The following post contains SPOILERS for The Fantastic Four: First Steps’ post-credits scnne.
One of the stars of The Fantastic Four: First Steps has confirmed that that mid-credits villain appearance is exactly who you think it is.
During a mid-credits scene at the end of the movie, Sue Storm is reading to her and Reed Richards’ son Franklin, now five years old, in their living room before she steps away to retrieve a different book. When she returns, she’s stunned to find a hooded figure kneeling in front of little Franklin and holding a strange silver mask. Before the scene cuts to black, Alan Silvestri’s “Doom?” theme plays.
Though his back is turned to the audience, and he doesn’t speak any lines during the scene, Sue Storm actress Vanessa Kirby confirmed that the man under the cloak is indeed Robert Downey Jr. in his first official appearance as Doctor Doom.
“Robert’s never not been on set. He’s always there. He is our leader. We call him our Godfather. He’s looked after us. It’s such a joy working with the Russos and him, because they’ve had such deep collaboration for so long,” Kirby told Variety about filming the brief but pivotal scene with Downey Jr.
“Doom is amazing. I mean, he’s Tony Stark meets Doctor Strange … the idea of magic and mysticism mixed with science and technology. He and Reed are two sides of the same coin. They’re both incredibly brilliant, but Doom also has vanity and hubris and all of this stuff,” First Steps director Matt Shakman previously described the iconic supervillain.
Robert Downey Jr.’s MCU Future as Doctor Doom
Robert Downey Jr.’s role as iconic Fantastic Four and Marvel villain Doctor Doom was first revealed during a San Diego Comic-Con panel in July 2024.
During the convention, the actor revealed he will play the villain in forthcoming MCU films, telling the crowd, “New mask, same task. What can I tell you? I like playing complicated characters.”
Downey Jr., who famously portrayed Tony Stark/Iron Man on screen in the Marvel Cinematic Universe between 2008 and 2019, will take up the Doctor Doom mantle in the upcoming films Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars.
READ MORE: Fantastic Four: First Steps: All the Coolest Marvel Easter Eggs
Directors Joe and Anthony Russo, who will helm both Doomsday and Secret Wars, and filmed First Steps’ mid-credits scene, confirmed earlier this year that Tony Stark’s death at the end of Avengers: Endgame will somehow tie into Doctor Doom’s story.
“We can’t explain that as it’s part of the story. But there’s nobody else in the world who could play this character the way he’s about to,” Anthony said when Time asked about how the superhero’s sacrificial death will connect to Downey Jr.’s role as Doctor Doom.
Avengers: Doomsday is set to hit theaters on December 18, 2026, with Avengers: Secret Wars scheduled to follow on December 17, 2025. The Fantastic Four will appear in both films, as will Downey Jr.’s highly anticipated Doctor Doom.
Superhero Movies That Reinvented Their Franchise
From gritty, Western-inspired superhero swan songs to campy, comedic spectacles, these comic book movies either reinvented or reinvigorated their film franchise.
Gallery Credit: Erica Russell
