Doctor Doom is one of Marvel’s most iconic villains, and one actor’s effusive take on the character now makes me kind of wish he were the one to score the role in theMCU. I’m not saying that Robert Downey Jr. is a substandard casting - he has, after all, recently earned a well-deserved Academy Award for his supporting role in 2023’sOppenheimer.At the same time, it isn’t as if his casting was uncontroversial. Detractors believe, for instance, that his casting as Doom is Marvel’s attempt to re-capitalize on his unassailable popularity following his tenure as Tony Stark.
It’s also unclear whether RDJ’s Doom will be a variant of Earth-616’s Tony Stark, thus diminishing the villain’s distinctiveness. Turning a villain as universally beloved asDoom into a Tony Stark variantwould, to many, be too egregious a violation of comic book precedent and his origins to accept. I can see how this might work in the context of the Multiverse Saga, but there’s no doubt that Marvel is making a particularly risky play.
It might have been safer for the studio to cast an actor who isn’t so closely associated with the franchise in the role. Even actors who have already embodied smaller roles in the MCU have topped lists ofDoctor Doom fan casts, with Mads Mikkelson being one of the most popular suggestions. Now, I wonder if another actor who played acomparatively smaller role in the MCUmight have also been a perfect choice for Doom, especially after hearing his passionate speech adulating the iconic Marvel villain.
Robert Downey Jr’s Version Of Doctor Doom Is Interesting, But Ben Mendelsohn’s Comments About Doctor Doom Mean I’m Fascinated About What His Take Would Look Like
Ben Mendelsohn Is A Huge Doctor Doom Fan
Ben Mendelsohn portrayed the Skrull Talos inCaptain Marvel,Spider-Man: Far From Home, andSecret Invasion. It was while promotingthe much-maligned MCU seriesSecret InvasionthatMendelsohn laid bare his love for the Marvel IP and Doctor Doom in particularin an interview withThe Wrap, lavishing the villain with praise when asked who he would shapeshift into, real or fictional, if granted the abilities of a Skrull. The clip was recently reposted to X by user@TheSomethingFanwith the comment “…best thing to come out of Secret Invasion bar NONE,” and can be viewed below:
Many of the MCU’s best characters are portrayed by actors who are genuine fans of the original IP, with Iman Vellani’s Ms. Marvel, Ryan Reynolds' Deadpool, and Simu Liu’s Shang-Chi being prime examples.
Like the original poster,I am also struck by Mendelsohn’s passion for the character. Mendelsohn would compound his comments in an interview withGQin February of last year, where he stated he would almost give his “eyes and teeth” to portray the villain in live-action. Just five months later, it was revealed that Robert Downey Jr had scored the role instead.
Many ofthe MCU’s best characters are portrayed by actors who are genuine fans of the original IP, with Iman Vellani’s Ms. Marvel, Ryan Reynolds' Deadpool, and Simu Liu’s Shang-Chi being prime examples. With that in mind, I can’t help but wonder what Doctor Doom super-fan Ben Mendelsohn would bring to the character. While his tenure as Talos is more extensive than, for example, Mads Mikkelsen’s Kaecilius, it’s easier to envision him joining the ranks ofactors who have played multiple MCU charactersthan Robert Downey Jr..
Robert Downey Jr’s Doctor Doom Casting Risks Repeating An MCU Issue
Iron Man Is Always The Center Of Attention
It is hard to imagine how Marvel will navigate Robert Downey Jr. being the MCU’s Doctor Doom without addressing the fact that he looks identical to Tony Stark. Marvel Studios is in a difficult position, as the Multiverse Saga necessitates linking him to Stark in some way (whether through being a variant, or being recognized by Stark’s ex-comrades) and risks devaluing Doom as a standalone figure, or skirting over RDJ’s re-casting entirely and belittling the point of the Multiverse Saga. I presume Marvel will opt for the former.
Robert Downey Jr.’s line when his casting was announced was “New mask, same task,” which further hints that his Doom will in some way be related to Iron Man.
If so, then despite moving on from the Infinity Saga, for which Tony Stark was arguably the protagonist,the MCU will once again center everything on Tony Stark.Although RDJ was a largely celebrated and integral facet of the MCU during his tenure, there was some backlash to making him the center of attention in all things, including having Spider-Man become his protégé. Centering him once more in the Multiverse Saga, a Saga from which he has been completely absent, simply continues this habit.
Ben Mendelsohn Could Still Become An MCU Doctor Doom Casting
He Could Play A Doom Variant
The chances may be slim, but now is probably the most opportune moment to grant Mendelsohn his wish.The variants of the MCU’s multiversecan bear innumerable faces, and we are all gearing up to seeAvengers: DoomsdayandAvengers: Secret Warsawash with variants from across the multiverse designed to tribute Marvel’s most celebrated characters. Given Mendelsohn’s passion for the character,there’s always a chance Marvel might permit Mendelsohn a Doom cameo.
Alternatively, though less likely,Ben Mendelsohn could become the MCU’s Doctor Doom following the rumoredsoft reboot of the MCU. It is difficult to know what Marvel Studios' plan for theMCUwill be post-Avengers: Endgame, and whether Doctor Doom will play any role in the following sagas whatsoever. Either way, I hope Marvel finds some way of allowing Mendelsohn to embody the role after seeing how much he loves the character.
