The Fantastic Four: First Steps Director Claims Doctor Doom 'Not a Part of My Film' but Fans Aren't Convinced

The Fantastic Four: First Steps manager Matt Shakman has commented connected whether Robert Downey Jr's Doctor Doom volition marque an quality successful the upcoming movie, and seemingly confirmed the quality volition beryllium absent.

But Shakman's awkwardly-phrased effect has near fans doubting the director's words.

When asked astir Doom's beingness wrong The Fantastic Four: First Steps by Empire magazine, Shakman stated: "Doom is not a portion of my film, and truthful not a portion of my purview" (thanks, ComicBookMovie).

On the surface, this effect looks beauteous definitive. Doom is not portion of the movie Shakman made, and besides truthful not thing the manager tin discuss. But fans person been speedy to constituent towards the post-credit country added to Thunderbolts*/The New Avengers conscionable weeks earlier its motorboat — which wasn't technically a portion of the movie its manager made either.

Indeed, pre-production connected the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday (which decidedly does diagnostic Downey Jr's Doctor Doom) began with its directors, the Russo brothers, filming Thunderbolts' post-credits country that links that movie with The Fantastic Four.

As the run-up to Avengers: Doomsday continues, fans deliberation the Russo brothers whitethorn person done precisely the aforesaid happening with The Fantastic Four: First Steps, including a country revealing Doctor Doom to nexus it guardant into Doomsday.

Fans person besides pointed to the information that, successful the Marvel comics, Doom is simply a cardinal antagonist for the Fantastic Four, and successful peculiar its person Reed Richards. If Doom was to debut anywhere, the extremity of First Steps would beryllium fitting.

And past there's the information that, erstwhile faced with different confirming what would beryllium a immense reveal, Shakman is intelligibly constricted successful what helium tin say. Will Doom popular up? Whatever the film's manager whitethorn beryllium saying, it feels apt we'll person to hold until the film's July 25, 2025 motorboat day to find retired for certain.

Tom Phillips is IGN's News Editor. You tin scope Tom astatine [email protected] oregon find him connected Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social