Spoilers ahead for the final season of Stranger Things.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe is always expanding, thanks to new projects arriving in theaters and streaming with a Disney+ subscription. Arguably the most highly anticipated upcoming Marvel movie is Avengers: Doomsday, and there are a ton of theories about what The Russo Brothers might have up their sleeves. And a new one about Doctor Doom's motivation in the movie sounds surprisingly like Vecna's plan in Stranger Things 5.
What we know about Avengers: Doomsday is super limited, leading fans to fill in the blanks with their own theories. Those with a Netflix subscription were recently treated to the fifth and final season of Stranger Things, which saw the villainous Vecna kidnap children in an attempt to change the world in his image. And a rumor about Doomsday (via ScreenRant) makes it seem like Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom is up to something similar in the next Avengers movie.
The theory revolves around the early footage for Doomsday. Captain America's teaser showed his infant child, while Thor was seen with his adopted daughter Love. Add in the Fantastic Four: First Steps credits scene, and some fans think that Doctor Doom is trying to steal the children of the shared universe.
The theory claims that Doctor Doom is collecting superpowered kids in hopes of replacing them as Anchor Beings throughout the multiverse. And since they're young, he'll be able to manipulate them and shape various universes to his will. Is it just me, or is this sounding similar to Vecna's evil plot in Stranger Things 5?
This is just a theory at this point, so we should probably take it with a grain of salt until we get more information about exactly what's going down in Avengers: Doomsday. Still, the possible connection to Stranger Things has the potential to get even more folks invested in what RDJ's title character and his plans.
Obviously the timing of this Doomsday theory coming out in the wake of the Stranger Things finale is coloring my perspective of it. And it's more than possible that Doctor Doom is planning on doing something entirely different. But the Marvel villain is known for multiversal plots, and the Doomsday cast announcement points at a story that will be told across various timelines.
Throughout Stranger Things 5, the heroes attempted to protect a group of kids from Vecna aka Henry Creel aka Mr. Whatsit. In the end they took the fight to the show's villain, and were able to save the kids before the world ended.
All will be revealed when Avengers: Doomsday hits theaters on December 18th as part of the 2026 movie release list. As for Stranger Things, the entire show is streaming now on Netflix... even if fans think The Duffer Brother are still planning a secret bonus episode.
