While Doctor Doom is the superhero team’s most famous adversary, director Matt Shakman explains why he did not want to include him in The Fantastic Four: First Steps. After years of waiting, Marvel’s First Family is finally joining the MCU, and the team will be facing off against none other than Galactus and the Silver Surfer for their first outing. Doctor Doom will instead be the primary villain in the upcoming two Avengers films, Doomsday and Secret Wars. If Doom is the main villain of the culmination of the Multiverse Saga, why would they not introduce him in The Fantastic Four: First Steps?
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Shakman spoke about the film’s decision not to feature Doctor Doom in the upcoming MCU film. Shakman says the biggest factor was that all three previous Fantastic Four films centered on Doctor Doom. Trying to fit Doom and the team’s origin all into one film often had poor results. Since First Steps is skipping the team’s origin, they also decided to change up the formula and forgo the super-powered evil genius. Shakman said:
“Doom’s a great character, but he takes up a lot of air. Other film adaptations have done both an origin story and Doom. We’re doing neither, and that allows us to look at them from a fresh perspective.”
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In 1994’s unreleased Fantastic Four, Doctor Doom was played by Joseph Culp and was the central villain of the film. 2005’s Fantastic Four saw Julian McMahon step into the role of Doctor Doom, and he was integral to the titular team’s origin, getting his own set of powers in the same cosmic storm the heroes did. He was also reimagined from the ruler of his own country to a corporate CEO. The much-maligned 2015 Fantastic Four reboot had Toby Kebbell play Doctor Doom, a hacker who was also part of the Baxter Foundation and was tied into the team’s origin story. In the comics, Doctor Doom didn’t first appear until The Fantastic Four #5, and while he had a prior history with Reed Richards in college, he was not connected to them getting their powers.
Get Ready for ‘Doomsday’ in the Next ‘Avengers’ Film
Disney
While Doctor Doom won’t appear in The Fantastic Four: First Steps, he will soon join the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Robert Downey Jr. is set to play Doctor Doom in 2026’s Avengers: Doomsday and 2027’s Avengers: Secret Wars. With The Fantastic Four: First Steps currently being the only film slated for release before Doomsday, this does suggest that Doctor Doom might appear in the upcoming Fantastic Four film’s post-credit scene. It technically allows Doctor Doom to be in a Fantastic Four movie, leading directly into Avengers: Doomsday.
Doctor Doom is Marvel Comics’ greatest villain, so it certainly makes sense why they would want to make him the primary villain for the next two Avengers films. However, introducing him in Avengers: Doomsday also runs the risk of repeating the same mistakes the past Fantastic Four films made, as the movie will need to balance many other heroes. Doctor Doom has a rich history that would be enough to fill his own movie, and before the 20th Century Fox purchase by Disney, it almost was. The Russo brothers must now balance Doom’s story with many other heroes. It worked for Thanos in Avengers: Infinity War, but given the past three failed attempts at Doctor Doom, this depiction comes with far greater expectations.
Source: Entertainment Weekly
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