Rumor: RDJ's Doctor Doom Could Be Here To Stay

The Return of Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom

A year ago, the announcement that Robert Downey Jr. would be returning to the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) as the iconic villain Doctor Doom sent shockwaves through the fan community. Fans were thrilled at the prospect of seeing the actor reprise his role in a major way, and the excitement has only grown since then. In just about a year and a half from now, audiences will finally get to see Avengers: Doomsday, but already there are questions about what comes next.

The upcoming film is set to be followed by Avengers: Secret Wars a year later, and it's expected that Downey’s Doctor Doom will appear in both movies. While it seems likely that the villain will be defeated by the end of this double feature, much like Thanos was before, there’s now a rumor suggesting that Robert Downey Jr. might return to the MCU for the long haul.

Could Doctor Doom Return Following Avengers: Secret Wars?

This rumor comes from Daniel Richtman, a well-known source in the entertainment industry, who shared the news via ComicBook.com. Although Richtman isn’t always accurate, he has proven to be reliable on multiple occasions. According to him, discussions are currently underway regarding whether to make Doctor Doom, and by extension Robert Downey Jr., a recurring character following the events of Avengers: Secret Wars.

One of the key points to consider is that Avengers movies have traditionally been used to wrap up major story arcs. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean that Doctor Doom needs to be defeated permanently at the end of Doomsday or even Secret Wars. In fact, there’s every reason to believe that Doom could be beaten in the next movie—perhaps even seemingly permanently—and still return.

Avengers: Secret Wars Will Be a New Beginning for the MCU

The back-to-back Avengers movies planned are reminiscent of how Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame were structured. However, it’s less clear whether the next two films will actually be parts of one overarching story. In fact, it has already been confirmed that Secret Wars is set to be a new beginning for the MCU, rather than an ending.

Kevin Feige, the president of Marvel Studios, has stated that the movie will act as some sort of reboot for the franchise. This could lead to old characters returning, or even being recast. While the exact details of how this will unfold remain unclear, it certainly opens the door for Doctor Doom to be alive and well at the end of Avengers: Secret Wars, regardless of what happened previously.

What Comes Next for the MCU?

If Marvel Studios is pleased with how Robert Downey Jr. portrays Doctor Doom in the Avengers movies, it would be a shame to only have him appear a few times. It could also create an interesting chapter in the MCU if Doctor Doom remains a major antagonist for the next phase—or even multiple phases—but is present from the very beginning.

At this point, we know very little about what will happen after Secret Wars, except that the MCU isn’t going anywhere. The future of the franchise remains wide open, and fans can only wait and see what Marvel has in store for them.