Kevin Feige just shut down the biggest complaint about Doctor Doom‘s MCU arrival. The Marvel Studios president explained why Avengers: Doomsday doesn’t need years of setup to deliver a compelling villain introduction.
Kevin Feige on why Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom could work without years of setup
Kevin Feige responded to fan criticism about Doctor Doom lacking sufficient setup ahead of Avengers: Doomsday. The Marvel Studios chief discussed the topic with The Brandon Davis Show following the studio’s San Diego Comic-Con Hall H panel. Robert Downey Jr. portrays Victor von Doom in the film, arriving in theaters on December 18.
Feige pushed back on the widespread notion that Thanos received significantly more groundwork before his Avengers debut. He argued that audiences have retroactively exaggerated the extent of the Mad Titan’s development. Feige explained, “The Thanos buildup has built up in people’s heads over the years. He sat on a chair at the end. He pulled a gauntlet out and said, ‘I’ll do it myself.’ And he yelled at Ronan on a video screen briefly, and that was kind of it.”
The producer also highlighted that fans once ridiculed Thanos for his limited screen time in earlier phases. He recalled, “I remember the memes making fun of Thanos for just sitting in a chair, and all he does is sit on a chair.” Josh Brolin’s villain only had fleeting cameos before Infinity War properly introduced him to general audiences.
Feige then drew a direct parallel between that strategy and Marvel’s current plans for Doom. He stated, “When we got to Infinity War, we said, ‘This is really the introduction of Thanos to people.’ That’s what we’re doing with Doom.” He continued, “Doomsday is an introduction and the story of Doom. You peel the onion, you learn things about him as you go.”
Victor von Doom has only briefly appeared in the Fantastic Four: First Steps post-credits scene so far. Feige stressed the movie caters to longtime comic readers and audiences discovering the character for the first time. Avengers: Doomsday unites the Avengers, the Fantastic Four, and the X-Men on-screen for the first time in the MCU.
Originally reported by Anubhav Chaudhry for Super Hero Hype.
