Amid the many heroes and villains who've already been brought into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, there are still several that fans can't wait to see. One of them is Doctor Doom, the chief adversary of the Fantastic Four and an immense threat to Marvel heroes in general. That team is intended to debut soon in the MCU, but their biggest enemy might have to sit things out for a while.
If it's anything like either comic book it's named after, Avengers: Secret Wars should logically involve Doctor Doom. Since he's yet to be officially introduced, doing so now would only feel rushed and haphazard. That's especially the case with how Kang has been handled so far. Here's why it might be too late for Victor von Doom to show up in the MCU's Multiverse Saga.
Doctor Doom Was a Big Part of the Secret Wars Comic Books
In both the original 1980s Secret Wars storyline and the more modern crossover event, Doctor Doom is a major presence. In the original series, he's one of the many villains grouped together by the cosmically powerful Beyonder to face their heroic counterparts, becoming a sort of de facto leader for the bad guys. That actually sees him kill Kang the Conqueror after Doom rebuilds the robotic Ultron, showcasing his versatility and why only he could be the one "leading" their group.
In the 2015 Secret Wars storyline, Doctor Doom attains even greater power as a "God Emperor," ruling Battleworld after the many Earths of the Marvel multiverse collide. Having Doom as the main villain of this story worked on several levels, as Secret Wars was a temporary finale to the Fantastic Four team and comic book. That likely won't be the case in the MCU, but Doom's involvement and actions might have to be excised entirely for the movie.
Putting Doctor Doom In Avengers: Secret Wars Will Feel Rushed
Obviously, much of the "grand finale" feeling of the 2015 Secret Wars can't be replicated in the film version, though this take on the story is likely the one that will influence the film the most. Unfortunately, part of the reason that it worked so well was that Doom and the Marvel Universe at large had been established for decades. With no Doctor Doom in sight in the MCU, introducing him in the Multiverse Saga might feel rushed and inorganic.
If Doom isn't going to be the main threat of Secret Wars, he might as well not be in it, as having him in a merely minor role would completely waste a villain of his grandeur. Keep in mind that Kang, the Thanos equivalent of Marvel's Multiverse Saga, has barely been developed. His presence is nowhere near as looming as Thanos, whose threat was obvious when he debuted in the first Avengers movie. If Kang runs the risk of being a rush job, there's simply no time to do Doctor Doom justice on the big screen.
That's especially the case given that Doom's previous movie appearances left a lot to be desired among fans. Marvel Studios would want to do right by the villains in order to make up for those past films and give its shared universe some further direction after the somewhat aimless Phase Four. There is a Fantastic Four movie releasing before Secret Wars, but it may focus on one of the team's villains besides Doom. That doesn't leave much room to introduce Doctor Doom and have him be a major force, meaning he may not even debut until the MCU's next saga.