5 MCU superheroes who would be a good fit to fight against Doctor Doom

Disclaimer: All opinions in this article about Doctor Doom belong to the writer. This article contains spoilers for The Fantastic Four: First Steps.

After Robert Downey Jr. was revealed to be Doctor Doom in phase six of the MCU, the internet was ablaze with opinions and speculation about how he would fit into the current crop of superhero movies. The mid-credits scene of The Fantastic Four: First Steps solves this. A masked stranger is in the Baxter building, hinting at Victor Von Doom's role becoming bigger, leading into Avengers: Doomsday (2026).

This leads to many questions, including: What will Doctor Doom's role be in the MCU's grand scheme of things? Which superheroes do fans think he should cross paths with for an epic battle? Given that Iron Man's face now represents one of the smartest villains in the franchise, would Tom Holland's Spider-Man be the perfect face-off? His mastery of magic and technology makes him a sinister villain that many new superheroes would match perfectly with, too.

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Spider-Man, Mister Fantastic, and other superheroes in the MCU who would be a good fit against Doctor Doom

1) Spider-Man (Tom Holland)

Holland's Spiderman would face off Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom (Image via YouTube/@sonypictures)

Doctor Doom and Spider-Man go head-to-head in the comics on several occasions, and the duo have a 'frenemy' relationship, with Spider-Man even saving Doom's life in Amazing Spider-Man (1999) #50. This dynamic already makes them an anticipated match-up in the MCU, so throw in the fact that Tom Holland's Spider-Man has an emotional attachment to Iron Man, and things get complicated.

While the supervillain typically has a mask on, a face reveal could severely affect Spider-Man's ability to fight him. Fans still don't know why Doom looks like Tony Stark, or how he would cross paths with Peter Parker in the MCU's current timeline, making their storyline intriguing. Doom's unique powers make him tough to defeat, but Spider-Man's wily abilities might be just the right match.

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2) Mister Fantastic (Pedro Pascal)

Reed Richards is Doom's #1 enemy (Image via YouTube/Marvel Entertainment)

This one is a no-brainer. Doctor Doom's archnemesis is Reed Richards, aka Mister Fantastic. Although they did not face off in The Fantastic Four: First Steps, their time of day is guaranteed in this phase of the MCU. In terms of skill match-up, Reed is nowhere close to Doom's repertoire. His only physical superpower is his elasticity. However, Mister Fantastic didn't get the name for no reason.

Reed Richards is one of the most intelligent superheroes, whose brain makes up for his lack of stereotypical superpowers. His genius-level intellect would be the perfect pairing to Doctor Doom's smarts, making their battle more cerebral than anything else. As the fated enemies, Mister Fantastic might be the final piece of the puzzle in thwarting Doom's plans. The only question of intrigue is: How?

Pedro Pascal and Robert Downey Jr. facing off might also be a memorable action sequence that defines this phase of the MCU.

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3) Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch)

Strange and Doom are both masters of magic (Image via YouTube/Marvel Entertainment)

Doctor Strange and Doctor Doom might be cut from the same cloth, given how deep their mastery of magic is. The former has been a formidable ally in the fight against Thanos, and his mystic abilities have played a key role in taking down supervillains. So while he tries to keep the fragile multiverse under control, he could also be fighting a new villain alongside the latest superheroes.

The duo would be the perfect match-up in the MCU. Doctor Doom's superpowers are versatile, making him best-suited to fight a wide range of superheroes and leading to completely different outcomes. With Reed, it would be a battle of wits. With Strange, it would be a visually immersive experience to see magic creating and destroying timelines and worlds in the blink of an eye.

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4) Ironheart (Dominique Thorne)

Riri's new powers would meet Doom's ancient ones (Image via YouTube/Marvel Entertainment)

As one of the most recent additions in the MCU, it would be possible for Ironheart, aka Riri Williams, to step up to the plate and take a swing at Doctor Doom. What makes this match-up interesting is their mirrored abilities. Both characters dabble in magic and technology. However, Riri is still figuring out her powers compared to Doom, who has aeons of experience fighting the most powerful superheroes.

While fans don't know what the aftermath of Riri's deal with Mephisto (Sacha Baron Cohen) is and how it can affect her abilities, she can still cross paths with Doom in the next phase of the MCU. She models her suit after Tony Stark's too, so a face-off with his potential look-alike would be a compelling watch.

With the future of Ironheart season 2 hanging in the balance, fans have to wait and see how her character ties in with the other superheroes and Doctor Doom, or if it will at all.

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5) Sentry (Lewis Pullman)

Sentry is a wildcard who could defeat Doom (Image via YouTube/Marvel Entertainment)

Not only is Bob Reynolds, aka Sentry, one of the most powerful characters in the MCU, but he is also at arm's reach, ready to battle Doctor Doom. He might be one of the best match-ups for the sinister villain, with his untameable superpowers like strength, regeneration, and energy manipulation, synonymous with a million exploding suns. When he turns into The Void, he can be near-impossible to beat.

He is introduced in Thunderbolts* as an ordinary man with a dark past who ingests a serum that makes him superhuman. However, his struggles with mental health turn him into the darkest version of himself. While Yelena (Florence Pugh) and the team manage to bring him back from the brink, he is benched for the foreseeable future. So crossing paths with Doctor Doom seems currently unlikely.

If he can control his powers the next time fans see him, then he will be the most powerful candidate to go up against Doom. However, the supervillain can use his smarts to exploit his weakness around mental health.

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Fans can catch all movies in the MCU on Disney+ as they wait for Doctor Doom's grand introduction.

Edited by Niharika Dabral