If youâre still confused about the whole âRobert Downey Jr. being cast as Doctor Doomâ thing, then get in line. Although we donât exactly know what awaits us in Avengers: Doomsday, here are a few possible explanations (and comic book deep dives) as to why RDJ, of all people, is playing the MCUâs next big bad.
In case you missed it, this yearâs San Diego Comic-Con was a bit of a doozy for fans of all things Marvel Entertainment. Studio head Kevin Feige took to Hall H on Saturday night to tease the next wave of MCU content, from Captain America: Brave New World to Thunderbolts to Fantastic Four.Â
But perhaps the most head-scratching announcement of all was the confirmation that Robert Downey Jr., who of course played genius-billionaire-playboy-philanthropist Tony Stark, would be returning to the franchise after his âdeathâ in Avengers: Endgameâthis time, to play supervillain Victor von Doom, a.k.a. Doctor Doom.
As someone who was in the room when it all went down, the immediate reaction of the crowd when Downey Jr. took off his mask went a little something like âwoooouhuhhhhh?â Gauging the temperature of the fanbase has been somewhat of an impossible task (even Gwyneth Paltrow is confused), with one side ecstatic to see the man responsible for âsavingâ the MCU taking on a new role, and the other side being downright puzzled that of all the popular fancasts for Victor von Doom, the studio landed on Downey.
But regardless of how you feel about his return, itâs going to require a degree of mental gymnastics to explain how Iron Man and Doctor Doom are the same personâwell, maybe, that is.
What Is Infamous Iron Man, and why are people convinced itâs the plot of Avengers: Doomsday?
Okay, if youâve watched all 34 MCU movies (yes, 34) and the accompanying slew of Disney+ TV spinoffs, then you know that all roads lead to the Multiverse. Not only does this give Marvel the perfect excuse to add dozens of âmember berriesâ and fanservice-y moments, but it also gives the MCU power to introduce alternate versions of beloved characters from different timelines, a.k.a. Variants.
Weâve seen this trope play out in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Loki, and most on-the-nose in What IfâŚ?, so it wouldnât be surprising to learn that Doctor Doom might be an (evil) Tony Stark Variant in Doomsday.
And there might just be the perfect comic storyline to back this up. The 2016 Infamous Iron Man comic book run, written by Brian Michael Bendis, follows a version of Doom trying to turn over a new leaf.
To become the best version of himself, Doom drops the whole bad guy act and adopts the mantle of Iron Man, though his longtime foes the Fantastic Four wonder if heâs truly reformed, or if his new identity is part of an elaborate scheme. Oh, and thereâs a really cool Doctor Doom/Iron Man hybrid suit.
Promising theory, right? Except thereâs one teensey-weensey problem. The Doctor Doom in Infamous Iron Man isnât Tony Stark. Yes, he might have taken up the Iron Man moniker, but heâs not the man we all know and love from the Infinity Saga.
Because of this, Iâm extremely doubtful that Feige and Co. would choose to adapt this comic book run in the next Avengers movie, as Downey Jr.âs casting for this iteration of Doom just ⌠wouldnât make sense. Is there a way Marvel could explain it? Probably. But if this new and not-so-improved Iron Man isnât Tony Stark, then surely, why would the MCU recruit the same guy?
Okay, what about Anthony Stark of Earth-11029?
Another theory is that Doomsday will follow Anthony Stark of Earth-11029, as depicted in the 2010 What If? Iron Man: Demon in an Armor #1 comic. In this story, a college-aged Victor von Doom convinces Tony to partake in an experiment that results in their minds being switched, with Doom walking around in Tonyâs body and vice versa.
This leads to a big confrontation where Tony eventually one-ups Doom, but itâs too little, too late: Doom has already soured Tonyâs reputation and his company, Stark Universal.
Not only would seeing an âevilâ Anthony Stark becoming Doctor Doom be ridiculously fun, but it would also make sense for Downey Jr. to play the part. I know what youâre thinking: Didnât the Russo Bros.
Outright say that Downey Jr. would be taking on the role of Victor von Doom, not Stark? Yes, but technically, he would be Doom in this scenario. Thereâs certainly some rich comic book lore for Marvel to pull from here, but again, it might not be the direction they decide to go in for Doomsday.
What if itâs not that deep, really?
Perhaps the least satisfying explanation of all is that Downey Jr.âs iteration of Doom has absolutely zero connective tissue to the Tony Stark of MCU past. While it would be kind of baffling to see Marvel re-introduce the same actor to play a different character within the same franchise, without there even being a reason itâs the same actor, itâs not like this hasnât happened before.
Although it was the 20th Century Fox universe, Chris Evans, for one, did play Johnny Storm in the Fantastic Four movies long before he picked up the shield for Captain America.
After all, this is the Multiverse Saga, so maybe weâll just have to sit back, relax, and put our trust in Kevin Feige and the Russos. Doomâs not exactly known for showing his face, so maybe it doesnât even matter that the man playing him looks exactly like the MCUâs Tony Stark, and all the varied Iron Man x Doom source material provides plenty of material to draw on, since the MCU is going to make changes to anything it adapts.
Plus, we all know Robert Downey Jr. is an extremely capable actor, so dare I say it might be âŚÂ fun? to see him wearing a different hat in the MCUâthis time, as one of Marvelâs most formidable comic book villains. Either way, hereâs hoping we get a more concrete answer soon.
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