AVENGERS: DOOMSDAY Star Robert Downey Jr. Teases Doctor Doom Debut With New Photos: "New Mask, Same Task"

Following the news he'll return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Doctor Doom, Iron Man star Robert Downey Jr. has shared some photos teasing his villainous transformation alongside a cryptic message.

By JoshWilding - Jul 28, 2024 09:07 AM EST

Filed Under: Avengers: Secret Wars

Marvel Studios last held a Hall H panel at the San Diego Comic-Con in 2022; during that, Avengers: The Kang Dynasty and Avengers: Secret Wars were both announced for a 2025 release.

A lot has changed since then, including the Multiverse Saga's focus! Kang is out and Doctor Doom is in, with Robert Downey Jr. set to make his MCU return as Victor Von Doom. How this links up to his time as Iron Man, if indeed it does, remains to be seen.

After the Russo Brothers were announced as the directors of Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars, the filmmakers pointed out that Doctor Doom is one of the most complex characters in the Marvel Universe, with a truly great actor needed to bring him to life.

As Feige and the Russos prepared to close out the presentation, robed figures dressed in Doctor Doom masks took the stage and then parted to reveal Robert Downey Jr.

Feige, the Russos, and Downey didn't take part in any post-panel interviews but the latter has broken his silence on playing the iconic Fantastic Four villain. Taking to Instagram to share a photo of him holding Doom's mask, the actor captioned his post with, "New mask, same task."

What does that mean? Well, knowing Doom, chances are he views himself as a hero and the only one capable of saving the Multiverse!

The Russo's company AGBO is set to produce both movies alongside Marvel Studios. Stephen McFeely, known for his work on the Captain America trilogy and Avengers: Endgame, will handle the script.

"Being able to create stories and explore characters within the Marvel Universe fulfilled a life-long dream of ours, and we discovered a powerful connection with audiences in each film that we made," the Russos said in a press release. "We’re thrilled to collaborate once again with Kevin, Lou and the entire Marvel team to bring this epic adventure in storytelling to new and surprising places for both the fans and ourselves."

You can see the title treatments for Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars by clicking here.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Robert Downey Jr. (@robertdowneyjr)

We also have some fantastic 4K (no pun intended) shots of the moment Robert Downey Jr. unmasked on stage to reveal himself as the MCU's Doctor Doom.

You can watch the footage of his surprise return to Hall H by clicking here.

Robert Downey Jr as Doctor Doom 4K
Marvel Studios Panel at SDCC pic.twitter.com/RpmYLcjkWu
— JumpTrailers (@JumpTrailers) July 28, 2024

Robert Downey Jr as Doctor Doom 4K
Marvel Studios Panel at SDCC pic.twitter.com/6eIRrKGgn5
— JumpTrailers (@JumpTrailers) July 28, 2024

AVENGERS: DOOMSDAY & AVENGERS: SECRET WARS Find Directors As Robert Downey Jr. Returns To MCU As Doctor Doom!

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135 Comments

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Dotanuki - 7/28/2024, 9:37 AM

I feel like this is the greatest misstep in MCU history. How disappointing.

ItsNotForMeWahh - 7/28/2024, 9:48 AM

@Dotanuki -

SethBullock - 7/28/2024, 11:26 AM

@Dotanuki - Yeah, wtf were they thinking, lol.

They could have brought RDJ back as an evil Tony variant, Superior Iron Man or something like that, but this sh*t is the last nail in the MCU's coffin.

ThorArms - 7/28/2024, 9:37 AM

People assuming he'll just play the same character and look the same.

I think you'll be surprised

DrReedRichards - 7/28/2024, 9:40 AM

@ThorArms -

I genuinely hope we'll be, 'cause as it is, I'm feeling extremely conflicted.

On one thing, RDJ can play the part. But on the other hand, he's been so integral to the MCU on such a meta level that it'll be nigh impossible to perceive him on screen as anything other than a Tony variant, no matter how many times the Russos establish that he's actually Victor.

FireandBlood - 7/28/2024, 9:45 AM

@DrReedRichards - I genuinely think they would’ve been better off giving a Stark variant Doom’s role in Secret Wars anyway, having him kill the Kang’s the way he did the Beyonders, and inadvertently becoming a villain in his obsession to save the multiverse and crowning himself God King. It would’ve built on every thing that came before from the first Avengers, except this Stark didn’t find peace, didn’t die and went even further with it.

Unites - 7/28/2024, 9:48 AM

@ThorArms - You expect him to spend 3 hours in the make up chair each day?

FireandBlood - 7/28/2024, 9:54 AM

@DrReedRichards - And I’m assuming that’s what they’re still doing, except that Stark variant is… Doom, and that’s where it gets iffy and I agree, conflicting. But maybe that’s the point. If we feel like this, imagine the characters and the way they can play with this narratively.

