‘Whalefall’ Star Josh Brolin Breaks His Silence on Thanos Fighting Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom

Few Marvel villains have left a mark quite like Thanos, the Mad Titan who dominated the Infinity Saga and wiped out half of all life before meeting his end. Josh Brolin brought the character to life across ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’, ‘Avengers: Age of Ultron’, ‘Avengers: Infinity War’ and ‘Avengers: Endgame’, where Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man ultimately snapped him out of existence.

Now the Marvel Cinematic Universe is preparing for a new era of villainy. Downey is returning as Victor von Doom in ‘Avengers: Doomsday’, which opens in theaters on December 18, followed by ‘Avengers: Secret Wars’ on December 17, 2027.

That casting has fans dreaming of a heavyweight clash between the 2 iconic baddies. When asked at New York Comic Con 2026 who would come out on top in a fight between Thanos and Downey’s Doctor Doom, Brolin playfully dodged the question, suggesting his answer hardly matters at this point and urging fans to simply embrace the mystery.

The clip, shared by Fandango while Brolin was promoting his project ‘Whalefall’, quickly spread among Marvel fans. He did make clear, however, that he loves the idea of facing Downey again, saying the prospect of sharing the screen with his old co-star would be great.

He struck a similar tone in another Comic-Con conversation with Polygon. Brolin said he wasn’t sure who would win, but that he enjoys the idea of any confrontation with Downey and is thrilled that the actor is taking on the role.

#Whalefall star Josh Brolin reveals he would love to face off against Robert Downey Jr. again in a Thanos vs Doom fight. https://t.co/HBRoAPOj6r

— Rotten Tomatoes 🍅 (@RottenTomatoes) October 16, 2026

This isn’t the first time Brolin has kept the door open. Speaking with ScreenRant at the same convention, he neither confirmed nor denied any involvement in Marvel’s upcoming films, comparing the constant questions to the long-discussed sequel to ‘The Goonies’.

Last year, he told Entertainment Tonight that if Joe Russo came to him with an idea, he would probably agree pretty quickly. He also appeared on Josh Horowitz’s ‘Happy Sad Confused’ podcast and said he would happily fly in the next day if the Russo brothers called.

Brolin has also stressed that any comeback has to feel right. He compared the situation to his return for the ‘Sicario’ sequel, explaining that bringing Thanos back would only work if the character genuinely fits the story.

The multiverse gives Marvel plenty of room to revive the Mad Titan. Alternate versions of Thanos have already appeared in ‘What If…?’ and ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’, proving the character doesn’t have to stay dead.

Marketing for ‘Doomsday’ has also teased that Doom defeated Thanos in another reality. That has fans pointing to the 2015 ‘Secret Wars’ comic, where Doom, in his God Emperor form, kills Thanos in brutal fashion.

New trailer for ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ In theaters December 18 https://t.co/1wsiTk1Nnv

— Culture Crave 🍿 (@CultureCrave) August 15, 2026

Some fans believe a Thanos variant could even join Doom’s growing ranks. One Reddit user said they would love to see Doom tear Thanos apart, reflecting how eager audiences are to see the new villain prove himself against the old one.

For now, it all remains speculation. Thanos is not expected to appear in ‘Doomsday’, and Brolin is not part of the announced cast, though a rumor claimed he was in talks for a possible return, likely in ‘Secret Wars’. Marvel Studios has not confirmed any of it. Still, Brolin’s enthusiasm and carefully vague answers ensure the conversation isn’t going away anytime soon.

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