RDJ’s Dr Doom Might Be Explained By Terrifying Comic

The casting of Robert Downey Jr. (RDJ) as Doctor Doom in the upcoming Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) films has been a source of ongoing controversy and speculation since its announcement at San Diego Comic-Con. While some fans are excited to see the Iron Man actor return in a new role, others have expressed disappointment and concern, arguing that the decision could hinder fresh talent and potentially harm the character’s portrayal.

In August, Downey offered his first comments about his return to the MCU, stating that Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige convinced him to take the role by stressing the importance of not disappointing fan expectations and getting Doctor Doom “right.” However, these remarks were met with mixed reactions (thanks, WGTC), with some fans seeing the reasoning as a disingenuous attempt to justify a questionable casting choice.

What’s interesting is that there is a new theory suggesting RDJ’s Doctor Doom could be inspired by the recent Ultimates #4 comic book, in which Reed Richards is transformed into the iconic villain by the Maker, an evil version of himself from an alternate universe. This has led to speculation that the MCU’s Doctor Doom might actually be an alternate version of Tony Stark, who has been similarly corrupted by the Maker.

This theory would make the casting make more sense, especially if it turns out that RDJ isn’t the main Doom but a mislead. That Tony Stark would be one from a different universe, which means a Dr. Doom could exist in the MCU timeline. This could be a huge misdirection from Marvel to get fans off the trail of the real Doom.

There is speculation that Feige may have intended to contact another actor, such as Cillian Murphy, but accidentally reached out to Downey Jr. instead. That holds very little weight and seems like a shot in the dark, but Murphy as Dr. Doom makes sense and would be something Marvel keeps in the back pocket until much later if the theory above is true.

Whether or not any theory proves to be true remains to be seen. Even with these theories floating around, the casting of RDJ will remain a topic of intense debate and speculation. Fans will have to wait until the release of Avengers: Doomsday in 2026 to see how the actor embodies the iconic villain and whether he can overcome the initial skepticism surrounding his casting.