Avengers: Doomsday Artwork Reveals Doop, the MCU’s Craziest X-Men Connection Yet

Avengers: Endgame was the perfect conclusion to the Infinity Saga, and was filled to the brim with crowd-pleasing moments, dazzling action scenes, and plenty of heart, so much so that fans have been wondering how Marvel Studios will be able to top it. Well, we may have just gotten a taste of what the studio is planning. Concept art for the highly anticipated Avengers: Doomsday just leaked, giving fans an early look at what’s in store for the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The leaked images included glimpses of Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom, Star-Lord hanging out with White Vision, a new Black Panther, and Hulk and She-Hulk in a medieval-like setting with other Hulks. While we don’t know for sure that the scenes and characters depicted in the concept will be featured in the final product, the fact that they were quickly scrubbed (but not before fans screenshotted them and spread them across the internet) means that they may actually be early glimpses of Marvel Studios’ plan for the upcoming film.

It’s a pretty surprising batch of images that really just leaves us with more questions than answers. However, the real revelation is the inclusion of the X-Men character, Doop. The floating green interdimensional being is seen in a bar or restaurant of some kind with what appears to be the Young Avengers (who could get their own film), whose roster includes Ms. Marvel, Hawkeye, Cassie Lang, Wiccan, and Speed, all of whom are being chaperoned by Wong and Star-Lord. While Marvel Studios has been gradually integrating mutants into the MCU, no one could have predicted that Doop, of all characters, would be considered to appear in a major Avengers film. Known for his absurd abilities and surreal presence, Doop’s potential involvement in Avengers: Doomsday definitely has fans scratching their heads asking the question: Why Doop?

Who is Doop?

Even among fans of Marvel Comics, Doop is hardly one of the more well-known characters. The character, created by writer Peter Milligan and artist Mike Allred, debuted in X-Force #116 in 2001. This version of the team featured a group of mutant heroes whose exploits were filmed and broadcast to the world, making them more akin to pop or reality TV stars than traditional superheroes, and were later rebranded as X-Statix, with Doop functioning as their cameraman.

Not much is known about Doop, though his presence often lends a more humorous tone to whichever series he appears in. This hovering green creature speaks an indescribable language that somehow only a select few can understand; he has an impressive power set that includes flight, enhanced durability, energy projection, and more. Despite his wry personality and nonchalant demeanor, he’s proven to be quite a fighter and has held his own against plenty of powerful supervillains.

[RELATED: Doomsday Concept Art Just Teased the Return of a Controversial Character (But Will He Actually Appear?)]

Doop’s origins are also quite bizarre. It’s been speculated that he was created by the U.S. government in a top secret project during the Cold War. However, later comics would state that he came from another dimension called Marginalia. But considering how baffling the character’s existence is in and of itself, it’s far more fun to theorize his real ancestry.

Doop’s publication history is just as unconventional as the character himself. Originally appearing in X-Force / X-Statix, he had a recurring appearance in Wolverine and the X-Men as an administrator at the Jean Grey School for Higher Learning who also went on numerous secret missions to keep the school’s students safe from outside threats. Since then, he’s appeared in numerous other X-titles and has shown up in multiple crossover events.

So Why Doop?

Despite what we know about Doop from the comics (which is, admittedly, not very much), why Marvel Studios would want to include him so early before the arrival of other, bigger X-Men characters isn’t clear. Considering the multiversal nature of the current state of the MCU, he may be from another parallel universe. In the source material, he has a pocket universe in his own body, so maybe that’s how Marvel Studios will bring in other X-Men characters? It’s also possible that, because this is just concept art, that Doop was thrown in as a joke rather than confirmation that he’ll actually appear in the film.

Whatever the reason for his inclusion in the leaked Avengers: Doomsday concept art, it does mean that Marvel Studios isn’t afraid to play with some unexpected characters in the planning of their films. At the very least, it seems like the MCU has plenty of surprises in store for fans with its upcoming projects.

What do you think about Doop’s inclusion in Avengers: Doomsday? Let us know in the comments below!