What will Robert Downey Jr. look like as Doctor Doom? That’s one of the biggest questions hanging over the Marvel Cinematic Universe right now. Avengers: Doomsday will put the villain center-stage (as the title implies), and fans are wondering about some of the key logistics of that choice. Will Marvel Studios really keep Downey confined to Doom’s iconic mask for the majority of his performance (and not show that iconic face)? And will the MCU Doom really look like his comic counterpart, or will there be some kind of bold reinvention for the world of live-action film?
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We don’t actually have the answers to any of the questions above, right now, so instead let’s enjoy some fan art that can spark our imaginations!
Fan artist Mohd Haris has posted this artwork imagining RDJ as Doom. It’s clear that Haris is leaning toward the concept of Downey eschewing the traditional Doom costume, with its metal helmet and facemask, instead letting Downey’s famous face shine (so to speak), albeit being disfigured and burned in the way that’s part of Doom’s origin. That part aside, the rest of the costume looks spot-on with its Latverian (read: Eastern European) aesthetic, and the image of Downey’s Doom standing in an intimidating pose, flanked by Doombots, is the kind of “sell” we need to make sure the general public knows: this is the next great MCU big bad.
The question of Doom’s headpiece still looms large over all of this, though. Doom being the proverbial “Man in the Iron Mask,” is a touchstone element of his character. If the MCU changes the costume concept to make Doom’s mask something more akin to Tony Stark’s Iron Man helmet and facemask (able to open and close on a whim), it would make sense, logically, if this Doom is a Stark variant. That said, it would also be a substantial change to Doom’s character that hardcore Marvel Comics fans may have a hard time abiding.
Anthony and Joe Russo (Avengers: Infinity War & Endgame) are returning to the MCU to direct Avengers: Doomsday and have started principal photography a Disney’s Pinewood Studios in England. The extensive cast (so far) includes Tom Hiddleston (Loki), Chris Hemsworth (Thor), Anthony Mackie (Sam Wilson/Captain America), Sebastian Stan (Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier), Letitia Wright (Shuri/Black Panther), Paul Rudd (Scott Lang/Ant-Man), Wyatt Russell (John Walker/U.S. Agent), Tenoch Huerta Mejia (Namor), Simu Liu (Shang-Chi), Florence Pugh (Yelena Belova/Black Widow), Kelsey Grammer (Beast), Lewis Pullman (Bob Reynolds/Sentry), Danny Ramirez (Joaquin Torres/the Falcon), David Harbour (Alexei Shostakov/Red Guardian), Winston Duke (M’Baku), Hannah John-Kamen (Ava Starr/Ghost), and Channing Tatum (Gambit).
Marvel Studios has moved Avengers: Doomsday to December 18, 2026. Avengers: Secret Wars was also delayed to December 17, 2027.
