Doctor Doom Appears to Be Abducting Heroes in Avengers: Doomsday

The directors of Avengers: Doomsday seem to be teasing that Doctor Doom is abducting different heroes from around the Marvel universe.

At the end of Avengers: Endgame Encore, a recent re-release of the 2019 film with additional footage, Bruce Banner is seen recording a video message in a bunker. He has isolated himself following the events of Spider-Man: Brand New Day, but his moment of isolation is interrupted when Doctor Doom suddenly appears and seemingly kidnaps him. It's unclear exactly what Doom is planning, but it goes beyond just snatching the Incredible Hulk.

Speaking to Empire, director Joe Russo teased that Banner is just one part of Doom's larger plan.

"I mean, look, his interest may extend beyond just Banner," said Russo. "So, that's what we'll say about that."

We may already have an idea of who else Doom is targeting. During the post credits scene of The Fantastic Four: First Steps, Doom can be seen in the living room of the Baxter Building, speaking with a young Franklin Richards. Although Sue Storm interrupts, it's unclear if Doom manages to abduct Franklin or if he's forced to leave without the child. A long-running theory for the film has also speculated that Doom may be kidnapping the children of various Marvel heroes, including Franklin, Thor's adopted child, and possibly the child of Steve Rogers and Peggy Carter (this one lost some credibility following the ending of Avengers: Endgame Encore, though).

Whatever the case may be, it seems like Doom wants to capture and potentially control some of Marvel's most powerful heroes. There are currently roughly two months left until the release of Doomsday, which should provide a lot of clarity on things. However, there will likely still be plenty of mysteries, as Doctor Doom will return next year in Avengers: Secret Wars.