AVENGERS: DOOMSDAY - What Does Robert Downey Jr.'s MCU Return As Doctor Doom Mean For The MCU?

AVENGERS: DOOMSDAY - What Does Robert Downey Jr.'s MCU Return As Doctor Doom Mean For The MCU?

At this weekend's San Diego Comic-Con, we learned that Iron Man star Robert Downey Jr. will return to the MCU as Doctor Doom. What does that mean for Avengers: Doomsday and beyond? Here's our breakdown!

Feature Opinion
By JoshWilding - Jul 29, 2024 12:07 PM EST
Filed Under: Avengers: Secret Wars

For a time, it looked like rising star Jonathan Majors was on track to establish himself as the best MCU villain since, well, Thanos. However, when Marvel Studios fired the actor after he was found guilty of two misdemeanour counts of assault and harassment, the MCU lost its Kang(s).

We'd assumed the role might be recast but with the Multiverse Saga struggling to strike a chord with fans, it was clear something needed to change. That something is the return of Robert Downey Jr., not as Tony Stark/Iron Man but as Victor Von Doom/Doctor Doom!

As exciting as this news may be, it also raises a lot of big questions about what this means for Avengers: Doomsday, Avengers: Secret Wars, and beyond. Fortunately for you, we're now taking a deep dive into that in the hope of figuring out what Marvel Studios has planned for us. 

For a full breakdown of what Doom means for the MCU, click on the "Next"/"View List" buttons below.
 

5. He's Victor Von Doom, Not Tony Stark

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It's important to note that at Comic-Con, in press releases, and across social media, Downey has been referred to as playing Victor Von Doom. He's not an evil Iron Man or a a version of Tony who gets shrapnel in his face rather than his chest: he's Victor, a.k.a. Doctor Doom. 

It's a crucial distinction because even though the Multiverse will likely come into play, Downey has been cast as a different character the same way Gemma Chan was Minn-Erva and Sersi. Heck, even Josh Brolin portrayed Thanos and Cable in the same year! 

Doom's face is hideously scarred and he never takes his mask off, meaning this may even be a voiceover role for Downey. Sure, he can eventually take it off to reveal a familiar face but that predictable plot beat might not be one Marvel wishes to deliver in these movies. 

Marvel Studios, the Russo Brothers, and Downey have all said Iron Man will remain dead, so the fallen hero being absent from the next Avengers movies is possible. However, Doom - in his own advanced armour -  can take his place in a twisted turn of fate only the Multiverse can deliver.
 

4. Kang Is Out, Doom Is In...

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Jonathan Majors was introduced as the MCU's new big bad in the season 1 finale of Loki. We learned He Who Remains had won a Multiversal War with his many Variants that left him to rule over a single, Sacred Timeline. 

Desperate to break free from the history he had written and eager to stop any more diverging timelines from being pruned, Sylvie killed the villain. We'd later learn that not all his Variants are bad as Victor Timely helped save the day in Loki season 2.

Then, in Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania, Kang the Conqueror - surely the ultimate Kang Variant - was revealed to be trapped in the Quantum Realm (where he was ultimately defeated by Scott Lang). However, Immortus, Rama-Tut, and Scarlet Centurion assembled a legion of Kangs to take the fight to The Avengers after what Ant-Man had done to their banished Variant. 

Now, Majors' legal issues and the tepid response to the Ant-Man threequel have seemingly led to Marvel Studios changing course and ditching Kang to instead focus on a new big bad with Doctor Doom. 
 

3. ...Or Perhaps Not

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While Marvel Studios is clearly moving on from Kang - that's evident from Avengers: The Kang Dynasty being retitled Avengers: Doomsday - it feels like we'll never get any sort of satisfying resolution to the time-traveller's story. 

It would be easy enough to make it so that the all-powerful Doom kills the Kangs off-screen, though we do wonder whether the villain will be recast, even if he only ends up playing a very minor role in the remainder of the Multiverse Saga (which feels like a more satisfying resolution).

It's also worth noting that, while never confirmed, the comics have frequently hinted that Kang is a distant descendant of Victor's. In the new Ultimate Universe, Tony Stark has even been established as that reality's future Kang after taking on the Iron Lad mantle.

Marvel Studios can combine those elements to ensure Kang is still relevant to what's on the way, even if it's not in the way they originally planned. For example, if we meet The Beyonder, then he could be a Kang Variant! 
 

