The MCU Finally Drops Its First Hint at Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom — And It’s Not in the 'Fantastic Four' Post-Credits

Fans have been waiting, speculating, and dreaming up multiverse theories — even whispering about secret shoots with Robert Downey Jr. — and now it’s finally happened: Doctor Doom’s name has officially cropped up in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Not in flashing neon lights, mind you, but subtly, hidden between the lines.

It all began with an innocuous in-universe ad featured in Fantastic Four: First Steps, where viewers were offhandedly encouraged to order a HERBIE home robot. Nothing remarkable? Think again. The description of this little bot includes a feature called "Doom Detection." This marks the first official nod to Victor von Doom since Marvel cast Downey Jr. in the role.

Writers swear it’s merely an Easter egg, and director Matt Shakman has tried to calm fans, promising there’s no Doom in his film. But leaks from private screenings paint a more tantalising picture.

According to insiders on X, one post-credits scene reportedly shows Sue Storm stumbling upon Doctor Doom — mask in hand — near her son Franklin. His face isn’t revealed, but the costume is said to be a perfect match to the comics.

Officially, nothing’s confirmed, but fans are convinced Doom will appear somewhere, no matter how cleverly Shakman hides him. After all, Marvel loves a sneaky post-credits tease — remember, the Thunderbolts tag was handed off to the Russo brothers. Technically, that would mean Doom popping up at the very end of Fantastic Four wouldn’t count as part of Shakman’s film at all. Cheeky, isn’t it?

Either way, all this is clearly setting the stage for Avengers: Judgement Day, where Doom is rumoured to become the next colossal headache for our surviving heroes.