Robert Downey Jr. Is Doom

[Venom 1988]

What's weird is, I might be misremembering this, but isn't there a Tony Stark variant that's a Kang somewhere in the comic? That, or the Superior Iron Man route would have made miles more sense than this.

The new Ultimate Universe is basically implying that this version of Tony Stark who is Iron Lad will eventually become Kang in the future.

 

[Da-Scribe]

It really is so frustrating. They could have just used Superior Iron Man and it would have arguably been more resonant with both the GA and diehard fans.

I sometimes wonder if that was the plan and RDJ just didn’t want to play second fiddle to whoever would be cast as Doom. Because what we’re getting seems uncharacteristically desperate for Feige and I say that as someone who is lukewarm on superhero flicks these days.

 

[Pennywise]

 

[DarthFantastic]

First time posting. There's a leak going around that sounds legit.

Spoiler

I honestly hated RDJ's casting as Doom and pretty much lost my enthusiasm for the coming Avengers movies. Then I ran into this leak. Now I'm not only very excited for Doomsday and Secret Wars, but I'm actually loving RDJ's casting.

If this isn't true, then I don't know any other way they can sell casting RDJ as Doom that actually makes sense.

Spoiler

The ideas that this presents are MASSIVE.

-RDJ's face was always Doom's
-Every Doom across the Multiverse looks like RDJ
-We are yet to see the face of a real Tony Stark

And the thematic proposition is even greater: they're aiming to explore the concept of nature vs. nurture with this saga. If you raise Victor von Doom properly, under good conditions and good parents, you get a hero. But if you allow Victor von Doom to be raised under harsh conditions, in Latveria, you get a supervillain. He's either the best of us or the worst of us.

I rewatched the entire Infinity Saga with this in mind and it changes everything.

Spoiler

Tony is too smart. Tony's dark aspirations mirror Doom's. But the heroism and his heroic surroundings kept him from going the path of his multiversal counterparts.

This also explains why RDJ insists he's playing Victor von Doom and not a Tony Stark variant. If this is legit, the Doom we're getting is 100% classic Doctor Doom.

Lastly, I like the inclusion of

Spoiler

Kang who is obviously the unseen figure. For the people that wanted more Kang this is a subtle way to include him without having to bring back Majors or recast him. This is a classic Kang move. Planting his ancestor in the 616 to ensure his own birth a few millennia later.

 

[Venom 1988]

First time posting. There's a leak going around that sounds legit.

 

[Spider-Fan]

"Leak" sounds stupid. Again, jumping through hoops to make sense of the casting. Not making a good Doctor Doom story. That's not how good storytelling is done

 

[DarthFantastic]

"Leak" sounds stupid. Again, jumping through hoops to make sense of the casting. Not making a good Doctor Doom story. That's not how good storytelling is done

What hoops?

If this is legit,

Spoiler

616 Tony was always Doom. Which means RDJ is playing classic Doctor Doom from another universe in Doomsday and Secret Wars. Not some Tony Stark variant that becomes Doom.

This literally resolves the problem with RDJ's casting.

 

[Spider-Fan]

What hoops?

If this is legit,

Spoiler

616 Tony was always Doom. Which means RDJ is playing classic Doctor Doom from another universe in Doomsday and Secret Wars. Not some Tony Stark variant that becomes Doom.

This literally resolves the problem with RDJ's casting.

No it doesn't resolve anything. It is just another example of trying to write around Doom being played by RDJ. As opposed to just writing Doctor Doom. That's the issue with all these various plot lines everyone is suggesting. It all boils down to writing around an actor and not a character. The actor is supposed to embody the character and bring them to life. Not the inverse

 

[Venom 1988]

What hoops?

If this is legit,

Spoiler

616 Tony was always Doom. Which means RDJ is playing classic Doctor Doom from another universe in Doomsday and Secret Wars. Not some Tony Stark variant that becomes Doom.

This literally resolves the problem with RDJ's casting.

It reads like really bad fan fiction and something someone created to cope with the casting. Marvel doesn't see this as a problem, that's why they casted him in the first place. So they're not gonna jump through hoops to create a convoluted reason for the casting.

Also you say this is making the rounds, where exactly? Nowhere do I see this popping up in the typical leak forums or reddits.

 

[DarthFantastic]

It reads like really bad fan fiction and something someone created to cope with the casting. Marvel doesn't see this as a problem, that's why they casted him in the first place. So they're not gonna jump through hoops to create a convoluted reason for the casting.

Also you say this is making the rounds, where exactly? Nowhere do I see this popping up in the typical leak forums or reddits.

Doesn't seem convoluted at all to me. The theme of nature vs nurture really fits with this particular character. Made me think of Jeffrey Dahmer and John Wayne Gacy and all the other famous serial killers who to this day are puzzled over by forensic psychologists and criminologists. What made them do the things they did? Were they born evil or made evil?

The idea that

Spoiler

Victor von Doom can be made into a force for good just by being raised right is a profound statement.

. in the comics, the various Reed Richards across the Multiverse were just lobotomizing their Dooms lol

 

[Spider-Fan]

To each their own, but that's not what draws me to Doctor Doom as a character or why I find him interesting. Nor do I think this is a particularly interesting angle to explore for Doctor Doom. As I said, this concept is about making sense of the actor playing Doctor Doom in a meta sense. Not for crafting a great version of Doctor Doom. This is just another concept or theory in a long line I don't think address that core problem, and thus my reaction is an eye roll. All the power to yall who like this as a concept or are excited by it. Marvel Studios is going to have to work very hard to sell me on this one. And I don't forsee a way they do it where I am in love with it. Even in the best version I can picture.

 

[AndrewGilkison]

What hoops?

