Marvel Rumored to Introduce Villain That Will Set Up Doctor Doom's MCU Debut

A new report suggests that Marvel Studios is laying the groundwork for Doctor Doom's Marvel Cinematic Universe debut. According to MCU Cosmic, another Marvel villain's role and the introduction of the nation of Latveria to the universe will presage Doom's arrival as a new threat. That villain is Lucia Von Bardas, the prime minister of Latveria. In the comics, Von Bardas deposes Doom and replaces him as ruler of the small nation. Doom later returned to reclaim his country. In the case of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it seems likely that Von Bardas would be a servant of Doom, perhaps sent on a diplomatic mission outside of Latveria.

While there are no firm plans known to the public for the introduction of Doom and his rivals, the Fantastic Four, into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Marvel Studios is now in possession of those characters after purchasing 20th Century Fox. Fox had hired Legion creator Noah Hawley to direct a Doctor Doom movie. Hawley has suggested that the script for the Doom film is complete, but he's received no contact from Disney or Marvel Studios. Regardless, his new job writing and directing a Star Trek movie may complicate the issue.

"The phone hasn't rung," Hawley said. "I love the script and what I did with it. Marvel seems to have a plan for everything. It would be great if I fell into that plan. And I haven't been chasing it, and with Star Trek, it complicates it. But if the phone rings, I'm in."

In another interview, he said, "I mean, where it stands is now that the movie is done and Legion is done, and I've taken a little time off because someone told me there was this word 'vacation,' which means you don't work, which sounded really interesting to me," Hawley explained last August. "But you know, I need to circle back to them and announce that I would love to make it and figure out if that's something that is possible. Whether or not they already have a plan in place for what to do with those characters or whether they're open to my kind of vision for what to do with those characters. But it's sort of on me right now to go push them, which I will do as soon as I come up for air."

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