Marvel Studios broke the Internet in the summer of 2024 when it was revealed that Robert Downey Jr. would play Doctor Doom in the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday. Since then, the former Tony Stark portrayer’s take on the iconic bad guy has been teased on multiple occasions. Some of Downey’s former collaborators – including a number of actors – have since reacted to the Oscar winner’s latest superhero movie gig. Iron Man 3 director Shane Black is one of the latest to weigh in on the Doom news, and he made a big claim as well.
Shane Black likes to subvert expectations when it comes to certain genres, and he certainly does that with Iron Man 3, which puts more emphasis on Tony Stark as opposed to his armored alter ego. More than a decade after the release of that 2013 threequel, Black and RDJ have teamed up for the action thriller Play Dirty. While promoting the film, Black spoke to ComicBook and was asked for his take on Downey playing Doom. Not only does Black think it’s good for Marvel, but he thinks superhero movies as a whole will benefit:
I think he’s going to singlehandedly reinvigorate the entire comic book movie industry with that. I mean, it seemed like at first a cynical idea, you know, ‘Oh, let’s just go back to the well of the one guy that seems to always save us.’ But it’s going to work. It’s really going to work. And he’s brought to it… I’m not at liberty to say anything, not that I know. I’m thrilled because I’m first in line to see that. I haven’t seen all the Marvel movies. I’ll see that one first.
That’s a major declaration the Predator helmer makes, to say the least. I mean, it’s fair to say Robert Downey Jr.’s turn as Doom could really shake up dynamics within the Marvel Cinematic Universe. However, the notion of it having ramifications on upcoming superhero movies is quite a notion. I’m not saying I disagree with Shane Black here and, in fact, I admire his confidence and optimism. Also, to be fair, if any actor has the potential to “singlehandedly invigorate” a genre, it’s Downey.
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Over the past year or so, there have been a bevy of fun Doctor Doom casting reactions from various MCU alums. Captain America icon Chris Evans responded positively to his longtime co-star’s new role, even using a funny pizza analogy to describe his feelings. Loki star Tom Hiddleston was surprised by RDJ’s casting, as he learned about it when the world at large did. Still, Hiddleston found the casting to be “remarkable” and “absolutely extraordinary.” Late Doom actor Julian McMahon also expressed approval ahead of his death earlier this year.
As for Robert Downey Jr. himself, he’s revealed the story behind being cast as Doom. Downey explained that his casting began in earnest with a conversation with Marvel Studios chief Kevin Feige, during which the actor was asking about how he could assist with Disney’s “location-based” entertainment. After Feige pitched the notion of him playing Victor von Doom, Downey asked if they could meet with Disney CEO Bob Iger, who approved of the idea.
Details on Doctor Doom’s MCU debut remain scarce, though it sounds like Downey is bringing his A-game. Doomsday directors Joe and Anthony Russo revealed that crafting the MCU villain had been a “very intense” process, though they also said Downey had been totally “dialed in” to getting it right. Should the star knock the character out of the park, maybe it could elevate the film, and it’ll have the ripple effects Shane Black believes it will.
Check out Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom when Avengers: Doomsday opens in theaters on December 18, 2026. In the meantime, stream Downey’s previous MCU performances by streaming them with a Disney+ subscription.
