This year’s San Diego Comic-Con has revealed some real zingers regarding the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. We now know the MCU’s Fantastic Four movie will be called The Fantastic Four: First Steps, we’ve had our first look at Ralph Ineson’s Galactus, and we know Avengers 5 will now be called Avengers: Doomsday.
The latter reveal comes as a result of Doctor Doom being the film’s primary antagonist, and no Comic-Con reveal was more monumental than the one announcing Doom will be played by Robert Downey Jr.
However, fans are now concerned the MCU version of Doctor Doom will be a multiversal variant of Tony Stark and not the iconic Victor Von Doom, given that Downey Jr. famously played Stark for 11 years in the franchise. But there’s a way he could effectively play both Doom and Stark if his Doctor Doom takes a leaf out of a certain Marvel comic book.
About Earth-11029’s Doctor Doom
MCU fans should all now be familiar with the What If…? concept, given that Marvel Studios has released a television series based on it. For those not in the know, What If…? originated as a series of comic books exploring how the Marvel Universe might look if key historical moments had not occurred as they did in mainstream continuity. Stories in the series have included Captain America becoming the United States president, Spider-Man’s Uncle Ben surviving, Professor X becoming the Juggernaut, and Wolverine becoming lord of the vampires.
In 2010’s What If? Iron Man: Demon in an Armor #1, the Tony Stark of Earth-11029 became Doctor Doom. So how did that happen?
In the story, Tony Stark and Victor Von Doom are roommates in college. Unsurprisingly, they don’t get along due to their clashing personalities — Stark likes to party, while Doom is totally focused on his studies. That makes Doom all the more angry when he learns his scholarship isn’t going to get renewed, so he hatches a plan.
Doom recruits a reluctant Stark to help him with a project, but it’s a ruse to maneuver him into place to execute his plan. Doom restrains Stark and switches their minds, saying it’s the only way to secure his future. He then wipes Stark’s memory and sends him, in Doom’s former body, back to Latveria.
Stark then falls into a life of addiction. At the same time, Doom, in Stark’s body, enjoys everything that comes with being a multibillionaire and the heir to Stark International (which he takes over when Howard Stark passes away).
Eventually, Stark (in Doom’s body, remember) overcomes his issues and establishes Doom Industries. When he creates technology that could put Doom (in Stark’s body — gosh, this is complicated!) out of business, the two fight — with Doom (in Stark’s body) wearing green Iron Man armor and Stark (in Doom’s body) wearing red and gold Doctor Doom armor.
Should Robert Downey Jr’s Doctor Doom come from a universe in which Doom and Stark switched bodies, the actor could be playing Tony Stark with Victor Von Doom’s mind and personality. Given the multiversal nature of the MCU, it’s entirely plausible — and wouldn’t that be… interesting?