Robert Downey Jr.‘s casting as Doctor Doom in the newly announced Avengers: Doomsday has divided fan opinions, with many excited for the former Iron Man actor’s return to the MCU, while others are concerned about the reasoning behind the decision.
Downey Jr. was revealed as the actor behind Doom in a shocking announcement in San Diego Comic-Con’s Hall H, with many believing that the actor’s time in the MCU had come to an end with Avengers: Endgame. While comic books have taught us that no hero ever truly stays dead, Tony Stark’s final chapter was a highly praised send-off for the character.
Mixed reactions to Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom in Avengers Doomsday
The Russo brothers said during the Comic-Con presentation that Downey would be portraying Victor Von Doom, but there has been a lot of speculation that the actor will instead be reprising his role as Tony Stark. In the comics, Stark and Doom have switched places before, so many believe that Avengers: Doomsday could feature an evil variant of Stark.
This means that some are already disappointed by the ramifications this could have on Stark’s sacrifice in Endgame, with a reappearance of the character potentially spoiling his death in the 2019 movie.
However, others have expressed excitement at the decision, seeing it as a smart move by Disney to counter the growing ambivalence towards Marvel movies and TV series. Given that Downey Jr. was the actor who kick-started the MCU back in 2008’s Iron Man, his return has certainly sparked more discussion than any Marvel announcement since the end of Phase 3.
Currently, all fans can do is speculate about how Disney, Marvel, and the Russo brothers plan to handle Robert Downey Jr.’s return to the MCU. The Oppenheimer actor could well be playing a Stark variant, or he could be taking on the role of Victor Von Doom and join a line of actors who have double-dipped in the MCU. Michelle Yeoh and Gemma Chan have both been cast for different roles in different Marvel movies, though their characters weren’t exactly as impactful or important to the MCU as Iron Man and Tony Stark. If RDJ is set to be Victor Von Doom, then it’s going to be difficult for fans to separate his performance as the villain from the billionaire philanthropist playboy.
What do you think of Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom? Let us know in the comments below.
