Kevin Feige has addressed one of the biggest debates surrounding Doctor Doom’s arrival in the Marvel Cinematic Universe: whether the character is receiving the same kind of buildup that turned Thanos into the defining villain of the Infinity Saga.
As Avengers: Doomsday prepares to introduce Robert Downey Jr.’s Victor von Doom as the MCU’s next major threat, comparisons between the two villains have dominated fan conversations, especially after years of anticipation for Marvel’s next saga-defining antagonist.
Why are fans comparing Doctor Doom’s arrival to Thanos’ MCU debut?
Fans are comparing Doctor Doom’s MCU arrival to Thanos’ introduction because both characters are being positioned as the central villain of a new Avengers era, creating expectations that Victor von Doom could become the next franchise-defining threat after the Infinity Saga.
The debate intensified after Marvel Studios announced Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom for Avengers: Doomsday, with some fans questioning whether the character has received enough buildup before stepping into such an important role.
Kevin Feige responded to those concerns by arguing that Thanos’ rise was not as extensive as many fans now remember. According to the Marvel Studios president, the Mad Titan’s early appearances were mostly brief teases rather than a fully developed storyline, with the character becoming truly important when Avengers: Infinity War placed him at the center of the narrative.
Dr. Doom in Avengers: Doomsday and Thanos in Avengers: Infinity War (Source: IMDb)
“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 — that was kind of it”, Feige explained.
Before becoming the villain responsible for the events of Infinity War and Endgame, Thanos appeared in small roles throughout the MCU, including his first tease during The Avengers (2012) and his connection to Ronan in Guardians of the Galaxy (2014).
For years, those appearances created anticipation around his eventual arrival, but Feige believes the character’s true introduction happened when Marvel built an entire movie around his mission.
“I remember the memes making fun of Thanos for just sitting on a chair”, Feige said, referring to the way fans once joked about the character’s limited screen time. “With Infinity War we said, ‘This is really the introduction of Thanos to people.’ That’s how that movie was built”.
Feige believes Marvel is following a similar strategy with Doctor Doom. Instead of spending several films showing small glimpses of Victor von Doom before his major storyline, the studio plans to make Avengers: Doomsday the moment where the character fully enters the MCU’s spotlight.
“That’s what we’re doing with Doctor Doom. Avengers: Doomsday is the introduction and the story of Doom”, Feige stated.