2. What This Means For The Multiverse Saga

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For the answer to this question, we're better off turning to the comics. There have been two versions of Secret Wars; in the first (which was basically an excuse to sell action figures but remains a classic), heroes and villains are pitted against each other on The Beyonder's Battleworld.

Doom steals The Beyonder's powers and is ultimately defeated. However, in the 2015 version, when an Incursion destroys the final two realities in the Multiverse (Earth-616 and the Ultimate Universe), Doom uses The Beyonder's powers to recreate a new world in his image which he rules over. Following his defeat, a new Earth-616 is created.

You can probably figure out how this could be adapted for Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars!

Still, the key difference here is that the MCU's Doctor Doom has no history. Thanos had no more than a few minutes of screentime before Avengers: Infinity War, so Doom can still be an effective villain. Marvel Studios would be wise to make good use of future post-credits scenes, though!
 

1. What About The Fantastic Four?

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The three previous Fantastic Four movies have featured Doctor Doom in a lead role...and they've all been pretty lousy. Heading down that route again would arguably spell doom (pun most definitely intended) for The Fantastic Four: First Steps

The reboot won't be an origin story, so we'd like it if this is their Doom and they have a shared history with the villain established through exposition or a last-minute reveal that he's the reason Galactus has targeted their Earth. 

When Marvel's First Family appear in Avengers: Doomsday, it would be a crime for them to have never encountered Doom and for this to be their first and only clash with Victor. Unfortunately, we have a bad feeling that could be the case as Downey surely won't stick around for a Fantastic Four sequel...right?

You never know, particularly if the money is right. For now, though, there's nothing to indicate that Reed and Victor will have a history and that robs us of a huge part of what makes the villain so special. 
 

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Malatrova15
Malatrova15 - 7/29/2024, 12:37 PM
Means a new yatch for Robert and maybe a G5.
Doomsday8888
Doomsday8888 - 7/29/2024, 12:38 PM
AVENGERS: DOOMSDAY - What Does Robert Downey Jr.'s MCU Return As Doctor Doom Mean For The MCU?

...

Doom?

I'll see myself out.
ItsNotForMeWahh
ItsNotForMeWahh - 7/29/2024, 12:46 PM
@Doomsday8888 - User Comment Image
Apophis71
Apophis71 - 7/30/2024, 8:03 AM
@Doomsday8888 - RDJ likely is Doomed, the amount they are forking out to get him onboard and the word on the street being he would only do so for the Russo's to me says this will ONLY be for the two Avengers movies...

...cos paying $100M for one actor in a mutant saga F4 film isn't likely to work out well if they keep the budget where it likely would need to be (as in below $250M and idealy below $200M). I mean it would be bonkers if spending more for the villain than would be left to pay for the entire rest of the cast for a film.

As such, whatever way they are planning to use him I suspect he will be killed off (or at least not remain in the prime timeline after) in Secret Wars and a new recast Doom built up over time during the mutant saga for the F4 films etc.
marvel72
marvel72 - 7/29/2024, 12:38 PM
I wanted to see the original Avengers all return for Avengers:Secret Wars.

So now Robert Downey Jr can't return as Tony Stark.
FireandBlood
FireandBlood - 7/29/2024, 12:41 PM
@marvel72 - Why not? Do you think he can’t play both? They could’ve cast anyone, but they cast RDJ for a reason
CreateNowSlpL8r
CreateNowSlpL8r - 7/29/2024, 12:44 PM
@marvel72 - They could. The OG Avengers would have all had to be variants anyway. Hard to imagine they have him signed for 2 movies and don't at least shoot a scene with him as Ironman.

Then again, they are idiots.
Doomsday8888
Doomsday8888 - 7/29/2024, 12:45 PM
@marvel72
How can RDJ play 2 characters? He can't, it can't work.
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McMurdo
McMurdo - 7/29/2024, 12:55 PM
@FireandBlood - yes they did cast him for a reason. PRECISELY.
ShamusG
ShamusG - 7/29/2024, 1:03 PM
@Doomsday8888 - User Comment Image

I think these guys disagree.
FireandBlood
FireandBlood - 7/29/2024, 12:39 PM
It’s means shit is about to go down!

