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Robert Downey Jr. has returned to the Avengers lineup as Doctor Doom, a key villain from the Fantastic Four Universe, marking a significant shift in his Marvel legacy. Despite not wearing the familiar iron armor, the new chapter could significantly alter Downey Jr.’s Marvel legacy. Theories have emerged predicting the future direction of the Avengers, with the latest storyline paralleling Deadpool & Wolverine’s key storyline. This new role for Downey Jr., however, might potentially complicate things further, unlike Deadpool & Wolverine’s smooth ending.
A new theory by Aaron S Bailey suggests that the 616 Universe may be on the brink of extinction in Avengers: Doomsday. The Avengers, led by Tony Stark, seek a Stark variant to counter this threat, but discover it’s actually Doctor Doom, not the anticipated Tony Stark.
In Deadpool & Wolverine, Logan was the “anchor being” for his universe and Deadpool’s Earth 10005. Hence, Deadpool was tasked with finding a Wolverine variant to prevent the slow rot. Similarly, the Avengers of Earth 616 might embark on a quest to find their “anchor being”, Tony Stark. Yet, unlike the heroic Wolverine, Downey Jr.’s Stark variant could turn out to be the doomster Doctor Doom.
In Deadpool & Wolverine, the rogue TVA operative Paradox introduces the concept of the “anchor being,” a crucial figure whose death would lead to the destruction of their universe. For the MCU, the “anchor being” is the Iron-clad hero, putting the Sacred Timeline at risk due to Iron Man’s death in Avengers: Endgame.
The latest theory suggests a direct connection between Doctor Doom and Deadpool & Wolverine, with the key difference being the universe’s fate, as Doctor Doom’s role would differ significantly from Logan’s in Deadpool & Wolverine, despite some theories suggesting a diversion to introduce a greater villain.
The casting of Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom is a poetic symmetry, as Marvel Studios has chosen one of Hollywood’s biggest actors to play one of the biggest villains in superhero fiction. This move is reminiscent of Harvey Dent’s character from The Dark Knight, who either dies a hero or lives long enough to see themselves become the villain. The casting decision is a testament to the power of storytelling and the potential for change.
It’s a chance to do something brand-new in the universe that RDJ helped build from its very beginning in 2008. However, the “poetry” goes even further, seeing as how Robert Downey Jr. was nearly cast as Victor von Doom in Fox’s Fantastic Four movies, which Kevin Feige also helped produce. 19 years later, it’s finally happening.
There are concerns about the new MCU cast, with some believing Victor von Doom deserves to be his own entity, rather than a variant of Tony Stark. Critics also argue that the casting is “lazy” or “desperate,” with speculation that Marvel Studios is aiming to reclaim pre-Endgame glory and box office success by bringing back RDJ and the Russo Brothers.
Marvel’s decision to cast Robert Downey Jr. as Doom in the upcoming movies is not seen as a lazy move, as it would have been a creative gamble. The casting of RDJ as Iron Man is seen as a significant creative shift, a gamble that goes beyond other actors due to his portrayal of Doom. Despite the potential for the outcome to not be as successful as expected, the optimism surrounding the RDJ version of Doom remains high.
The MCU may be considering a darker version of Doom connected to Tony Stark, as seen in 2016’s Infamous Iron Man run, where Doom took over Iron Man’s role while Stark was in a coma. This could be a departure from the previous Infamous Iron Man run, which featured a darker Stark who became Doom.
However, there’s also the more classic What If…? Marvel Comics where Stark was Doom’s college roommate instead of Reed Richards. This resulted in Doom switching their minds so that Doom-as-Stark could use all of his family’s wealth and resources, such as Stark Enterprises. Creating versions of their classic armors and masks with reversed colors, Doom’s eventual defeat resulted in Stark keeping Doom’s name as he’d made it honorable, while Doom had associated the name “Tony Stark” with greed and corruption.
