Doctor Doom’s costume was finally revealed inThe Fantastic Four: First Steps, and its appearance tells us more about Robert Downey Jr.’s rendition of theMCU’s latest arch-villain. This is despite Doctor Doom only appearing for a matter of seconds in thepost-credits scene ofThe Fantastic Four: First Steps.
Doctor Doom’s brief cameo didn’t come as much of a surprise. Doctor Doom is traditionally the titular team’s arch-rival, and with filming forAvengers: Doomsdayalready underway, a brief appearance from the arch-villain was to be expected, despite Galactus being securely established as the main villain of the movie.
Thankfully, Marvel didn’t disappoint.Doom’s post-credits cameoarises four years after the mainevents ofThe Fantastic Four: First Steps, with Franklin Richards now being a toddler. As Sue Storm leaves Franklin for a moment to retrieve a book, she returns to find Doom, hunched over and hooded, revealing his face to Franklin as Franklin reaches out to touch it.
The wider circumstances of this appearance will surely be elaborated on inAvengers: Doomsday, which is slated for release on August 01, 2025. In the meantime, however, it is possible to answer a few questions about the MCU’s version of Doctor Doom and how Robert Downey Jr. will embody the role.
Doctor Doom Will Resemble His Classic Comic Look
Despite Doctor Doom’s appearance being both brief and largely uneventful, just the one shot is enough to confirm that Doctor Doom will embody a comics-accurate look in hisfuture MCU appearances. Although his face is obscured, two key items denote this:his green cloak and his silver mask.
In Marvel Comics, Doctor Doom’s most recognizable guise sees him sporting a green hooded cloakwith large gold fasteners on his chest. Beneath this cloak, Doom sports a full suit of armor and, perhaps his most iconic feature, a metal mask with a typically scowling expression forged into the facade.
From what hasbeen seen of RDJ’s Doctor Doom, he has so far ticked two comic-accurate boxes.The brighter shade of green of his cloak looks to be taken directly from the comic book page, and is devoid of added embellishments from behind. His mask, meanwhile, can be seen in his hand, though it is partially obscured.
It is unclear at this point whether RDJ’s Doom is wearing a full set of armorbeneath the cloak, however. He holds the mask with a gloved hand, though there appears to be a metal plating on the back. While Marvel Studios is keeping the finer details close to its chest, what little has been revealed looks positive.
Doctor Doom Will Not Wear An Iron Man Mask
The mask that Doctor Doom holds in his hand is half-obscured by the way that it is held. While the forehead and eyes are visible from Sue Storm’s perspective, the whole mask is yet to be revealed by Marvel Studios. Nevertheless, it’s safe to say thatthe mask will not be identical to Iron Man’s iconic look.
One of the most prolific concerns about Robert Downey Jr. portraying Doctor Doom is thatthe actor is so inexorably tied to Iron Man. RDJ is nowsynonymous with the MCUthanks to his portrayal of Tony Stark, and it is difficult to detach the actor from this iconic role.
This has led tothe prevailing theory thatthe MCU’s Doctor Doom will be an evil variant of Iron Manfrom the mainline MCU’s Earth-616. If that is the case, then Marvel Studios may be about to flout Doom’s somewhat sacrosanct origins as Victor Von Doom, ruler of Latveria, in favor of spotlighting Tony Stark again.
Doctor Doom’s unique mask, at least, suggests that this won’t be the case. Although there are parallels between Doctor Doom and Iron Man’s respective missions,this won’t mean that Doctor Doom’s mask will resemble Tony Stark’s with a re-appropriated function.
Doom’s mask is shaped with a rounded forehead, larger eyeholes, and a bridged nose, none of which resemble the Iron Man mask design. While this doesn’t mean that RDJ’s Doom is categorically not an Iron Man variant, it at least puts some distance between the two characters and helps to make Doom feel more distinct.
The MCU’s Doctor Doom May Make A Habit Of Removing His Mask
Another concern surrounding RDJ’s casting as Doctor Doom is thatit encourages Marvel Studios to flout one of Doom’s most defining characteristics from the comics: his refusal to remove his mask. This is due to Doom’s obsession with perfection, compelling him to keep his severely scarred face covered with a visage he wishes to project at all times.
Unfortunately, maintaining this facet of his character means hiding Robert Downey Jr.’s face at all times, which risks diminishing his star power. Instead,Marvel Studios may wish to capitalize on RDJ’s face being visible as much as possible, which would intuitively mean removing his maskat regular intervals.
DoctorDoom’s first-ever appearance in the MCUshows him doing exactly this. While his hood still obscures RDJ’s face, having him appear with his mask off feels like a statement of intent, suggesting that this is par for the course with RDJ’s Doctor Doom.
On the other hand,it is unclear why Doom has removed his mask for Franklin to touch his face. While it might be that Doom is encouraging the reality-warping mutant to heal his scars, this is currently purely speculative. Instead, Doom might permanently reaffix his mask moments after this interaction takes place.
Whatever the case, Doom’s debut inThe Fantastic Four: First Stepsstill answers some questions about the upcoming arch-villain. Now, it may only be a matter of time before his full appearance is finally unveiled as part of a marketing drive forAvengers: Doomsdaynext winter.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps
Cast
The Fantastic 4: First Steps features Marvel’s First Family navigating their dual roles as superheroes and family members in a 1960s-inspired, retro-futuristic world. They defend Earth from a formidable space god, Galactus, and his enigmatic Herald, Silver Surfer, testing their familial bonds and heroic resolve.
