Marvel just teased how Robert Downey Jr. will become MCU Doom, and it's horrifying

It seems that Marvel has teased how Robert Downey Jr. might become the infamous Doctor Doom in the MCU and it could be horrifying.

Earlier this year, it was revealed by Marvel and Disney that Robert Downey Jr. will be returning to the MCU, not as Iron Man but instead as Doctor Doom. It was a controversial announcement mostly due to how brilliantly Tony Stark was written in the Infinity Saga.

Check out the Avengers: Endgame trailer below!

At this time, we do not know how Doctor Doom will be introduced into the MCU, but seeds are likely to be planted in or just before the arrival of Fantastic Four: First Steps currently scheduled to release in cinemas on 25 July 2025 before Avengers: Doomsday in May 2026.

However, as mentioned by popular comic book author Deniz Camp on Twitter, he suggested that to understand the Doctor Doom that could feature in the MCU, we should check out The Ultimates to which the Nerdist takes a deepdive into an intriguing theory.

The Ultimates recently had a new series that began in June this year and centres around a villain known as the Maker, an evil multiverse version of Fantastic Four leader, Reed Richards. The Maker is hellbent on making Earth’s mightiest heroes into Earth’s mightiest villains.

In The Ultimates, Reed Richards becomes Doctor Doom after losing close family and friends. However, the Nerdist believes that the concept can be flipped in the MCU by making a multiverse version of Tony Stark corrupted by a manipulative Maker following the loss of Pepper Potts, which later transforms him into Doctor Doom.

The Nerdist even speculates that the Maker could still be played by a different version of Pedro Pascal’s Reed Richard in the MCU and a yet-to-be-revealed villain could be pulling Doctor Doom’s strings.

Of course, it’s mere hearsay at this time, but that doesn't allude to the fact that it’s always fun exploring fan theories related to the MCU.