“As proof of the unimaginable possibilities in the Marvel multi-universe, we give you the one person who could play Victor von Doom.”
With this definitive statement from director Joe Russo, Robert Downey Jr. was revealed to be playing the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s incarnation of Dr. Victor von Doom. Yet, ever since the reveal last month, there’s been non-stop discourse regarding this decision. Not everyone is as sure of this statement as the bosses at Marvel Studios.
The reasoning behind the decision to introduce Dr. Doom is quite clear: Marvel wants to steer away from Kang after all the controversy involving Johnathan Majors (despite Kang being one of the most easily castable characters of all time), and Dr. Doom is the perfect villainous replacement. However, the decision to cast Robert Downey Jr. as the legendary villain is much more questionable.
As lovely as staying excited about the next big MCU project would be, I’m inclined to view this move as one of desperation. The MCU has been fumbling for the past few years — their Multiverse Saga has been widely criticized and lost its primary antagonist. After so many critical and commercial failures, it was clear that Marvel needed something big to get the audience on their side again. This is where Robert Downey Jr. comes in: His importance to Marvel fans (and, thus, his ability to generate hype simply by being present) cannot be understated.
Downey Jr.’s influence on the MCU has been so significant that it’s hard to believe he would be brought back simply because he’s an excellent actor. Aside from being a very effective marketing ploy, we also have to wonder what relevance this choice will have on the story of the MCU.
His involvement alone begs several questions: Will this be Victor von Doom or some Tony Stark variant? A weird mix of both? How will he interact with his former allies if he even remembers them?
Marvel itself is feeling the need to explain this decision. Deniz Camp, the current writer of The Ultimates at Marvel Comics, has already claimed on social media, “If you want to understand Robert Downey Jr. as Doom, you MUST read Ultimates 4 on Sept 4th. (or whenever it comes out)”. Stories where Doom takes on the mantle of Iron Man, such as What If? Iron Man: Demon in an Armor and Infamous Iron Man are also being discussed more often.
A lot of careful setup is necessary to pull this off, and the MCU simply does not have the time. Avengers: Doomsday is releasing sometime in May 2026. That’s less than two years from the time of this announcement. Thanos himself was built up over the course of 6 years, from 2012(The Avengers) to 2018 (Avengers: Infinity War). Surely Doom (who has a more extended history in the comics than Thanos) deserves the same amount of time dedicated to building him up in the MCU, if not more?
There’s also the fact that the hard pivot from Kang to Dr. Doom is a departure from the usually careful setup of the MCU. The idea that every release that revolved around Kang (Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania and both seasons of Loki) is now inconsequential in the grand scheme of things isn’t particularly appealing.
Of course, the root of all this confusion is RDJ’s involvement. At this point, introducing a more straightforward, comic-accurate version of Doom a few years down the line seems to be the safer bet. So, it must be asked: Why couldn’t we get a version of Dr. Doom without all the baggage of being played by Robert Downey Jr.?
Doom isn’t just a big bad lurking behind the scenes, scheming away in the far reaches of space or the multiverse. This tragic and layered character has significantly and immediately influenced the Marvel universe since his conception in 1962. He’s an overly theatrical megalomaniac with personal ties to several significant heroes and the “benevolent dictator” of his own country. It’s hard to see how the MCU will adapt all this if it’s too busy explaining how Downey Jr. can be Dr. Doom.
Robert Downey Jr. has undoubtedly proved his range with projects like Oppenheimer, but does that alone make him fit for this role? Doom’s armor-clad narcissism vastly differs from Tony Stark’s, and it’s challenging to separate Downey from this iconic character after so many years.
There’s no shortage of talented actors who could bring this character to life, with Mads Mikkelsen, Cillian Murphy, Charlie Clapham, and more being popular and worthy candidates. They wouldn’t be confused with Iron Man, either.
The decision to cast Downey becomes stranger when you realize that Doom is Romani in the source material. His relationship with his mother, who was persecuted for her ethnicity, is a significant part of his character – but it seems Marvel did not consider that when hiring a white American actor to play the part. This whitewashing of Romani characters is something Marvel has previously received criticism for by casting a Caucasian woman to play the Scarlet Witch. Still, they haven’t taken it to heart.
A carefully built, comic-accurate Doom could have been the vehicle of several stories for years. Taking their time and utilizing their characters to the fullest is exactly what the MCU needs to do after so many missteps. Still, with this casting and the sudden announcement of massive multiverse-style projects like Avengers: Secret Wars, it’s clear much of Dr. Doom’s deeper aspects will be lost in adaptation – and so we’re left to wonder: Is the MCU doomed to waste its biggest villain so that it can churn out another cameo-filled multiverse movie?