Doctor Doom’s Rumored Crew in ‘Doomsday’ Might Be Marvel’s Most Unsettling Villain Squad Yet
Robert Downey Jr. is stepping into the mask of Victor von Doom, and the biggest question surrounding his debut is whether the Latverian monarch is flying solo. Rumors keep pointing toward a lineup of allies, and Marvel has been careful not to confirm anything. The result is a fan frenzy over who exactly is standing behind Doctor Doom’s team when the Russo brothers unleash ‘Doomsday‘.
So who is on Doctor Doom’s team, at least according to the loudest whispers online? The answer right now is a mix of masked enforcers, multiverse villains and one very surprising sorcerer. Marvel has not confirmed these details yet, so everything below deserves a healthy grain of salt.
Who Is on Doctor Doom’s Team So Far?
The first thing to know is that the film is being directed by Joe and Anthony Russo with Stephen McFeely writing the screenplay. The ensemble is enormous, and Marvel has said further casting remains unannounced. That leaves plenty of room for villainous surprises that have not been officially named.
On the hero side, Marvel and its star Downey have already made clear that a dozen factions are set to clash with Doom. That includes the Fantastic Four, the X-Men, both Captains America, Thor, Wakanda, Namor and the Thunderbolts, now known as the New Avengers. Doom’s own side of the board is far murkier, which is exactly why the rumor mill has been so busy.
Insider chatter has also suggested that Doom will have multiple masked sidekicks who are both men and women. That report came from Daniel Richtman, and it lines up with a growing sense that Victor will not be alone when the fighting starts.
The Harbingers of Doom Rumor, Explained
The most talked about theory centers on a villain faction called the Harbingers of Doom. The rumored team would feature Captain Hydra, Maestro Hulk, King Thanos and various Doctor Doom variants. It reads like a greatest hits album of alternate reality nightmares.
Fans who follow the comics will notice the fingerprints of Jonathan Hickman’s storytelling, since the concept is said to be inspired by the Parliament of Doom and tied into the Incursion crisis. That fits neatly with a multiverse saga that has been building toward world collisions for years.
Here is where things get messy. Insider Alex Perez hinted at the Harbingers name and later seemed to back claims that Victor will be joined by Doom Variants or Doombots. Yet Perez also stated the group would not actually carry that name, adding that he doubted they would have time to invent a team name. So the lineup might be real even if the branding is not.
Boris and the Masked Latverian Allies
Then there is Boris, the wild card that has fans talking. According to scooper James Mack, Boris is a Doctor Strange variant who would serve as Doom’s sidekick, wield a sling ring and reveal the reason for his alliance in the third act. That would make Benedict Cumberbatch’s sorcerer a very different kind of ally.
In the comics, the name carries real history. Boris is a longtime servant, confidant, caretaker and advisor to Doom in Latveria, so an MCU version who casts spells would be a bold reimagining. An earlier leaked image reportedly showed Boris in a Latverian mask with a slot for a third eye, which only fuels the Strange connection.
The theories do not stop there. A group of masked Latverian witches has been teased, and Downey’s Doom will likely be backed by another masked enforcer. With the marketing dropping hints about Victor calling the heroes’ lives stolen lives, this looks like a villain who believes he is fixing reality rather than breaking it.
Doctor Doom’s Fantastic Four Alliance Changes Everything
The wildest twist might be that Doom’s team could include the very heroes he supposedly threatens. One insider claims Victor asks the Fantastic Four for help with the Incursions, and they travel to the MCU to warn everyone before heading to the X-Men universe. If accurate, that makes Doom a temporary ally to Marvel’s First Family.
There is emotional weight behind that idea. In the mid credits scene of the Fantastic Four film, Doom kneels before Franklin Richards and removes his mask. Some believe his interest in the family goes beyond a grudge and runs straight through Franklin, which could keep his motives tangled and personal.
It also raises the stakes for the many heroes lining up against him. Even Doctor Strange is expected to be tied to the incursion story, so his loyalties could be the biggest mystery of the whole film. If Marvel is playing three dimensional chess, Doom’s crew may include foes, friends and frightening variants all at once, and the question that will keep fans arguing until release is whether Cumberbatch’s Strange truly belongs at Doom’s side or whether Boris is a clever red herring.