If this is legit,

Spoiler

616 Tony was always Doom. Which means RDJ is playing classic Doctor Doom from another universe in Doomsday and Secret Wars. Not some Tony Stark variant that becomes Doom.

This literally resolves the problem with RDJ's casting.

If Chris Evans can be The Human Torch in one universe, and Captain America in the "sacred timeline", why do we need some silly retcon of 616 Tony Stark in order to explain the casting?

If anything, this makes the "problem" worse.

Some of you are just overthinking all of this.

 

[Venom 1988]

Doesn't seem convoluted at all to me. The theme of nature vs nurture really fits with this particular character. Made me think of Jeffrey Dahmer and John Wayne Gacy and all the other famous serial killers who to this day are puzzled over by forensic psychologists and criminologists. What made them do the things they did? Were they born evil or made evil?

The idea that

Spoiler

Victor von Doom can be made into a force for good just by being raised right is a profound statement.

. in the comics, the various Reed Richards across the Multiverse were just lobotomizing their Dooms lol

This "leak" is your theory isn't it?

 

[DarthFantastic]

If Chris Evans can be The Human Torch in one universe, and Captain America in the "sacred timeline", why do we need some silly retcon of 616 Tony Stark in order to explain the casting?

If anything, this makes the "problem" worse.

Some of you are just overthinking all of this.

Because it gives Downey's casting actual weight. It brings up the very large ideas of choice and destiny to Doom's backstory. Rather than amounting to some absurd coincidence that they just happen to look the same. With Evans it was a joke. One of the best and biggest of the movie. You can't do that with RDJ and Doom.

 

[Spider-Fan]

If Chris Evans can be The Human Torch in one universe, and Captain America in the "sacred timeline", why do we need some silly retcon of 616 Tony Stark in order to explain the casting?

If anything, this makes the "problem" worse.

Some of you are just overthinking all of this.

Again, I still say the simplest and best way to do this is just....not address it at all and have Doom be Doom and don't call attention to it at all. But I know Marvel isn't going to do that cause if they did, RDJ wouldn't have been cast. Marvel wants that Stark comparison in the mind of the audience.

Like I said, I have resigned myself to the fact that I won't enjoy this movie like the past Avengers movie and the fact that this is Doom this is happening to particularly annoys me.

 

[DarthFantastic]

This "leak" is your theory isn't it?

No, can't take credit for this. I hate to admit that for a few weeks I was one of those people who wholeheartedly believed RDJ's casting could not be made valid. I was wrong.

RDJ in retrospect makes a better Doom than he does a Tony Stark. And ironically, its the part Arad and Feige had him read for 20 years ago. There's a parallel universe where RDJ wasn't controversial in 2002 and actually gets the part of Doctor Doom in FOX's FF films.

 

[Venom 1988]

No, can't take credit for this. I hate to admit that for a few weeks I was one of those people who wholeheartedly believed RDJ's casting could not be made valid. I was wrong.

RDJ in retrospect makes a better Doom than he does a Tony Stark. And ironically, its the part Arad and Feige had him read for 20 years ago. There's a parallel universe where RDJ wasn't controversial in 2002 and actually gets the part of Doctor Doom in FOX's FF films.

You still haven't said where you got this "leak" from.

 

[psylockolussus]

Rumor: Avengers 5 Could Cost Robert Downey Jr. a Role in Christopher Nolan’s Next Movie

Robert Downey Jr. is rumored to join Christopher Nolan's next movie. However, it seems his commitments to the MCU may prevent his involvement.

www.superherohype.com

 

[NewYorkSpider]

I think the parallels of this character are gonna interesting considering that 616 Stark had his face burnt at the end of Endgame and the fact that Doom wears a mask to hide his burnt face.

I'm not sure if this casting as anything to do with that scene/character, but it will be interesting to see what route they go.

 

[psylockolussus]

I just can predict, there would be a scene, when he says directly to the camera "I am Doom".

 

[elgaz]

I think the parallels of this character are gonna interesting considering that 616 Stark had his face burnt at the end of Endgame and the fact that Doom wears a mask to hide his burnt face.

I'm not sure if this casting as anything to do with that scene/character, but it will be interesting to see what route they go.

I was thinking about this the other day. I wonder if it's possible that Doom has somehow or other travelled through time (or project his consciousness through it) and taken over/reanimated Stark's body shortly after the events of Endgame. Would explain his appearance and also why he wears the mask (Stark's face is disfigured since using the infinity stones). As per the screenshot below, he has past form for transferring his consciousness into the bodies of others.

Why would he do this? Not sure. To conceal his true self and manipulate others? To try and access any lingering infinity stones energy in Stark's body? I'm not sure. Just a theory, could be way off the mark.

 

[Boom]

Seems needlessly convoluted. No disrespect.

 

[Spider-Fan]

Any major plot point hinging on or explaining why Doom looks like Tony is immediately idiotic to me. We shouldn't be focusing on why Doom looks like another guy, especially to the point it is essentially the entire plot of the movie. That's just garbage storytelling

 

[AndrewGilkison]

I mean, at the Comic-Con reveal one of the Russos talked about this being made possible by the multiverse, so that indicates to me that this Doom is from a different universe, and he looks like Tony for the same reason Chris Evans can play both Captain America and The Human Torch. Because both characters are from two different universes.

 

[Arachnerd]

Doesn't really take away the fact that doing Doom this way is a terrible idea at its very core. And I can assure you that was not the thought process when this casting decision was made. They brought back RDJ to recuperate some good will among audiences losing interest in the MCU, nothing else. Left to his own devices, I'm sure Matt Shakman would have done Doom justice and actually hired a Romanian actor for once.