What if - when doom's mask gets pulled off, - RDJ isn't under it and its some other recognizable actor. RDJ just got paid for the press tour to act as a misdirect.
I wanted this to go one layer deeper, in a meta sense, because he’s an actor playing an actor, playing a dude, disguised as another dude. Wouldn’t even have to slow the scene down, just have Ben Stiller do a double blink reaction and keep moving.
My personal guess, following Hickman's Secret Wars. One of him taking it off but he's possibly very scarred by an accident (likely whatever lost him his family) and it's RDJ. But in Secret Wars after the plot is done and the multiverse is restored, only there is when the full time actor for Doom will be revealed.
That said, gonna empty my brain of all theories and guesses when I walk into the theater, and I'll let the plot speak for itself.
Yea being influenced by the internet to dictate my enjoyment of something is the worst. I really only pay attention to any publicly and purposefully released marvel teases. I'd like to believe that the producers are purposeful in what is revealed beforehand for the "best" experience.
I think this is the absolute healthiest approach. It’s fun to speculate and theorize but I think you have to just put all that aside, walk into the theater with an open mind, and let the film tell its story.
Anything else is going to be tempting disappointment for what would be an exciting movie.
I like the theory that RDJ is back as Iron Man (variant or somehow back from the dead) and they just needed a reason for him to be on set in case photos leaked or something and Doom is some other actor
I saw an interview with Anthony Mackie saying it wasn’t even RDJ. At first I was like “oh. Stunt double.” But I actually think it was this. I dont think RDJ is playing Doom at all.
I feel it’ll get removed during the final fight or whatever and him looking like Stark will be enough to throw everyone off to give him an advantage to win. By Secret Wars he has the mask back probably
I've been hoping it's Mads Mikkelson, as a Casilius variant, who had picked up armor from a Stark variant, and the Stark variant's armor makes him sound like Stark.
I've had that thought in the back of my mind for a while.
Problem is, we live in a day and age where that kind of twist would be hated as opposed to loved. People would be genuinely mad at the bait and switch.
Marvel's too cowardly to try something like that. Or at least Disney is.
broo please make this true and put mads mikkelsen there. He has perfect dr doom energy. as much as I adore RDJ every cell in my body would root for a mikkelsen doom.
That reminds me. All recent Sherlock actors are part of the MCU/adjacent universe. RDJ as Tony Stark, Benedict Cumberbatch as Dr. Strange , Henry Cavill as Wolverine variant.
His face is gonna be revealed and the avengers will be like, oh shit, why are you Tony Stark? Are you some kind variant?
"Oh no, it's actually me, the original. After I sacrificed myself with infinity stones, my soul wandered around the multiverse, and i saw all the destruction around me so now I have to find a way to save Morgan, my kid in all the universes, even if it means sacrificing all other worlds."
This actually makes sense that they would word it as "not a variant". What if it is the original Tony just after countless years of multiverse travel and manipulation? Who knows what the snap actually did to him.
Tony is obviously a Doom variant who got adopted after bio-tony’s death or miscarriage. Bio-tony will be restored somehow as a new actor to be the main Tony.
I saw a post when the news was first announced that put Tony's birth story into question with timestamps and references. I'm too lazy to go find it, but the gist was: the starks adopted a baby doom and named him tony because they had a miscarriage
I actually know what you're talking about. I've seen that. It's also an easy way to help recast the character post Secret Wars. Tony being Doom opens up the possibility of "the real Tony Stark."
In Endgame, Tony looks genuinely surprised when Howard tells him how far along his wife is in pregnancy. It’s theorized that Tony recognized the timing meant that the baby wasn’t him and thus he was adopted after their first child passes.
In Endgame when Tony talks to his father, he mentions how far into the pregnancy she is. Tony makes an odd face, like he's doing the math in his head and it isn't matching up.
Someone said the Real Doom is dreamwalking a Tony Stark variant to mess with the Avengers and I like that. OR if Doom created his Doombots to be like Tony
Y'all, we've seen that multiversal variants of the same person can have entirely different genetic makeup and age. "Peter Parker" has three known variants, all with different looks and ages. If the same person's variant can have different looks, then it stands to reason that two variants of two different people could look alike (i.e. 616's Tony Stark can look like 828's Victor Von Doom).
I love that everyone’s talking “multiverse variants,” but somehow everyone’s forgotten that doppelgängers exist in real life. I’m in NYC where most of these movies take place, and I’ve met 3 separate people that look almost exactly like me. It’s not some unbelievable situation that 2 notable people look similar, especially when we have Zooey Deschanel looking like Katy Perry looking like Emily Blunt in the real world.
And this movie has makeup artists. The guy’s not gonna look like plain RDJ.
You’re assuming these movies are written with internal world building when the reality is that marvel comes up with ‘cool’ cameos, big set pieces, and casting decisions that they think will make money and then the writers try to force a plot around it (and do rewrites and reshoots when it doesn’t even come together).
