Doctor Doom (Dr. Victor von Doom) is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in The Fantastic Four #5 (July 1962). In his comic book appearances, Doctor Doom is depicted as the monarch of Latveria whose goal is to bring order to humanity through world conquest. He serves as the archenemy of Reed Richards and the Fantastic Four, though he has also come into conflict with other superheroes in the Marvel Universe, including Spider-Man, Iron Man, Doctor Strange, the Black Panther, the X-Men, and the Avengers. While usually portrayed as a villain, Doom has also been an antihero at times, working with heroes if their goals align and only if it benefits him.

The 2015 Fantastic Four is a reboot of the Marvel Comics superhero team. The film follows the story of four young outsiders—Reed Richards, Sue Storm, Johnny Storm, and Ben Grimm—who teleport to an alternate universe, which alters their physical forms in shocking ways. Reed gains the ability to stretch his body, Sue can become invisible and generate force fields, Johnny can engulf himself in flames and fly, and Ben transforms into a rock-like creature with immense strength.

Their powers emerge after a disastrous experiment involving interdimensional travel. One of their fellow travelers, Victor von Doom, is also transformed, becoming the movie’s antagonist. Victor gains telekinetic abilities and a metal-like exterior, leading him to become Doctor Doom. Feeling betrayed by humanity, Doom seeks to destroy Earth to rebuild it in his vision.

The four heroes must come together to stop Doctor Doom from executing his plan, leading to a final battle in the alternate dimension. Despite their efforts, the film was poorly received by critics and fans alike, criticized for its tone, pacing, and departure from the source material.