The Marvel Cinematic Universe will soon get a new main villain in the form of Doctor Doom, but his franchise replacement has already been set up in a new theory. At the moment, Josh Brolin’s Thanos stands as the biggest villain Marvel Studios has seen. The Mad тιтan was the main foe of two of the MCU’s best movies and killed many.

Thanos was left behind in the MCU’s Infinity Saga, with Jonathan Majors’ Kang the Conqueror becoming the main villain of the Multiverse Saga. However, after Majors was fired by Marvel, Kang and the multiversal Council of Kangs were dropped. Now, Marvel is bringing in the big guns, with Robert Downey Jr. returning to the Marvel franchise to play Doctor Doom.

He will appear in at least two movies on the MCU’s slate: Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame. While Doctor Doom is set to enter the MCU in 2026, it is possible that his replacement has already debuted before him, as Marvel recently added a major villain to the MCU. If the theory is accurate, the MCU will be completely changed.

Doctor Doom Is The Perfect Villain For The Multiverse Saga

Robert Downey Jr.’s Casting Makes It Even Better For Marvel

Before getting into his replacement, it is important to note just how right of a move it was to use Doctor Doom in the Multiverse Saga. While the groundwork for Kang the Conqueror had been done well over two seasons of Disney+’s Loki, Victor von Doom just makes a lot more sense for where the franchise is right now.

In Marvel Comics, Doctor Doom plays a key role in both iterations of Secret Wars, with him being the main character in the 2015 version, which is the one that heavily inspires the upcoming Avengers: Secret Wars. The MCU should follow a similar storyline, leading to God Emperor Doom and the creation of Battleworld, which could be an upgraded The Void.

More than just having Doctor Doom, who was integral to the multiverse storyline in the comics, the fact that Robert Downey Jr. is playing the villain makes him even more perfect for the Multiverse Saga. After all, the concept of variants and alternate universes is the franchise’s current main focus. Downey playing Doom after Iron Man connects with that idea.

Mephisto Made His MCU Debut In Ironheart

The Marvel Villain Was Finally Introduced After Years Of Teases And Rumors

I’m convinced that Doctor Doom’s MCU replacement joined the franchise in Marvel’s latest project. Disney+’s Ironheart focused on Riri Williams, who is carrying on Tony Stark’s legacy, though she does so in a divisive way. Ironheart‘s final episode introduced Mephisto, who had been rumored to join the MCU since WandaVision was released in 2021. Borat‘s Sacha Baron Cohen plays Mephisto.

While the character was only present for one episode, it was more than enough to understand how Mephisto is easily one of the MCU’s most powerful villains. We did not even need to see him fight someone to realize that, as Mephisto depicted his powers in other equally impressive ways. Cohen’s Mephisto is one of the MCU’s most manipulative characters.

He strikes a deal with Riri to get something from her in return for resurrecting Natalie, her best friend. Previously, Mephisto gave Parker Robbins a Hood imbued with dark magic that gave him great powers. Mephisto debuting in a show about technology versus magic that focuses on Iron Man’s replacement is interesting timing with Downey’s Doctor Doom debut nearby.

How Mephisto Could Be The MCU’s Main Villain After The Multiverse Saga

Marvel Studios Has Been Setting Up An Interesting Corner Of The MCU

Doctor Doom makes perfect sense as the Multiverse Saga’s main villain, but Mephisto can be what comes after. I don’t see any projects that really make sense for the villain to play a decent role in before the MCU’s current saga comes to an end. However, the MCU could really use someone like the devil for the franchise’s next saga.

If Marvel makes it past the roadblocks the film has encountered, Mahershala Ali’s Blade movie should be released after the Multiverse Saga. Doctor Strange 3 with Benedict Cumberbatch’s Doctor Strange is also expected to be one of the franchise’s future releases. Adding to this, there are rumors that Ghost Rider and the supernatural Midnight Suns team could debut soon.

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In the Multiverse Saga, the MCU has interestingly introduced quite a few supernatural characters, such as Man-Thing and Werewolf by Night, and delved deep into its magic corner through projects like WandaVision and Agatha All Along. With Mephisto’s debut, I’m convinced the MCU’s next saga will be supernatural-focused. As such, the villain would be the perfect main threat to the franchise.

Mephisto And Doctor Doom Could Even Become MCU Rivals

The Two Villains Have Shared History In Marvel Comics

Be it with Robert Downey Jr. sticking around or another actor taking over the role, Doctor Doom could continue to play a key role in the MCU beyond Avengers: Secret Wars. If the franchise is headed in a supernatural direction, Doom would make sense for it, too, as he is skilled in magic in the comics and even became Sorcerer Supreme.

Doctor Doom’s role could be switched from the MCU’s main villain to one of those fighting Mephisto. In the comics, the devil has control over the soul of Doom’s mother, torturing her for eternity in his domain. As such, the MCU could adapt that storyline, making Doctor Doom and Mephisto rivals. This would allow two MCU Big Bads to co-exist.