Feige Says Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom Is Victor Von Doom

Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige said Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom in Avengers: Doomsday is Victor Von Doom, not a variant of Tony Stark or a device to bring back another character. The film is scheduled to open in theaters on December 18, 2026.

Feige addressed the speculation in an interview, comparing the question to whether Chris Evans’ Steve Rogers is a variant of Johnny Storm, a character Evans also played in earlier Marvel films. Feige’s answer was that Doom is a separate character. He did not explain why Downey Jr., best known in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Tony Stark, now plays the villain.

Directors Joe and Anthony Russo have also declined to resolve the resemblance. In comments previously reported from a question-and-answer session, Joe Russo said the casting raises a question best left for the theater. The film has not yet established how, or whether, it will explain the visual similarity between Doom and Stark.

The directors described Doom as a character shaped by personal loss. Joe Russo said Doom is a father who has lost a child and is profoundly damaged by trauma. He also called Doom Gothic, said the character wields dark magic, and described him as...