Robert Downey Jr.’s return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe was anticipated, but Marvel fans were stunned when the 59-year-old actor was revealed as the supervillain Doctor Doom.
The announcement of Downey Jr.’s casting was made by MCU President Kevin Feige during San Diego’s Comic-Con on Saturday. Feige also announced the return of directors the Russo Brothers (Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame), who will direct two more Avengers sequels, Secret Wars and Doomsday, with the latter introducing Downey Jr. as Doom.
Doctor Doom is the longstanding adversary of the Fantastic Four, a formidable and complex villain skilled in both magic and science. Doom conceals his face behind a mask due to slight scarring, and in some comic versions, he deliberately scars himself.
Considered one of Marvel’s most iconic villains, comic book fans have eagerly awaited Doctor Doom’s introduction to the big screen.
MCU fans had also been longing for Robert Downey Jr.’s return as Iron Man, but the announcement of him as Doctor Doom took everyone by surprise. Like Tony Stark, Doom is an eccentric, charismatic genius with a massive ego, but he is meant to be a distinct character, not merely another version of Iron Man.
Interestingly, Downey Jr. will not be playing Doom as a twisted multiverse variant of Tony Stark—he is portraying Victor Von Doom, the comic-accurate character, marking a new addition to the MCU.
