Marvel theory speculates how Fantastic Four might go down – and gives Doctor Doom a fascinating backstory

(Image credit: Marvel Studios)

A Marvel fan theory has an intriguing idea for the Fantastic Four movie – and it involves legendary villain Doctor Doom.

Right now, there's no evidence that Doom will be in the movie, as the only cast members that've been announced make up the Fantastic Four themselves. Still, if Doom is going to be part of the story, this would be an interesting way to bring him in.

The Reddit theory begins by arguing that the movie is set in the 60s so no one expects the Avengers to appear, then suggests Reed Richards and Doom could be "friends or rivals who have a healthy respect for each other." It says Doom could have a softer side via a sweet relationship with his mother. When the big bad inevitably arrives, though, Reed could completely fail to deal with it – which could kill practically everyone, including Doom's mother. Then, the theory suggests, the Fantastic Four and Doom could get taken to the main MCU universe, with the 60s setting disguising the fact that the movie is part of the multiverse.

Fantastic four 60s plot twist from r/marvelstudios

This, the theory concludes, would establish why Doom hates Reed so much, make the big bad seem a true threat, and see Doom "as a complex character who truly believes only he can protect his own people and trusts no one else, while Reed needs to learn to trust others/his family after his massive failure."

It's a pretty compelling theory (Doom's mother was killed by Mephisto in the comics, which had a huge impact on him), and we could see something like this going down – if Doom is actually involved in the film, of course.

Reed Richards will be played by Pedro Pascal, while Susan Storm will be played by Vanessa Kirby, Johnny Storm by Joseph Quinn, and Ben Grimm (AKA the Thing) by Ebon Moss-Bachrach.

The Fantastic Four will arrive on July 25, 2025. In the meantime, check out our guide to all the upcoming Marvel movies and TV shows for everything else on the way.

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I'm the Deputy Entertainment Editor here at GamesRadar+, covering all things film and TV for the site's Total Film and SFX sections. I previously worked on the Disney magazines team at Immediate Media, and also wrote on the CBeebies, MEGA!, and Star Wars Galaxy titles after graduating with a BA in English.