RDJ’s Doctor Doom: Does it make sense to turn Tony Stark into a villain?

You were probably watching Deadpool 3 when the massive bomb dropped: Robert Downery Jr. is back in the MCU. That snap we thought took his life? Well, kinda didn’t. But here’s the twist—he's not returning as Iron Man. Instead, he's stepping into the shoes (and mask) of Doctor Doom.

Robert Downey Jr. is a fantastic actor with a serious range we haven’t quite seen in the MCU. No one would have ever thought we’d see Tony Stark turn into a villain. Seeing Tony Stark go dark in an alternate universe isn't just a cool idea; it makes sense. Stark’s character has always walked a fine line between heroism and arrogance. A version of Tony succumbing to his darker impulses and becoming Doctor Doom would be an interesting arc, to say the least.

Marvel's multiverse has opened up endless possibilities, and RDJ as Doctor Doom fits right into this chaotic puzzle. Imagine this: in an alternate universe, Tony Stark turns bad and becomes Doctor Doom. This wouldn't just be a wild twist; it's a storyline ripped straight from the comics. In What If? Iron Man: Demon in an Armor, Victor von Doom tricks Tony Stark into a mind swap, leaving Tony to live as Doom with his memory erased while Doom takes over Stark's life. The narrative is a mind-bending, diabolically amazing story fans could see play out on the big screen.

The mind-swap scenario where Doom takes over Stark's body adds layers of complexity and drama. Imagine RDJ playing a character with Stark's charisma but Doom's twisted nature. It’s a perfect storm of old and new, blending what we love about Tony with a sinister twist. A hero gone bad is something wrestling fans have known since the dawn of time: the massive heel turn. We’re in for a treat, but there’s something more at play.

Why this casting choice happened?

While this twist is exciting, it also feels a bit like Marvel is leaning heavily on nostalgia to keep fans engaged. Bringing back RDJ in such a significant role could be seen as a desperate move. This comes a year after the Kang Dynasty storyline was scrapped following Jonathan Majors' controversial accusations. On top of that, fans of the MCU haven’t been happy with the product as of late.

They seemingly struck a nerve with three films. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, and Thor: Love and Thunder were all mid at best. What better way to get fans hyped for Phase 5 than to bring back a beloved actor in a brand-new role?

Another massive issue is the risk of reviving old characters. Death means nothing in the MCU now that Tony is returning. Even if he’s playing a multiverse version of himself or a brand new version of Dr. Victor von Doom, it undermines the finality of death in the MCU, diluting the impact of past emotional arcs.

The MCU opted to bypass names like Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Cillian Murphy, Joseph Morgan, and Rami Malek to name a few.

So, while RDJ as Doctor Doom could be a stroke of genius, Marvel has to tread carefully to make sure it’s not just a nostalgic cash grab. Will this twist breathe new life into the MCU or undermine the legacy it has built? Only time will tell.