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.
Will Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom join Deadpool & Wolverine’s timeline?
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.
Why Robert Downey Jr’s Doctor Doom is perfect MCU casting?
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.
ALSO READ: Avengers: Doomsday: Will Doctor Doom Be Connected to Iron Man?
