When Will Fans Get Their First Look at Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom?

Avengers: Doomsday is going to hit theaters later this year in a newly announced Infinity Vision, which, sure! Despite being the next big thing in the MCU, the hype has felt like it is merely simmering at this point. We’ve still got the better part of a year before the film drops, but that doesn’t mean that movie theater owners aren’t planning their schedules or wondering how their 2026 will shake out. So, they were greeted with a look at Robert Downey Jr.’s take on Doctor Doom last night at CinemaCon.

Not only did RDJ, the Russo Brothers, and Chris Evans show up to the event (according to THR), but a trailer was shown for the movie that teased lots of big crossover battles, like Gambit against Shang-Chi, and Florence Pugh against… Florence Pugh (thanks, Mystique). But the most exciting stuff sounds like the looks at old Doom, which include him going face-to-face with Thor and even managing to stop his hammer with his bare hands. Sounds like a universe-shattering antagonist to me!

But, when will fans get to lay their eyes on the man from (presumably) Latveria? According to the Russos, they already did if they saw Fantastic Four: The First Steps, as they claim that that was actually RDJ cloaked in a hood in the after-credits scene. I don’t buy that for a second, but it was a fun little tease and showed that they will likely try to make it a big deal when we first lay our eyes on him. So, does that mean we have to wait for a trailer or the next MCU movie (or both)?

Spider-Man: Brand New Day hits theaters on July 31, and not only looks like it will be a lot of fun, but also deeply connected to the MCU. Spidey will be joined by Bruce Banner, Frank Castle, the ninjas known as The Hand, and, potentially, a certain (presumably) soon-to-be former mayor. Some people even believe the MCU’s version of the X-Men will debut or at least be teased in the film (count me among said people). With all that going on, would adding Doctor Doom be too much? Maybe! But it makes the most sense.

Peter Parker didn’t really have an Uncle Ben to teach him in the MCU. We know he existed, and that Peter loved him, but that’s as far as their relationship is explored. Some of Ben’s qualities were given to Aunt May, but she still didn’t serve as much of a mentor. That role was given to Tony Stark/Iron Man, who later died in front of Peter after witnessing what he thought was Peter’s death. Now, no one in the MCU knows who Peter is, but what if a certain evil Doctor does and offers to help with whatever mutation problem Peter seems to be having?

Were some meeting to happen between the two of them, I don’t think it would happen until the credits, but reuniting them seems not only dramatically satisfying but necessary. It can’t be passed up. Especially given the chemistry between the two actors, something Downey has shown interest in from the beginning. If I were a betting man, I’d guess that we at the very least get another Doomsday trailer with Brand New Day. But, I’d also wager that we won’t really see the man until a Spidey post-credits scene. Whenever it happens, I’ll be seated.