As the excitement around Avengers: Doomsday builds, a new rumor has suggested that the Fantastic Four will be playing a significant role in the much-awaited film. The movie was originally envisioned with Kang the Conqueror as its main antagonist. However, Marvel had to pivot away from that plotline following Jonathan Majors’ criminal conviction, prompting the studio to cast Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom in his stead.
With Marvel’s first family playing a huge part in shaping Doctor Doom’s lore in the comics, fans have long speculated that the Fantastic Four might make an appearance in Avengers: Doomsday. According to a new rumor, the group will not only feature in the Avengers sequel but also impact the plot in a big way.
Fantastic Four could be more crucial than Earth-616 Avengers in Doomsday
According to MyTimeToShineHello, Avengers 5 could mostly center around the MCU’s incoming Fantastic Four, possibly even more so than Earth-616’s Avengers.
In his latest X (formerly Twitter) update, the internet scooper stated, “Doomsday will focus on the F4 and then the 616 Avengers.” The Fantastic Four will make their MCU debut in their own film this summer. However, the extent of their involvement in future projects in the franchise has not yet been revealed.
While many fans have been speculating on who will and will not appear in the film, Benedict Cumberbatch has confirmed that Doctor Strange will not appear in Avengers 5. The Imitation Game star recently confirmed that he won’t be teaming up with the Fantastic Four in Avengers: Doomsday due to the modifications made to the film’s script in order to write out Kang the Conqueror.
In the comics, the Fantastic Four have a long history with Doctor Doom. Reed Richards and Victor Von Doom have a deep-rooted rivalry on the pages that has gone on to shape the narrative of the Marvel universe.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps could possibly introduce MCU fans to Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom upon its release on July 25, 2025. The characters would then meet for the second time in Avengers: Doomsday, which is currently on track to hit the big screen on May 1, 2026.
Volvo is currently in the midst of a major transition that will see the company fully embrace electrification over the coming decade. Part of that shift includes the addition of the ES90, a new mid-size luxury electric sedan that will be positioned alongside the gas-burning S90.
While many mainstream automakers continue to trend away from sedans as SUV and truck sales continue to surge, Volvo has been a stalwart competitor in the premium sedan segment. The ES90 will live next to the existing S90 in the Swedish brand’s lineup for at least a couple of years as Volvo evaluates if sedan shoppers are ready to make the switch to electricity.
The ES90 will ride on the same SPA2 platform as the larger EX90 EV SUV, which also underpins the sportier Polestar 3. That means the sedan will likely share the same 111.0-kWh battery pack and an electric driving range in the ballpark of 300 miles or more.
While Volvo hasn’t confirmed any powertrain specifics, we can use the EX90 SUV as a guide. The SUV features a dual-motor all-wheel-drive setup that offers 402- and 510-horsepower variants. While an all-wheel-drive version is a given, the ES90 could add a rear-wheel-drive single-motor setup as well.
The luxury EV sedan segment is growing crowded, and the ES90 will face competitors like the BMW i5, Genesis Electrified G80, Lucid Air, Mercedes-Benz EQE, and Tesla Model S. The Afeela 1, from Sony and Honda’s joint venture, also joins the fray in 2026.
