The Story Behind Robert Downey Jr.'s Casting as Doctor Doom
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Synopsis
The concept of Robert Downey Jr. as Victor Von Doom originated before he was cast as Iron Man. Joe Russo revealed that Kevin Feige proposed the idea, leading to a powerful narrative around the character's complexity in upcoming Avengers films.
Key Takeaways
- Robert Downey Jr. as Victor Von Doom was a longstanding idea.
- The inspiration came from Kevin Feige.
- Downey's character development is crucial for depth.
- The Russo brothers were initially hesitant about the idea.
- A compelling story about villainy is in the works.
Los Angeles, March 24 (NationPress) The idea of Robert Downey Jr. portraying the villain Victor Von Doom dates back to before the actor was cast as the superhero Iron Man.
Recently, Joe Russo, who is co-directing the upcoming Avengers films alongside his brother Anthony Russo, disclosed that the brilliant notion to reintroduce Downey as the antagonist from The Fantastic Four came from none other than Kevin Feige, the head of Marvel Studios.
“That was Kevin,” Joe shared in an interview with the online platform Omelete, as reported by deadline.com.
“Interestingly enough, that conversation took place a long time ago.”
Victor Von Doom was initially portrayed by actor Julian McMahon in the 2005 film, while Downey made his debut as Stark in the 2008 movie Iron Man. Nonetheless, Feige held onto the vision of casting Downey as Doom.
Once Downey expressed his interest, he attempted to persuade the directors of Avengers: Endgame to reunite the team for the forthcoming films Avengers: Secret Wars and Avengers: Doomsday. Initially, the duo was hesitant, according to Joe.
“Robert tried to convince us, and we said ‘no.’ We simply didn’t have a narrative. We lacked a way in. We were resistant for a while.”
However, the brothers eventually ignited a new concept.
“One day, Steve McFeely, one of our primary collaborators, mentioned, ‘I have an idea.’ We responded, ‘That’s the story!’ This narrative must be shared. It’s a truly powerful tale.”
The directors remained tight-lipped about the details until Joe added: “The only thing I will reveal about the movie is this: We are fond of villains who perceive themselves as the heroes of their own narratives. That’s when they gain depth and become more intriguing.”
“And with an actor like Robert Downey, it is essential to craft a well-defined, three-dimensional character for the audience.”
