Marvel's Doctor Doom, War Machine and others are coming to Fortnite

Marvel's Doctor Doom is set to join Fortnite as part of the game's upcoming Chapter 5, Season 4: Absolute Doom, which starts on August 16. This addition is one of the first major reveals from Disney and Epic Games' expanded partnership, announced during the Disney Experiences Showcase at the D23 fan gathering.

The collaboration aims to integrate Disney brands and characters more deeply into Epic's popular gaming franchise. Josh D'Amaro, Disney's parks and products chief, along with leaders from Marvel, Pixar, Lucasfilm, and Walt Disney Animation Studios, unveiled early plans for new games and entertainment universes tied to Fortnite.

Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige explained that the new season will allow players to continue the Fortnite and Marvel story with new gameplay and locations. The integration is designed to provide fans with clues and hints about upcoming Marvel film storylines, creating a deeper connection between the game and Marvel's broader storytelling universe.

In addition to Doctor Doom, other Marvel characters like War Machine, Gwenpool, and unique Fortnite characters such as Captain Jonesy, Peely Wolverine will be featured in the upcoming season. New items and weapons, including Dual Micro SMGs, will also be introduced.

Maleficent, Incredibles to join Fortnite later this year

The Disney-Epic Games partnership extends beyond Marvel. Walt Disney Animation Studios chief Jennifer Lee announced that Disney villains Maleficent, Cruella de Vil, and Captain Hook will debut in Fortnite this fall. Pixar's chief creative officer Peter Docter revealed that the Incredibles will be the first Pixar characters to join the game later this year.

Lucasfilm is also contributing to the collaboration, with Star Wars characters IG-11 and Moff Gideon set to appear in Fortnite next week. Dave Filoni of Lucasfilm hinted at potential future developments allowing fans to explore "Mandalorian" sets brought to life by Unreal Engine technology.

This expanded partnership follows Disney's $1.5 billion investment in Epic Games, announced by CEO Bob Iger in February 2024. The collaboration aims to create a Disney universe within Fortnite, offering opportunities for consumers to engage with content, characters, and stories from various Disney properties.

The livestream of the D23 presentation within Fortnite attracted 1.2 million concurrent players.