Daily News for Marvel Movie

Summary

• Robert Downey Jr. is returning to the MCU, but not as Tony Stark's Iron Man, rather as Victor Von Doom's terrifying Doctor Doom.
• A new theory suggests Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom could come from Earth-838 from Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, perhaps being the mysterious hidden member of the Illuminati.
• The theory also gives Elizabeth Olsen's Scarlet Witch a huge role in Avengers: Secret Wars, suggesting she could replace Marvel Comics' Molecule Man.

A new MCU theory could explain how Robert Downey Jr. can return as Doctor Doom, while also solving a huge two-year-old mystery from Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. To replace Kang the Conqueror and his variants as the Multiverse Saga's primary antagonist, Marvel Studios revealed that Doctor Doom would be introduced, with Downey Jr. cast as the iconic villain after eleven years of playing Tony Stark's Iron Man. This casting, while exciting, has led to some confusion about how Robert Downey Jr.'s MCU return will be explained.
There has been speculation that Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom might not actually be Victor Von Doom, the Latverian ruler, but rather a variant of Tony Stark. It could also be that Victor Von Doom adopts the Infamous Iron Man moniker instead of Doctor Doom, or Downey Jr. may return as an entirely new character altogether, without his previous role being mentioned whatsoever. However, a new theory posed by Reddit user Daveoos77 suggests that Robert Downey Jr.'s debut as Doctor Doom could connect the villain to one huge Phase 4 adventure.
Robert Downey Jr.'s MCU Movie
Year
Role
Iron Man
2008
Tony Stark's Iron Man
The Incredible Hulk
2008
Tony Stark's Iron Man
Iron Man 2
2010
Tony Stark's Iron Man
The Avengers
2012
Tony Stark's Iron Man
Iron Man 3
2013
Tony Stark's Iron Man
Avengers: Age of Ultron
2015
Tony Stark's Iron Man
Captain America: Civil War
2016
Tony Stark's Iron Man
Spider-Man: Homecoming
2017
Tony Stark's Iron Man
Avengers: Infinity War
2018
Tony Stark's Iron Man
Avengers: Endgame
2019
Tony Stark's Iron Man
Avengers: Doomsday
2026
Victor Von Doom's Doctor Doom
Avengers: Secret Wars
2027
Victor Von Doom's Doctor Doom
Robert Downey Jr. As Earth-838’s Doctor Doom Answers A Major 2-Year-Old Illuminati Mystery There Was An Empty Chair In The Illuminati Chamber In Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness Close Daveoos77's theory points to Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom being the version of the Marvel villain from Earth-838, which was the reality that Doctor Strange and America Chavez explored in 2022's Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. This universe was protected by the Illuminati, a superteam comprised of the leaders of other superhuman groups, including the Avengers, the X-Men, the Inhumans and the Fantastic Four. However, while Doctor Strange spoke to six members of Earth-838's Illuminati, the team's chamber also contained an empty chair, the owner of which hasn't been revealed.
The theory states that Doctor Doom could have sat in this empty seat as a member of Earth-838's Illuminati. However, after the team learned of incursions ravaging the multiverse, such as those created by other Doctor Strange variants, Doom may have left the team to find his own way to stop these disastrous events. This is exactly what Doctor Doom does in Marvel Comics, leading to the events of 2015's Secret Wars, so it would make sense for this storyline to also be told in the live-action MCU ahead of Avengers: Secret Wars' release.
Doctor Doom Theory Gives The Scarlet Witch A Prominent Role In Avengers: Secret Wars The Scarlet Witch Could Replace Molecule Man In The MCU's Avengers: Secret Wars As well as suggesting that Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom could come from Earth-838, this Reddit theory also replaces Marvel Comics' crucial Molecule Man with Elizabeth Olsen's Scarlet Witch. In 2015's Secret Wars, Owen Reece's Molecule Man was revealed to have been created by the Beyonders to act as a bomb – when his variants died, their respective realities would also die. Daveoos77's theory posits that this role could be filled by the Scarlet Witch in the MCU, who has been described as a Nexus Being.
