There’s Still Hope to Get a Comic Book Accurate Doctor Doom in the MCU Despite Robert Downey Jr.’s Casting That is Hinting at a Soft Reboot

SUMMARY

• Marvel is bringing back Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom, capitalizing on his popularity and the multiverse storyline.
• Marvel films like Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars draw inspiration from comics like Time Runs Out and Doomsday.
• RDJ’s Doctor Doom is expected to generate substantial buzz and interest, enhancing the multiverse saga's appeal. A creative decision or good business?

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It’s been quite the journey for Marvel. They spent a considerable amount of time setting up the next big villain for the Multiversal Saga, only to have to fire him. Naturally, this left a lot of room for speculation. One way to get out of this predicament was to accept the setback and recast Jonathan Majors’ Kang, which would have been abrupt but not unmanageable.

Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom (Credit- Youtube @EntertainmentTonight)

Given the Multiversal nature of the villain, a new usurper could have filled the power vacuum the Council of Kangs was experiencing. But why take such a complicated route when you can just throw in a bunch of money and bring back RDJ as perhaps the most appreciated Marvel villain for Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars, Doctor Doom? The internet is going wild over Robert’s return, and to address the rumors, Alex Perez held his Monthly Q&A session on his Discord server to clear the air.

RDJ’s Doctor Doom: What to Expect After Avengers: Doomsday and the Multiverse Twist

Robert Downey Jr. cast as Doctor Doom (Credits: Instagram – @robertdowneyjr)

On the question of whether Robert Downey Jr’s Doctor Doom will remain after the final showdown in Avengers: Doomsday or be recast, Alex Perez stated:

I think so, yes. Because the Earth RDJ’s Doom comes from isn’t from 616, so there’s a high chance he’ll be recast.

This makes sense. It can be confusing, but the MCU’s designation is Earth-616, which is the same as the prime continuity in Marvel comics.

Nevertheless, the MCU remains the prime continuity for all the movies. Now that incursions are part of the narrative, and Battleworld is almost inevitable, it’s safe to say that characters from other timelines and universes will join the fight for their home realities. RDJ’s Doctor Doom could emerge victorious, or at least that’s what Alex Perez seems to hint at.

Putting aside the ‘future’ aspect, what makes the casting even more logical is the business side of things. Whether fans are in favor of it or not, they’re buzzing about it. If the casting generates this much publicity, imagine what the movie will do in theaters. Yes, when fans see Doctor Doom, they might still associate him with Iron Man, which would be strange. But with the Multiverse in play, anything is possible.

RDJ’s Doctor Doom and the Multiversal Epic of Secret Wars Revealed

Doctor Doom (Credit- Marvel.com)

Alex casually mentioned in this session that the Secret Wars comic line will serve as the backbone for the upcoming movies, much like the Infinity War line was for the culmination of the Infinity Saga. Among the comics that the movie will draw inspiration from are Time Runs Out, Secret Wars, and Doomsday. 

However, the biggest hint about the plot might lie in one passing comment Perez made when asked if the studios will be able to hype up Doctor Doom enough to do justice to the role of the “big bad.” Alex mentioned, “If you really want to know why in Latveria the flowers die in summer, then you’d already know where to look.”

This quote refers to a comic that is part of the Time Runs Out storyline. It alludes back to New Avengers (vol. 3) #33. In this story, we see Doctor Doom and Owen Reece, aka Molecule Man, waging a battle against the Beyonders. The Beyonders planted Reece as a failsafe in every universe—a time bomb, so to speak. When Reece dies, the universe begins to deteriorate. To thwart the Beyonders’ plans to destroy all universes, Doom sets out to kill every “Molecule Man.” This is quite the twist if they bring it to the screen. Once again, RDJ’s character could attain a heroic status, sacrificing his life against the Beyonders, just like in the comics.

The creation of Battleworld and the Secret War that follows will be covered in the two massive movies, Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars, set to release in 2026 and 2027, culminating in the Multiversal Saga.

Written by Rahul Bandyopadhyay

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