Overview

• Robert Downey Jr. made an uncredited mid-credits appearance as Doctor Doom, confirming his MCU comeback in The Fantastic Four: First Steps.
• The cameo showcases Doom’s trademark facial scarring alongside a traditional metal suit, signaling Marvel’s choice of practical armor over nanotechnology.
• Avengers: Doomsday is now in production under directors Anthony and Joe Russo, with Downey actively contributing to the character’s development.
• Fan speculation—highlighted by a Reddit theory—posits that Doom could be a Tony Stark variant scarred by wielding the Infinity Stones, but Marvel has offered no official confirmation.
• Casting Downey as Doom reframes his Iron Man legacy and cements the villain’s role as Phase Six’s primary antagonist en route to Avengers: Secret Wars.