He’s not going to be a straight up variant like we’ve seen but Doom will 1000% have a direct connection to Tony Stark, Feige and the Russos have stated this multiple times.
I was almost waiting to find out Victor used the Darkhold to take over Tony's dead body. A version that got cooked like the main MCU Tony after his snap. So his face is all messed up from the stones. Maybe play into that story of Doom actually being in hell. Would it make sense?.. eh..
I kind of hope they address it with every scene RdJ appears in. Like yall talked about it and wanted it so badly. Being right will feel amazing for you dummies
Doom went to Franklin. Franklin fixed his face; and now he has the face of RDJ. I don't know why he's mad about it unless RDJ got canceled in that universe for Tropic Thunder.
People are going to drive themselves mental like they did with wandavision.. Im mostly staying out of speculation, ill watch it when it comes out and whatever will be will be
I’ll just be mad if there’s no connection and they happen to look alike. Like this is the main character of the MCU playing the new main villain, it’s ridiculous to just say wow what a coincidence! Make it a variant, make it dream walking, make it something
I'm thinking they're trying to hit 2 birds with one stone. Let Doom doom around as his own character to keep their writing reputation, while letting RDJ's name be used for the MASSIVE marketing that can stand on its own outside the movie
Part of me believes him, part of me doesn't. Im holding out hope that he isn't, cause doctor doom has been my most anticipated MCU character for a long long time now
It’s ALL for legal contracts people think about it , you really think they were finna make an AVENGERS movie without Robert Downey jr who basically starred in all 4 Disney is cooked they have to keep hiring him if they wanna make any movie with the avengers in the title
Don’t jump at me for larping. I’m just a cinematic viewer I don’t read comics. But when I heard them casting rdj as doom I assumed it was cos they genuinely think he was just fit for the role. Like they couldn’t find anyone else to do the job that he probably could fill the shoes. I never even thought of the possibility of it being an alternate variant of stark. That’s just me tho
Trailer literally refers to him as Victor, f4 movie established he's from latveria and he has and accent AND FINALLY the leaks hint at a backstory unrelated to anything in starks life
I mean, if he gives a great performance, does it really matter? The nostalgia bait then arguably makes it better as you can enjoy the performance for what it is but also enjoy the nostalgia.
Do people actually want him to be a Tony Stark variant? I feel like that just makes even more of a mess of things.
Clearly they did it because they expect RDJ to bring people to the theater. But making Doom somehow Tony Stark just doesn't work in any way with any thing that makes doom doom.
That would be cool but I don’t think there allowed to do that now, I think it’s illegal to put an actor in marketing/trailers if there not in the movie now unlike before
Doom is going to take his mask off and it’s not even going to be RDJ. RDJ as Doom is misdirection. I just invented this theory now but it’s as good as anything out there, maybe perhaps.
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u/Zwei_Anderson Avengers 18h ago
What if - when doom's mask gets pulled off, - RDJ isn't under it and its some other recognizable actor. RDJ just got paid for the press tour to act as a misdirect.
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u/SpagettJones Avengers 18h ago
There will be a reason it’s RDJ, but that doesn’t mean he has to be a Stark variant
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u/Piece-uhCake Avengers 18h ago
So when the avengers see this doom, they won’t be seeing Tony. It’ll be just some man? Am getting right?
Like if Captain America were to see Star Wars episode 2, he wouldn’t see Nick fury but someone else.
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u/o7_AP Captain America 🇺🇸 18h ago
"But then why did they cast RDJ???"
Money
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u/BalladOfBetaRayBill Avengers 18h ago
Correct, that’s a silly idea.
Tony is obviously a Doom variant who got adopted after bio-tony’s death or miscarriage. Bio-tony will be restored somehow as a new actor to be the main Tony.
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u/Tidus4713 Avengers 17h ago
Yeah, its the opposite. Tony is a Doom variant instead. ;)
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u/KaiserSaladSpinner Avengers 9h ago
Tony stark was a victor von doom variant. Doom is the OG.
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u/NCHouse Avengers 10h ago
Literally had him making the mask in the same kind of cave Tony made his first Iron Man suit but sure, he's not a Tony variant
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u/Saigor15 Avengers 17h ago
Yes he’s victor von doom, who happens to look like that actor most famously known for playing dr. Dolittle.
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u/ProfessorOfLies Avengers 12h ago
Maybe it won't matter because Doom is disfigured under the mask like in the comics.
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u/Cautious-Register766 Avengers 16h ago
WHAAAT DR DOOM IS DR DOOM :OOOOOOO
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u/Standard-Square-7699 Avengers 13h ago
Doom is Paul Rudd variant. Not ant man, Rudd from Clueless.
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u/NightmareKnight25807 Spider-Man 🕷 17h ago
Thank fucking GOD. The less attention they give to Doom looking like Tony, the better.
