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Avengers: Doomsday: Will Doctor Doom Be Connected to Iron Man?
Fans theorize connections between Iron Man and Doctor Doom, but they may be overthinking it. Doctor Doom in Marvel comics has a rich history, drawing parallels to Iron Man as an archenemy.
Robert Downey Jr.'s announcement of his role as Doctor Doom in the Marvel Cinematic Universe has sparked mixed online discussions. Fans are questioning the role of Doctor Doom and its connection to Iron Man, as the actor's role in the Infinity Saga and the creation of the Marvel Cinematic Universe has been a central theme.
However, the rules of the MCU multiverse suggest that the same actor cannot create two character variants. Fans may be overthinking the connection between Doctor Doom and Iron Man, overlooking the implications for The Fantastic Four: First Steps, Avengers: Doomsday, and Avengers: Secret Wars, and focusing too much on the variant aspect of the character may be overlooking the larger issue at play.
Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom is not an Iron Man's variant
Many people were initially frustrated when Robert Downey Jr. was confirmed as Doctor Doom, believing it would be a Tony Stark variant. However, the Russo Brothers confirmed that Doom would be Victor Von Doom. People still assume Victor Von Doom is a Tony Stark variant, as the same actor plays both Doom and Iron Man. Marvel Studios may have explained this in their recent release, Deadpool & Wolverine.
Chris Evans returns as Johnny Storm/The Human Torch in Deadpool & Wolverine, a character from 2005's Fantastic Four and 2007's Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer. Evans is known for playing Steve Rogers/Captain America in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Deadpool plays up the joke that he thinks it's Captain America only to be shocked by the Human Torch, highlighting that the same actor can play different faces in the Marvel Multiverse.
Doctor Doom, played by Downey Jr., is not a variant of Tony Stark, as fans believe. However, this assumption is not based on anything in the film. Doctor Doom is unlikely to be a reimagined version of Iron Man, but rather a character from another universe with his own origin. His origin is likely the same as The Fantastic Four, and fans have reason to believe this, given the Marvel Cinematic Universe's change in Ultron from being a creation of Tony Stark to Hank Pym.
The issue with Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom
Robert Downey Jr.'s return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Doctor Doom has sparked excitement and turned off some fans. This is a riskier choice than simply returning the actor to play Iron Man, as seen with Hugh Jackman's return as Wolverine in Deadpool & Wolverine. Downey Jr.'s role in Doctor Doom is both exciting and risky, highlighting the potential for crossover roles in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
The representation of Doctor Doom in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is a significant issue, with many hoping for a Romani origin. However, Marvel Studios removed this element by casting Elizabeth Olsen and Aaron Taylor-Johnson as Quicksilver. While Olsen is beloved for her role as the Scarlet Witch, the issue of representation is still significant. They faced issues with whitewashing The Ancient One by casting Tilda Swinton in an Asian character.
Downey Jr., a talented actor who recently won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for Oppenheimer, may be a surprise as Doctor Doom. However, concerns about his Romani origin are based on speculation. The fact that a Romani actor is not playing Doctor Doom is a fact worth considering. Avengers: Doomsday is set to release in May 2026, while Fantastic Four: First Steps is set to release on July 25, 2025.
Doctor Doom will likely be in Fantastic Four
The Fantastic Four: First Steps is set in a retro-futuristic 1960s universe, with Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom likely coming from this timeline, making him the archrival of Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic. This means Doctor Doom, who will face off in Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars, will have a personal history with the upcoming Fantastic Four.
This certainly would make sense as 2015's Secret Wars, despite being a major Marvel crossover comic, was at its heart a Fantastic Four story with Doctor Doom and Mister Fantastic at the center. This now means that the personal history between Pedro Pascal's Reed Richards and Robert Downey Jr.'s Victor Von Doom will be front and center for the final entry in the Multiverse Saga. It forms an excellent link between The Avengers and the Fantastic Four for that epic crossover.
Rumors suggest that Fantastic Four: First Steps will end with the Fantastic Four's world destroyed and lost in the multiverse. They will only appear in the mid-credit scene of Avengers: Doomsday, where their escape pod opens on Battleworld. This implies Doctor Doom is also a victim of their world being destroyed, leading to exciting motivations for fighting the Avengers in Avengers: Doomsday before reshaping the Marvel Multiverse in Avengers: Secret Wars.
ALSO READ: SDCC 2024: Robert Downey Jr. Confirms MCU Return As Dr Doom In Avengers: Doomsday
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