seeks Franklin as his successor due to the child’s Power Cosmic. This unlimited energy, capable of manipulating reality and matter, manifests dramatically when Franklin revives his mother Sue after she expends her powers defeating Galactus. The mid-credits scene, set four years later, shows Sue reading to Franklin in the Baxter Building. She steps away briefly, only to return and find a cloaked figure—Doctor Doom—kneeling beside Franklin, holding his iconic metal mask. Though Downey’s face isn’t shown, the scene, underscored by Alan Silvestri’s “Doom?” theme, confirms his presence, as reported by Variety.
Downey’s Instagram post, featuring West Coast Avengers #35 and his son Indio’s song “Change of Scenery,” offers cryptic clues about his role. The comic involves Kristoff Vernard, Doom’s adopted son, impersonating him, hinting that Downey’s Doom may seek to harness or even adopt Franklin to wield his powers for multiversal domination, echoing the 2015 Secret Wars storyline where Doom uses Molecule Man to create Battleworld. “Franklin’s power is the key to what’s coming,” Downey teased in a GamesRadar+ interview, suggesting that Doom’s interest in the child could drive Avengers: Doomsday, where the Fantastic Four, Avengers, and returning X-Men characters will confront him. Fans on X speculate that Doom’s interaction with Franklin, who touches his face, might heal his scars, aligning his appearance with Downey’s, though this remains unconfirmed.
The scene, directed by the Russo Brothers, ties directly to Avengers: Doomsday, as confirmed by director Matt Shakman to Entertainment Weekly. Shakman clarified that while Doom isn’t in the main plot, the Russos crafted the post-credits to bridge to the 2026 film, where Downey’s Doom will be the central villain. This strategic handoff underscores Franklin’s importance. In the comics, Franklin’s reality-warping abilities make him one of Marvel’s most powerful beings, capable of creating pocket dimensions. If the MCU follows this path, Doom may see Franklin as a tool to achieve godlike control over the multiverse, potentially replacing Molecule Man’s role in Secret Wars.
The Fantastic Four’s Earth-828 setting adds complexity. Latveria, Doom’s homeland, is referenced in the film, but it’s unclear if this Doom originates there or is a multiversal variant, possibly even a Tony Stark iteration, though Downey and the Russos have dismissed this theory, emphasizing a comic-faithful Victor von Doom. The Thunderbolts* post-credits scene, showing the Fantastic Four’s ship arriving on Earth-616, suggests they’ll pursue Doom after he kidnaps Franklin, setting up a personal stake in Doomsday.
Downey’s return has polarized fans. Some, as seen on X, are thrilled, with one user calling it “the perfect setup for Doom’s MCU arc.” Others worry about overshadowing the Fantastic Four’s debut. However, Downey’s commitment to studying Doom’s comic history, including Mark Waid’s “Unthinkable” arc where Doom traps Franklin in Hell, signals a nuanced performance blending science, sorcery, and menace. With Franklin’s cosmic powers and Doom’s ambitions, The Fantastic Four: First Steps plants seeds for a multiversal showdown that could redefine the MCU, making this family drama a cornerstone of Phase Six.