Marvel Studios may be considering a similar approach to their Multiverse Saga, with the rebooted Fantastic Four residing in an alternate universe to Earth-616. This could be the case for Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom, who is an alt-reality Tony Stark with darker origins, forming a rivalry with Reed Richards. This could be a way to close out their Multiverse Saga. While a dark Iron Man variant of Doom feels likely, Downey Jr. could also just as easily be playing a more legitimate Victor von Doom.
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Comic-Con confirmed the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s return, despite recent struggles with inconsistent movie quality and lower box office returns. The Hall H panel at Marvel’s event was the most promising in a while, featuring Captain America: Brave New World and Thunderbolts, and Avengers: Doomsday, with Robert Downey Jr. returning as Doctor Doom.
Marvel’s recent decision to abandon the multiversal Kang character and change the direction of the Multiverse Saga has left fans questioning if the studio’s previous efforts to build up the character were wasted. While it’s possible that Marvel was unaware of the legal issues that would arise, the departure of Kang and the change in the series’ direction further annoys fans.
Jonathan Majors‘ rise as a star in the making was evident 18 months ago, with breakout performances in indie films and TV shows. Marvel executives were impressed with Majors’ character, Kang the Conqueror, in Loki and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, and leading to the Multiverse Saga phase where Kang would be the overarching villain.
This was an exciting prospect, as Kang has always been a fan-favorite villain in the comics. Thanos was a tough act to follow, but a time traveler assisted by multiple variants of himself seemed a worthy successor. Majors’ scene-stealing debut in Loki’s first season finale vindicated hopes that he would be a great villain.
Just over a month after Quantumania’s release, Majors was arrested for assaulting his girlfriend and fired from multiple projects after he appeared in Loki Season 2. His trial concluded in December, and he was found guilty on two counts of assault and harassment. Marvel fired Majors shortly after the verdict. The fifth Avengers film, The Kang Dynasty, was reworked and renamed Avengers: Doomsday, with Doctor Doom as the franchise’s new big bad. This revelation has raised questions about the future of the franchise.
Marvel’s decision to drop Kang from the franchise is frustrating, as much of their post-Avengers: Endgame output lacks a clear plan like the Infinity Saga. While reports suggest Kang wasn’t initially intended to be the main villain for the Multiverse Saga, it’s worth noting that his involvement in Loki and Quantumania was an endgame for the story arc.
Erasing Kang so abruptly also runs the risk of exacerbating fans’ fears of rushed storytelling, as Doctor Doom is set to debut in Avengers: Doomsday, and it’s possible his introduction could feel too abrupt this late in the Multiverse Saga. Thanos, in contrast, had a clear buildup since the first Avengers, along with brief appearances in post-credits scenes and the first Guardians of the Galaxy. On paper, Marvel’s easier choice on a story level was to recast Kang, especially since Marvel is no stranger to recasting. Since Kang is a multiversal threat, it’d be easy for them to justify casting another actor in the role.
Kang has not been as impressive as expected. His debut in Quantumania was underwhelming, lacking the dark pathos and intimidating presence of Thanos. His Quantumania variant is easily killed off, and the Kang Council quickly becomes the Big Bad, making him less compelling than Erik Killmonger. The character’s lack of depth and dark pathos may be a drawback.
Additionally, since the Multiverse Saga is set to culminate with a film adaptation of Secret Wars, it doesn’t seem likely that the overarching storyline itself will change that drastically, and that’s helped by the fact that Doom plays a more significant role in that comic arc than Kang. Arguably, thanks to his countless cosmic-based plotlines, Doom is a more compelling multiversal threat than Kang ever was, so it very well may turn out that shifting to a more engaging villain may win back some of the fans alienated by Phases Four and Five.
Marvel’s liability in Jonathan Majors’ role has led to the resurgence of the Multiverse Saga, making films like Quantumania feel pointless. However, considering Marvel’s recent struggles, it may be necessary to move forward with a more compelling villain, such as Doom, to provide the necessary adrenaline for the franchise. Kang is no longer the primary villain, and the franchise needs to find a new villain.
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