Avengers: Doomsday (2026)

[Nick]

That still doesn't rule out being a Tony Stark variant calling himself Victor Von Doom.

If there's any Stark connection, that's a deal-breaker for me.

I in no way believe what they are trying to sell me here. This is full on multiverse so it could be anything and I do try to think they are just trying to throw us off right now, but we’ll see.

I sort of don’t have an opinion on this yet. It could be a huge fail, but I feel like the Russo’s wouldn’t have agreed to come back if it was going to be something lazy and I also don’t think RDJ would even do this if there wasn’t a solid story reason.

 

[saint.piss]

 

[Nick]

RDJ right now:

Yeah - it definitely feels like an awful attempt at fan pandering due to Phase 4 being met with so-so enthusiasm.

That’s the biggest thing keeping me from solidly liking the choice right out the gate. I’m just straight up rolling with the multiverse at this point though bc at this point it seems like over the next few years they’re going all in on it finally for good or bad ad by the end of secret wars they’ll probably close the door shut on the multiverse for good, if not reboot the universe entirely.

 

[AlexanderMBush]

This eases unironically a good bit of concern I had. Still really wish Victor Von Doom's first MCU appearance was by a Romani actor though.

 

[snayberry]

I personally think this is ridiculous. But ifs he’s not the real Doom and they’re saving him with some kind of twist. I’m all for it.

 

[Nick]

I personally think this is ridiculous. But ifs he’s not the real Doom and they’re saving him with some kind of twist. I’m all for it.

I do think that RDJ will probably be Doom for the Avengers films, but he’s still just a multiverse Doom and we’ll get a 616 Doom in whatever the next saga is.

Just my thoughts based on what we know and based on how they seem to really be digging deep into the multiverse to bring back popular MCU actors for the end of the saga.

 

[Tobias]

I know it's all a wait and see, but at the moment this just feels like stunt casting to attempt to salvage a floundering ship.

 

[Nick]

Thinking about it for a bit, the thing that does raise my interest level here is the inevitable Spider-Man/Doom encounter 1 on 1. The same face that he once saw as a mentor he’s now going to have to find it within himself to overlook that and defeat him.

The same goes for much of the rest of the Avenger team who knew him like Thor, Bruce, Clint, etc.

On a character level it has a chance to tell a quite fascinating story.

 

[AlexanderMBush]

Thinking about it for a bit, the thing that does raise my interest level here is the inevitable Spider-Man/Doom encounter 1 on 1. The same face that he once saw as a mentor he’s now going to have to find it within himself to overlook that and defeat him.

The same goes for much of the rest of the Avenger team who knew him like Thor, Bruce, Clint, etc.

On a character level it has a chance to tell a quite fascinating story.

I think it creates a unique conflict of interest--one that feels kind of unique for the MCU that comes due to that for the most part; none of the main Avengers have really dabbled into the Multiverse.

It's only truly been Wanda, Strange, Chavez, Wong, and Peter. And perhaps that might be a very interesting problem that comes specifically to Peter--who has to figure out a means of potentially stopping this Doom before Victor does something irreversible. It'd a good avenue to look into; one I hope is written well with the writer tasked.

 

[Nick]

Added a poll to the top of this thread for the fun of it.

 

[belloq87]

Thinking about it for a bit, the thing that does raise my interest level here is the inevitable Spider-Man/Doom encounter 1 on 1. The same face that he once saw as a mentor he’s now going to have to find it within himself to overlook that and defeat him.

The same goes for much of the rest of the Avenger team who knew him like Thor, Bruce, Clint, etc.

On a character level it has a chance to tell a quite fascinating story.

That's not at all a story you should be using Doctor Doom for, though.

Superior Iron Man is right there if you want "Tony Stark, but gone bad."

 

[Nick]

That's not at all a story you should be using Doctor Doom for, though.

Superior Iron Man is right there if you want "Tony Stark, but gone bad."

Perhaps I’m on a high from DP&W, but idk, with the pieces that are in place here - getting the Russo brothers back, getting one of the writers from Infinity War/Endgame back, and for RDJ to come back - for all of that to come together, I’m just optimistic this will work out. We’ll just have to wait and see though.

 

[Brian G.]

Seemingly confirmed.