Marvel Studios debuted the concept of Anchor Beings in 2024's Deadpool & Wolverine, individuals who are essential to the survival of their universe, and lead to its deterioration upon their death, which bears similarities to Molecule Man's role in Secret Wars.
Wanda Maximoff's Scarlet Witch certainly has enough power to allow Doctor Doom to create something such as Battleworld, should he absorb the power from as many Scarlet Witches as possible. She could also easily be used as a weapon against the likes of the Beyonders, which is Molecule Man's purpose for Doom in Marvel Comics' Secret Wars. The Scarlet Witch, however, lost her life during Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, but this theory might have also found a way to bring Elizabeth Olsen's popular witch back to the MCU.
MCU Theory’s Post-Credits Scene Suggestion Marks A Dark Debut For Doctor Doom Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom Could Debut In The Post-Credits Scene Of The Fantastic Four: First Steps Daveoos77 reinforces this theory with a suggestion for a possible post-credits scene, perhaps attached to an upcoming MCU project such as The Fantastic Four: First Steps, which is set in another alternate universe aside from the MCU's Earth-616 and Earth-838. Doctor Doom's connection to the Fantastic Four in Marvel Comics means this would be a great place to tease the villain's debut, possibly in a post-credits scene that revisits Earth-838 in the wake of the Scarlet Witch's massacre. This could confirm Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom to helm from Earth-838.
Related Scarlet Witch's 10 Most Impressive Displays Of Power In The MCU The Scarlet Witch has proven herself to be one of the MCU"s most powerful characters, showing off her incredible power on several occasions.
Following the Scarlet Witch's brutal and terrifying attack, only Chiwetel Ejiofor's Baron Mordo, Earth-838's Sorcerer Supreme, has survived, and the fate of Lashana Lynch's Captain Marvel is uncertain, though she is presumed dead. Daveoos77 posits that Doctor Doom could question them about what happened to the Illuminati, and begin his vendetta against the Scarlet Witch across the multiverse after learning of her involvement. He could begin with Earth-838's own Wanda Maximoff, allowing Elizabeth Olsen to return to the MCU in a pivotal role in Phase 6.
Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom Would Benefit From Being Separate From The MCU’s Heroes Doctor Doom Is A Powerful Enough Character To Carry An Independent Storyline Introducing Robert Downey Jr. as the version of Doctor Doom from Earth-838 would mean that he has no prior connection to any of the MCU's current heroes. Doctor Doom is a strong enough character to carry a storyline independently, as he has in Marvel Comics, so it would be great to see him debut as an independent villain in the MCU. The heroes of Earth-616 would know his face as Tony Stark, while the Fantastic Four of their new reality may have had run-ins with Doctor Doom, but Robert Downey Jr.'s new villain would be completely unexpected and unpredictable.
Earth-838's Doctor Doom being the focus of Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars also has the added benefit of stopping Marvel Studios from rushing to introduce the MCU's official Doctor Doom. The villain from Earth-616 can still be set up gradually after Robert Downey Jr. hangs up the mask and cape after Secret Wars, and after wrapping up this mystery from Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. The likes of Cillian Murphy, Mads Mikkelsen and Andrew Lincoln have been suggested to portray the MCU's own Doctor Doom, so the future is looking bright for the beloved villain.
Doctor Strange In the Multiverse of Madness PG-13 HorrorFantasyActionSuperhero Where to Watch stream rent buy Not available
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*Availability in US
Director Sam Raimi Release Date May 6, 2022 Writers Michael Waldron Cast Elizabeth Olsen , Michael Stuhlbarg , Benedict Wong , Chiwetel Ejiofor , Xochitl Gomez , Benedict Cumberbatch , Rachel McAdams , Bruce Campbell , John Krasinski , Patrick Stewart , Hayley Atwell , Lashana Lynch , Anson Mount Runtime 126 minutes prequel(s) Doctor Strange Expand Upcoming MCU Movies Captain America: Brave New World
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Release Date May 1, 2026 Avengers: Secret Wars
Release Date May 7, 2027