Doctor Doom and Franklin Richards: The Avengers: Doomsday Theory Fans Can’t Stop Debating

One post-credits scene, one masked visitor and one huge question: what does Doctor Doom want with Franklin Richards? A new teaser has fans re-reading the clues. Doctor Doom: Overview DetailInfoVillainDoctor…

By Reetam Bodhak

October 31, 2026

2 min read

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One post-credits scene, one masked visitor and one huge question: what does Doctor Doom want with Franklin Richards? A new teaser has fans re-reading the clues.

Doctor Doom: Overview

Detail	Info
Villain	Doctor Doom (Robert Downey Jr.)
Key scene	First Steps post-credits stinger
Child involved	Franklin Richards
New clue	Baseball-themed Doomsday teaser
Film	Avengers: Doomsday
Status	Theory only

Doctor Doom: The Scene That Started It All

At the end of First Steps, the Fantastic Four and Silver Surfer send Galactus away. The post-credits scene jumps four years ahead to a peaceful Earth. Sue Storm returns from grabbing a book and finds a mask-wearing stranger standing next to her son, Franklin. The screen cuts to black before she can speak.

Notice who was missing: Reed, Ben and Johnny. In the comics, Doom usually targets all of them, so their absence raised red flags.

What the New Teaser Adds?

A new Doomsday teaser, made in collaboration with Major League Baseball, shows Reed, Ben and Johnny being honored on a baseball field. The Direct’s theory is that this explains why the trio weren’t home during Doom’s visit: they were away at a sporting event.

If that’s right, Doom’s trip to the Baxter Building might not have been an ambush. It might have been about speed, because incursions are coming and he needs help fast.

Reading Between the Lines

Clue	What It Suggests
Doom visits while the team is away	Possibly a calm approach, not an attack
Sue warns allies about Doom’s intelligence	She knows he’s dangerous
Doom fights Thor over Reed in the trailer	His focus may be on the Avengers
Hulk recruited in Endgame Encore	Doom may be building his own team

There’s no sign Doom did the same to Franklin, because the Fantastic Four wouldn’t work with him if he had. But the theory expects a betrayal later, one bad enough to feed their iconic rivalry.

What It Means for Secret Wars?

If the theory is right, the set-up leads straight to Avengers: Secret Wars, where Reed could use his genius to strike back. It also keeps the stakes personal rather than just cosmic, which is what makes this villain compelling.

For background, see the Fantastic Four: First Steps Wikipedia page, and check the official Marvel site for confirmed details.