At the end of Marvel’s panel at San Diego Comic-Con, Marvel finally announced the actor who’ll be playing Dr. Doom in Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars. Fans have been eager for this announcement, speculating and making fan casts for the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe) Dr. Doom. Could it be Cillian Murphy? Giancarlo Esposito? Adam Driver? Well no, when one of the many metal-masked men in an olive robe walked up the stage and unmasked themself, the panel took a multiverse-shattering turn when it was revealed that Robert Downey Jr would be playing the formidable foe.
Victor Von Doom is a Marvel Comics villain originally introduced in the fifth issue of the original Fantastic Four comic run by Jack Kirby in 1962. Doom became a fan-favorite for being a fun megalomaniac who feels like a genuine threat to the heroes of the Marvel universe. Doom being an extremely popular villain on top of appearing in the main cinematic universe, which will undoubtedly have a big impact on how audiences view Dr. Doom, there’s a lot of pressure on RDJ’s take on the character.
As for fan feedback, it’s a little split. A lot of fans rejoiced as the former Iron Man who has been with the MCU since its inception would return as one of the most popular super-villains ever. However, others thought the casting was lazy and a quick way to renew the interest of audiences in the MCU.
Sophia Limon, a senior attending Mt. SAC Early College Academy believes that Downey being cast as Dr. Doom seems unfair to other actors who could’ve taken on the role. She says, “I feel like casting someone who hasn’t made it big yet would’ve been amazing.”
Since the casting was announced, details provided by reliable sources have surfaced in the public eye. According to a report from Variety, Downey will be paid “significantly more” than the writers of both Doomsday and Secret Wars, Anthony and Joseph Russo, who are being paid around $80 million in total for both movies. This report suggests that RDJ will be paid somewhere close to $100 million in total, meaning he’ll make $50 million for each movie. About the same as he made in The Avengers back in 2012.
“RDJ is expensive and I believe that is a fair amount especially since he will be playing the big bad,” shared Samuel Amador, a senior attending Mt. SAC Early College Academy.
Ever since Downey’s departure from the MCU in 2019’s Avengers; Endgame after Tony Stark’s heroic death, the president of Marvel Studios Kevin Feige kept in touch with Downey. According to an interview with Downey on The Hollywood Reporter’s podcast titled The Hollywood Reporter’s Awards Chatter Podcast, Downey talked about Feige and his conversation about the possibility of returning to the MCU for a new role.
Downey recalled Feige saying, “How can we not go backward? How can we not disappoint expectations? How can we continue to beat expectations?” Feige later brought up Dr. Doom. Downey continued, “ I looked into this character. Later on, he goes, ‘Let’s get Victor Von Doom right.”
At this point, there isn’t much to show for Robert Downey Jr. as Dr. Doo,m as Avengers: Doomsday doesn’t start filming until next year. So it’s too soon to tell for certain how it will all pan out. But for right now, this is an event that will go down in comic book and comic book movie history.
