How Robert Downey Jr. landed the role of Doctor Doom
What's the story
Robert Downey Jr., known for his iconic role as Tony Stark/Iron Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), is set to make a surprising comeback.
However, he won't be donning the Iron Man suit this time.
Instead, Downey Jr. will be stepping into the shoes of Victor von Doom, better known as Doctor Doom, in the upcoming film Avengers: Doomsday.
Curious minds have been wondering how he landed this role. Well, RDJ recently spilled the details!
Casting details
Downey Jr. revealed the back story of his casting
Downey Jr. recently appeared in a podcast, where he shared how he was cast as Doctor Doom.
"So, probably a year ago...Susan and I were sitting down with Kevin Feige at one point and he said, 'It just keeps occurring to me that if you were to come back...' and Susan was like, 'Wait, wait, come back as what?'"
"Then we both realized that it was another thing that just disproves any doubt anyone could ever have about that guy."
Role discussion
'I looked up this character and I was like, 'Wow'
The actor further said, "He's [Feige] a very sophisticated creative thinker about how can we not go backward, how can we not disappoint expectations, how we can continue to beat expectations? And he brought up Victor Von Doom."
"I looked up this character and I was like, 'Wow,'" he recalled.
Downey Jr. continued, "Later, Kevin goes, 'Let's get Victor Von Doom right. Let's get that right.'"
Character details
Downey Jr. to play a different version of Doctor Doom
Downey Jr. will be portraying a different version of Doctor Doom in Avengers: Doomsday.
This decision was made after the character Kang the Conqueror's debut in the MCU received a lukewarm response.
The actor's casting as Doctor Doom comes with high expectations, as previous live-action depictions of the character have been poorly received.
Marvel Studios is keen on getting this portrayal right, given Doctor Doom's significance as a major antagonist in the Marvel universe.
Upcoming appearances
Downey Jr.'s potential return in 'The Fantastic Four: First Steps'
While it's confirmed that Downey Jr. will appear in Avengers: Doomsday, and potentially Avengers: Secret Wars, there's speculation that he might make his comeback in the 2025 film The Fantastic Four: First Steps.
Fans are eagerly waiting to see how Downey Jr. will portray this complex character, who is vastly different from Tony Stark.
Filming for Avengers: Doomsday is set to begin in 2025.