Why Robert Downey Jr. for Doctor Doom? The Russos say he was their first choice all along
Avengers: Doomsday’s directors have revealed why Robert Downey Jr. was their top Doctor Doom pick — and the answer isn’t as obvious as you might expect.
Not entirely sure anyone had Robert Downey Jr. down on their shortlist for Doctor Doom, but apparently the Avengers: Doomsday directors did—right at the very top, no less. If you thought his Marvel run was over for good after Tony Stark's emotional swan song, think again. The Russo brothers, Joe and Anthony, want him back in the MCU, but this time as the infamous Victor von Doom.
Why Downey and Why Doom?
So, what's the thinking here? The Russos say it's all about the connection fans have with Downey and what he represents for these films. The bloke's essentially the face that launched the entire MCU ship back in 2008, so bringing him in as Doom is, to their mind, a way to play on that shared history (and probably rile the internet up something fierce).
In a chat with Marvel's official site, Anthony Russo got a bit reflective about filming Tony Stark's final moments in Avengers: Endgame. What set it apart for him was the location: they did that last pickup shot on the exact same soundstage where Downey had originally auditioned for Iron Man, just across from the Paramount lot. That, for Anthony, made it all feel full circle.
Read more: Back for Avengers: Doomsday — Robert Downey Jr. shares why he’s returning to the MCU
Here's how Anthony Russo described it in the interview:
That wasn’t a part of the original photography. We shot that pickup on the same stage opposite the Paramount movie lot where Robert auditioned for Iron Man. That pickup was very memorable for that reason.
It clearly left a mark, because as Anthony puts it, audiences are still coming into these films dragging all their old MCU emotions with them—and the Russos want to use that, not just for cheap nostalgia, but to push the story somewhere new.
He explained their aim is to honour that emotional history but not get stuck there, saying it's about figuring out "how we are using that value and that emotional investment to go somewhere new".
Who Else Is in It?
Downey might be the headline grab, but Doomsday is positively stuffed with Marvel heavyweights and new blood alike. Here's the line-up as we know it:
- Chris Evans as Steve Rogers
- Chris Hemsworth as Thor
- Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova / Black Widow
- Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm / Invisible Woman
- Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards / Mr. Fantastic
- Simu Liu as Shang-Chi
- Channing Tatum as Gambit
- Ian McKellen as Magneto
- James Marsden as Cyclops
- And several more who haven’t been revealed yet
Read more: Tony Stark’s final Endgame scene hid a full-circle moment most fans missed
Between that and the Russos’ directorial return, Marvel’s definitely not skimping, whatever you make of their casting curveballs.
Avengers: Doomsday lands in cinemas on 18 December 2026.