Why Did Marvel Risk Iron Man’s Legacy by Casting Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom?

This year’s SDCC was truly thrilling. Fans were treated to early footage from ‘Thunderbolts’ and ‘Fantastic Four: First Steps.’ However, the biggest announcement of the night concerned the ‘Avengers’ franchise.

Robert Downey Jr. is returning to the MCU, but not as Iron Man. Instead, he will take on the role of Doctor Doom, and reactions have been mixed. ‘Avengers: Kang Dynasty’ has been retitled ‘Avengers: Doomsday,’ signaling a new primary villain for the Multiverse saga.

As I mentioned earlier, the reaction has been mixed. An IGN poll revealed that over half of the fans are unhappy with RDJ returning as a different character. Given this, we decided to explore some possible reasons why Marvel Studios chose to take this risky path, especially considering how sensitive fans are about one of the most emotional moments in the entire cinematic universe.

The Strength of Nostalgia

If you’ve been following superhero movies in recent years, you’ve probably noticed the trend of variants and cameos. ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ featured several legacy characters, resulting in mixed reactions. Similarly, ‘The Flash’ included various versions of Batman (and Superman), with fans unanimously agreeing that Keaton’s Batman was the best part of the movie despite mixed overall reviews. ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ was highly successful, even with its obvious fan service.

Additionally, ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ brought back numerous legacy characters, with Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine taking a central role. It seems Marvel Studios realized that bringing back legacy characters or actors can be well-received, provided the return story is meaningful and the role is substantial.

Feige was initially opposed to Wolverine’s return, but he recently suggested he’s open to Iron Man or Captain America coming back if their characters are handled with enough care. Robert Downey Jr.’s return is significant enough to differentiate it from ‘The Flash’ and ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.’ Marvel Studios is willing to take that risk, confident that they can avoid the pitfalls of those previous films.

The casting aligns well with the context of the source material

Although incorporating RDJ’s Doctor Doom into the MCU may seem challenging, it doesn’t have to be. There are numerous connections between Iron Man and Doctor Doom in the comics, and we’ve speculated that Marvel might explain the “transition” by adapting stories like ‘Demon in an Armor’ or ‘Infamous Iron Man.’

Additionally, there’s the potential adaptation of the ‘Time Runs Out’ storyline, where Doom essentially “saves” reality. While this storyline is less connected to Iron Man, we believe Marvel will handle the transition effectively.

Robert Downey Jr. nearly played Doctor Doom once before

I recently discovered that Robert Downey Jr. auditioned for the role of Doctor Doom in Marvel’s ‘Fantastic Four’ released in 2005. Ultimately, Julian McMahon landed the part, and the movie didn’t meet expectations. Casting RDJ as Doom now is meta on several levels. With some creative thinking, one could argue he’s playing a variant of the 2005 Doctor Doom.

It’s amusing that RDJ had to first establish himself as the MCU’s most popular character before being given the role he originally sought.

Fans have been eager for Robert Downey Jr. to return

Since the character’s death in ‘Endgame,’ a significant portion of fans has been advocating for Robert Downey Jr. to return to the MCU as Iron Man. Feige has repeatedly stated that this is not an option, as it would undermine the sacrifice the character made to save humanity. However, what if a compromise could be reached?

Fans could get RDJ back without undoing Iron Man’s death—perhaps as a variant. That’s exactly what’s happening. Additionally, the MCU is in need of a major, fail-safe boost following a string of disappointing releases and the controversy surrounding Majors’ Kang the Conqueror. RDJ’s Doctor Doom could be just the thing to help fans move past these issues.

What are your thoughts? Share them in the comments below!