Summary

• RDJ almost played Doctor Doom 19 years before the MCU, but was eventually cast as Tony Stark, solidifying his Hollywood star power.
• Avengers 5 will be named Avengers: Doomsday and Robert Downey Jr. will portray Doctor Doom in the movie, adding a new chapter to his comic book movie career.
• RDJ’s unsuccessful 2005 audition as Doctor Doom in Fantastic Four was a blessing, as he became Iron Man for the MCU shortly after.

Robert Downey Jr stole the show at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con when it was revealed that he would play Fantastic Four villain, Doctor Doom – but he almost played the iconic role 19 years before the MCU even began. Robert Downey Jr’s Hollywood career has now spanned several decades, but his iconic tenure in superhero movies has solidified his star power in Hollywood. His inspired casting as Tony Stark is largely to thank, as his debut self-titled movie launched the MCU timeline and an unassailable career as Iron Man before it all came to a tearful end in Avengers: Endgame.

MCU Phase 6 is about to change this – or, at least, partly. The SDCC announcement that Avengers 5 would now be called Avengers: Doomsday came with two more bombshells, as the Russo Brothers were announced to be returning, and it was revealed that RDJ would be embodying the role of Doctor Doom. Exactly how the MCU will handle RDJ’s return as Doom as a possible Tony Stark variant is to be determined, and mixed reactions have already been garnered. At the very least, it will pay off an audition that Robert Downey Jr. took part in 19 years ago.

Robert Downey Jr. Auditioned For Doctor Doom In The Early 2000s

During a featurette celebrating Iron Man‘s 15th anniversary, Jon Favreau revealed in a conversation with Kevin Feige that Robert Downey Jr. had auditioned to play Doctor Doom in 2005’s Fantastic Four.Fantastic Four was a pre-MCU attempt to adapt Marvel’s First Family. It was technically the second live-action Fantastic Four made starring the team, though the first that was officially released. At the time, comic book movies were enjoying moderate success in a pre-MCU landscape as franchises like X-Men and Spider-Man dominated the genre.

Fantastic Four turned out to be a middling attempt to capitalize on this success, with its sequel, Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, being the nail in the coffin for the franchise before 2015’s Fantastic Four would attempt in vain to reboot it. Suffice it to say, Robert Downey Jr.’s failed attempt to embody the villain – a role ultimately assigned to Julian McMahon – was truly a blessing in disguise as he would land the career-defining Iron Man role just a few years later. Nevertheless, his recent casting as Doom brings the actor’s comic book movie career full circle.

Why RDJ Didn’t Play Doctor Doom In 2005’s Fantastic Four

This featurette conversation is all that was revealed about Robert Downey Jr’s attempt at portraying Doctor Doom. The two MCU figureheads did not elaborate on how far the actor got through the process, but followed up with how he impressed the team nonetheless, stating that there was a “spark” in RDJ that warranted exploring down the line. Considering how hard Jon Favreau and Kevin Feige had to fight to secure Robert Downey Jr. in the role of Tony Stark, this gives some clue as to why he was sidelined in an earlier Marvel movie.

Before Favreau convinced Marvel heads to go with Robert Downey Jr, Iron Man frontrunners included Tom Cruise and Clive Owen.

While RDJ’s failure to land Doom in Fantastic Four is a matter of sheer speculation (unless elaborated on by Marvel bosses in future), Feige was frank when explaining why he and Favreau had to fight for his Tony Stark role, explaining specifically that the board was apprehensive about casting an actor previously mired in legal and publicity trouble. It stands to reason that these issues were still at the forefront of Marvel bosses’ minds when it came to casting for Fantastic Four three years prior. Alternatively, it’s just as likely that McMahon was simply the preferred choice.

Why It’s Perfect That RDJ Will Play Doctor Doom In The MCU

While some fear that Doctor Doom as a Stark variant is the wrong move, the announcement of his casting has caused significant shockwaves thanks to his established status within the franchise.

Fantastic Four is one of a few examples of pre-MCU Marvel movies that did not stick the landing. While it is far from being the worst Marvel movie and benefits from nostalgia, Fantastic Four drew criticism for being too shallow and hammy. Much of that criticism was leveled at Doctor Doom, whose characterization in this movie detracted significantly from the comics in myriad ways. RDJ has established himself as a solid character actor, and portraying this version of Doom would have been a disservice to his ability. He is better placed to embody the role in the more comic-accurate MCU.

Furthermore, Robert Downey Jr. is now synonymous with the MCU. While some fear that Doctor Doom as a Stark variant is the wrong move, the announcement of his casting has caused significant shockwaves thanks to his established status within the franchise. At this point, specific details surrounding RDJ’s MCU return are exceptionally sparse, and there are still myriad ways in which the MCU can pull off a return in a satisfying and rewarding manner. Either way, it will pay off his attempts at joining the Fantastic Four cast in 2005.