Casting Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom in Avengers: Doomsday may have been a waste unless Marvel breaks one huge Doctor Doom rule. Marvel Studios revealed many bombshells at this year's San Diego Comic-Con, though arguably none were as big as the fact that Robert Downey Jr. - whose MCU career has been defined by his tenure as Tony Stark - would be returning as Doctor Doom. This will ostensibly occur in Avengers: Doomsday, with his involvement being announced alongside the title, though it remains likely that he will join The Fantastic Four: First Steps cast first.
Regardless, the fact that RDJ is portraying another character in the Multiverse Saga has sparked a firestorm of speculation. While the established rules concerning variants in the MCU could explain how RDJ's Doom appears, concerns about this casting decision run a little deeper. For one thing, RDJ's immense star power is inextricably linked to the Infinity Saga's de facto protagonist, Tony Stark. For another, this same star power may necessitate removing one of Doctor Doom's most defining features: his mask.
Why Doctor Doom Always Wears A Mask
Doom Is Obsessed With Concealing His Imperfections
Doctor Doom is one of Marvel Comics' most iconic villains, with a connection to his armor that's as intrinsic, if not more so, than Tony Stark's. His mask is at the forefront of this connection, which he originally donned to hide facial scarring caused by an experiment he was working on with Reed Richards - with whom he attended the same university. The severity and specifics of this scarring has morphed throughout Doom's extensive comic book history, but its function remains the same: to hide what Doom perceives to be an unacceptable imperfection.
The mask is therefore a symbol of Doom's fixations, which are in turn the root of his villainy. Doom is synonymous with the MCU's Tony Stark insofar as they wish to protect humanity. Doom's perfectionism, however, manifests as a desire to exert absolute control over humanity, believing he is the sole being capable of ensuring its protection without permitting flaws in the system. Doom hides behind his mask for this reason, showing that he has control over the perceived imperfections of his face - and his commitment to this means that he never willingly removes it.
Robert Downey Jr Isn't An Actor You Hide Behind A Mask
Marvel Will Want To Capitalize On RDJ
Casting Robert Downey Jr. in the role of Doom raises the pertinent question of how Marvel intends to navigate this inextricable facet of Doom. It is no secret that the MCU has been struggling in the wake of RDJ's departure, striking an important link between its success and his contributions as Iron Man in the Infinity Saga. The prevailing theory, therefore, is that Marvel Studios has brought him back in a bid to reinvigorate the franchise with his tried-and-tested star power, affirming the notion that there is no MCU without RDJ.
While this may be a cynical interpretation of the situation - the Multiverse Saga has, after all, housed incredible RDJ-free successes like Spider-Man: No Way Home - it suggests the franchise will need to capitalize on his image. Hiding RDJ behind a mask throughout his involvement would almost entirely defeat the purpose of bringing him back. Furthermore, he won't come cheap, and using his image as much as possible in a movie is tantamount to Marvel getting its money's worth. How the studio intends to do this without running roughshod over Doom's origins, however, remains to be seen.
Will Avengers: Doomsday Change Doom's Origin?
Marvel (Probably) Won't Risk Changing Doom
Story details about Avengers: Doomsday are still scarce, making it difficult to theorize about how Marvel will navigate this conundrum. While concerns rage over the notion that Marvel will simply change Doom's MO and have him remove his mask at every opportunity, they contradict the standard that Marvel has set throughout the years of being (mostly) faithful to its comic book origins. Additionally, RDJ was recently heard stating that Kevin Feige was intent on "[Getting] Victor Von Doom right." With that in mind, making him remove his mask at every tiff and turn sounds far less likely.
There are still plenty of routes that Marvel can take to achieve the best of both worlds in this regard. Doom may not remove his mask willingly, but it may come off by force. The studio can also depict Doom's origins in detail, ensuring that RDJ's face earns ample screentime in pre-mask sequences. Then there is the fact that RDJ has extensive experience acting from "behind a mask," with his face shown in close-up as he speaks from within his Iron Man armor - something which the MCU might repeat with Doom.
Ultimately, there is no way of knowing how Marvel will navigate the issue until more details about Avengers: Doomsday are revealed. In that regard, the release of The Fantastic Four: First Steps in 2025 may house the first indications of the studios' upcoming tactics. Until then, it is safer to assume that Marvel Studios will not risk the ramifications of another botched live-action interpretation of Doctor Doom.
