Marvel Studios‘ recent announcement at San Diego Comic-Con (SDCC) has sent shockwaves through the MCU fandom. The revelation of Robert Downey Jr.’s return to the MCU, coupled with the renaming of Avengers 5 to Avengers: Doomsday, has sparked intense debate among fans. Previously, the studio dropped the title Kang Dynasty from Avengers 5 following the departure of Jonathan Majors as Kang the Conqueror. This unexpected shift in narrative direction has left many questioning Downey Jr.’s character. Will he be portraying an evil Tony Stark, or fully embody the complex Victor Von Doom?
Here’s everything you need to know about Robert Downey Jr.’s return to the MCU.
Is Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom an evil variant of Tony Stark in Avengers: Doomsday?
No, Marvel Studios has explicitly announced that Robert Downey Jr. is playing Doctor Doom. There have been no hints of it being an evil Tony Stark variant.
On the comic-con stage, the Russo brothers announced that they are bringing the most complex character to the screens, Victor Von Doom. Before Downey Jr. unveiled his mask, the brothers mentioned, “As proof of the unimaginable possibilities of the Marvel Universe, we give you the one person who could play Victor von Doom.” This confirms that Downey Jr. is playing a variant of Dr. Doom in another universe that has no connections to Tony Stark. (via Rolling Stone)
Earlier, even Chris Evans took on dual MCU roles as well. He played Johhny Storm in Fantastic Four (2005) and Steve Rogers in the original MCU timeline. Similarly, this variant might just have the face of Tony Stark and could be a real Dr. Doom in his timeline. Nevertheless, Dr. Doom’s face is mostly scarred due to a machine explosion, per comics, leading him to wear a mask. Considering this, he might not even be recognizable as a Tony Stark variant, given his distinct appearance.
Downey Jr. portrayed Iron Man on Earth 616. He sacrificed himself toward the end of the Infinity Saga and saved the universe. Following this, Downey Jr. officially confirmed his retirement from the MCU after Endgame. However, in a shocking turn of events at SDCC 2024, Downey’s return as a supervillain has stirred discussions.
Some fans are having a hard time believing this. They believe the studios could surprise them last minute by showcasing Downey’s supervillain as an evil Tony Stark variant. This is because the multiverse creates immense opportunities to club these characters. Moreover, Marvel and Disney could also take some inspiration from Tony Stark’s evil version in comics. Nevertheless, there are no updates on Marvel tweaking Downey’s new role and he is confirmed to play only Dr. Doom, as of now.
