Robert Downey Jr stunned fans as the Iron Man star removed a mask during the San Diego Comic-Con Hall H panel to reveal that he will play Doctor Doom, one of Marvel’s biggest villains, in the upcoming film Avengers: Doomsday.
The panel on Saturday was flooded with hooded figures wearing masks of the comic book villain known for his sorcery and science when Downey Jr revealed his face. “I like playing complicated characters,” he said as fans began to chant his name.
I mean, it sounds like a joke right? Like a desperate or cynical stunt to use his appeal to get the franchise going again … or is that just me?
I can see some multiverse thing about Doom being a dark version of Iron Man … that’s make sense and basically confirm the beliefs that RDJ’s iron wasn’t going to be gone for long. Even still, it’d appear cynical.
But in Hollywood, a major actor playing multiple roles in the same franchise, isn’t really a thing (for better or worse) … so this is certainly something right?
There may be an in-universe explanation but that seems the only way I can see them justifying the budget to get him back. Apparently, Deadpool isn’t Marvel Jesus after all.
He might not ever take his mask off. Doom really shouldn’t have a lot of facetime anyway.
If he did that it would be awesome, like how hugo weaving played V at the height of his popularity as agent Smith…but i just don’t think RDJ is wired that way. Just my gut talking here
Edward Norton did it in Kingdom of Heaven too, I think it’s the angle they will take.
If marvel is planning some multiverse shit like other commenters are hunting at… like say the flashpoint timeline(?) where Superman was raised by the us govt i could get real excited for a RDJ doom.
With iron man, he’s constantly taking off the helmet, opening it out etc. I’m with you, while some actors are willing to do mask only performances, or not be credited in promotional materials, like Hugo Weaving or Matt Damon, I don’t think RDJ is someone like that.
There are 2 possible explanations in universe. There was. Story where Dr doom and iron man swapped bodies, and a story where Iron man turns evil, the first is more likely. Probably crosses over to that universe and that Dr doom escapes. Or something.
Or it’s nothing that deep and in universe Dr doom just looks a lot like Tony stark for some reason.
I mean I think it’s more that they want to keep it going, not that it didn’t do well
Maybe that’s the angle they’re taking it. Remember that Reed Richards was in a different universe in MoM, and Spider-Mans were different Peters, so…
I have no doubt he can do well with the character, just hope it makes a bit of sense and doesn’t feel like they’re using RDJ as a selling point to breathe life back into a tired run.
Josh Brolin played Cable in Deadpool and Thanos in Avengers.
I have listened to enough actors on podcasts that say they want interesting roles. (The lone exception is Joshua Malina, who says he does it for the paycheck and doesn’t care but I am pretty sure he’s joking.)
RDJ main issue with Iron Man is that it was repetitive. Marvel (probably more so Disney) squeezed so much blood from that stone that he was just tired of it. Nothing else left to explore.
I’m hoping RDJ can revitalize the franchise but I’m not holding my breath.
I think Malina just takes whatever roles Aaron Sorkin can pull strings for.
There was that one guy in deadwood who killed it in both roles but it was jarring even still. I agree with you that downey jrs role sounds like a cynical move made to aid an ‘ailing’ (as in not printing as muchmoney) franchise and can’t help but feel that this move means they don’t know how to bring that magic back, at all
No it doesn’t sound like a joke. It sounds like a perfect response to the situation they’re in.
His last Avengers was their last predictable hit. Things haven’t been going so well since he left.
Majors is out. You could recast the big bad, or change to a different big bad. Since “He Who Remains” wasn’t going over that well anyway, it makes sense to shift to a new one. Maybe one of the best they have available, Dr. Doom.
So by combining the best villain with the best star, you have the best bet for banking billions.
Makes perfect sense.