Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom steals Galactus’ powers in a new Avengers: Doomsday theory that would give him the ability to bring Battleworld to life in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Downey’s villain turn as Doctor Doom is one of the most anticipated cinematic events of the coming years. Aside from the fact that the villain will be the main threat in Marvel’s upcoming Avengers movies, not much is known about the story of Avengers: Doomsday and how the many characters in its cast will come together.

Avengers: Doomsday‘s cast includes the New Avengers — formerly the Thunderbolts — the Fantastic Four, Sam Wilson’s Avengers, Fox’s original X-Men, and many more. To defeat them, Doctor Doom will need to have immense power. A new Avengers: Doomsday theory explains how Downey’s Doctor Doom could get enough power to take all those superhero teams head-on, and it does so by connecting the character to The Fantastic Four: First Steps‘ villain, Galactus.

Doctor Doom Stole Galactus’ Powers In Marvel Comics’ First Secret Wars

The Two Characters Share A Long History In Marvel Comics

The MCU’s Avengers: Secret Wars will mostly pull elements from the second iteration of the event, which came in 2015 in Marvel Comics and had incursions — just like the MCU — as a main storyline. However, the Russo Brothers, aka the directors of the upcoming Avengers movies, have said that they will be using elements from both versions of Secret Wars, and that reminded me of a key connection between Galactus and Doctor Doom from the 1984 Secret Wars.

In that event, the Beyonder took heroes and villains to Battleworld to watch them fight. Since Doctor Doom would never just fight for somebody else’s entertainment, he forged a plan to take Galactus’ Power Cosmic, making him powerful enough to take on the Beyonder and claim his enormous abilities for himself. Victor von Doom managed to defeat Galactus by using Ulysses Klaw’s body as a device to take Galactus’ powers, which allowed him to succeed in his ultimate goal of claiming the Beyonder’s powers.

Robert Downey Jr’s “Doctor Doom Essentials” Include A Galactus Connection

The Timing Of The Characters’ MCU Debuts Is Interesting

Filming is underway on the anticipated Avengers: Doomsday. Marvel Studios has mostly kept a тιԍнт lid on the movie’s set, with no significant set pH๏τos and videos spoiling plot points, returning characters, new costumes, and more. However, the MCU’s Doctor Doom star has been sharing a few sH๏τs from his time on the movie’s set, and one of Robert Downey Jr.’s Avengers: Doomsday set pH๏τos on Instagram caught my attention due to its big Doctor Doom connection.

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Downey shared a pH๏τo with the caption, “Doom workstation essentials.” While there are a few products there, the most interesting part of the image is a Marvel comic book, which is Doom #1, written by Jonathan Hickman with art by Sanford Green. The Doctor Doom story follows the character going up against Galactus, who is on a path of destruction that could see the end of the universe. Doctor Doom gets a major power boost to do so, which includes a dose of super-soldier serum before being charged with the full might of a Celestial.

MCU Theory: Galactus Gives Doctor Doom The Power To Create Battleworld

The Iconic Marvel Comics Location Has To Come To The MCU For Avengers: Secret Wars

I can’t believe there are so many coincidences happening at the same time when it comes to the MCU’s Galactus and Doctor Doom. To start it off, there is the fact that both of them are joining the MCU around the same time, with The Fantastic Four: First Steps releasing a year and a half before Avengers: Doomsday. Then, there is the fact that Doctor Doom stole Galactus’ powers in the comics’ first Secret Wars, and Downey now posts an image with a Doctor Doom comic book where he directly fights Galactus.

The Russo Brothers previously said that Downey’s Doctor Doom would be the hero of his own story, much like Thanos was. Based on those factors, I believe that Doctor Doom will take Galactus’ powers in Avengers: Doomsday to create Battleworld at the end of the movie, setting up Avengers: Secret Wars. The multiverse might be collapsing due to the incursions we have seen in multiple projects, leading Doom to find a way to save it. Since Galactus is one being across all universes, taking his power could be Doom’s way of uniting what is left into Battleworld in Avengers: Doomsday.

Upcoming MCU Movies

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  Thunderbolts*

  Release Date

  
  May 2, 2025
  

  
  
  
  

  
  

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  The Fantastic Four: First Steps

  Release Date

  
  July 25, 2025
  

  
  
  
  

  
  

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  Avengers: Doomsday

  Release Date

  
  December 18, 2026
  

  
  
  
  

  
  

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  Spider-Man: Brand New Day

  Release Date

  
  July 31, 2026
  

  
  
  
  

  
  

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  Avengers: Secret Wars

  Release Date

  
  December 17, 2027
  

  
  
  
  

  
  

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