Marvel Studios is entering its next era with a new face of villainy, and lingering questions about the one that might have been.
With Phase Six now in motion following The Fantastic Four’s debut last summer, the studio has reshaped its long-term blueprint. The biggest surprise came when Robert Downey Jr. revealed he would rejoin the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Victor Von Doom. The announcement instantly altered the direction of the Multiverse Saga, sidelining Kang the Conqueror as its primary antagonist and ushering in a new central foe.
In the aftermath of Avengers: Endgame (2019), Marvel’s box office track record has been uneven. Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021), Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022), and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023) performed strongly, but not every title has matched that momentum. Captain America: Brave New World (2025) and Thunderbolts* (2025) delivered softer-than-expected returns, intensifying industry debate about franchise sustainability and creative recalibration.
Compounding the studio’s challenges was the legal turmoil involving Jonathan Majors, who portrayed Kang in Loki and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023). Majors was charged by his ex-partner, Grace Jabbari, who accused him of battery, assault, malicious prosecution, and defamation. The situation ultimately led to his exit from the MCU and forced Marvel to reconsider its overarching narrative plans.
At San Diego Comic-Con 2024, Kevin Feige confirmed that Anthony and Joe Russo would return to direct Avengers: Doomsday, slated for December 2026, and Avengers: Secret Wars, set for 2027. The shift away from the previously announced Kang Dynasty storyline became clear: Doctor Doom would take center stage instead.
Downey’s casting was more than a nostalgic stunt. After winning an Academy Award for Oppenheimer (2023), the actor unveiled his new MCU identity before a packed Comic-Con crowd. The move reframes his legacy within the franchise–not as Iron Man, but as one of Marvel’s most formidable comic book adversaries.
Doom’s presence was teased in the post-credits scene of The Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025), offering a glimpse of what’s to come. Meanwhile, Kang’s storyline remains unresolved. His Variant, Victor Timely, was last seen in Loki Season 2, leaving the door slightly open. Before that, he battled Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) and Hope van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly) in Quantumania, only for his long-term trajectory to stall amid real-world events.
Feige has addressed speculation that Marvel’s pivot was purely reactionary. According to the executive, conversations about Doom began earlier than many assume.
“We had started even before what had happened to the actor happened, we had started to realize that Kang wasn’t big enough, wasn’t Thanos, and that there was only one character that could be that, because he was that in the comics for decades and decades,” Feige said, per The Hollywood Reporter.
“Because of the Fox acquisition, we finally had it, and it was Dr. Doom. So we had started talking about Dr. Doom even before we officially pivoted from Kang,” he continued. “And in fact, I had started talking with Robert [Downey Jr.] about this audacious idea before Ant-Man 3 even came out. It was a long plan that we had, to take one of our greatest characters and utilize one of our greatest actors.”
Majors has not completely ruled out the possibility of returning. Speaking to The Sun U.S. in September 2025, he said, “I cannot say anything about that. Well, it’s a Multiverse, so there’s always that. Always a lot of opportunity for that.” He also noted he was “very glad” some fans would support a comeback. In April 2025, he struck a similar tone: “Yeah, of course I say yes. Disney, Marvel Studios, I love them. Tom Hiddleston; loved working with that guy. Loved working with Paul Rudd. Loved working with Gugu Mbatha-Raw.”
While Marvel moves forward without him, Majors has resumed work elsewhere. Deadline reports that the Creed III (2023) actor has started production on an untitled action film in South Carolina. The project is backed by The Daily Wire and Bonfire Legend, with Run Hide Fight (2020) director Kyle Rankin at the helm.
The Daily Wire, founded by Ben Shapiro and Jeremy Boreing, has previously supported projects featuring actors who parted ways with major studios, including Gina Carano, who led 2022’s Terror on the Prairie following her exit from The Mandalorian. Producer Dallas Sonnier’s Bonfire Legend is partnering on the new Majors project.
Plot specifics remain confidential, though the film is described as evoking the spirit of 1980s and 1990s action movies.
As Marvel retools its long-term arc, its focus appears firmly fixed on Doom and the Fantastic Four. Yet the Multiverse concept leaves narrative doors ajar. Kang’s storyline may be paused, but in a cinematic universe built on alternate realities, permanence is rarely guaranteed.
For now, Marvel has chosen its path forward. Whether audiences embrace the transition from Kang to Doom may ultimately define the success of Phase Six.
How do you feel the future of the MCU will play out? Let us know in the comments down below!
