The Russos are back to direct two more Avengers films, and they’re bringing Robert Downey Jr. in to help. Is Marvel getting increasingly desperate, or is The Avengers: Doomsday exactly what the studio needs right now?
By now, you’ll have heard that Robert Downey Jr. is coming back to the MCU. The Iron Man actor will play Doctor Doom, one of the most iconic villains from the comics. The casting was revealed at the San Diego Comic-Con on Saturday evening (or early Sunday morning UK time) as Downey Jr. emerged from a flock of Dooms, pulled off his mask and basked in the adoring screams of the crowd in Hall H.
“New mask, same task!” Downey Jr. told the crowd, who could not get enough of him.
Marvel’s decision to bring Downey Jr. back has been met with criticism and enthusiasm in almost equal measure. Many are excited to see Downey Jr. back in a Marvel film, but for many the move signalled that the studio is about as desperate as one can get. It’s no secret that Marvel has been struggling with their films post-Endgame, something constantly made fun of in Deadpool & Wolverine, Marvel’s only feature film in cinemas this year.
We won’t really know how well Downey Jr.’s casting works until we’re actually watching The Avengers: Doomsday in 2026, but allow us to speculate a few things anyway.
It’s not been clarified how this whole thing will work. In the comics, Doctor Doom is often linked with the Fantastic Four, who are getting their own Marvel reboot next year, subtitled First Steps. Depending on the comic book run, Doom’s powers can come from the same accident as the Fantastic Four’s, or he might not have superpowers at all. There’s also a version of Doctor Doom who becomes Iron Man. In Infamous Iron Man, from 2016, Victor Von Doom assumes the playboy’s former mantle.
So how will Downey Jr. fit into all of this? Considering we’re in Marvel’s Multiverse saga, we could very well see this Doctor Doom being a Tony Stark variant. After all, it seems like a lot to ask your audience to simply forget what Tony Stark looked like and to believe that this new fella is a completely different person with no connection to the most famous MCU character.
Let’s assume that’s what Avengers: Doomsday will focus on – a villainous Tony Stark variant who is also Doctor Doom. That could work in Marvel’s favour; in Endgame, Tony Stark saved the whole world by sacrificing himself, and now a version of him is looking to destroy it. Just imagine Peter Parker’s reaction. It’s hard to deny how much emotional potential that has.
However, it is hard not to notice how this seems like a Hail Mary for Marvel. Bringing back their biggest star and the directors who delivered the studio their biggest hits does seem like it’s driven by a desire to restore Marvel’s glory days. The studio is in desperate need of some stability and safety. They need a guaranteed hit.
They already have a huge hit with Deadpool & Wolverine, which has broken all kinds of records and will most likely end up as the year’s highest grossing film, but the larger picture of the MCU has been a little hazy for some time now. Their ambitious Multiverse saga has been crumbling in front of our very eyes as audiences and critics have found themselves disappointed in Marvel’s ambitious but flawed films and TV shows. Not to mention, the recent arrest and conviction of Jonathan Majors threw out their plans with Kang The Conqueror, the original villain set to take on the Avengers in 2026.
Marvel boss Kevin Feige is hoping that bringing back their biggest star and the Russos will assure audiences that the studio’s future is in safe hands. With going to the cinema getting more and more expensive, audiences need assurances that they’re spending their money wisely when booking a ticket. With Marvel properties, considering you now have to watch an increasingly bloated number of TV shows and films to know what is actually going on, if you lose your audience on one film, you might just lose them on all of them.
Will Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom bring Marvel some much needed stability? Will the casting work on screen? I don’t know, and none of us will for some time yet. Personally, I’m cautiously optimistic. Downey Jr. is a compelling actor, and the Russos have proved themselves very capable of navigating a large ensemble cast and bringing out the best of the comic book storylines. Let’s hope they pull this one off too.
