Robert Downey Jr. played the role of Iron Man from the MCU’s humble beginnings till the end of the Infinity Saga. The role became synonymous with him and many have dubbed it one of the great casting choices in cinema history. The role left a big impact on fans and now the actor is returning to the franchise playing another iconic character that is a stark contrast to Tony Stark.
It was recently announced that Downey Jr. will be playing Victor Von Doom/ Dr. Doom in the upcoming Avengers films. Before that announcement, fans have been clamoring for Downey Jr. to return to the MCU as a Tony Stark variant in the multiverse saga. The actor playing Superior Iron Man might have been the perfect role reversal to what he represented as Tony Stark.
While Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom Might Be Great, Fans Would Have Loved Him As Superior Iron Man
Robert Downey Jr.’s tenure as Iron Man continues to be celebrated to this day as he made a significant impact in the MCU. Fans do not see anyone playing the character as well as him, even to the point of believing that he is Tony Stark in real life. With such a deep association with the actor-character combo, not all fans were happy with the star’s upcoming role.
When Downey Jr. was announced to be returning to the MCU as Dr. Doom, the reaction was understandably divisive, with many fans worried that his legacy as Iron Man may get tarnished due to his villainous role. While the Oscar winner will certainly do a great job, Dr. Doom was not the character that they hoped for his return.
Since his exit from Iron Man, fans have been wanting to see Downey Jr. return in some form in the multiverse. Some of them really wanted to see Downey Jr. entirely flip his Iron Man role with Superior Iron Man (the two characters are two sides of the same coin). The character would have given Downey Jr put on a dramatically drastic performance while still having some sense of familiarity.
Despite his Doctor Doom casting, some fans feel it would have been a better choice for the MCU to have cast Downey Jr. as Superior Iron Man for the upcoming Avengers films directed by the Russo Brothers. Here are some reactions on X,
I’d almost bet money RDJ says this line in Avengers: Doomsday
— Stephen Patton (@StephenAPatton) August 18, 2024
RDJ should have come back as Superior and somehow make him the villain. That would have been way better but, let’s hope to god he can kill it as Doom……..I’m 20% confident he will
— DAMMY🇬🇧🇳🇬 (@Senpai_dami) August 17, 2024
Feels like if they wanted to bring RDJ back, this might have been a better way to go.
Something like him uploading his consciousness into a machine (before dying), making himself a new body through comic science, going crazy & the Avengers have to stop him could work.
— Banned from IHOP (@goblue43729) August 17, 2024
RDJ should be playing this role instead of DOOM smh
— ROイルカ (@Rodolphin_) August 17, 2024
This would’ve been such a more cool idea than RDJ being Doom
— The Bean Dip (@RefriedBeanDip) August 17, 2024
While the idea of Downey Jr. as Superior Iron Man is interesting as suggested by fans, it can also feel like a retread of Tony Stark, with the only difference being his dark and sinister personality. As Doctor Doom, it will be a completely new character that the actor has not played before and it can become his next great gray/ antagonistic character after such roles in Oppenheimer and The Sympathizer.
Jeremy Renner Is Excited About Robert Downey Jr.’s Return as Doctor Doom
Jeremy Renner and Robert Downey Jr. have been close buddies since the first Avengers. The original six casts still maintain a group chat and post updates about their day-to-day happenings. However, Downey Jr. didn’t mention his Doctor Doom casting in the group, and the announcement shocked Renner just like fans.
In a recent interview with US Weekly, the Hawkeye actor revealed that the Iron Man star did not even give a hint of his casting in the group chat and was surprised by his ability to hide this big piece of news. He further expressed his excitement about the casting and the possibilities it could bring. Renner said,
No! I had no idea. The son of a bitch didn’t say anything to me. We’re good friends. There’s the Avengers family chat. The original six. He said not a peep. I got online and started blowing up his phone like, ‘What’s going on? You’ve been hiding this from us the whole time?’ It’s exciting news. I’m really, really excited about it.
The actor additionally teased the challenges that the studio will have in bringing together the huge ensemble cast of the two Avengers films. Hawkeye is expected to play a pivotal role in the films and it remains to be seen how the studio pulls off the herculean feat.
Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars will hit theatres on May 1, 2026, and May 7, 2027.
