David Harbour Teases Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom in Avengers: Doomsday

19 Aug at 16:59 Comment Views: 2

With Avengers: Doomsday less than four months away, Marvel Studios is stepping up promotion for the superhero crossover. Following five teaser trailers and a D23 special look showcasing the destructive power of Doctor Doom, questions remain about how the story will address the villain’s familiar face.

Ever since Marvel confirmed in 2024 that Robert Downey Jr. was returning to the MCU as Victor Von Doom rather than Tony Stark, fans have wondered whether the franchise’s heroes would recognize him. A recent interview with an MCU star suggests the film will tackle the resemblance head-on.

David Harbour, who plays Alexei Shostakov, also known as Red Guardian, spoke to Variety about his HBO series DTF St. Louis. When asked to share a line of dialogue from Avengers: Doomsday out of context, Harbour slipped into his character’s Russian accent and offered a brief quote: “You … are Tony Stark.”

Whether Harbour was joking or sharing genuine dialogue remains to be seen, but the line implies Red Guardian could be the character who points out the visual connection between the late Avenger and the Latverian ruler. Because Doctor Doom originates from the alternate Earth of the Fantastic Four, figures like Reed Richards and Sue Storm have no reason to recognize Tony Stark. The mainline MCU heroes, however, know Stark well.

Promotional footage has not yet shown Doctor Doom without his mask, leaving it unclear how directors Joe and Anthony Russo plan to present Downey on screen. Harbour previously played Red Guardian in Black Widow and Thunderbolts*, meaning he knows Marvel Studios and Kevin Feige enforce strict secrecy regarding major plot points.