The 6 Most Convincing Marvel Fan Theories About RDJ’s Doctor Doom

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Robert Downey Jr. is the biggest star in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). And how could he not be? His 2008 film, Iron Man, gave birth to the MCU, kicking off nearly 20 years of interconnected superhero movies and franchises. Armed with his sarcastic wit and his superpowered suit, RDJ has established himself as the definitive live-action Tony Stark / Iron Man, bringing this iconic hero to mainstream audiences around the world. It was a sad day when RDJ bid farewell to the MCU in 2019’s Avengers: Endgame. Since then, he’s repeatedly said that he has no desire to return to the MCU. Well, it seems like the actor had a change of heart.

At 2024’s San Diego Comic-Con, RDJ shocked fans everywhere when he revealed that he’d be coming back to the MCU — not as Tony Stark / Iron Man, but as the infamous Marvel villain and the next big MCU baddie, Victor von Doom / Doctor Doom. He’s already set to appear in two films: 2026’s Avengers: Doomsday and 2027’s Avengers: Secret Wars. Despite all the love for RDJ, this casting choice has proven controversial and confusing among fans. Iron Man and Dr. Doom will both be played by RDJ? How will that even work?

Right away, fans raced to the internet to share theories about how Marvel might handle this conundrum. To add fuel to the fire, the Russo brothers, who will be directing Avengers: Doomsday, recently commented on RDJ’s casting, saying, “There’s nobody else in the world who could play this character the way he’s about to.” This remark only fanned the flames and speculation, as fans try deciphering this cryptic statement. What does it mean? Why is RDJ the only person who can play Dr. Doom?

Here are 6 fan theories that just might answer the question.

6

Dr. Doom Is Tony’s Relative

How does Marvel explain Tony Stark and Victor von Doom’s resemblance? Why, by making them relatives, of course. Some fans think that Victor will be made into Tony’s long-lost brother. Perhaps they’re identical twins, who were separated at birth. Tony remained with his family and would go on to become Iron Man. Meanwhile, his brother, for whatever reason, went to live with the von Dooms in Latveria and would go on to become Dr. Doom.

Other fans, however, denounce this theory, claiming that Tony and Victor aren’t related in the comics. They also don’t want Doom’s origin story getting changed solely to explain the character’s resemblance to Iron Man.

5

Tony Has Always Been Dr. Doom

This theory suggests that our beloved Tony Stark has secretly been Dr. Doom this whole time, hiding his true identity over the last 15 years. Perhaps he gets resurrected, but rather than return as Tony Stark, he decides to embrace his alias as Dr. Doom. Or maybe Tony never really died. Maybe he’s been alive all along, living somewhere as Dr. Doom, hashing out his evil schemes.

There is some precedent for this theory. It connects to the Infamous Iron Man comic book series, where Dr. Doom assumes the mantle of Iron Man after Stark is seemingly killed in Civil War II. A dark magic-infused Iron Man. Most fans have condemned this theory, as it takes away from Tony’s character, story arc, and virtually everything that we’ve seen him do over the last 15 years. Marvel Studios also confirmed that Tony is definitely dead. Nevertheless, it’s a fan theory that’s floating around in the ether.

4

It’s All a Ruse and RDJ Is Returning as Iron Man

Some fans are calling Marvel’s bluff. They refuse to believe that Marvel would cast the same guy who famously played Iron Man as a major villain. These skeptical fans think that RDJ’s announcement is nothing more than a red herring. Yes, the actor will be returning to the MCU, but it won’t be as Dr. Doom. No, the real surprise here is that RDJ will be reprising his role as Iron Man. There are several theories about how this might be handled.

Maybe Tony will somehow be resurrected, similar to how the MCU’s disintegrated characters were revived after a 5-year period in Avengers: Endgame. Or maybe Tony will return as some kind of godly being, an enhanced version of his mortal self. Or perhaps the MCU will turn to the multiverse and introduce a Tony Stark / Iron Man variant, similar to how we met all those Wolverine variants in Deadpool & Wolverine. If this is the route that Marvel takes, then that means the real Dr. Doom has yet to be revealed.

3

Doom Won’t Resemble Tony at All

There’s also a very simple, and very possible, explanation at play here. Maybe there is no connection between RDJ’s Iron Man and Dr. Doom. Maybe they’ll co-exist in the same universe, and their resemblance will never be acknowledged. Or maybe it’ll be referenced in a funny, one-line jab by Deadpool, who’s known to break the fourth wall, and that’ll be it. Or maybe the characters’ resemblance won’t need to be addressed at all.

Dr. Doom is rarely seen without his mask in the comics. It’s possible that he’ll wear the mask whenever he’s on-screen, similar to Darth Vader in Star Wars. Additionally, the comics have been inconsistent regarding Doom’s appearance without his mask. In some stories, he looks completely normal with only a tiny facial scar, an interpretation that was popularized by illustrator Jack Kirby. Other stories, however, depict him as being horribly disfigured. If Doom ever does remove the mask, Marvel Studios can easily disfigure the character’s face, erasing any resemblance to Tony Stark or RDJ.

2

Doom Transfers His Consciousness Into Tony’s Body

Marvel’s What If…? is a comic book anthology series that imagines how things might have turned out if certain events had unfolded differently than the mainstream continuity. Iron Man: Demon in an Armor is a well-known What If…? storyline where Victor Von Doom transfers his consciousness into Tony Stark’s body.

Some fans speculate that the MCU will draw upon this source material to explain RDJ’s casting as Dr. Doom — that the villain will transfer his consciousness — possibly from another Earth, in another universe — into Tony Stark’s corpse. It may sound crazy, but the fact that this storyline actually exists in the comics does lend some credence to this theory.

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1

Doom Is an Evil Tony Stark Variant From the Multiverse

This is by far the most popular, and probably the most plausible, fan theory on the internet. As we know, Marvel’s multiverse is vast and incorporates an untold number of different Earths, alternate realities, and variants of iconic characters. In Dr. Strange and the Multiverse of Madness, we see variants of Dr. Strange and other Marvel superheroes, including an evil iteration of the Sorcerer Supreme. In Deadpool & Wolverine, we see half a dozen different Wolverines. Some resemble Hugh Jackman, while others look more like Henry Cavill. The MCU’s next film, Fantastic Four: First Steps, is supposedly set in another universe, on an Earth that’s not our own. And the film’s Mister Fantastic, played here by Pedro Pascal, is a big change from the Mister Fantastic that we saw in Dr. Strange and the Multiverse of Madness, where he’s played by John Krasinski.

This evidence, fans claim, points to the existence of an evil Tony Stark variant, living somewhere in the multiverse. On this particular Earth, Tony Stark chooses a different path. He dons a different metal mask and suit and becomes Dr. Doom instead of Iron Man. And somehow, he travels to our universe to wreak havoc, all while wearing the face of Tony Stark.

“}]] The internet was set ablaze with rumors and theories when RDJ’s return as Doctor Doom was announced.  Read More