Somewhat confusingly, Downey Jr. is not playing Doom as a twisted multiverse variant of Tony Stark—he is Victor Von Doom, the comic-accurate character, a brand new addition to the MCU.

Robert Downey Jr.’s Casting As Doctor Doom Sparks Backlash From Fans

MCU fans are shocked after Kevin Feige announced that Robert Downey Jr. will return to the MCU as Doctor Doom, not Iron Man.

t.co

 

[TheUniC6]

Seemingly confirmed.

Somewhat confusingly, Downey Jr. is not playing Doom as a twisted multiverse variant of Tony Stark—he is Victor Von Doom, the comic-accurate character, a brand new addition to the MCU.

Robert Downey Jr.’s Casting As Doctor Doom Sparks Backlash From Fans

MCU fans are shocked after Kevin Feige announced that Robert Downey Jr. will return to the MCU as Doctor Doom, not Iron Man.

t.co

If this is true, not a fan. If I was in charge of production on these Marvel movies, I would have brought back RDJ as Iron Man himself or another multiverse variant of the character.

 

[pumpkinbot343]

Well THIS I did not expect.

If they weren’t going to cast Romani actors for Pietro and Wanda, they sure weren’t going to do it for Doom.

In terms of personality, and actually being the literal correct person, Wolverine has been plenty accurate enough for me.

Turning Doctor Doom into an entirely different character is a totally different thing. To give up on all the potential of Victor Von Doom -- the greatest villain in Marvel comics -- is infuriating.

It's such a gigantically bad idea that I almost have to believe there's some other angle here. Feige's not that stupid... right?

I think Secret Invasion and the whole “616” thing made it clear Feige has his… own vision.

 

[Legacy]

Thinking about it for a bit, the thing that does raise my interest level here is the inevitable Spider-Man/Doom encounter 1 on 1. The same face that he once saw as a mentor he’s now going to have to find it within himself to overlook that and defeat him.

The same goes for much of the rest of the Avenger team who knew him like Thor, Bruce, Clint, etc.

On a character level it has a chance to tell a quite fascinating story.

This is why I actually like the idea. While, yes, a Romani actor in the role would have been preferable, within the context of the multiverse, Secret Wars, and Battleworld as source materIal for Doom and the sudden need to switch up the villain, introducing a face EVERYONE in the Prime (616) universe knows as the quintessential good guy as a new villain jumpstarts so many character moments without any need for “backstory.” That backstory already exists.

And, really, there aren’t a ton of differences between Tony Stark and Doom on paper. The biggest difference is Doom’s mysticism, which can be learned depending on the backstory they give him.

 

[Cwoolboy]

If RDJ is playing Victor Von Doom, I’ll be forgiving. If he’s Tony Stark who loses his damn mind and starts calling himself Dr. Doom…I’m done. Hoping we get Latveria and Doom’s all consuming hatred of Mr. Fantastic

 

[TheGentTrent]

I also don’t think RDJ would even do this if there wasn’t a solid story reason.

Especially coming right off an Oscar win, which can often give actors more freedom in taking roles they feel passionate about.

 

[TheUniC6]

I know this whole RDJ casting decision has been extremely controversial among Marvel fans, but part of me thinks the head honchos at Disney might not care to much about it if they are planning on soft rebooting the MCU anyways post Secret Wars.

 

[Nick]

This is why I actually like the idea. While, yes, a Romani actor in the role would have been preferable, within the context of the multiverse, Secret Wars, and Battleworld as source materIal for Doom and the sudden need to switch up the villain, introducing a face EVERYONE in the Prime (616) universe knows as the quintessential good guy as a new villain jumpstarts so many character moments without any need for “backstory.” That backstory already exists.

And, really, there aren’t a ton of differences between Tony Stark and Doom on paper. The biggest difference is Doom’s mysticism, which can be learned depending on the backstory they give him.

So RDJ as Doom actually broke as a rumor earlier this week. John Campea talked about it and compared it to the comic run of Reed Richard’s in an alternate universe becoming The Maker. Like, essentially, what if the world’s smartest man used his smarts for evil instead of good.

A lot of that could be at play here and I am very interested in what they come up with. I’m sort of expecting RDJ to show up in a post credits scene after F4 now, too.