Robert Downey Jr. And Pedro Pascal Swap ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ Roles for a Hilarious Halloween Surprise
Few rivalries in Marvel history run as deep as the one between Doctor Doom and Reed Richards. In ‘Avengers: Doomsday’, Robert Downey Jr. returns to the MCU as the Latverian ruler, while Pedro Pascal plays Mister Fantastic, setting the two stars up as bitter enemies when the film hits theaters on December 18.
Off screen, though, the two clearly get along. Downey first revealed his return as Doom at San Diego Comic-Con in 2024 with the line “New mask, same task,” and Marvel has spent months building up the clash between his villain and Pascal’s leader of the Fantastic Four.
For Halloween, the co-stars flipped that rivalry on its head. Downey and Pascal dressed as each other’s characters, with Downey suiting up as Mister Fantastic and Pascal taking on Doctor Doom.
Downey shared the moment in a short video on Instagram, captioning it “Victor. Richard. Costume swap!” The clip quickly spread online. In the video, Downey wears a blue Fantastic Four suit with a large 4 on the chest and a white utility belt. Pascal wears a dark cape over a gray sweatshirt, with a silver Doom mask pushed up on top of his head.
Pascal seems to be having a great time in the role. He laughs with his hands over his face before crossing his arms in a commanding pose that mimics Doom’s signature stance. His outfit also caught fans’ attention for another reason. The sweatshirt reads “MIT,” which has sparked theories about a shared history between Reed and Victor, though nothing has been confirmed.
Downey also joined the Halloween fun with a cartoon-style image of Doom trick-or-treating in his green hood, accompanied by tiny witches. In the drawing, a member of the Fantastic Four hands the villain a disappointing treat.
Pedro Pascal and Robert Downey Jr. celebrate Halloween as Doctor Doom and Mister Fantastic https://t.co/jhC2Hd262R
— Pedro Pascal Daily (@pascalarchive) November 1, 2026
The response was immediate. Commenters praised how closely Downey matched Reed’s suit and how fully Pascal committed to Doom’s pose, with fans writing things like “What universe are we in?” and “This is the best thing ever.”
Many joked that the actors seemed to be having far more fun than their characters ever will. The playful video gave fans a lighter look at 2 stars at the center of one of Marvel’s biggest showdowns.
fans meeting Pedro and Robert this is epic 😭❤️ https://t.co/F6lTetnqpS
— miツ⎊ (@starkxpalmer) November 1, 2026
Marvel leaned into Halloween across its promotion as well. The studio staged a 2,000-drone show in South Korea and filled its social channels with Doom-themed content to celebrate the holiday.
The campaign keeps growing as release day approaches. Advance ticket sales for ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ have reportedly passed $100 million worldwide, and the film shares its opening day with Denis Villeneuve’s ‘Dune: Part Three’.
Robert Downey Jr. and Pedro Pascal dressed up as Mr. Fantastic and Doctor Doom for Halloween https://t.co/6agWvW5u9D
— non aesthetic things (@PicturesFoIder) November 1, 2026
Directed by Joe and Anthony Russo, ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ features a huge ensemble including Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Anthony Mackie, Paul Rudd, Florence Pugh, Vanessa Kirby and Ian McKellen. Pascal’s Reed Richards is set to appear in both this film and ‘Avengers: Secret Wars’.
New trailer for ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ In theaters December 18 https://t.co/1wsiTk1Nnv
— Culture Crave 🍿 (@CultureCrave) August 15, 2026
Several international markets, including India, will see the film a day early on December 17. Until then, fans can enjoy the sight of Doom and Mister Fantastic happily posing side by side, something that seems unlikely to happen on screen.
What did you think of Robert Downey Jr. and Pedro Pascal swapping Avengers: Doomsday characters for Halloween?
Have something to add? Let us know in the comments!
