For a while there, the next big bad villain in the Marvel Cinematic Universe was shrouded in mystery — that was until this year’s Comic-Con in San Diego. Not only was Doctor Doom named as the next main antagonist of the MCU, but Robert Downey Jr. will be stepping into the role — “New mask, same task”, he said when describing his connection to the role. The more interesting interview nugget, however, came when he recalled the conversation he and Kevin Feige had when constructing this climactic decision. Before explicitly bringing up Victor Von Doom, RDJ recalls the president of Marvel Studios wondering what kind of cinematic step would be needed to blow fans’ minds.

“How can we not go backwards? How can we not disappoint expectations? How can we continue to beat expectations?” Obviously, some of this frantic wonderment must come from the empty space in which Jonathan Major’s Kang The Conqueror once stood. But ever since the actor was fired from his place at the comic book entertainment company, there was a mad dash towards helping MCU fans forget all about this unfortunate time. And thus, Avengers: Doomsday now replaces Avengers: The Kang Dynasty. While the title (by itself) is enough to hype up any comic book enthusiast, will the controversial casting pay off by the time the 2026 movie rolls around?

Rewriting Robert Downey Jr’s MCU Legacy

Even though the initial temper seems to be somewhat mellowing out right now, the RDJ reveal clips that were washing over the internet following the days of comic-con revealed a decisive line in the sand. While some declared that it was just cheap stunt casting and the dumbest decision, others say they are open to the possibility as long as it plays out right. The two sides seem so well-defined that for every negative response, there appears to be a devil’s advocate looking forward to some aspect of his Doctor Doom portrayal. One thing is for sure: Robert Downey Jr. stepping back into the Marvel Cinematic Universe was not a step backward, but some expectations were not beat — and here’s why.

Bringing back an actor (or actress) that evokes a nostalgic or heartfelt reaction is something that can be done — and should be done — in the right situations. It certainly worked in Deadpool & Wolverine when it came to Hugh Jackman, Wesley Snipes, Jennifer Garner, and Chris Evans (among others). To a lesser extent, the DCU even pulled it off with Michael Keaton becoming Batman once more in 2023’s The Flash. In this case, the sentimental cinematic memory — that is, Iron Man’s legacy (this is the character that started the MCU, after all) is being opened up and rewritten — just for the emotional pull and pop.

Obviously, fiction (Iron Man/Tony Stark) and reality (Robert Downey Jr.) are two different things, but Robert Downey Jr. is most remembered in modern times for his superhero alter ego. Nobody can change that. There are rumors that he will always be under a mask when on screen, but then what was the point of casting RDJ or making that doom-army announcement with the face reveal? We can easily assume that Marvel Studios already has some plot that will lean on the look-a-like conundrum. But in all honesty, Feige, Iger, and Disney still have to learn one thing: reaching a fandom-based high through expectations doesn’t always have to matter. In other words, we would have been just fine with a new face in the MCU. The MCU is streaming on Disney+.