Doctor Victor von Doom has now officially dethroned Kang the Conqueror as the main antagonist of the upcoming Avengers movies.
Kang all teed up to be a new big bad guy in the MCU following the conclusion of Phase 3. Loki teased Kang, or rather He Who Remains, and he made his debut in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania where he, uh, got beaten in a fistfight by Ant-Man.
Despite this anticlimactic defeat, at that point everything was going according to plan, with He Who Remains again being a looming threat in Loki season two. It was Kang’s actor, Jonathan Majors, who changed the MCU’s trajectory after being found guilty of domestic violence, which forced Disney to change its plans.
Instead of recasting Kang, they deleted the role altogether and made Doom the Avengers’ main villain going forward, with Robert Downey Jr playing the role. So, with that in mind, what’s the whole deal with Doctor Doom vs. Kang debate?
What is going on with Doom versus Kang beef?
Initially, the change in MCU’s direction sparked a debate among the MCU fans. Some would prefer Disney to change Kang’s actor and leave things as they were. Although, with Kevin Feige wanting to adapt Secret Wars in Avengers 6, it was tough to imagine doing so without Doom. Others are fine with the renowned villain finally making his way into the MCU. However, the whole thing was reignited when Jonathan Majors shared his opinion at the end of July.
“Heartbroken, come on, of course,” Majors said when asked by TMZ about how he feels. Majors was then asked if he felt it was unfair how he was treated when Robert Downey Jr himself has had his own legal troubles. The reporter also mentioned Ezra Miller, who got to play the Flash in the Warner Bros DC universe, despite facing allegations like harassment and grooming.
“I think it’s fair that Mr. Downey is being and has been greeted with patience and curiosity and love, and that Ezra Miller is given the same treatment,” Majors said, but then added, “I didn’t really get that.”
From 1996 to 2001, Downey was arrested for possession of drugs like heroin and cocaine numerous times. In that period, he attended rehab and faced criminal charges. In 2001, he started a full-blown recovery and returned to acting. Seven years later, he starred in the first MCU movie, where he proclaimed the famous words “I am Iron Man,” and the rest is history.
“Hell yeah, I love Kang,” Majors said when asked if he’d ever consider returning to the role if given the opportunity. But, it seems like this won’t come anytime soon, if ever.
In any event, with Avengers: The Kang Dynasty renamed Avengers: Doomsday, the next movie confirmed to adapt Secret Wars, and the Russo Brothers helmed to direct, all is now set in stone. Doctor Doom is officially the next major bad guy of the MCU, and there’s no changing that.
Unless, we guess, Downey Jr does something truly despicable.