Kevin Feige Says Doctor Doom’s MCU Debut Isn’t Any More Rushed Than Thanos, but Fans Disagree
Marvel Studios made a huge splash during its Hall H presentation at San Diego Comic-Con, delivering one surprise after another.
Fans got confirmation that Ryan Gosling is stepping into the role of Ghost Rider, David Jonsson has been cast as the new Black Panther, and attendees were treated to explosive new footage from Spider-Man: Brand New Day and Avengers: Doomsday.
Out of everything shown, the Avengers: Doomsday footage generated some of the biggest reactions.
The trailer puts Robert Downey Jr.‘s Doctor Doom front and center, giving audiences their best look yet at the villain’s incredible power.
It’s clearly designed to sell Doom as the MCU’s next major threat after months of debate from fans who feel Marvel is introducing him far too late in the Multiverse Saga.
Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige has heard those complaints, and during Comic-Con press interviews, he pushed back on the idea that Doctor Doom’s arrival is any more rushed than Thanos’ was.
Speaking with Brandon Davis, Feige argued that fans have built up the memory of Thanos’ introduction into something much bigger than what actually happened on screen.
“The Thanos ‘buildup’ has built up in people’s heads over the years. He sat on a chair at the end. He put on a gauntlet and said, ‘I’ll do it myself.’ And he yelled at Ronin on a video screen briefly. And that was kind of it.
“And I remember the memes, making fun of Thanos for just sitting on a chair, and ‘All he does is sit on a chair!’ and there was a Twitter feed about him at the time, updating every day: ‘I’m still sitting in my chair!’
“And when we got to Infinity War, we said, ‘This is really the introduction of Thanos to people,’ that’s how that movie was built. That’s what we’re doing with Doom; Doomsday is the introduction and the story of Doom.
“You peel the onion, you learn things about him as you go, and it is very much meant for audiences that know and love him from the comics, and audiences who have no clue who he is. Yet.”
Feige isn’t wrong about one thing. Thanos didn’t dominate the Infinity Saga before Avengers: Infinity War.
His appearances were brief, and for years the internet joked that Marvel’s biggest villain spent most of his time sitting in a chair waiting for his moment.
But that’s also where many fans think the comparison falls apart.
Even though Thanos rarely appeared, his influence could be felt across multiple movies. The Infinity Stones became the connective tissue linking the saga together.
Guardians of the Galaxy explored his relationship with Gamora. Drax’s quest for revenge tied directly into him. Loki’s invasion of Earth, the destruction of Asgard, and the fallout of Captain America: Civil War all helped raise the stakes that eventually exploded in Infinity War.
Doctor Doom, on the other hand, hasn’t had that kind of presence. He hasn’t been lurking in the background or influencing events across previous MCU films.
For many viewers, he’ll arrive in Avengers: Doomsday as a completely new character, which makes the comparison to Thanos feel like a stretch.
One fan summed up that argument online, saying: “How does he misunderstand the mcu this badly? The thanos buildup wasnt about seeing him, but the dynamics and events that set the stakes of Infinity War: gamora’s relationship, draxs revenge, the Infinity stones being in EVERY movie, Civil War, asgard destroyed, lokis invasion…”
Of course, there’s another issue that many fans feel can’t be ignored. The Kang-sized elephant in the room.
Before Marvel shifted gears, Jonathan Majors’ Kang the Conqueror was clearly positioned as the Multiverse Saga’s central villain.
Multiple projects were building toward that confrontation, and Avengers: The Kang Dynasty was originally the next Avengers film before Marvel pivoted to Avengers: Doomsday with Doctor Doom.
That leaves one lingering question. How will the MCU explain Kang suddenly disappearing while Doom steps in to become the franchise’s biggest threat?
At this point, Marvel hasn’t offered any answers, and fans recognize Doom wasn’t the original destination. Another fan didn’t hold back, posting:
“Omg just come out and admit you didn’t wanna do the simple thing which was just recasting KANG and you were desperate to not take another L. Phase 4/5 were mid at best SO you begged RDJ to save u by driving truck loads of money and perks to his front door.”
Whether fans agree with Feige or not, Avengers: Doomsday now carries the enormous responsibility of introducing one of Marvel’s greatest villains while also convincing audiences he belongs at the center of the Multiverse Saga.
If the Comic-Con footage is any indication, Marvel is going all-in on making Doctor Doom feel like an unstoppable force.
Now it’s up to the movie to prove that all of this can come together in a satisfying way when Avengers: Doomsday arrives in theaters, including Infinity Vision screenings, on December 18.