Since Disney's acquisition of Fox Studios, Marvel Studios regained the film rights to many of its most beloved characters. The upcoming Fantastic Four will feature new adaptations of these characters when they make their debut in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Among those many characters included in that acquisition are some of the most iconic heroes and villains of all time, for example, Victor Von Doom.

There is perhaps no greater villain than the Fantastic Four's arch-nemesis, Doctor Doom. Because of this character's rich comic book history, there is a likelihood he could not only be the Fantastic Four's big bad in the MCU but also a primary antagonist of the shared universe. Rumors have begun to circulate, and there have been a few Doctor Doom fan casts involving a few great actors.

Updated on November 30th, 2023 by Mayra Garcia: With the Fantastic Four film on its way and the many casting rumors for the superheroes, fans have also turned their attention towards the Doctor Doom casting. Since he's one of the most important Marvel villains ever, the question of who should play Doctor Doom is central to the success of the Fantastic Four film. So far, there's no way of knowing if Marvel Studios will listen to the many Doctor Doom fan casting on the internet or if they will go with someone else. This list has been updated to comply with CBR standards.

12 Christoph Waltz Has Played Several Memorable Villains Already

Also known for:

• Inglorious Bastards (2009)
• Django Unchained (2012)
• Alita: Battle Angel (2019)

Some fans might think he's a bit too old to be the MCU's new Doctor Doom, but Christoph Waltz fits the role perfectly. No other actor has quite the same charisma and charm as this Austrian-born actor. In the comics, Doctor Doom is the monarch of the country of Latveria. Waltz could play the role of Latveria's ruthless yet protective dictator quite well.

Throughout his career, Waltz has played many villainous characters. Although not all of these movies were big hits, Waltz always managed to impress and captivate audiences with his dynamic performances. He would make a great Marvel villain, especially if he was up against an equally impressive Reed Richards like in most of Doctor Doom's best comic appearances.

11 Jon Hamm Could Excel In the Role of the Masked Villainous Mastermind

Also known for:

• Mad Men (2007-2015)
• Baby Driver (2017)
• Legion (2017-2019)

Another master of charisma, Jon Hamm stole the hearts of many viewers during his stint on the hit show Mad Men. He has also proven his range and played more villainous roles. He shined as a ruthless bank robber and one of the main antagonists in writer/director Edgar Wright's Baby Driver.

Hamm's attractiveness has proven to be a gift and a curse. While he has proven to be one of this generation's biggest heartthrobs, Hamm sometimes doesn't get the recognition he deserves as a versatile actor. Playing a supervillain who spends most of his time behind a mask could change this if he gave the incredible performance fans know he's capable of delivering.

10 Ben Mendelsohn Shines as Sympathetic Villains Who Believe They Are the Heroes

Also known for:

• Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
• Ready Player One (2018)
• The Outsider (2020)

Over the last few years, Ben Mendelsohn has played quite a few sympathetic villains that have compelled audiences. He's also managed to layer in some flawed heroes as well, which is where Doctor Doom comes in. He may be one of Marvel's greatest villains, but he thinks he is the greatest hero despite his many flaws.

Although Mendelsohn was already cast as the Skrull leader Talos in Captain Marvel and Secret Invasion, he could still easily play Doom. Mendelsohn wore many layers of makeup as Talos, so there might not be any audience confusion if he played a different character. It worked for Gemma Chan's Sersi from Eternals, who also played Minn-Erva in Captain Marvel.

9 Luke Evans Has Proven he Can Play Menacing Villains Like Doctor Doom More Than Once

Also known for:

• The Fast & Furious franchise (2001)
• The Raven (2012)
• Dracula Untold (2014)

Luke Evans played one of the best villains from the Fast and Furious franchise, Owen Shaw. The British actor displayed the perfect level of menace and calculated evil that could put him in the running for the role of Doctor Doom.

Evans also played the troubled Vlad the Impaler before he turned into one of the greatest literary villains in Dracula Untold. His potential role as Doctor Doom could finally give fans an accurate portrayal of Marvel's armored and brilliant villain after two uninspired adaptations of the character.

8 Hugh Laurie Could Give Doctor Doom an Imposing Presence on the Big Screen

Also known for:

• House (2004-2012)
• The Night Manager (2016)
• Avenue 5 (2020-2022)

Although he is better known for more comedic performances, Hugh Laurie has shown that he is capable of going to very dark places. He proved this to audiences everywhere during his long run on the hit TV show House. Laurie would bring a level of sophistication to the character that could help bring Doctor Doom's evil scientific inventions to the big screen.

Laurie's intense character work and imposing presence make him a great match for Marvel's most powerful despot. Laurie is one of the few actors who could fully embody the terrifying villain, even when acting from behind the metal visage of Doom.

