Robert Downey Jr. shares another set photo from Avengers: Doomsday, and this one teases a possible showdown between Doctor Doom and Galactus. On his official Instagram account, the actor posted a behind-the-scenes look at his “workstation” on set, which is stocked what he calls the “essentials.” Amidst tissues, drinks, glasses, and other personal items is a copy of Doom #1, a special one-shot comic by Sanford Greene, Jonathan Hickman, and Rachelle Rosenberg. Marvel Comics readers may know that issue sees Doom team up with Valeria Richards to try and stop Galactus from destroying the universe.
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Doom #1 was released in May 2024. The plot follows Doom’s quest to accumulate substantial amounts of power so he can put an end to Galactus. Check out Downey’s post in the space below:
Galactus is set to make his Marvel Cinematic Universe debut in this summer’s The Fantastic Four: First Steps, portrayed by Ralph Ineson. The Devourer of Worlds is the film’s main antagonist, marking the Fantastic Four’s 1960s retro-futuristic home for death. The character’s presence in the film has only been hinted at in the trailers, teasing his massive scale and comics-accurate appearance. While some First Steps stars are returning for Avengers: Doomsday, Ineson is (so far) not part of that movie’s cast.
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As production on Avengers: Doomsday starts up, Downey has made a habit of giving fans some intriguing behind-the-scenes looks. Earlier this week, he shared another set photo that suggested Doctor Doom’s mask could be created with CGI. The actor was sporting small dots on his face, seemingly reference markers for visual effects to be added later.
Not much is known about the Avengers: Doomsday plot, so fans might be inclined to believe the film could use Doom #1 as a source of inspiration. While the movie obviously wouldn’t be a straight adaptation, it might pull some elements to inform its story. In the wake of the Thunderbolts* post-credits scene, one MCU theory suggests Galactus is successful in destroying the Fantastic Four’s world, leading the team to traverse the Multiverse in search of a new home (Earth-616). If that theory pans out, Doom could see himself as the Multiverse’s only chance to stop Galactus and embark on a mission to gain immense amounts of power, becoming a dangerous threat to everyone in the process.
That would be a tantalizing set up for a film, but fans probably shouldn’t read too much into Downey’s reading choices. For starters, it hasn’t been confirmed if Galactus has some kind of role in Doomsday, so the MCU’s Doctor Doom could be motivated by something else. Also, Downey is smart enough to not spoil anything about the movie on social media a year before it comes out. Marvel Studios will share plot details about Doomsday when it’s time (most likely after Fantastic Four premieres and introduces those characters). Downey could be reading Doom #1 out of interest to consume as much material about the character as possible, not because it ties into the movie. Even if Doomsday doesn’t adapt any story elements from Doom #1, the comic still provides valuable insight into what makes Doctor Doom tick as a character. This might be a way for Downey to get into the headspace of a villain marked by hubris.