Kevin Feige: Doctor Doom Needs No Thanos‑Style Years of Build‑Up

If you’ve spent time in a Marvel comment section lately—first off, condolences—but you’ll have noticed a proper fuss about Doctor Doom and his big MCU arrival. Fans have whinged that there isn’t enough set-up for Victor von Doom ahead of Avengers: Doomsday, especially compared to how Thanos was handled. But Kevin Feige’s had a word, and to be honest, he’s basically told everyone to calm down and have a think about what actually happened with Thanos.

Speaking on The Brandon Davis Show after Marvel’s Hall H panel at Comic-Con, Kevin Feige said: "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."

Feige’s Memories Versus Meme Reality

Feige also pointed out—as only a Marvel Studios president can—that Thanos had all of, what, four minutes on screen before Infinity War. He actually seemed tickled by how fans used to take the mick out of Thanos as "that bloke who sits in a chair". The memes about the Mad Titan being bored or just lounging about didn’t age well once the Infinity Stones came out, but let’s not kid ourselves: his introduction was, at best, minimal.

What Feige’s spelling out is that, actually, they’re using exactly the same strategy for Doctor Doom. Doom popped up for about half a heartbeat in the post-credits scene of Fantastic Four: First Steps, and that’s really it so far. According to Feige, this isn’t neglect—it’s the plan.

He explained: "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. Doomsday is an introduction and the story of Doom. You peel the onion, you learn things about him as you go."

What to Expect from Doomsday

If you were counting on Doom getting years’ worth of breadcrumbs before he properly does anything, you might want to lower your expectations. Feige makes it sound like Avengers: Doomsday is the actual introduction—like how Infinity War was for Thanos—so expect the onion to be peeled live, as it were. Robert Downey Jr. is stepping into the suit for this version of Victor von Doom, which, by itself, is bound to get folks talking. The film isn’t just a standard Avengers outing, either; it’s got the Fantastic Four and the X-Men turning up for the first time in the MCU’s main timeline.

Avengers: Doomsday hits UK cinemas on 18 December.

If you’re wondering whether the film will appeal to you as a comic reader or someone who’s never touched a Fantastic Four issue, Feige claims they’re making sure both camps get what they want—or at least, aren’t completely lost. In short, expect less ‘years of dramatic staring’ and more ‘here’s Doom, let’s get on with it’.