The latest mammoth announcement from the MCU at San Diego Comic-Con was the return of franchise shepherd Robert Downey Jr. to the fold.
Despite the character that revitalized his career, Downey will not be reprising the role. It appears highly likely that Tony Stark will remain deceased, as Downey is set to portray Doctor Doom in Avengers: Doomsday instead.
Despite being one of Marvel’s most crucial villains, we have yet to see a true depiction of Doctor Doom in live-action, which has been a recurring issue in some of the most successful superhero films. This strange development capitalizes on the elements of the expanding MCU multiverse.
Despite the fact that the upcoming film Doomsday will mark the third incarnation of the character known as Doctor Doom in the past 20 years, it is expected that this version will be distinct from its predecessors. This raises the question: why does Hollywood appear to have a fear of portraying Doctor Doom accurately?
The Fantastic Four’s Ultimate Dr. Doom
For years, Doctor Doom had been portrayed in animated works such as the 1994 Fantastic Four cartoon and the Secret Wars storyline in Spider-Man: The Animated Series. However, it wasn’t until 2005’s Fantastic Four that the character made his first appearance in a live-action adaptation. (Although, there had been unofficial live-action versions prior to this, but we will discuss those later.)
2005’s Doctor Doom skewed close to Ultimate Comics, with metal skin and cosmic powers of his own
Julian McMahon, best known for his role in Nip/Tuck, portrays a different version of Doom in this film. Unlike the traditional portrayal as a dictator from Latveria, this Doom is a CEO based in New York for Von Doom Industries. His journey into space alongside the Fantastic Four leads to a transformation caused by the same accident that gave the FF their powers. This interpretation of Doom is inspired by the Ultimate Fantastic Four, with his metal skin and strange technopathy abilities.
In the context of superhero movies at the time, it was understandable, but it was still a disappointment. By 2005, Spider-Man and X-Men had established the benchmark for superhero films, and all others were simply imitating their success.
While it may not have been a unique move at the time, sending Victor into space is a simpler alternative compared to incorporating a college student-turned-dictator into the team’s origins. However, this decision ultimately strips away the complexity that fans appreciate in Doctor Doom and instead comes across as a cheap imitation.
Despite its success with two appearances, McMahon’s Doom was unable to fulfill its contract for a third film due to its cancellation. Despite receiving positive reviews, the franchise took a different direction with a reboot, resulting in a strange and unconventional portrayal of Doom.
Herald of Doom
The arduous process of bringing 2015’s Fantastic Four to fruition has been thoroughly documented, as has the aftermath of its release. However, perhaps the most significant casualty of the film’s turbulent production is none other than Doctor Doom.
Before the movie could even premiere, this particular version of Doom faced numerous challenges. Actor Toby Kebbell’s interview, in which he disclosed his character as an isolated hacker named Victor Domashev, sparked a significant amount of criticism. As filming was almost finished and the budget had already been exceeded, the character had to be hastily renamed Victor Von Doom through a series of awkwardly inserted scenes and re-recorded dialogue.
The disastrous Fant4stic turned Doom into a sci-fi horror villain
The film once again attempts to merge the origin story of Doom with that of the Fantastic Four. This time, Doom returns from his time in the Negative Zone with a strange new appearance and powers. This change is said to be a result of further edits to the story, which eliminated Galactus from the film’s final Negative Zone scenes. In the original storyline, Galactus would have transformed Doom into his herald, making the character’s eerie transformation more similar to that of the Silver Surfer rather than Dr. Doom.
Unfortunately, the ultimate version of this movie is a poorly executed adaptation of Fantastic Four, not to mention Doom. The incorporation of additional shoots, artistic conflicts, and an effort to control the tone of what was initially planned as a thought-provoking, character-driven body horror tale resulted in a disorderly catastrophe. This, along with the two lackluster X-Men films that came after it, marked the end of the various Marvel movies produced by 20th Century Fox.
The Only Real Doctor Doom
It is even more disheartening that there was only one effort to portray Doctor Doom accurately on the big screen, but sadly, audiences never had the opportunity to see it.
The 1994 film adaptation of Fantastic Four included Joseph Culp, who is now recognized for his role on Mad Men, as Doctor Doom. In this version, Doom’s original backstory is kept intact, as he is portrayed as a former college peer of Reed Richards who was thought to have perished in a laboratory accident. However, it is revealed that Doom actually survived and went on to build a suit of armor, using it to establish himself as a tyrannical ruler in the following years.
Culp’s depiction of Doom is captivating. The actors’ enthusiasm for the movie is evident, particularly if you have watched their interviews in the 2015 documentary Doomed: The Untold Story of Roger Corman’s The Fantastic Four. Culp drew inspiration for his character’s gestures from Benito Mussolini, creating a Doom whose larger-than-life movements were noticeable even when fully clad in armor and a cloak.
To fully grasp the character’s Doom, it is crucial to have exaggerated movement as he is not audible in the film. The movie was never meant for public viewing and was discontinued before ADR could be recorded for Culp’s character. This makes it extremely challenging to comprehend his Doom as his voice is obscured by the weighty mask he donned for the part. Despite Marvel’s denial of the film’s existence, a leaked workprint eventually made its way to convention circuits, but an official release with completed audio and special effects is still unavailable.
Robert Doom-ey Jr.
Despite having another actor portraying the character of Doom, we find ourselves in a familiar position once again. The Doom in question is not the traditional version, as Robert Downey Jr. is set to play a multiversal variant who bears a striking resemblance to Tony Stark.
Considering the current state of the MCU, it is understandable why the decision was made to bring back its most popular name. The series has faced a string of missteps and failures in the post-Endgame era, resulting in a decline from its once dominant position. Bringing back their most successful name appears to be a straightforward solution in their pursuit of a victory.
MCU icon Robert Downey Jr. was announced as Doctor Doom at San Diego Comic-Con
Despite fans rightfully pointing out its mismanagement, this is yet another attempt at a beloved and crucial character. Doctor Doom has remained one of Marvel’s most adored and versatile characters for 60 years, serving as a hero, a villain, and even something in between.
Doom is a versatile villain for Marvel who can adapt to any situation. While he is mainly known as a nemesis of the Fantastic Four, the Avengers also frequently encounter him. After the events of House of M, he was the one who provided sanctuary to the Scarlet Witch. Even the X-Men have fallen victim to his schemes, with his obsession with Storm being the only thing that prevented his victory.
As I am writing this, Doom holds the title of Sorcerer Supreme in the Marvel Universe, a position he has continuously challenged Doctor Strange for over the course of several decades. He has also encountered and clashed with various street-level heroes such as Spider-Man and Luke Cage.
My expectations for the upcoming Fantastic Four and Avengers movies are very high. I strongly believe that Robert Downey Jr. has the potential to portray an incredible Doctor Doom, and I am not concerned about the potential chaos that could arise from a version of Doom who resembles Tony Stark in appearance.
It is disheartening to once again receive a version of Doctor Doom that strays from the source material. I continue to question why we cannot have a sincere and authentic depiction of this character, who appears more straightforward to bring to the screen than an extraterrestrial seeking mystical objects while standing at eight feet tall.
In 2026, Downey’s Doom is set to make its official debut in Avengers: Doomsday. However, there have been rumors that he may make a brief appearance in The Fantastic Four: The First Steps as a teaser. In the meantime, you can delve into the intricacies of the Marvel timeline and all its twists and turns.
We have extensive coverage on the upcoming projects from Marvel Studios, including Captain America 4, Thunderbolts, and Avengers Secret Wars.
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