How Marvel could avoid disaster with Robert Downey Jr’s Doctor Doom

As a long-time comic book enthusiast and moviegoer, I’m both thrilled and intrigued by the announcement that Robert Downey Jr will be portraying Doctor Doom in the upcoming MCU films, Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars. However, I must admit that my initial reaction was one of confusion – how on Earth are they going to explain the fact that he looks exactly like Tony Stark?

Fans worldwide are buzzing with curiosity after the announcement that Robert Downey Jr will rejoin the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Doctor Doom: How will they address the striking resemblance between him and Tony Stark? Even Gwyneth Paltrow, who acted as Iron Man’s leading lady, is left pondering this intriguing question.

Fortunately, Doctor Doom’s extensive and peculiar backstory in comic books provides numerous possibilities for answering this question. If the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe) stays true to these narrative threads, then RDJ’s controversial casting as the villain might actually steer clear of disaster.

To begin with, since his debut in 1963, Doctor Doom has had the power to inhabit other people’s bodies.

In Fantastic Four #10, Doom discovered the ability of body swapping from the naive extraterrestrial beings known as the Ovoids. He exploited this newfound power by trading places with his longtime adversary, Reed Richards. Consequently, an unfettered spree of mayhem ensued. This chaotic episode featured minuscule space dinosaurs and an unexpected intrusion into Marvel Comics’ actual headquarters.

In an exciting climax that could easily become a Hollywood movie, he was unexpectedly hit on the head with a vase by the Invisible Woman. Startled by a stick of “ghost fireworks,” he was then reduced to microscopic dimensions and transported to the Microverse.

Since then, Doom has seldom employed his unique ability, most notably in 1983’s Fantastic Four #259. In this issue, he swapped lives with an unlucky passerby who had gone out to buy groceries, thus cheating death. The title of the story, “Three to Doomsday,” raises a question – could it be a hint for the plot of the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday?

If Doom aimed to trade places with the real Tony Stark, he would have to journey back in time prior to Stark’s demise at the hands of Thanos. Conveniently, Doom owns a functional time machine, which he has utilized for past escapades – among them, visits to Camelot accompanied by none other than Tony Stark.

As a passionate film buff, I’ve noticed that the intriguing concept of a time machine has made an appearance in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), specifically during Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Given this precedent, it’s tempting to speculate that Marvel could weave another time travel/body swapping tale into the MCU narrative. However, I must admit a pang of nostalgia as I recall that Avengers: Endgame already delved deep into this territory.

An appealing possibility arises: the multiverse theory. In this scenario, various versions of the same character inhabit distinct dimensions. Over time, numerous alternative depictions have been introduced – such as an aged Reed Richards, a LEGO figure, and a Dutch tech entrepreneur who traces his lineage to Dracula.

Despite preferring a recent adaptation of Doctor Doom with the same characteristics as the traditional version, I propose a twist where he appears as a T-Rex from Earth-TRN1101. Dressed in his customary cape and armor, he rampages and growls just like the original. Though this may seem daring for Marvel, it’s an intriguing concept that would undoubtedly capture my attention and money at the box office.

Across the various multiverses, the incarnations of Doom have countless numbers. When they convene from different dimensions, they refer to themselves as “The Assembly of Doom.” Notwithstanding this, no Doom has ever held the position of Prime Minister. Nevertheless, he has successfully assumed the presidency multiple times, and once deceived the United Nations into bestowing upon him the title “King of the World.”

In each tale, he ultimately resigned from the position due to excessive administrative duties, making him an identifiable protagonist for upcoming films.

In the 1980s, Doom selected a young boy named Kristoff as his successor, but rather than mentoring him to combat crime or inquire about people’s professions like Robin or Prince Charles, Doom transferred all of his own early memories into Kristoff’s mind. This allowed Kristoff to step in and take over as the original Doom if anything happened to him.

It was unfortunate that things took a turn for the worst, leading Kristoff to believe he was the “chosen one” called “Doom.” Consequently, at the young age of eight, he donned a motorized suit to conceal his true identity and set out to eliminate his adoptive father. Marvel has previously reversed Robert Downey Jr’s aging process in Captain America: Civil War, so it’s possible they could do it again.

In my film critique perspective, I’d put it this way: Doctor Doom never fails to leave his mark – be it on his castle in Doomstadt or on his formidable army of Doombots. With a penchant for self-naming, these mechanical minions not only resemble their master but are programmed to think they’re him when the need arises.

In the beta-testing stage, there were some significant misunderstandings that arose, but Doom has since addressed these issues. He’s implemented a self-destruct feature in more recent designs, among other adjustments. Last year during “The Night of Doom” storyline, Doombots even assumed the identities of an entire town to shield an old lady who had once shown kindness towards a younger Doctor Doom. I, as a dedicated fan, am grateful for these improvements and excited to see how they unfold in future developments.

A Doombot has the ability to change its appearance, and some might choose to resemble Robert Downey Jr if that were an option.

As a longtime fan of Marvel comics and movies, I’ve been eagerly anticipating the next installment featuring Doctor Doom and Iron Man. Having followed the lore for years, I can’t help but feel excited about the endless possibilities that lie ahead for these iconic characters.

Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars will release in May 2026 and May 2027 respectively.

2024-07-29 21:34

Read More