In Avengers: Doomsday, Robert Downey Jr. will return to the MCU, not as Iron Man, but as the Multiverse Saga's new big bad, Doctor Doom. There's a lot of intrigue surrounding his portrayal of Victor Von Doom, with many fans wondering whether the villain's resemblance to Earth-616's Tony Stark will factor into the movie's plot.
Following last weekend's San Diego Comic-Con, merchandise for Avengers: Doomsday has been shared by various companies. However, as you'll see in the Instagram gallery below, there's a noticeable lack of scarring around Doom's eyes and mouth.
It's worth noting that, in the comics, Doom's scars initially weren't that bad. He only had a scar down his cheek, but was so vain that he felt it had made him hideous. In some interpretations, putting on his mask for the first time burned his face beyond recognition, though 2015's Secret Wars fully unmasked Victor, revealing that he was missing his nose and even several teeth.
Given that most modern comics show severe scarring around Doom's eyes, it's interesting that we don't see it here.
With that in mind, it seems Marvel Studios is likely heading down the same route as the early comics, with Victor only wearing a mask because of minor facial scarring... which leaves the door open for him to unmask and his familiar face becoming a plot point in Avengers: Doomsday or Avengers: Secret Wars.
That could be controversial!
"I mean, Doctor Doom, for people that read comics, is the proto-villain for all supervillains," Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige said at Comic-Con. "Was Darth Vader inspired by Doctor Doom? Maybe. And he’s just a great character. It’s not just the great iconic look and the iconic mask, which 6,000 people in Hall H were wearing today, but it is who he is inside."
"It’s who Victor is, and his flaws and his hubris and his genius and his warmth and his true belief that he is the hero and he will save us all," he continued. "That’s what is fascinating about him, and that’s what I’m excited about having Robert Downey play him and bring him into 'Doomsday.'"
What are your thoughts on Doom's scarred visage in Avengers: Doomsday? Let us know your thoughts on our take in the comments section below.
In Avengers: Doomsday, beloved heroes from three distinct universes will be set on a deadly collision course and face an existential threat unlike anything they’ve ever encountered.
Avengers: Doomsday stars Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Anthony Mackie, Winston Duke, Tom Hiddleston, Sebastian Stan, Letitia Wright, Paul Rudd, and Robert Downey Jr. Wyatt Russell, Simu Liu, Tenoch Huerta Mejia, Mabel Cadena, Florence Pugh, Danny Ramirez, David Harbour, Hannah John-Kamen, Lewis Pullman, India Rose Hemsworth, and Wesley Holloway all make their Avengers franchise debuts.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps leads Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, and Joseph Quinn join them, as do X-Men franchise stars Kelsey Grammer, Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Alan Cumming, Rebecca Romijn, James Marsden, with Deadpool & Wolverine star Channing Tatum.
The Russo Brothers direct Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars from a screenplay by Stephen McFeely, with whom they previously collaborated on the Avengers and Captain America franchises. The movie is produced by Kevin Feige, Louis D'Esposito, and Jonathan Schwartz, with Callum McDougall serving as executive producer.
Avengers: Doomsday is set to be released on December 18.