Robert Downey Jr. Could Have Played Doctor Doom 20 Years Ago, Fans Recall

Long before launching the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Tony Stark, Robert Downey Jr. was in talks with the studio to play Doctor Doom in 2005’s Fantastic Four.

Director Jon Favreau brought up the meeting during a 2023 retrospective conversation with Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige marking the 15th anniversary of Iron Man. According to Favreau, that earlier audition put Downey on the studio’s radar long before casting began for the 2008 blockbuster.

“I remember you had all met with him already for like Doctor Doom or something on another project. I think that he had come on like Fantastic Four. So everybody sort of knew who he was.”

Jon Favreau

The role of Victor von Doom in Fantastic Four ultimately went to Julian McMahon. Downey debuted as Tony Stark three years later in Iron Man, establishing the foundation for Marvel Studios’ interconnected film franchise.

With Downey now officially cast as Doctor Doom more than twenty years later, the archival conversation has resurfaced with renewed attention. Fans have pointed out the full-circle nature of the casting, noting that the actor taking on the iconic villain feels far less unexpected in light of his 2005 meeting with the studio.

The revelation has also sparked discussions among fans about how different the superhero movie landscape would look today had Downey landed the villain role back then instead of playing Tony Stark.

Downey recently noted that he enjoyed exploring this new character even more than playing Iron Man, explaining that portraying Doom gave him a fresh perspective on the other Marvel heroes and his place among them.

Avengers: Doomsday is scheduled to hit theaters on December 18, 2026. Downey will reprise the role in Avengers: Secret Wars, which is slated for release in 2027.

Related articles