It’s already been plenty reported about Robert Downey Jr. returning to the Marvel Cinematic Universe to play Doctor Doom in the next “Avengers” movies.
Apparently, Downey Jr. was supposed to play Dr. Doom even before 2008’s “Iron Man,” his debut in the MCU. In an unearthed interview, Jon Favreau sat down with Marvel head Kevin Feige to talk about the first MCU movie, 2008’s “Iron Man,” and revealed that Downey was being eyed, 20 years ago, for the same role he’s now been cast in.
“I remember that Robert had come in for a general [meeting] on [‘Iron Man’] and you had already met with him for Doctor Doom or something,” Favreau told Feige, who was an executive producer on 2005’s “Fantastic Four” and 2007’s “Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer.”
“I think he had come through on ‘Fantastic Four.’ So everybody knew who he was,” Favreau continued. “I remember sitting down with the guy and I was like, ‘He’s got that spark in his eye and he’s ready.’ That’s when we were in your office and we were putting to his headshot and saying we’ve gotta try and figure this out [for ‘Iron Man’].”
Feige and Favreau must look back with relief that “Nip/Tuck” actor Julian McMahon ended up playing Doctor Doom in 2005’s “Fantastic Four,” otherwise the MCU might have been very different, and potentially less successful, had Downey Jr. not donned the Iron Man suit.
I’ve heard, a few times now, that Downey Jr would be playing a character that bears no relation whatsoever to his Tony Stark. He’s just Victor Von Doom and he’s part of the retro/future world of Marvel’s upcoming “Fantastic Four: First Steps. This won’t be a Tony Stark variant, which makes his casting all the more stranger.
It’s still up in the air if this bit of stunt casting will pay off, people seems to be very split over it, but it’s definitely upped my curiosity about “Avengers: Doomsday.”
Edward Berger seems to have settled on what comes next. His Lance Armstrong biopic, starring Austin Butler, is now holding casting calls, with production eyed for January.