Summary

  • RDJ is returning to the MCU as Doctor Doom, not Iron Man, in the Avengers movies.
  • Which version of Doctor Doom Downey will portray has been revealed.
  • Marvel should aim to keep the introduction of RDJ's Doctor Doom simple to avoid additional complications in the Multiverse saga.

Robert Downey Jr.'s return to the Kang the Conqueror star Jonathan Majors was fired, it made sense that Marvel went back to RDJ to help the MCU.

I did find it interesting that Marvel decided the best way to bring back Downey would be as Doctor Doom instead of Iron Man. Even if the Earth-616 Tony Stark was dead, there were still several versions of the hero from other universes who could have appeared in the RDJ has the range to play Doctor Doom and make him as nuanced as he is in the comics. Thankfully, Marvel is also using the ideal version of the character.

Key Facts

  • Robert Downey Jr auditioned to play Doctor Doom for Fox's 2005 Fantastic Four movie
  • Downey Jr will become the 4th prominent MCU actor to play two different characters (not variants), after Michelle Yeoh, Gemma Chan, and David Dastmalchian
  • In Marvel's What If? Iron Man: Demon in an Armor #1, Tony Stark's mind is transferred into Victor Von Doom's body

Robert Downey Jr. Is Playing Victor Von Doom In The MCU

Tony Stark Variant Rumors Can Now Die Down

Downey's casting as Doctor Doom immediately led to theories regarding how the actor could play the villain in the MCU after giving life to Iron Man for more than a decade. Due to his past MCU role, many fans believed Marvel could be using the multiverse to make a Tony Stark variant the MCU's Doctor Doom. I also thought about that possibility, as there are a few versions of the Marvel villain in the comics that connect to Iron Man, so there would be something of a precedent for that choice.

RDJ explained that the process of his MCU return started one year ago, with Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige suggesting that the actor could return as Victor von Doom.

However, Robert Downey Jr. has addressed his Doctor Doom casting, revealing key details about the process that led to his MCU return, as well as what version of Doom he will be playing. According to Downey, he will play Victor von Doom, the classic version of the Marvel Comics villain, in the two Avengers movies, 2026's Avengers: Doomsday and 2027's Avengers: Secret Wars. RDJ explained that the process of his MCU return started one year ago, with Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige suggesting that the actor could return as Victor von Doom instead of Tony Stark.

Downey also shared another positive tidbit, revealing a comforting thing Feige said to him, "Let’s get Victor Von Doom right." While RDJ has proven a divisive choice for Doctor Doom due to some fans wanting a new actor to be cast as the villain, I can't say that I'm sad about the casting. Downey just came off an Oscar-winning role in Oppenheimer as one of the movie's antagonists, and the actor has plenty of roles in his career that show he can bring a complex, authoritative, and intense Victor von Doom to life, just like he is in the comics.

Doctor Doom from Marvel Comics and the MCU's Avengers, all with a sinister green glow
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"The MCU has failed to find a new central figure after Iron Man's death. Bringing back Robert Downey Jr. already seems like a last-ditch decision to course-correct, and bringing back other known actors or established characters isn't a strategy that can be relied on consistently." Nicolas Ayala - Convinced that Robert Downey Jr. Is The Most Important Person To The MCU's Success, Second Only To Kevin Feige

I Think A Classic Doctor Doom Is Better Than An Iron Man Variant

The MCU Did Not Need A Convoluted Origin For Doom

I'm very happy that we are getting Downey as Victor von Doom instead of the actor coming back to play an Iron Man variant that became Doctor Doom. There are a few reasons for that. The most important one is that the MCU does not need to make its main villain change even more confusing. Up to this point, the Multiverse Saga had been setting up Kang the Conqueror and the Council of Kangs for the next two Avengers movies. With an abrupt change towards Doom taking that role, I think the switch needs to be as simple as possible.

Marvel has yet to reveal if Kang the Conqueror or the Council of Kangs will be recast or simply forgotten by the MCU.

Sure, the multiverse could have been used to explain how RDJ is Doctor Doom, given that there is an endless number of Tony Stark variants who could have turned into Doctor Doom. Some theories around that possible story route picked up some steam among fans, with a couple including Iron Man and Doctor Doom switching bodies like has happened in the comics and Doom projecting his conscience on the MCU's deceased Iron Man. However, with Marvel having to quickly set up Doctor Doom and throw him against the MCU's heroes in Avengers: Doomsday, I believe a simple introduction works better.

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Doctor Doom from Marvel Comics, Jonathan Majors' Kang the Conqueror, and Tom Hiddleston's Loki from the Loki season 2 finale
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How RDJ Could Play Victor Von Doom After The MCU’s Tony Stark

The Multiverse Should Still Be Used To Introduce Doctor Doom

While Downey will play Victor von Doom and not an Iron Man variant as Doctor Doom, the villain could still come from an alternate universe. I believe that is the only way for Marvel to explain why Doom and Stark are played by the same actor, keeping in mind that with RDJ's reported massive salary, it is hard to believe that Marvel would keep Doctor Doom's mask all of the time. RDJs Doctor Doom will reportedly debut in The Fantastic Four: First Steps' mid/post-credits scene and that could explain everything to do with his casting.

With the Fantastic Four reboot taking place in a different universe that has a retro-futuristic version of New York in the 1960s, RDJ's Doctor Doom could also come from that reality. The MCU has already established that the same character can be played by different people, with multiple actors giving life to Loki and Spider-Man. The Fantastic Four: First Steps revealing Downey's Doctor Doom comes from that universe could help establish that different Earths could also feature past MCU actors as other characters, which would open the door for many exciting multiverse returns.

The MCU's original six Avengers with a shot of Earth from space and film roll in the background
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I Want To See Both Of Downey’s MCU Characters Interact At Least Once

Iron Man And Doctor Doom Have To Fight

While Downey is playing Victor von Doom, I still want to see the actor return as a version of Iron Man in one or both of the Avengers movies. Avengers: Secret Wars would be the perfect film for that to happen in, as it would allow RDJ to cement himself as Doctor Doom first in Avengers: Doomsday, likely defeating the Avengers and other multiverse heroes who may appear in it before the remaining characters look for help to take him down in Avengers: Secret Wars and Downey returns as Iron Man.

That said, I don't want to see the MCU resurrect Tony Stark, as his story ended in an epic way. Instead, Marvel should have Downey play a similar variant to Earth-616's so that it's close enough that fans feel connected to this Iron Man while also being different to allow for both Tony Starks to be their own person. An MCU reboot is rumored to happen after Avengers: Secret Wars, and so this could be the final chance to have Downey play Iron Man one more time. RDJ's Iron Man helping defeat his Doctor Doom would be a huge moment.

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