Casting Doctor Doom For The MCU

Now that the MCU’s Fantastic Four film has a release date, there are a few actors who should be considered to play the MCU’s Doctor Doom. Following Disney’s acquisition of 21st Century Fox and its subsidiaries, Disney now has the film and television rights to bring a host of previously unavailable characters into the Marvel Cinematic Universe including the Fantastic Four, the X-Men, and Doctor Doom. As one of the most powerful and iconic villains in Marvel Comics history, Doctor Doom’s MCU debut is heavily anticipated. So, finding the right actor to bring Doctor Doom to life on screen in the Marvel Cinematic Universe will be crucial to further extend the shelf life of Disney’s cash cow franchise.

It has yet to be confirmed when Doctor Doom will first appear in the MCU, but it has been announced that the MCU’s Fantastic Four film, currently set to release on November 8, 2024, will be the first film of Phase 6. Introducing Doctor Doom shortly before concluding another major story arc in Avengers: The Kang Dynasty and Avengers: Secret Wars gives Marvel an opportunity to set up a perfect Doctor Doom to follow Kang the Conqueror as the MCU’s overarching villain. Given Doctor Doom’s comic book role as a major antagonist for several characters and hero stables, the MCU’s version of Doctor Doom has the potential for a long and impactful run theatrical run. In addition to the Fantastic Four, seminal Marvel characters such as the X-Men and the Avengers have faced off with Doctor Doom.

As a character, Doctor Doom is typically shown to have a genius-level intellect, extreme wealth, a huge ego, and powers of sorcery and telekinesis that make him a formidable foe for even the most powerful heroes. Kevin Fiege has revealed that the MCU’s Fantastic Four will not feature an origin story, so both the villain and heroes may already be established and at the peak of their powers if Doctor Doom is the Fantastic Four villain, allowing the MCU to potentially cast older actors. With that in mind, here are some actors who should be considered for the role of Doctor Doom in the MCU.

Jon Hamm

Jon Hamm is the clearest choice for the MCU’s Doctor Doom. Hamm is a household name who is no stranger to playing villainous or otherwise morally dubious characters. Coming to fame for his Emmy-winning role as Mad Men’s Don Draper, Jon Hamm has gone on to theatrical success as well. Receiving praise for his antagonistic turns as Buddy in Baby Driver and, most recently, as Vice Admiral “Cyclone” Simpson in the smash hit Top Gun: Maverick. Hamm’s voice and face are instantly recognizable, and both lend a gravitas and credibility as a villain that would be an asset to help fix common Doctor Doom mistakes. Hamm has also shown off comedic chops as well in films like Bridesmaids and Tag that would benefit him in matching the MCU’s established comedic tone. At 51 years old, Hamm could potentially be a part of the MCU for a long time if cast as Doctor Doom.

Alexander Skarsgård

On the heels of his masterful performance as main character Amleth in Robert Eggers’ fantasy thriller epic The Northman, Alexander Skarsgård has proven his ability to carry both intense dramas and physically demanding action movies that could make him a perfect MCU version of Doctor Doom. Skarsgård’s menacing physique and brutality pop off the screen during The Northman’s grueling battle sequences, as do his more intimate, dialogue-heavy scenes with Hollywood icons like Nicole Kidman and Willem Dafoe. On top of his long history of horror movies, Alexander Skarsgård has also starred in more traditional blockbuster cinematic fare like Godzilla vs Kong. Additionally, Skarsgård has received an Emmy Award for portraying a multi-layered villain as part of season 1 of Big Little Lies. Alexander Skarsgård would make an excellent choice for the role of Doctor Doom in Fantastic Four.

Joseph Fiennes

Joseph Fiennes is perhaps most well-known for his role as Commander Fred Waterford, the main antagonist of The Handmaid’s Tale. Fiennes has received critical acclaim for his role as the complex and frightening villain including an Emmy nomination. While it’s not clear whether or not Fred Waterford will return in season 5 of The Handmaid’s Tale, Joseph Fiennes’s run as the sadistic and conniving character has proven he’s got the skills to portray Doctor Doom in the MCU. The 52-year-old Englishman doesn’t have as much traditional action experience as some of the others on this list; however, the MCU has already shown the ability to train and prepare previously inexperienced actors to perform stunt work, recently including Florence Pugh in Black Widow. Joseph Fiennes’s dramatic ability as a villain could flourish as Doctor Doom given the proper training and development to take on bigger action scenes.

Jude Law

Jude Law is an unlikely choice for the MCU’s Doctor Doom since the English actor has already been a part of the MCU. Jude Law made his first appearance as Yon-Rogg, commander of Starforce and former mentor to Carol Danvers in 2019’s Captain Marvel. However, there has already been another actor from that film to get a second, unrelated role in other MCU movies as Gemma Chan appeared in Captain Marvel and Eternals. Jude Law would be deserving of a similar opportunity if there are no further plans for Yon-Rogg in the MCU. Receiving Oscar nominations for his roles in The Talented Mr. Ripley and Cold Mountain, Jude Law has an excellent track record of roles in sci-fi and action films like A.I. Artificial Intelligence and has been one of the highlights of the oft-maligned Fantastic Beasts series for his role as a younger Albus Dumbledore. Having already credibly played a wise magician on screen is the type of direct experience and expertise that would justify the MCU overlooking Jude Law’s previous MCU role to cast him as Doctor Doom moving forward.

Denzel Washington

Denzel Washington’s standing as one of the greatest modern actors in American cinema is unquestioned. Washington has proven time after time over the course of his nearly 50-year career in film and television that he can perform drama, comedy, and action with a skill that is unrivaled by his predecessors, his peers, or the generations of actors his work has inspired. There is no more qualified actor to bring Doctor Doom to life in the MCU than Denzel Washington. Washington has won multiple Academy Awards, becoming the only African American actor to ever do so. He has portrayed iconic villains like Alonzo Harris in Training Day and, even in his advanced age, still takes on roles that require action work such as The Equalizer and The Tragedy of Macbeth. Since the MCU’s Fantastic Four will not feature an origin story, the MCU’s Doctor Doom setup could allow for an older actor like Washington to play an already established version of Doctor Doom.

The MCU has also not shied away from using Black actors for characters that have typically been portrayed or perceived as white, including Samuel L. Jackson’s Nick Fury and Jonathan Majors’s Kang the Conqueror. Assuming the MCU is willing to maintain this type of casting flexibility for Doctor Doom, Denzel Washington would be a perfect choice. The MCU’s long-term future will depend on the franchise being willing to take risks, do the unexpected, and continue adding superstar talent to its growing cast. Introducing Denzel Washington as Doctor Doom in Fantastic Four would achieve all three.