It made for a jaw-dropping moment and a memorable Comic-Con 2024. But is this the move the MCU needed?
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Marvel is no stranger to dropping bombshells at San Diego Comic-Con, but their recent announcement may just be one of their most explosive yet. In a packed Hall H, Marvel pulled back the curtain when they revealed that Avengers: Doomsday was coming in May 2026 and Avengers: Secret Wars in May 2027, both directed by Joe and Anthony Russo. With the reveal comes the official announcement that Victor von Doom, aka Doctor Doom, would finally be making his MCU debut. And who will be playing one of Marvel’s best villains? Why Robert Downey Jr. of course who got thousands of attendees jumping to their feet with his Comic-Con appearance.
TBH, Doctor Doom replacing Kang as the new big bad of the MCU wasn’t that surprising given what’s happened in the past year. But is RDJ the right actor to bring the iconic villain to life? As seen in the reaction online these past few days, RDJ is either the savior the MCU needs or another example of the universe’s downfall. We’re just under two years away from Doctor Doom’s MCU debut, and depending on how things go, it could either make for a new exciting era or further keep the MCU at a low point. Admittedly, the Oscar-winning actor brings pros to the role, but also a few cons, some of which we break down below.
FOR: IT’S RDJ
INSTAGRAM/ROBERTDOWNEYJR
Robert Downey Jr. helped make the MCU what it is today, literally and figuratively. His version of Iron Man/Tony Stark is one of the MCU’s most loved characters. For over a decade, RDJ’s Iron Man was a charismatic cornerstone of the universe. So, to see such a beloved actor back in the MCU is exciting for fans. It’s the return of a king. He lowkey made the MCU, so who’s to say he can’t do it again? And there’s no denying Downey Jr.’s acting skills, something he’s proven in the MCU and beyond. We have a very good feeling he will deliver on the role that’s more than just his Tony Stark persona.
FOR: IT MAKES FOR A COMPELLING TWIST
Whether this is a Tony Stark variant who becomes Doctor Doom or the MCU’s version of Victor von Doom remains to be seen. But regardless, RDJ in his MCU villain era spices things up a bit. In particular, we can already picture the shock the Avengers will feel when someone who looks like their ally is now their greatest enemy. Can you imagine what it would be like for them to fight an old friend? The twist of seeing the MCU’s greatest hero become its destroyer is kinda exciting. The filmmakers have room to play with that emotionally and narratively.
AGAINST: IT’S ANOTHER STUNT CASTING
The Avengers fighting Doctor Doom pic.twitter.com/lpAhN0FFix
— masc potatoes (Phoenix Era)🐦🔥 (@CertifiedFool_) July 28, 2024
As much as we love Robert Downey Jr., you can’t deny that this news has a bit of stunt casting written on it. One of the MCU’s biggest downfalls post-Endgame is how it relies too heavily on nostalgia and throwbacks to remind audiences of its greatness instead of properly developing its new characters. Casting RDJ, an actor so connected to the Iron Man and Tony Stark mythos, to play Doctor Doom, is giving that energy. Given the epic and heartfelt sendoff Iron Man had in Endgame, it’s a bit questionable why they would want the actor back in the MCU, especially to play a villain.
There’s also the case for Doctor Doom’s mask, one of his most defining features. On one hand, it’s going to be odd for Doom to not wear his mask, but on the other, it’s not going to make any sense to cast such a high-profile actor only to be behind a mask for most of the movie.
Also, this casting brings up the whitewashing of Doom’s Romani heritage, at least with this variant of Doctor Doom. ICYDK, in the comics, Victor von Doom comes from the fictional Eastern European country of Latveria whose mother was a Romani sorcerer and father a leader of a Latverian Romani tribe. His upbringing and heritage are a core part of what makes Doom, and we doubt that will be covered in Doomsday.
AGAINST: HE’S A FANTASTIC FOUR VILLAIN FIRST AND FOREMOST
We know that the MCU’s first Fantastic Four movie, The Fantastic 4: First Steps, is coming in 2025. Yet, this version of Doctor Doom is making his debut in Avengers: Doomsday a year later. Unless Doctor Doom is teased in the Fantastic Four movie, it’s going to make for a bit of an awkward debut.
Doctor Doom to the Fantastic Four is like Joker to Batman or Green Goblin to Spider-Man, so Marvel is dropping the ball here by not having him in the Fantastic Four movie. And even if there will be other Doctor Doom variants in future Fantastic Four sequels (which also plays into the criticism that the MCU relies too heavily on variants these days), RDJ’s casting will unintentionally set up expectations that future Doctor Doom actors probably won’t meet.
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