The Marvel Cinematic Universe is hurtling toward a multiversal showdown with Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars, and Robert Downey Jr.’s casting as Doctor Doom has set the stage for a seismic shift in the franchise. In a recent interview, Downey, stepping into the role of the iconic Fantastic Four villain, revealed tantalizing details about his character’s dynamic with Franklin Richards, the extraordinarily powerful son of Reed and Sue Richards, and the surprising involvement of Thanos, the Mad Titan. Downey’s comments suggest that Franklin, not Doom, may hold the ultimate power in the MCU’s Multiverse Saga, while Thanos, previously the saga’s dominant force, will operate under Doom’s command. This revelation, coupled with insights into their roles, has ignited fan speculation about the cosmic stakes awaiting in 2026 and 2027.

Downey’s return to the MCU, announced at San Diego Comic-Con in July 2024, shocked fans who had bid farewell to his Tony Stark in Avengers: Endgame. Now, as Victor von Doom, the Latverian monarch and genius rival of Reed Richards, Downey is poised to redefine the MCU’s villain landscape. In a discussion with Variety, he hinted at the power dynamics at play, stating, “Franklin Richards will be more powerful than Dr. Doom, no question. His potential is limitless, a force even I can’t fully control.” This nod to Franklin, introduced as a four-year-old in The Fantastic Four: First Steps’ post-credits scene, underscores the child’s comic-book legacy as a mutant with reality-warping abilities, often likened to the Molecule Man in the 2015 Secret Wars storyline. Downey’s Doom, it seems, recognizes Franklin as a key to his ambitions, setting up a tense relationship that could drive Avengers: Doomsday.

Franklin Richards, born with the Power Cosmic—a force associated with Galactus, the Devourer of Worlds—possesses the ability to reshape reality and create universes. In the comics, he is a pivotal figure in Secret Wars, where Doom harnesses the Molecule Man’s power to forge Battleworld, a patchwork planet of colliding realities. Downey’s comments suggest the MCU may adapt this narrative, casting Franklin as the Molecule Man equivalent. A post-credits scene in The Fantastic Four: First Steps depicts Doom, cloaked and masked, encountering Franklin at the Baxter Building, hinting at a potential kidnapping plot. This aligns with fan theories, amplified by posts on X, that Doom seeks to exploit Franklin’s powers to avert multiversal incursions—collisions of universes threatening existence itself.

Even more surprising is Downey’s revelation about Thanos, played by Josh Brolin in the Infinity Saga. “Thanos will work under Dr. Doom,” Downey stated, suggesting a hierarchy where the Mad Titan, once the MCU’s ultimate threat, takes a subordinate role. In the comics, Doom and Thanos have a contentious history, notably in Secret Wars, where Doom brutally defeats Thanos by removing his skeleton. The MCU appears to reimagine this dynamic, with Thanos, possibly a variant from a Thanos-ruled universe as theorized on Reddit, serving Doom’s agenda. This could tie to a multiversal narrative where Doom, orchestrating events from the Fantastic Four’s alternate 1960s universe, manipulates Thanos to enforce his vision of order, a stark contrast to Thanos’ independent quest for balance in Avengers: Infinity War.

Downey described Doom’s role as “a three-dimensional villain who sees himself as the hero,” echoing director Joe Russo’s sentiments about crafting a complex antagonist. Doom, driven by his rivalry with Reed Richards and a desire to save the multiverse, may view Franklin’s power as a means to achieve godlike control, much like his comic counterpart’s creation of Battleworld. Yet, Franklin’s unmatched potential—capable of surpassing even Doom’s genius and sorcery—poses a threat to his plans. The Fantastic Four, led by Pedro Pascal’s Reed Richards and Vanessa Kirby’s Sue Storm, are likely to clash with Doom to protect their son, setting the stage for a family-driven conflict in Avengers: Doomsday.

The implications of Downey’s statements are profound. Franklin’s power could redefine the MCU’s multiversal landscape, while Thanos’ subordination signals Doom’s dominance as the Multiverse Saga’s central antagonist. Fans on X have speculated that Downey’s Doom, potentially a Tony Stark variant or a pure Victor von Doom, will leverage Franklin’s abilities to reshape reality, leading to Avengers: Secret Wars’ Battleworld. As the Russo Brothers helm these films, with Doomsday set for May 1, 2026, and Secret Wars following in 2027, the MCU is poised for a cosmic spectacle where a child’s power overshadows even the mightiest villains, and Downey’s Doom stands as its orchestrator.