6 Minutes
Hook: A chilling mid-credits thread that could reshape the MCU
When The Fantastic Four: First Steps rolled its mid-credits scene, Marvel Studios quietly dropped one of the most consequential teases for the MCU: Victor Von Doom interacting with young Franklin Richards. A fresh industry report now expands that tease into a plausible spine for Avengers: Doomsday, explaining why Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom would pursue a child with universe-altering powers — and how that chase could drive the next big crossover event.
Plot summary: Incursions, a child prodigy, and Doom’s self-styled crusade
According to reporting from an industry insider, Doctor Doom’s objective in Avengers: Doomsday centers on the so-called "incursions" — catastrophic cross-universal collisions that threaten the Multiverse. Doom sees these incursions as an existential threat and believes the only way to halt or heal them is through the unique reality-warping abilities of Franklin Richards.
Franklin Richards’ role
Despite his age, Franklin is reportedly crucial to Doom’s plan. In the comics, Franklin has restored fractured realities after incursions; in the MCU, Doom appears intent on harnessing that same power. But this is not a simple rescue mission: Doom frames himself as a savior, willing to manipulate and dominate so that his rule — and worship — spans repaired universes.
How Doctor Doom plans to stop multiversal incursions
The report suggests Doom will attempt to use Franklin to stitch the Multiverse back together, or at least prevent further incursions. That makes Franklin less a passive McGuffin and more the keystone around which Doomsday’s moral and ethical conflicts will pivot. Expect scenes that juxtapose Doom’s god-complex with Franklin’s innocence, and sequences that test the limits of MCU-level visual effects as universes collide and mend.
Cast and crew: Who’s involved and what we know
Robert Downey Jr. is reportedly attached to portray Doctor Doom, and the film is shaping up to be a marquee ensemble similar in scale to previous Avengers crossovers. Marvel Studios has already confirmed a sizable main cast spanning franchises and decades, though full casting remains under wraps. The Fantastic Four mid-credits cameo tied Doctor Doom directly into the broader MCU and introduced the child actor who plays Franklin Richards — a small figure with outsized narrative importance.
Loki’s likely cameo and crossover potential
Because the story is so entangled with the Multiverse, Loki — the God of Stories — is almost guaranteed to cross paths with Doom. Loki’s evolution into a powerful, mythic figure in the MCU makes him a natural foil to Doom’s authoritarian mission. If Doom manages to control Franklin, even Loki could find himself outmatched, setting up tense character dynamics and a clash of motives that will appeal to fans of complex villain-led narratives.
Production details and release schedule
Avengers: Doomsday is currently in production and is scheduled to open on December 18, 2026. Given the film’s ambition — a stacked cast, heavy VFX demands, and a story that must bridge multiple MCU timelines — filming and post-production are expected to be extensive. Marvel Studios will need to balance large-scale spectacle with the intimate emotional core that Franklin’s presence demands, which could mean extended reshoots, elaborate effects work, and a tightly coordinated marketing rollout.
Critical reception: Expectations and pitfalls
Critics and fans will inevitably measure Doom’s arc against past MCU antagonists — particularly Thanos in Avengers: Infinity War — because the report frames Doom as a villain who believes he is the hero of his own story. That comparison raises high expectations: if the film leans into Doom’s complexity and sells his perceived nobility while holding up the ethical cost of his methods, it could become one of the MCU’s most philosophically charged entries. Conversely, if it reduces Franklin to a mere plot device, audiences may push back against the emotional stakes.
Personal take: Why this could be the MCU’s boldest gamble yet
From a storytelling perspective, centering a film about a child whose power can rewrite reality is a bold move. It forces writers and directors to grapple with power, agency, and the responsibility of heroes — and villains — on a scale few superhero movies attempt. If Marvel commits to exploring Doom’s motives as a distorted form of heroism while protecting Franklin as a character with agency, Avengers: Doomsday could deliver one of the franchise’s most memorable moral dramas.
Final thoughts
The idea that Doctor Doom would covet Franklin Richards to stop multiversal incursions is both frightening and narratively rich. This setup promises blockbuster spectacle — timelines collapsing, reality-bending rescues — and a character study of a villain convinced he’s saving everything by any means necessary. As production continues and more cast and crew information emerges, fans should watch for how Marvel balances spectacle with heart: the fate of the Multiverse may hinge on a child’s imagination and a dictator’s delusion of grandeur.
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