7 Dan Stevens Is a Prolific Actor With a Proven Range Who Could Handle the Role

Also known for:

• Legion (2017-2019)
• Downton Abbey (2010-2012)
• Beauty and the Beast (2017)

Dan Stevens has been quite a busy actor over the last few years. Between projects like Legion, Beauty and the Beast, and Apostle, Stevens has proven to be one of the most sought-after actors in Hollywood. Stevens' range is one of the actor's great advantages.

Typically, when actors appear in several projects all at once, it is due to type-casting. With Stevens, that has not been the case. Each performance he gives is unique and powerful. He could be a very compelling Doctor Doom who could handle the potential pressure of the role.

6 Giancarlo Esposito Has Become a Fan-Favorite Villain on More Than One TV Series

Also known for:

• Breaking Bad (2008-2013)
• The Mandalorian (2019)
• The Boys (2019)

Fans got a taste of Giancarlo Esposito's ability to portray captivating villains in his role as Gustavo Fring from Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul. He even wielded one of the deadliest lightsabers in Star Wars as the evil Moff Gideon from The Mandalorian. Fans of The Boys have also watched Esposito manipulate powerful men as the head of Vought, Stan Edgar.

Esposito has expressed interest in taking on the role of Professor Xavier in the MCU's inevitable adaptation of the X-Men. While he would also excel in that role, Doctor Doom would allow Esposito to further add to his villain resumé with one of the comics' greatest villains.

5 Michael Fassbender Could Impress Fans as Doctor Doom Just as he Did With Magneto

Also known for:

• The X-Men prequel films (2011-2019)
• Inglourious Basterds (2009)
• 12 Years a Slave (2013)

Michael Fassbender might be hesitant to play another Marvel bad guy after his role as Magneto in Fox's X-Men franchise. However, he would be perfect in the role of Doctor Doom. All the complexity he put into his performances as Magneto proves he could also do the same with the Fantastic Four's main villain.

Although they are both villains, Magneto and Doctor Doom are very different. Fassbender could continue to shock audiences with his great acting while also showing us something new in the role. Few actors could deliver a better performance as Doctor Doom than Fassbender.

4 Rami Malek Has Great Range and Has Displayed His Intense Evil as a Bond Villain

Also known for:

• Bohemian Rapsody (2018)
• No Time To Die (2021)
• Mr. Robot (2015-2019)

Thanks to his Oscar-winning performance in Bohemian Rapsody, Rami Malek is a very admired actor right now. This gives him the perfect opportunity to join one of the world's biggest franchises and possibly play one of the comic company's greatest villains.

Malek has shown great range and commitment as an actor. He displayed his intense villainy as the Bond villain in No Time to Die. These qualities, along with his youth, could keep him in the MCU for the next decade. This would only build off of the many great performances that have helped establish the MCU.

3 Viggo Mortensen Can Play Both Dark and Brilliant Despite Also Being a Great Hero

Also known for:

• The Lord of the Rings trilogy (2001-2003)
• Captain Fantastic (2016)
• Green Book (2018)

The Lord of the Rings fans fell in love with the heroic Viggo Mortensen's Aragorn, the former Ranger and future King of Gondor who was imperative to the survival of the Free People of Middle-earth. However, Mortensen has played a wide variety of troubled and flawed characters that have shown he would be perfect for the role of Doctor Doom.

Mortensen has an intense gaze that could still stop his enemies in their tracks from behind Doom's metal mask. He could make Doctor Doom a hero of his own world while battling against the Fantastic Four, allowing fans to sympathize in ways with the Marvel villain just like Thanos.

2 Cillian Murphy Has Impressed Fans as Menacing Villains in Quite a Few Movies Already

Also known for:

• Peaky Blinders (2013-2022)
• The Dark Knight trilogy (2005-2012)
• Oppenheimer (2023)

Cillian Murphy has displayed quite a bit of range as well over the years. In Peaky Blinders, he played a handsome yet tough gangster/politician with a violent edge. In many other films, like Batman Begins, Murphy has played creepy villains like Scarecrow perfectly.

By combining the elements from these different performances, Cillian Murphy has what it takes to be one of the best villains the MCU has ever seen. Many fans online already think he is the perfect choice to play Doom. Hopefully, their voices will be heard, and fans will get to see Murphy shine as a comic book villain once again.

1 Nikolaj Coster-Waldau Managed to Turn a Despicable Villain Into a Beloved Character

Also known for:

• Game of Thrones (2011-2019)
• The Silencing (2020)
• Against the Ice (2022)

During the eight seasons of Game of Thrones, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau showed audiences he could take the most despicable of villains and turn them into a fan-favorite Game of Thrones character. Doctor Doom is a complex character. Although he is ruthless, Doom also follows a code of honor that he refuses to break.

Only a few actors in Hollywood can portray such complexity. Coster-Waldau is one of those actors. His work on Game of Thrones has proven he can handle the role. Now might be the perfect time for Coster-Waldau to make his transition to the MCU. There is no actor better suited to take on the role of Doctor Doom.