Mads Mikkelsen...Cillian Murphy...Giancarlo Esposito...by now, we know you've seen the same old names suggested for the MCU's Doctor Doom time and time again.
With The Fantastic Four fast approaching and rumours swirling that the Latverian dictator will appear in a post-credits scene, all signs point to us meeting the new Victor Von Doom as soon as next year. However, none of the popular decisions listed above seem like a perfect fit to us.
In this feature, we've rounded up several alternative suggestions who would each be suitably terrifying and formidable as the MCU's Doom. Crucially, they're not the names you'd necessarily expect to see (sorry, Christoph Waltz fans).
To find out who we think could square off with Mister Fantastic, Invisible Woman, Human Torch, and The Thing as a villain capable of being the next Saga's big bad, click on the "Next"/"View List" buttons below.
7. Jesse Plemons
Breaking Bad put Jesse Plemons on the map and he's since blown us away in Fargo, Black Mirror, The Irishman, The Power of the Dog, and even with a brief scene in Civil War.
Something that's become clear over the years is that the actor is fantastic at playing a sinister, slightly demented antagonist. Doctor Doom needs to feel like someone who could snap at a moment's notice, making him an unhinged, terrifying threat to Marvel's First Family.
Plemons is an expressive actor and we're sure he could do a lot with even just the eyes that peer out beneath Victor's mask. Would he be an unexpected choice for the role? Absolutely, but he'd nail it.
6. Josh O'Connor
If you're unfamiliar with Josh O'Connor, now might be a good time to sit up and take notice of the actor. He deservedly won an Emmy and Golden Globe for his role as Charles, Prince of Wales in The Crown and most recently impressed in Challengers.
His star is on the rise and a role like Doom would allow O'Connor to show a darker side which we first caught glimpses of in his portrayal as Great Britain's current King.
Crucially, he also knows how to make an otherwise unlikeable character incredibly sympathetic. Doom is a twisted villain, yes, but he has a tragic backstory and believes he's doing the right thing. O'Connor feels like the right actor to explore that complexity.
5. Dan Stevens
Dan Stevens is no stranger to comic book adaptations after starring in Legion and has never shied away from blockbuster fare (2024 has seen him have a blast in both Abigail and Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire).
If we're looking for a Victor who is absolutely unhinged and a pure madman dictator, then Stevens is it. Had Noah Hawley made his Doctor Doom movie for 20th Century Fox, chances are the actor would have played the villain; The Fantastic Four might be his second chance.
Stevens is a transformative actor who would make Doom his own in a way that Julian McMahon and Toby Kebbell failed to.
4. Luke Evans
Luke Evans is a massively underrated actor. While he's starred in plenty of big movies, impressing in Fast & Furious 6, Beauty and the Beast, and The Hobbit, we're still waiting to see him steal the show in a way that makes Evans a regular on the blockbuster circuit.
The Welshman has played a few villains now - The Girl on the Train highlighted his sinister side - and done so in a way which has left us convinced he'd be a fantastic (no pun intended) Doctor Doom.
Evans is someone who could really inject his own personality into Victor and really perfect the regal, powerful side of this character on screen. Plus, while Dracula Untold sucked, armour definitely suits him!
3. Henry Cavill
Henry Cavill's time as the DCEU's Superman reached an unceremonious end when DC Studios was formed. He always had a tough time as the Man of Steel and deserves another shot at a comic book movie role.
That's more likely to come in the Marvel Cinematic Universe than the new DCU and suggestions range from Captain Britain to Hercules and Mister Sinister. Any of those would be fun to see, though we'd like to see what he can do as Doctor Doom.
This would be a massive departure for Cavill and one which tests him in ways we haven't seen for quite some time. The actor has proven largely forgettable in recent projects, so something as exciting as his villainous turn in Mission: Impossible - Fallout would be welcomed.
2. Rami Malek
In some respects, this is perhaps too easy a suggestion. Rami Malek played a scarred, mask-wearing villain in No Time to Die and did an excellent job doing so. However, the Mr. Robot star didn't have the most memorable material to work with.
As Doctor Doom, Malek could take what he did here and build on it in a big way. The actor is a powerhouse talent and capable of taking Victor's more nuanced qualities and making him far more three-dimensional than previous versions seen on screen.
At the same time, he could be scary and a creepy, frightening version of the villain who pushes the Fantastic Four to their limits. Yes, he's a sympathetic character at times, but Doom is also thoroughly evil.
1. Jacob Elordi
This is going to be a divisive choice. Bear with us, though, because Jacob Elordi could shine in a role like this. He has said superhero fare isn't of interest, but there are plenty of actors who have done the same before joining the Marvel or DC Universes.
Elordi put himself on the map with Euphoria and more recently blew us away in Priscilla and Saltburn. While the entitled posh boy in the latter may not scream "Doom," it certainly made us think he could effectively portray the smugness of a young Victor before becoming a supervillain.
However, when the mask goes on, we think Elordi could make Doom his own and spend several years putting the villain back on the map.