The concept Robert Downey Jr. ought to play one in every of Marvel’s final unhealthy guys predates his tenure as one in every of its final good guys.
When Downey walked onstage dressed as Physician Doom at San Diego Comedian-Con final yr it was a shocker to just about everybody, largely as a result of he had already saved the Marvel Universe as Tony Stark. However it appears the idea of Downey as unhealthy man Victor Von Doom goes manner again to earlier than the actor was ever solid as Iron Man’s alter ego.
“I keep in mind you had all met with [Downey] already for like Physician Doom or one thing on one other undertaking,” director Jon Favreau stated in a 2023 dialog with Marvel boss Kevin Feige. “I feel he had come by way of on possibly [2005’s] Implausible 4, so all people form of knew who he was.”
Whereas that half has lengthy been identified, Joe Russo — who’s directing the following two Avengers films together with his brother Anthony — not too long ago revealed who had the genius thought to deliver Downey again — not as Stark however because the Implausible 4 villain: none aside from Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige.
“That was Kevin,” the youthful Russo not too long ago instructed the web outlet Omelete. “Curiously sufficient about that, that dialog was had some time in the past.”
Victor Von Doom was finally portrayed within the 2005 movie by Nip/Tuck star Julian McMahon and Downey went on to debut as Stark in 2008’s Iron Man, however Feige held onto the concept of casting Downey as Doom.
This time round, as soon as Downey agreed, the actor tried to speak his Avengers: Endgame administrators into getting the band again collectively for the upcoming Avengers: Secret Wars and Avengers: Doomsday. The duo demurred at first, based on Joe.
“Robert tried to speak us into doing it and we stated ‘no.’ We simply didn’t have a narrative. We didn’t have a manner in. We had been resistant for some time.”
The brothers did finally spark to an idea.
“At some point Steve McFeely, one in every of our chief collaborators, stated, ‘I’ve an thought.’ We went, ‘That’s the story!’ That story needs to be instructed. It’s a very highly effective story.”
What’s that idea? Neither of the administrators would disclose a lot till Joe provided, “The one factor I’ll say concerning the film is that this: We love villains who assume they’re the hero of their very own tales. That’s after they grow to be three dimensional and so they grow to be extra attention-grabbing. And when you’ve got an actor like Robert Downey, it’s important to create a properly formed, three-dimensional character for the viewers.”