Not what I wanted, but it’s got huge potential.

ThorArms - 7/28/2024, 9:54 AM

@Unites - um, yes? Maybe not 3 hours tho

TheMetaMan - 7/28/2024, 9:55 AM

@DrReedRichards - As Dr Doom he will be wearing the mask 24/7. It’s not that deep. At the end of the day he’s an actor who’s playing a different role from the one he previously played that’s it. You have to be able to differentiate between the two.

Sabre81 - 7/28/2024, 9:57 AM

@DrReedRichards - Where the [frick] you been?!? I sneakered under every [frick]ing rock! lol

You doing ok?

Nothing but love...

TheMetaMan - 7/28/2024, 9:59 AM

@Unites - he’s an actor. That’s his job. Wearing makeup and costumes is a prerequisite.

DrReedRichards - 7/28/2024, 9:59 AM

@TheMetaMan -

Meredith Quill's mom was also in CA:TFA. Sersi was also in the first Captain Marvel. I get it, repeated castings in different roles are nothing new in the MCU. But this is a whole new scale, both as to who RDJ already was, and who he's going to be. It's simply incomparable, mate.

DrReedRichards - 7/28/2024, 10:01 AM

@Sabre81 -

Took my break after the first leaks for D&W started coming out, and thank God I did. Would have pulled my luscious long brown locks off of my head if I had those cameos spoiled for me before the premiere.

Thanks for your concern, though. Legit appreciate it.

FireandBlood - 7/28/2024, 10:02 AM

@TheMetaMan - Let’s not be naive. He hasn’t been hired to not play an Iron Man variant. This was a deliberate move, and regardless of how different the two characters are compared to each other, they’re still going to be played up as variants.

DrReedRichards - 7/28/2024, 10:03 AM

@FireandBlood -

"Not what I wanted, but it’s got huge potential."

Ditto. I can see the potential, but it couldn't be further from what I had hoped for.

I mean, I get it. Doom can't be rushed in, and the easiest thing is to establish him as the dark side of an already established icon. But at the same time, we're talking about Doom here. Take it from a Reed fan, I'd be a lot more okay with making The Maker a vairant of Tony instead of Reed, but Doom deserves and needs to be his own character; not someone else's dark reflection.

Sabre81 - 7/28/2024, 10:13 AM

@DrReedRichards - I kinda skimmed a bit for weeks as well with here as there was no integrity from authors and how they approach spoilers. I think you know who! lol I'm in the UK so managed to see it Thursday afternoon 13:30 but have more respect to people to not give anything away.

You're a rock of calm on this site...don't disappear again :-) I might cause chaos if you weren't. Everyone loves you.

SDCA27 - 7/28/2024, 10:13 AM

@ThorArms - I really hope so.

FrankenDad - 7/28/2024, 10:42 AM

@Unites - nah that mask will cover him most of the time. Do the makeup a few times, shoot all the maskless scene you need, then move on.

I’m not saying I’m excited for this. 😂

Fogs - 7/28/2024, 10:44 AM

@FireandBlood - I don't think he will be a Stark variant, it's more like a Caps/Johnny Storm situation. They're going meta cause he auditioned for Doom for 2005's FF.

Fogs - 7/28/2024, 10:45 AM

The question is, he's probably not coming to the main MCU timeline, probably. But tbh I wouldn't care cause he has acting range and will be all deformed anyway.

FireandBlood - 7/28/2024, 10:54 AM

@Fogs - It’s nothing like that situation, though. Evan’s Johnny interacted with Fox characters, and only returned for a small role that was used for gags.

This is RDJ playing Doom in the same franchise he played its biggest player; Iron Man. Not only that, but we’re talking about two characters that are both geniuses, both control freaks, that both fly around in suits of armour. Not only that, but Doom has quite literally taken on the Iron Man moniker before. No, this was a deliberate move, and even if the characters are nothing alike, they’re without a doubt going to be variants of each. You don’t get the biggest actor to play to the biggest hero and villain in the same franchise otherwise, especially not in a saga centred around variants and doppelgängers.

Fogs - 7/28/2024, 11:01 AM

@FireandBlood - I say that to avoid the idea they would do something dumb as him showing his mug in the MCU main timeline, and people saying "wow, that's Tony Stark!"

Cause that would be ridiculous imo.

Fogs - 7/28/2024, 11:02 AM

Plus he is a variant, by definition. He's from another universe so they're all variants. We just have to find out if he will be related to the main timeline Tony.

FireandBlood - 7/28/2024, 11:08 AM

@Fogs - That’s exactly what they’re going to do, and that’s what they going to use to create narrative tension. An evil Stark is a terrifying thing. The good one already beat the most powerful being in the universe. The characters of the native MCU will shit their draws.

