Doomsday Directors Address Doom & Iron Man Similarities, But Marvel Fans Aren’t Buying It
When Marvel Studios decided to pivot away from the Kang the Conqueror storyline and retool the next Avengers movie, Kevin Feige and Co. knew they had to make a big splash to get fans excited about the Marvel Cinematic Universe again. Few could have predicted that splash would involve casting Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom, positioning the iconic villain as the new big bad of the Multiverse Saga. As exciting as it is to see Downey return to the MCU in Avengers: Doomsday, some can’t help but wonder how the filmmakers are going to explain why Doom is played by the same actor who memorably brought Tony Stark to life. Actors have played multiple roles in the MCU before, but this feels like a special situation.
Discussing Avengers: Doomsday with Empire, co-director Joe Russo said there are “zero similarities” between Doctor Doom and Tony Stark. It goes without saying that Marvel fans have no shortage of reactions to the quote. On social media, many are pointing out the obvious (Downey played both characters). “Our brains are going to make the connection whether Marvel wants us to or not,” wrote one user on X. Someone else pointed out the parallels between “I am Doom” from the latest Doomsday special look and “I am Iron Man.” “That’s a lie or throw off because Doom wants to protect his people just as much Tony wanted to protect earth,” wrote another fan.
Joe Russo’s Tony Stark & Doctor Doom Quote Explained
Context is important. When Joe Russo said there are “zero similarities” between Doom and Tony, he was specifically talking about Downey’s performances as the two characters. In what little we’ve seen of Doom in Doomsday footage so far, it’s safe to say Downey’s turn here is not merely a riff on the charismatic playboy billionaire persona that made Tony Stark an instant fan favorite. Doom is a different type of character, one that requires Downey to utilize a different side of his range. In the Doomsday trailers, Doom has an intimidating presence that highlights how significant of a threat he is to the multiverse.
That said, while Stark and Doom are clearly different in their respective demeanors, to say there are “zero similarities” between the two feels like a bit of a stretch. In a way, Doom seems like a twisted version of Stark (beyond the fact that the characters are played by the same actor). In the Doomsday D23 trailer, Sue Storm reveals some of Doom’s backstory, stating that he used to be a kind and caring man before “everything he loved was taken from him.” Doom may be the villain of Doomsday, but he probably believes he’s doing the right thing to save what’s left of his world — much like how Tony was motivated to keep Earth safe.
Sue saying that Doom was “the smartest guy in every room” sounds like another similarity to Tony, who was renowned for his genius intellect. Stark’s mind was his greatest asset, whether he was trapped in a cave with a box of scraps or formulating the plan for the Time Heist. Doom is also a genius, and it’ll be interesting to see how that is highlighted in both Doomsday and Secret Wars. He poses a tremendous challenge to the Avengers through his powers and abilities alone, but his smarts make him an even more dangerous opponent.
Obviously, the Russo brothers are aware that Doom and Tony are played by the same actor. That’s a fact that’s impossible to run away from; Downey was the face of the MCU, playing Tony 10 times over 11 years, so his return to the franchise is a big deal. Another thing that’ll be interesting to see is how Doomsday addresses this. Considering the fan base’s relationship to Downey, it’d be very difficult for the filmmakers to pretend that he’s just an actor playing a character. And if Doom is seen without his mask, characters would surely have a reaction to seeing someone who looks just like Tony Stark. Hopefully this is handled effectively, selling audiences on why Downey was the only one who could play Doom.
