Something Big Is Coming: Robert Downey Jr. Sends Shockwaves Through MCU After Fantastic Four
You could feel it from the first minute. The Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025) didn’t open with a bang, but with a sense of unease. Something was coming. Something huge. It wasn’t the Silver Surfer or even Galactus that left fans speechless—it was what came after.
The real story? It was hiding in the shadows—and then it showed up as a certain metal mask and a familiar face.
Let’s break it down. Spoilers ahead!
A New Phase, A New Threat
Marvel Studios has officially kicked off Phase Six with First Steps, which hit theaters on July 25, 2025. This phase is the final stretch of the Multiverse Saga and will wrap up with Avengers: Secret Wars in 2027. But between now and then? A lot of chaos is brewing—especially with Avengers: Doomsday looming next year.
The MCU needed a new villain to lead the charge thanks to real-world shakeups and the departure of the Kang storyline. Enter Doctor Doom. And based on the mid-credits scene of First Steps, Doom isn’t just being teased—he’s already here.
It’s a pivot fans didn’t know they needed. We’re leaving behind time travel headaches and heading straight into multiversal, cosmic madness.
Where’s Everyone Else?
While Fantastic Four is the crown jewel, Marvel hasn’t forgotten its other heroes. The Thunderbolts are still inbound, and if Doom is rising, their morally gray team dynamic could spell trouble.
Thor, last seen venturing through space with his daughter Love, is due for a myth-heavy return, along with some other familiar faces. Spider-Man has gone quiet post-No Way Home (2021), but his next swing might take him into the heart of the Multiverse drama. And let’s not forget Ant-Man—after the chaos of Quantumania (2023), Scott Lang might be the only Avenger who’s seen just how deep the rabbit hole goes.
Doom’s shadow is creeping in, and no corner of the MCU is safe.
Fantastic Four: First Steps Breakdown
A Retro Twist on a Classic Team
Set in the alternate reality of Earth-828, the film introduces us to a sleek 1960s-inspired version of the Fantastic Four. Reed Richards (Pedro Pascal), Sue Storm (Vanessa Kirby), Johnny Storm (Joseph Quinn), and Ben Grimm (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) tackle their first significant threat as a team: the arrival of Galactus.
But this Galactus doesn’t want to eat the planet—he wants Franklin Richards, Sue and Reed’s unborn son, as his cosmic heir.
A Sacrifice, a Resurrection, and a Revelation
Reed builds a teleportation gate to trap Galactus, but things go sideways fast. Sue sacrifices herself to push Galactus through, and the Silver Surfer seals the deal by giving up her own life.
Or so we think.
In a stunning final act, Franklin is born with powers he doesn’t even understand yet—powers that allow him to resurrect his mother. The film ends with a tight-knit family reunited, but it’s clear Franklin isn’t just a baby. He’s something far more powerful.
Post-Credits Playfulness Meets Mid-Credit Shock
A Laugh Before the Storm
The post-credits scene offers a fun breather. A vintage-style animated sequence plays, echoing the Fantastic Four cartoon from the 1960s. It’s full of charm and catchphrases—“It’s clobberin’ time!” makes a glorious return—but offers no real clues for what’s next.
Doom Arrives… Quietly
The mid-credits scene is a different story.
We’re four years into the future. A toddler-aged Franklin Richards sits in the Baxter Building. A hooded figure steps out of the shadows and kneels, holding Doctor Doom’s metal mask.
Marvel confirmed what fans guessed immediately: it’s Robert Downey Jr. under that cloak.
That brief moment speaks volumes. This Doom wants Franklin. And he may not be from this universe.
Avengers: Doomsday Is Coming
Marvel has big plans for Doom, starting with Avengers: Doomsday, which drops December 18, 2026. The film, directed by the Russo brothers, will unite every major team—Avengers, X-Men, Fantastic Four, Wakandans, and possibly a few surprise Multiverse guests.
Rumors say Doom’s goal is to manipulate Franklin’s powers and reshape all of reality. If true, that leans heavily into the Secret Wars comic arc, which saw universes collide and collapse. Think Multiverse on steroids.
The wildest part? This Doom might be a variant of Tony Stark.
RDJ’s Not-So-Subtle Hint
Just days after First Steps hit theaters, Robert Downey Jr. stirred the pot with a post on Instagram. It featured a copy of West Coast Avengers #35, a comic involving Doom’s heir, Kristoff Vernard.
In another image, he’s chilling at home, listening to his son’s music—with the same comic sitting casually nearby.
Marvel fans don’t believe in coincidences.
It confirms that Downey is leaning into Doom lore—and possibly playing a version of the character tied to Stark’s legacy. A multiversal Tony who became Doom instead of Iron Man? Now that’s a twist worthy of Phase Six.
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So, What Does It All Mean?
Let’s break it down:
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The Fantastic Four: First Steps introduced Franklin Richards—a child with reality-shaping powers.
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The mid-credits scene confirmed Doctor Doom is watching, and Robert Downey Jr is playing him.
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Avengers: Doomsday will likely focus on Doom trying to control Franklin’s powers and rewrite the Multiverse.
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RDJ’s Instagram activity strongly hints at deeper comic inspiration, including Doom’s legacy and variants.
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This sets up the road to Secret Wars (2027), where all timelines, universes, and heroes are expected to collide.
Doom Is the Future
Forget Kang. Doctor Doom is here, and he’s not wasting time. The MCU is charging into its most complex and ambitious story yet—with a wildcard baby, a Tony Stark lookalike in a metal mask, and an entire Multiverse on the verge of collapse.
Robert Downey Jr. didn’t just return—he returned as the next great villain.
And now, all of Marvel is on a crash course with Doom.