Fogs - 7/28/2024, 11:10 AM

@FireandBlood - hope not, I'd prefer Doom being Victor Von Doom. Anyways, let's see. Maybe they can pull it off.

FireandBlood - 7/28/2024, 11:22 AM

@Fogs - He will be, except this Victor von Doom is a variant of Stark. It’s the same as Victor Timely and Nathaniel Richards. Two different characters, same actors, but both clear variants of each other.

Even Sylvie doesn’t consider herself a Loki like that, even though she quite literally is.

Fogs - 7/28/2024, 12:06 PM

@FireandBlood - yeah, probably. I meant a comic accurate one, same origins and etc. Well, it is what it is. Let's see if they can pull it off well.

TheRogue - 7/28/2024, 9:39 AM

This feels like a meme.

vectorsigma - 7/28/2024, 10:01 AM

@TheRogue - it seems to me the joke on that kevin ai from she hulk is true. All these announcements and receals feels like ai driven.

"Kevin, based on yoyr algorith, what is the trendiest thing we should do? We need a trendy one because we are in a low point now"

GhostDog - 7/28/2024, 9:40 AM

Wonder if RDJ is gonna do his prosthetics schtick and play Victor but under heavy makeup and prosthetics like his Sympathizer characters. Or like Colin Farrell as Oz.

Would be way better than this being a Stark variant.

DrReedRichards - 7/28/2024, 9:41 AM

@GhostDog -

At this point, my wish of priority is that he plays Victor as regal and stoic, as opposed to how quippy Tony was.

ThorArms - 7/28/2024, 9:53 AM

@GhostDog - this is exactly what I think will happen. Prob not heavy prosthetics. But he won't look like Stark

FireandBlood - 7/28/2024, 9:57 AM

@GhostDog - It’s definitely a Stark variant. We’ve sent them do this already with Victor Timely and Nathaniel Richards. Two different characters, but variants all the same.

TheMetaMan - 7/28/2024, 10:03 AM

@FireandBlood - For the love of god he’s not playing a stark variant it’s just doom. MCU doom bears no relation to tony stark. Two completely different characters. Downey Junior is an actor playing two different roles. Jesus how hard is that to understand? It’s not rocket science. Many actors have played different roles and different characters in the same shared universe. It’s a thing. Like Chris Evans who’s reprised the role of playing Johnny Storm in Deadpool 3. Feige said Downey will never return to play Ironman. They are preserving his death. Dr Doom is a new chapter in the acting career of of Downey. That’s why they brought him back silly. 🤦🏿‍♂️ They brought it back so that he can sell the next avengers movie to the wider audience as its tentpole villain. Simple. Nothing more, nothing less.

FireandBlood - 7/28/2024, 10:12 AM

@TheMetaMan - They’ve brought him back to sell Iron Man as the villain, because nobody looks at RDJ and thinks otherwise. If they weren’t deliberately trying to make that association between the two, they wouldn’t have pulled all the bells and whistles, and they wouldn’t have cast RDJ in the first place.

Play attention to the narrative of this saga. It’s all about variants, and what better way to cap it off than this version of Doom being a variant of this universes greatest hero. This was a deliberate move, and it works.

ItsNotForMeWahh - 7/28/2024, 10:56 AM

@FireandBlood - I will say I'll take a Stark Doom variant over Hydra Cap. I enjoyed the story but don't think that'd fit well with where we are in the MCU

TheRationalNerd - 7/28/2024, 11:16 AM

@GhostDog - Prosthetics ALL THE WAY!

bkmeijer1 - 7/28/2024, 11:38 AM

@TheMetaMan - exactly what I was thinking. I'm not mentioning D&W because of spoilers, but even before that actors have played multiple roles.

I do hope he's just Doom. And if he's Stark, it's a Stark that defeated Doom and took his name and armor as a trophy. Or maybe even as disguise.

FireandBlood - 7/28/2024, 9:42 AM

It’s weird because he played the biggest character in this universe already, and now he’s going to be playing its biggest villain. But let’s not for a second act like RDJ hasn’t got the chops to absolute smash tf out of this role! In another universe (pun intended) he would’ve been a perfect candidate for Doom.

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AVENGERS: DOOMSDAY Star Robert Downey Jr. Teases Doctor Doom Debut With New Photos: "New Mask, Same Task"

Following the news he'll return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Doctor Doom, Iron Man star Robert Downey Jr. has shared some photos teasing his villainous transformation alongside a cryptic message.

AVENGERS: DOOMSDAY & AVENGERS: SECRET WARS Find Directors As Robert Downey Jr. Returns To MCU As Doctor Doom!

MCU Rumor Roundup: Update On Russo Brothers' MCU Plans, Lady Deadpool, And Kang Recasting