By: Jasmine Sun

You might know Robert Downey Jr. as Ironman, but did you know that he is also going to be Doctor Doom in the next Fantastic Four movie, coming in May 2025?

During San Diego’s Comic-Con on Saturday, Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) President Kevin Feige announced Downey Jr.’s casting. He also announced the return of the directing duo of the Russo Brothers (Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame). The pair is coming back to direct two more Avengers sequels, Secret Wars and Doomsday, with the latter to introduce Downey Jr.’s Doom. The Marvel fans were surprised to see the actor unveiled as the supervillain Doctor Doom.

Who is Doctor Doom?

Doctor Doom is the main enemy of the Fantastic Four. He is a scary villain who boasts mastery over both magic and science. Doctor Doom hides his face behind a mask after his good looks are slightly scarred, and he deliberately scars himself in some comic variations.

Doctor Doom is considered as one of the worst villains in Marvel. The comic book fans have been waiting for the character to be introduced for a long time.

What do fans think about this?

Fans have been eagerly waiting for the return of Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man. But, the announcement of Downey Jr. playing Doctor Doom came as a big surprise to the fans. Like Tony Stark, Doctor Doom is a genius who is very stubborn, and he also has a big ego. Doctor Doom is supposed to be a special character, not another version of Iron Man.

Downey Jr. is not playing Doctor Doom as another multiverse variation of Tony Stark (Ironman). He is Doctor Doom, a brand-new addition. Some of the fans online did not like that. They were disappointed that their favourite comic book villain had been used as a gimmick.

One fan said on X, “I like how Kevin Feige wants the MCU to last for several decades yet he wastes the most iconic Marvel villain of all time on something you would find on DeviantArt 14 years ago.”
What do you think about Robert Downey Jr. being Doctor Doom?