Robert Downey Jr. is taking his forthcoming role of Doctor Doom very seriously.
In an interview with Entertainment Tonight, Joe and Anthony Russo, who are directing Downey’s hotly anticipated return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe with Avengers: Doomsday, opened up about how the actor is preparing for the role.
“It’s a very intense process developing the character. He’s so immersed in it. He is so dialed in,” Joe said. “[Downey’s] writing backstory, costume ideas … I think he just loves really rich, three-dimensional characters and I think he sees a real opportunity here with that character.”
Downey’s MCU return was the surprise announcement of Marvel Studios‘ San Diego Comic-Con presentation last July. “New mask, same task,” the actor told those in attendance. Joe, who was also onstage, explained why Downey was cast as Victor Von Doom/Doctor Doom: “If we’re going to bring Victor Von Doom to the screen — he is one of the more complex characters in all of comics … then we are going to need the greatest actor in the world.”
Downey is set to become the fourth actor to portray Doctor Doom in a live-action Marvel movie, after Joseph Culp in 1994’s unreleased The Fantastic Four, Julian McMahon in 2005’s Fantastic Four and 2007’s Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, and Toby Kebbell in 2015’s Fantastic Four.
The Avengers: Doomsday Cast So Far
At the time of writing, the only actors Marvel Studios has officially confirmed for the fifth Avengers movie, besides Downey, are the casts of Thunderbolts* and The Fantastic Four: First Steps. Chris Evans, Hayley Atwell, Anthony Mackie, and Benedict Cumberbatch have been reported by the trades to be returning, although Marvel hasn’t confirmed them just yet. If they do appear, they will be reprising their respective roles as Steve Rogers/Captain America, Peggy Carter, Sam Wilson/Captain America, and Doctor Stephen Strange.
Tom Holland is also expected to appear in Avengers: Doomsday as Peter Parker/Spider-Man, although his role will presumably be pretty small given that he’s currently busy filming Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey and will then jump straight into production on the untitled Spider-Man 4, which recently cast Sadie Sink.
Avengers: Doomsday is slated to hit theaters on May 1, 2026.
Do you think Downey as Doom is a good casting choice?
