Image: NetEase Games
Thor and Jeff the Land Shark have also been announced to join Marvel Rivals.
NetEase Games dropped by San Diego Comic Con with a few major announcements for Marvel Rivals. Not only are Thor and Jeff the Land Shark joining the hero shooter’s playable roster, Doctor Doom has also been revealed as their accompanying villain. The iconic supervillain also won’t be voiced by Robert Downey Jr., who was recently announced to play the role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Instead, Travis Willingham (Critical Role) will voice Doctor Doom. Willingham will also play Thor in Marvel Rivals, making him the only actor to have multiple voice roles in the game so far.
Doctor Doom, Thor and Jeff the Land Shark join Marvel Rivals
NetEase Games released a new cinematic trailer for Marvel Rivals during San Diego Comic Con 2024, revealing the arrival of the iconic supervillain Doctor Doom. This trailer sheds more light on the ongoing story arc behind Marvel Rivals’ multiplayer matches, which involves Doctor Doom fighting against… Doctor Doom. It looks like no Marvel property is immune to multiversal storytelling, as the trailer sees Doctor Doom and Doom 2099 battle for supremacy.
The trailer also reveals another new character for Marvel Rivals: Thor, the God of Thunder. He comes into conflict with his brother Loki briefly in this trailer, before the focus shifts to other Marvel heroes dealing with chaotic disasters in New York City. Travis Willingham, who has played Thor in multiple videogames including Marvel’s Avengers and Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite, will return to voice the God of Thunder. He will also play Doctor Doom.
The four-legged shark Jeff the Land Shark is also joining Marvel Rivals’ playable roster. This adorable little animal was first introduced in Kelly Thompson and Daniele di Nicuolo’s West Coast Avengers comicbook run as the superhero Gwenpool’s new pet. He’s gained a lot of popularity in very little time, to the point of headlining his own comic series and joining the roster of a hero shooter.
Jeff the Land Shark and Thor are joining Marvel Rivals’ ongoing closed beta test, along with previously-announced additions like Venom and Adam Warlock. Doctor Doom is not currently playable, but there’s a chance that NetEase is saving him for later. The game has no firm release date yet.
This announcement was pretty well-timed on NetEase’s part, considering that Marvel Studios’ SDCC 2024 panel also saw a massive announcement regarding Doctor Doom: Robert Downey Jr. will return to play Victor von Doom in Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars, set to hit theaters in 2026 and 2027, respectively. The cast of The Fantastic Four (2025) will reprise their roles in both movies.