User Comment Image
S8R8M
S8R8M - 7/29/2024, 12:40 PM
It guarantees Hugh Jackman. He said he would do the Avengers if RDJ was in it.

I do hope they salvage Kang. He is a great character, especially around Doom.
thewanderer
thewanderer - 7/29/2024, 12:54 PM
@S8R8M - if Jonathan Majors is still under contract, which I assume he is, they can easily bring him back to have Doom kill Kang or at least put him on the sidelines until they recast in the future.
KennKathleen
KennKathleen - 7/29/2024, 9:48 PM
@S8R8M - I love the idea of JM Kang returning. That shot of him in the chair breeds curiosity. I want to see where he's going.
Nomis929
Nomis929 - 7/29/2024, 12:40 PM
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Forthas
Forthas - 7/29/2024, 12:42 PM
This is an unwise move on the part of Marvel. While I understand they want Robert Downey Jr.'s star power there are better ways to go about reintroducing him into the MCU. Whether it is a clone, unknown twin brother, or like with numerous other MCU figures, a variant. Dr. Doom has his own storyline and it should not be overshadowed or intertwined with Iron Man either narratively or indirectly. I would even rather they renege on Iron Man staying dead.
Nomis929
Nomis929 - 7/29/2024, 12:44 PM
@Forthas -

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McMurdo
McMurdo - 7/29/2024, 12:52 PM
@Forthas - all Feige does is intertwine his characters/villains with Tony Stark. He's been making a living off Tony since 2008 and the well ran dry when the man died....and so now he's back as Doom.
FireandBlood
FireandBlood - 7/29/2024, 12:58 PM
@Forthas - Let it play out. People swore up and down Death needed to be a part of Thanos’ storyline and well, it didn’t. This version of Doom has to fit within the context of the MCU as it is, and as long as they get the broad strokes right like they did Thanos, they should get creative with it.

This isn’t the first Doom, nor will it be the last. The main goal here is that it’s the type of Doom that makes the lasting impression this saga and these movies need, and there’s a lot of narrative opportunity here when it comes to a RDJ/Stark variant of Doom.

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Forthas
Forthas - 7/29/2024, 1:06 PM
@McMurdo - But what oi am suggesting he could STILL make a living off of Stark. A return of Tony Stark however it happens would give him back his cash cow. I am just not sure he needs to do it through Dr. Doom.
TheVisionary25
TheVisionary25 - 7/29/2024, 12:42 PM
I still want some Kang resolution dammit , I don’t want them to toss it aside and I don’t think we will…

Things usually come back into play at Marvel so far , he’ll we are getting a movie early next year that brings back Samuel Sterns/The Leader after 16/17 years so anything is possible!!.

I just hope the resolution is satisfying even if it isn’t Majors in the role (even though I did enjoy his performances as the various variants).

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WEAPONXOXOXO
WEAPONXOXOXO - 7/29/2024, 12:47 PM
What Does Robert Downey Jr.'s MCU Return As Doctor Doom Mean For The MCU?
Well it means that maybe Chris Evans is coming back as Cyclops and Scarlett Johansson as Rogue.
bobevanz
bobevanz - 7/29/2024, 12:49 PM
I haven't read comics in ages, but if they use this storyline where Doom basically swaps minds and he uses Tony's body and resources to make some [frick]ed up shit. So we could see the real Doom and RDJ Doom. This really changed my opinion and I'm really [frick]ing hyped if this happens, because if it is just RDJ cosplaying as Doom it just doesn't work
McMurdo
McMurdo - 7/29/2024, 12:51 PM
@bobevanz - that storyline was awful tho IMO.
Spoken
Spoken - 7/29/2024, 12:52 PM
@bobevanz - I've been saying this for a min now lol.

Imagine Spider-Man goes to meet "Tony" only to realize he is the only one who knows he's Peter Parker, which sends a red flag to Peter immediately!
McMurdo
McMurdo - 7/29/2024, 12:51 PM
It means he's a Stark variant. Notice the Russo's didn't deny him being a variant but only reiterated his name is in fact Victor Doom in his world. His name being Victor in no way prevents him from being a Stark variant. You do not hire the guy who played the most popular character in your universe to play the next Thanos of your multiverse saga unless you have a story purpose for doing so. It's wishful thinking hoping he never takes his mask off or somehow just looks like Tony. This has intentionality written all over it.
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