Kevin Feige Calls ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ Star Robert Downey Jr. the Greatest Actor of His Time

Marvel Studios has spent years trying to successfully bring one of its most iconic villains to the big screen, with mixed results. Doctor Doom has been portrayed in two different ‘Fantastic Four’ film franchises, first by Julian McMahon in the 2005 and 2007 films, and later by Toby Kebbell in the 2015 reboot. Unfortunately, neither version has left a lasting impression on fans of the character.

This history raises the stakes for ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ significantly beyond a standard villain introduction. The film is set to be the focal point of Marvel’s next Multiverse Saga chapter, uniting the Avengers, the Fantastic Four, and the X-Men across various franchises, all centered around a character that Empire Magazine has pointed out has never been accurately depicted in live action.

The pressure is on Robert Downey Jr., who is taking on the role of Victor Von Doom after spending over a decade as Tony Stark, culminating in his character’s death in ‘Avengers: Endgame.’ In an interview with Empire, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige addressed this challenge and expressed immense confidence in Downey’s ability to succeed.

Feige referred to Downey as “the greatest actor of his time” and stated he “can pull off anything,” according to Empire. He also mentioned that Downey quickly found his interpretation of the character once development began, indicating that the shift from hero to villain came together more swiftly than one might expect given the weight of the role.

This level of admiration aligns with Feige’s broader narrative regarding Downey’s return. He has previously noted that the idea of pairing Downey with Doctor Doom was already in discussion before Marvel’s public shift away from Kang the Conqueror as the central villain of the Multiverse Saga, following Jonathan Majors’ legal issues and the disappointing box office performance of ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.’

Feige revealed that conversations with Downey about playing Doom had started even before ‘Ant-Man 3’ was released, indicating that the plan had been quietly developing long before circumstances necessitated a change. He views this as a long-term strategy to combine one of Marvel’s most significant characters with one of its finest actors.

Downey has echoed this sentiment in his past remarks about returning to Marvel. After winning his Academy Award for ‘Oppenheimer,’ he expressed a willingness to return to the franchise, emphasizing its integral role in his identity as a performer.

The full cast surrounding Downey in ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ showcases the film’s ambitious scale. Chris Hemsworth, Chris Evans, Vanessa Kirby, Pedro Pascal, Joseph Quinn, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach will join X-Men veterans like Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, James Marsden, and Rebecca Romijn, bringing together various facets of Marvel’s cinematic legacy into a single narrative.

With ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ set to premiere in theaters on December 18, Feige’s remarks indicate that the studio is positioning Downey’s performance as the film’s main draw, rather than just another villain introduction. Whether audiences will agree that Marvel has finally done justice to the character remains to be seen when the film is released.

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