Comic book movie fans received a massive piece of news back in July when it was confirmed that Robert Downey Jr. would return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. However, the twist is that the actor won’t be playing Tony Stark/Iron Man but the imposing villain Doctor Doom. To say that the news was a shock would be an understatement and, since it was revealed, fans have shared thoughts on Downey playing Doom. Aside from a cheeky social media post, the actor himself has been rather quiet about his new role. But the Oscar winner has now provided some insight into why he decided to take on the role.
The Oppenheimer star’s casting was announced at this year’s San Diego Comic Con, where he walked on stage in Hall H in a green cloak and metal mask, before revealing himself. As you can imagine, the MCU OG can’t say too much about his newly acquired comic book role. However, the insights he shared with THR’s Awards Chatter Podcast regarding how he landed the part were interesting. Funny enough, while the Sympathizer star is still chummy with Kevin Feige and other Marvel Studios bigwigs, this all started in earnest with his desire to meet with the Walt Disney Company CEO Bob Iger to discuss a proposition:
Feige and I have kept in touch, we’re pals. [Jon] Favreau and Feige and I have kept in touch. I’m close with the Russo Brothers. We have other business we’re doing. So there’s this little kind of group of fellow travellers. And I had this instinct that I wanted to go to Bob Iger, and I had an idea – outside of the cinematic universe – for how I could be of service to what’s going on in the parks and all their location-based entertainment. .. And Susan [Downey] and I were sitting down with Feige at one point, and he said, ‘It just keeps occurring to me that if you were to come back and…’ And Susan was like, ‘Wait, come back as what?’
So, as it turns out, the Downeys were somewhat taken aback by the notion of Robert returning for upcoming Marvel movies. After all, Tony Stark died at the end of 2019’s Avengers: Endgame, and even Kevin Feige said definitively that that specific moment wouldn’t be undone. However, it turned out that Feige had another idea up his sleeve and, eventually, the Downeys had an epiphany:
And then we both realized, over time, that it was another thing that just disproves any doubt anyone could ever have about [Feige] – a very sophisticated, creative thinker – about how can we not go backwards, how can we not disappoint expectations, how can we continue to beat expectations? And he brought up Victor von Doom, and I looked into this character, and I was like, ‘Wow…’ And, later on, [Feige] goes, ‘Let’s get Victor von Doom right. Let’s get that right.’
One might be tempted to think that the idea became a done deal after that conversation. However, there was still one more person that the Sherlock Holmes star wanted to consult with:
So then I said to Kevin, ‘Can I go talk to Bob Iger?’ He goes, ‘About?’ I go, ‘About everything!’ And I’d gone to Bob’s house, which I don’t know how to describe that experience. … We go to Iger’s pad, and we sit down and I start saying, ‘I just really want to be…’ [Iger] goes, ‘I like it.’ He likes it.
Robert Downey Jr. is set to play Doctor Doom in Avengers: Doomsday and its direct sequel Secret Wars. The films will allow the A-lister to reteam with Joe and Anthony Russo, who are helming both films. While some are excited by the prospect of the star taking on the role of the revered big bad, some are worried about RDJ playing Doom. It definitely is a risky idea, to say the least, especially since this version of Victor von Doom could end up being a Tony Stark variant. Still, it goes without saying that Downey is a talented actor, who could certainly sink his teeth into the role, so there’s, at the very least, a chance that this could end up being inspired casting.
If anything though, it sounds like the Avengers icon is truly passionate about returning to the MCU and doing justice to the part he’s playing. It’ll be some time before we actually get to see a true glimpse at his performance. Here’s hoping lightning strikes twice, and that he manages to effortlessly bring another compelling Marvel character to life on the big screen.
Robert Downey Jr.’s previous MCU appearances in the Iron Man films and more can be streamed with a Disney+ subscription. And, while you’re at it, why not just stream all the Marvel movies in order to better appreciate the Infinity Saga.
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