Draft:Victor von Doom (Marvel Cinematic Universe)
Character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Victor von Doom is a fictional character portrayed by Robert Downey Jr. in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) media franchise, based on the Marvel Comics supervillain of the same name.
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- Jeff Kaplan
- Ian Springer
- Josh Friedman
- Cameron Squires
- Eric Pearson
- Peter Cameron
| Victor von Doom | |
|---|---|
| Marvel Cinematic Universe character | |
| First appearance | The Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025) |
| Based on | |
| Adapted by |
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| Portrayed by | Robert Downey Jr. |
The character first appeared in the mid-credits scene for the film The Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025) in an uncredited cameo appearance. Downey Jr. is set to portray the character in Avengers: Doomsday (2026) and Avengers: Secret Wars (2027).
Concept, creation and casting
In 2022, it was announced at San Diego Comic-Con (SDCC) that a fifth Avengers film titled Avengers: Kang Dynasty was set to be released on May 2, 2025 and star Jonathan Majors as multiple variants of Kang the Conqueror, the new "Big Bad" villain(s) of the Multiverse Saga.[1] However, following Majors' 2023 arrest, his subsequent dismissal from Marvel Studios and the 2023 Writers Guild of America strike, the film was delayed and underwent retooling.[2][3] Before Majors' firing, Tatiana Siegel of Variety reported that Marvel Studios executives had started discussing alternative plans for the Multiverse Saga due to Majors's legal issues, including pivoting to focus on another comic book antagonist such as the supervillain Doctor Doom;[4] the character was already expected to be a major antagonist, if not the primary antagonist, in Avengers: Secret Wars (2027).[5] By early 2024, The Hollywood Reporter reported that the film would be retitled Avengers 5 while the MCU overhauls the story and finds a new name.[6] It was also reported in the same report that the Russo brothers, Anthony and Joe Russo, were in talks to return as directors after having directed both previous Avengers films, Avengers: Infinity War (2018) and Avengers: Endgame (2019).[6]
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At the 2024 SDCC, it was announced that Robert Downey Jr. would be portraying Doctor Doom in the retooled fifth Avengers film retitled Avengers: Doomsday (2026), directed by the Russo brothers.[7][8][9] On stage at SDCC, Downey Jr. noted that he likes "playing complicated characters", and used the phrase "new mask, same task" to tease his role.[10] Downey Jr. previously portrayed the superhero Tony Stark / Iron Man in various MCU media during the franchise's first saga, the Infinity Saga.[9] In an interview on The Hollywood Reporter's Awards Chatter podcast, Downey Jr. noted that Kevin Feige and other Marvel producers began conversations with him after Majors' arrest on returning after becoming "aware that it was not going to work out to have Kang as The Multiverse Saga's villain".[9] Feige wanted Downey to return to the franchise and they discussed the idea of him playing Doctor Doom before the release of Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023). Feige said the studio came to feel, even before Majors' legal issues, that Kang "wasn't big enough, wasn't Thanos" and the right character to serve as the main antagonist of the Multiverse Saga was Doctor Doom, who they finally had access to following the acquisition of 21st Century Fox by The Walt Disney Company. He said casting Downey was a long-term plan to "take one of our greatest characters and utilize one of our greatest actors",[11] in addition that, because the MCU was now exploring the multiverse, they could "do whatever the heck we want. He played the most iconic hero. Let's have him play the most iconic villain".[12] Downey Jr. had previously auditioned to play Doctor Doom in the 20th Century Fox non-MCU film Fantastic Four (2005) before he was cast as Tony Stark in Iron Man (2008), only to lose out the role to Julian McMahon.[13] Marvel approached Downey Jr. repeteadly about returning to the MCU to take on the new character of Victor von Doom / Doctor Doom after Majors' firing, but the actor said he would only return if the Russos also returned as directors.[14][15][16] Downey Jr. signed a deal to star as Doctor Doom by late July, with Jeff Sneider reporting that he would be introduced in the mid or post-credits scene of the MCU film The Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025) before starring in the next Avengers films.[14] The Russo brothers stated that approaching Doom was challenging because "his power is so immense and so beyond", but they also felt free to explore "where the complexities and the vulnerabilities are in the character".[12]
Screen Rant writer Ollie Bradley initially theorized that because of Downey Jr.'s casting, Doom may be a variant of Stark, recalling the 2016 American comic book storyline, Infamous Iron Man, where Doom impersonates Stark.[17] Additionally, in Marvel Team-Up #2 (2004), by writer Robert Kirkman and artist Scott Kolins, a variant of Stark assumes Doom's role, leading to am "inevitable and shocking confrontation between the heroes of the primary timeline and a Doctor Doom with a very familiar face".[18]
Response to casting
Downey Jr. being casted as Doctor Doom received polarised responses.[18] Game Rant writer Kevin Stewart listed his previous film roles–specifically Sherlock Holmes in Sherlock Holmes (2009) and Lewis Strauss in Oppenheimer (2023)–as reasons why he is "perfect for the role".[19] Collider writer Kelcie Mattson found the casting to follow the precedent set by the comics where Iron Man and Doctor Doom are "distinctly similar intellects", turning them into narrative foils.[18] She added that "Downey Jr.'s return to the role that revitalized his career could be either a nostalgia-reliant misstep or an effective hook that re-energizes the MCU".[18] Joe Russo also opined that Downey Jr.'s return is "proof of the unimaginable possibilities in the Marvel multi-universe".[20] Iron Man 3 (2013) director Shane Black, who had previously collaborated with Downey Jr. as well in Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005), opined positively on Downey Jr.'s casting while promoting his film Play Dirty (2025), assuring that he would "singlehandedly reinvigorate the entiry comic book movie industry" with his performance as Doctor Doom despite his casting seeming at first like a cynical idea due to Marvel "coming back to the one that always saves them", being confident that it "would really work" and promising he would be the first in line to see Downey Jr. upon debuting as the character.[21]
Conversely, New York Post writer Elizabeth Karpen reported that some fans found the decision to bring Downey Jr. back as "lazy" and a "cash-grab", adding that they "have long waited to see Doctor Doom return to the big screen, and many were disappointed by what they saw as a casting gimmick".[22] Some critics also criticized the casting of a non-Romani actor.[23][24] Screen Rant writer Kai Young noted that in the comics, Doom's "early life among the Romani people is a crucial aspect of his backstory" and opined that the "continued erasure of the villain's Romani heritage is disappointing".[25]
Characterization
Depiction and appearances
The character appeared in a post-credits scene for The Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025) in an uncredited cameo appearance.[26] In the scene, Sue Storm finds her son, Franklin Richards, sitting on the lap of stranger in an "unmistakable green hood" while "holding a mask that he has removed, allowing Franklin to see his actual face".[27] The Independent writer Greg Evans noted that while it is a brief glimpse, the scene implies that "the character has arrived in the MCU and is interested in Franklin's unique reality-warping powers".[28]
Downey Jr. is set to portray the character in Avengers: Doomsday (2026) and its sequel Avengers: Secret Wars (2027) as both films' major villain.[29]
Differences from the comics
In the mainstream comics set in the Marvel Universe (Earth-616), the supervillain Doctor Doom first appeared in The Fantastic Four #5 in July 1962.[30]
Fictional character biography
Invited to United Nations
Doom was invited to represent Latveria on the United Nations committee during Susan Storm's public unveiling of the Future Foundation, but ultimately did not attend.
Kidnapping Franklin Richards
On Earth-828, four years after the defeat of Galactus, Victor von Doom appears in the Baxter Building and interacts with Franklin Richards, much to the dismay of Sue Storm.