Avengers: Doomsday – Can RDJ’s Doom Replace Josh Brolin’s Thanos as the MCU’s Best Big Bad?
Robert Downey Jr.’s MCU return in Avengers: Doomsday will see the actor portray the iconic Marvel villain Doctor Doom, and he follows in the footsteps of an icon. The Oscar-winner headlines the next Avengers movie as the franchise’s newest big bad, succeeding Josh Brolin’s Thanos, who took center stage in 2018’s Avengers: Infinity War and 2019’s Avengers: Endgame. Brolin’s performance as the character, also known as the Mad Titan, cemented Thanos as the MCU’s most fearsome threat. He fought Downey Jr.’s Tony Stark/Iron Man and the rest of the Avengers, and bested them once, before facing defeat at Endgame‘s conclusion. Doomsday‘s status as the first Avengers movie in seven years sets up a daunting challenge for Downey Jr.’s revival in a different body.
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Many MCU fans are skeptical of the decision to bring back Downey Jr. following Iron Man’s poignant sacrificial death in Endgame. Moreover, casting the actor in a role as highly-anticipated as Victor von Doom/Doctor Doom seems especially strange. With Joe and Anthony Russo also slated to return, much of Doomsday‘s branding comes across as nostalgia bait. Nevertheless, Downey Jr.’s next role carries gargantuan expectations, as he will not only have to live up to the notorious comic book villain, but his debut as Doom will also draw endless comparisons to Brolin’s Thanos. The stakes could not be higher heading into Avengers: Doomsday, as the movie represents a make-or-break moment for the MCU as a whole, as well as for Downey Jr. and Doom.
Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom Has Giant Shoes to Fill
Thanos became an MCU legend largely due to his stature as a formidable enemy to the universe’s most powerful heroes. The villain’s elimination of half of all life with a simple snap of his fingers, just like he planned, was an unforgettable MCU moment that left viewers shocked and devastated. Brolin’s portrayal of Thanos only elevated the Mad Titan’s sterling reputation as a big bad. The actor succeeded in balancing Thanos’ malice with flecks of humanity. Thanos was a genocidal maniac above all, but he was also a tragic villain led down a dark path after watching his planet die. Brolin excellently communicated Thanos’ wickedness when needed, but at the same time, he unearthed the villain’s anguish, which proved effective in garnering sympathy for Thanos and establishing him as a complex persona.
Like Thanos, Doctor Doom also boasts incredible power, so there likely won’t be problems with his Doomsday portrayal in that regard. However, it appears that the MCU will drastically change his story to fit with Downey Jr.’s return. Last month, Anthony Russo confirmed to The Times that Iron Man’s death will figure into Doom’s characterization, proclaiming, “there’s nobody else in the world who could play this character the way [Downey Jr.]’s about to.” A stark contrast from Thanos’ more straightforward adaptation from the pages to the big screen, the MCU’s Iron Man-inspired version of Doom could fall apart if not executed soundly.
Additionally posing an obstacle for Downey Jr.’s Doom is the unconventional path he took to becoming the main villain of Avengers: Doomsday. Downey Jr. has never played Doom before, whereas Brolin held a small role in Guardians of the Galaxy and appeared in Avengers: Age of Ultron‘s mid-credits scene before taking center stage in Avengers: Infinity War. Doom’s existence, on the other hand, simultaneously feels like a plea to recapture disillusioned fans and a course-correcting move after firing Jonathan Majors and removing Kang the Conqueror from the Multiverse Saga entirely. This was all out of Downey Jr.’s control, of course, but Doom’s complete lack of buildup will work against him in Doomsday.
How Robert Downey Jr.’s Doom Can Become the MCU’s Best Big Bad
For Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom to unseat Brolin’s Thanos as the MCU’s best big bad, he must, first and foremost, distinguish himself from Iron Man. Even though Doomsday‘s villain may be a twisted variant of the former Avenger, Downey Jr. cannot simply play Tony Stark behind a Doom mask. Regardless of the specifics tying the two characters together, this rendition of Victor von Doom must feel like a unique individual rather than an evil rip-off of Stark. If Downey Jr. pulls off this impressive of a feat and proves the critics wrong, Doom could overtake Brolin as the MCU’s greatest big bad.
Despite the MCU’s recent misses in the movie department with Captain America: Brave New World and The Marvels, it has often delivered when the stakes are highest. Repeating the triumph and fanfare surrounding Infinity War and Endgame won’t be easy, and the MCU and the Russo brothers are putting their magical connection to the test in Avengers: Doomsday. Moreover, the expectation for Downey Jr.’s Doom to be better than Brolin’s Thanos is perhaps unreasonable, so, while anything is possible, fans should hope that Doom and Avengers: Doomsday can deliver a thrilling spectacle — even if they don’t surpass the glory days of Thanos and past Avengers films.
Avengers: Doomsday will open in theaters on May 1, 2026.
