Avengers: The Major Problem With RDJ's MCU Return as Doom

Marvel has revealed that Robert Downey Jr. is returning to the MCU as Doctor Doom - and it will be a big problem for many viewers.

By Kofi Outlaw

Marvel Studios has announced that Iron Man star Robert Downey Jr. is returning to the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Doctor Doom, in the upcoming Avengers film Avengers: Doomsday. It's a move that few saw coming, and after the fervor of Comic-Con's Hall H has died down, it's becoming clear that not everyone is loving this big pivot in the MCU Multiverse Saga. 

Here's the major problem with RDJ's return as Doctor Doom: it's taking comic book movies to a place of fantastical absurdity that rivals actual comic books. There is a reason that comic books have always remained a nice form of entertainment media: their stories are too far out there, outlandish (and yes, silly) to appeal to a wider demographic of people. The trick that comic book movies have always had to pull off is knowing how much of that pulpy material to bring to the screen – and how much to leave behind. Marvel Studios is now losing that balance in a big way. Even Downey's Iron Man co-star Gwyneth Paltrow has responded by saying she doesn't understand the move (not that she's the biggest MCU expert), and that sentiment is being echoed all over social media. 

It's become abundantly clear from projects like Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness that the average audience member doesn't engage with multiverse stories. Even when films like Spider-Man: No Way Home, Deadpool & Wolverine or DC's The Flash take the approach of adding nostalgic layers to multiversal stories, they prove to be a mixed bag: Unbridled fan enthusiasm and hype when the cameo-filled event films first release – only to lose value as standalone movie experiences afterward. 

Now, Marvel Studios is going so far as to recast the original marquee star of their franchise (RDJ) as another character (Doom). Yes, it's obviously a twist rooted in the multiversal framework, with Downey playing something like the What If...? "Demon in an Armor" version of Iron Man who was mind-swapped with Doom (or became Doom – however the MCU Multiverse Saga approaches the story). And yes, there is a certain amount of obvious intrigue that will be created if characters like Spider-Man, Hulk, or Rhodey find themselves in a room with Doom-Stark – but even that intrigue will be rooted in audiences knowing the backstory of Iron Man's history in previous MCU films, rather than being intrigue created by the movie itself. 

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That same issue extends to the character of Doctor Doom – one of the greatest Marvel villains. Fans have been waiting for Doom to appear in the MCU since it began in 2008; now it seems that audiences' introduction to Doom won't be a true depiction of the character. Instead, we're likely in for a darker twist on the Tony Stark character – because does anyone really expect RDJ to not tackle this role in his usual winking, charismatic, hammy, way? It will be more great RDJ performance, for sure, but it won't be Doctor Doom. And even if a more traditional Doom appears after the events of Doomsday and Secret Wars (and the inevitable MCU soft-reboot), are audiences ready to keep up with even more variations on these characters? 

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Unless we hear more about Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars that justifies this way of bringing Downey back, it's going to look like stunt casting, at best; at worst, it's a sign that Marvel Studios is losing faith in the marketability of its characters and universe. Either way, it's far from the game-changing turn that Marvel Studios probably hoped for... but here we go (again). 

Avengers: Doomsday has a release date of May 1, 2026. 

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