The Marvel rumor mill is spinning again—this time around Pedro Pascal’s highly anticipated portrayal of Reed Richards, aka Mr. Fantastic.
A post from MCU Source lit up social media on June 24, 2025, claiming that Pascal’s Richards will be the main character in the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday. The post’s timing—paired with the growing hype surrounding Marvel Studios’ Phase 6—has fans buzzing and speculating wildly.
“He’d have to be, right?”
He'd have to be, right? I mean, Doc Doom is the mirror image of Reed Richards. Reed vs Doom was THE major conflict of the Marvel comicsverse for decades. If there's a "Doomsday" film… of course Reed has to be a major character.
— its a me john (@BlanketMan77) June 24, 2025
In one reply, X user @BlanketMan77 wrote: “He’d have to be, right? I mean, Doc Doom is the mirror image of Reed Richards. Reed vs Doom was THE major conflict of the Marvel comicsverse for decades. If there’s a ‘Doomsday’ film… of course Reed has to be a major character.” It’s a reasonable assumption—and mostly fact-based—but let’s break it down.
Pedro Pascal’s casting as Reed Richards was confirmed by Marvel Studios in late 2023 after months of speculation. He leads the cast of The Fantastic Four reboot, currently slated for theatrical release on July 25, 2025.
With production reportedly wrapped and marketing underway, anticipation is already sky-high, especially since this new version of the Fantastic Four is expected to be central to the future of the MCU.
The Kang-to-Doom pivot
Wonder if Marvel recasts Kang or completely pivot to Dr. Doom as the next big bad
— Dominicc Hardy (@ThaDangerousOne) December 18, 2023pic.twitter.com/HzCphU3JU9
As for Avengers: Doomsday, while official plot details remain tightly under wraps, the title alone has sent fandom into theory overdrive. The film is scheduled to hit theaters in December 2026, following Avengers: The Kang Dynasty, which is rumored to undergo major rewrites or even a rebrand following Jonathan Majors’ departure from the franchise.
According to reports, Doomsday will pivot the MCU’s focus from Kang to Doctor Doom—one of Marvel’s most iconic villains, who also happens to be Reed Richards’ arch-nemesis.
A Richards-Doom faceoff is canon
Makes sense him and Dr doom are old friends
— YUNG EMO COBAIN (@Lilmaget) June 24, 2025
That context helps explain why the rumor from MCU Source gained such traction. If Doomsday is indeed centered around Doctor Doom—as the title and leaks suggest—then it would make narrative sense for Reed Richards to be front and center. In the comics, Doom and Richards are intellectual equals and bitter rivals, their conflict representing one of Marvel’s most complex and enduring moral dichotomies.
So is the claim true? While MCU Source isn’t an official Marvel outlet, the speculation aligns with known story arcs from the comics. If Doom rises as the next big bad, Richards would naturally be a keystone hero in the coming Avengers narrative. No official confirmation from Marvel yet, but the pieces are falling into place.
Bottom line: @BlanketMan77’s comment hits the nail on the head. Reed Richards isn’t just another superhero—he’s the guy who checks Doom’s power and hubris. And if Avengers: Doomsday really is the beginning of Marvel’s Doom era, then Pascal’s Reed will likely play a pivotal—if not the lead—role. Stay tuned for more updates as Marvel Studios continues laying the groundwork for its post-Multiverse saga.