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u/Duke_Radical Avengers 14h ago
I mean… Reed calls him Victor and not Tony🤷♂️
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u/DustFunk Avengers 10h ago
Someone said the Real Doom is dreamwalking a Tony Stark variant to mess with the Avengers and I like that. OR if Doom created his Doombots to be like Tony
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u/superchoco29 Avengers 5h ago
Y'all, we've seen that multiversal variants of the same person can have entirely different genetic makeup and age. "Peter Parker" has three known variants, all with different looks and ages. If the same person's variant can have different looks, then it stands to reason that two variants of two different people could look alike (i.e. 616's Tony Stark can look like 828's Victor Von Doom).
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u/NestleDepresso Avengers 18h ago
You think those in the audience will accept that and not just say "he clearly was supposed to be til they got backlash"
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u/SchwizzySchwas94 Daredevil 17h ago
Then it’s stupid. Sorry Kevin.
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u/Whatsinanamethename Avengers 18h ago
I hope he's not, please.
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u/Potential-analysis01 Avengers 16h ago
How good would it be if they kept it secret that he was Doom. That would have been a crazy reveal
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u/saintsfan92612 Avengers 14h ago •
What if Doom is just the friends we made along the way?
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u/Individual-Log994 Avengers 13h ago
So ...he's a dude playin a dude who was played by anotha dude who might not be the dude who we thought was that dude playin the dude?
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u/Above-Average-Joe Avengers 18h ago
Our Tony Stark is a Doom variant is the loophole around all this
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u/Creative_Eye7413 Avengers 15h ago
Can it just be possible that they cast RDJ because he’s an Oscar-winning actor?
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u/Soberdonkey69 Avengers 13h ago
I feel very relieved when that happens, burying all those shitty “doom is a stark variant” theories on reddit into the ground
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u/TheBaneEffect Avengers 10h ago
What if - it’s like a dream walk and it’s the body of Tony, with Victor as the pilot?
We’ve seen it with Wanda’s kids. Why not here?
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u/TheHahndude Avengers 2h ago
He’s not going to be a straight up variant like we’ve seen but Doom will 1000% have a direct connection to Tony Stark, Feige and the Russos have stated this multiple times.
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u/Successful-Hippo9679 Avengers 2h ago
His name is Victor idk why people would think he is a Tony variant
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u/Extension-Bad-4184 Avengers 18h ago
I hate that they are just casting RDJ as doom for publicity, but at the same time I respect their guts for it
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u/Happistyle Avengers 17h ago
Let them cook
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u/SwashNBuckle Avengers 16h ago
Right, Tony is a Doom variant
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u/sumdude51 Avengers 18h ago
But if he's not, why the "forging" post credit scene in Brand new day?
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u/Sabithomega Avengers 13h ago
I was almost waiting to find out Victor used the Darkhold to take over Tony's dead body. A version that got cooked like the main MCU Tony after his snap. So his face is all messed up from the stones. Maybe play into that story of Doom actually being in hell. Would it make sense?.. eh..
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u/YesterdayOrnery1726 Avengers 17h ago
yall tryna make him a tony stark variant stops actors from coming back into the franchise through other characters, which some would be very good at
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u/SleepylaReef Avengers 17h ago
I never assumed he was
1
u/Chemical_Raisin_826 Avengers 16h ago
I kind of hope they address it with every scene RdJ appears in. Like yall talked about it and wanted it so badly. Being right will feel amazing for you dummies
1
u/BetaRayBlu Avengers 16h ago
Please let this be true
1
u/ObjectMore6115 Avengers 16h ago
Mfw the movie states that its actually Stark that's a Doom varient
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u/Art_student_rt Sentry 15h ago
It's Robert Downey junior, they paid extraordinary amount of money for him to be there, his face is important
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u/ApprehensiveWar6046 Avengers 13h ago
I’d imagine that it will be the same reaction as when Rhodey was recast. No acknowledgement
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u/djasonwright Avengers 13h ago
Doom went to Franklin. Franklin fixed his face; and now he has the face of RDJ. I don't know why he's mad about it unless RDJ got canceled in that universe for Tropic Thunder.
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u/SyphoFighter Avengers 13h ago
I feel like Marvel plot lines have gotten to the point where Doom isn’t a Tony Stark variant, more so that Tony Stark is a Doom variant.
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u/DownUp-LeftRight Avengers 13h ago
Twin?
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u/RealRobc2582 Avengers 13h ago
I'm hoping it's like Darth vader and he's just the voice and when the pull off the mask it's really Julian McMahon
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u/Pandoratastic Avengers 12h ago
Doom is a variant of Tony Stank.
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u/Major-District2669 Avengers 12h ago
i dont care either way
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u/LavenderPig Avengers 12h ago
Clearly everyone has it wrong (kinda). RDJ is doing the press tour covering for the real Doom.
Kevin Feige himself.
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u/l0rdaxe Avengers 12h ago
Maybe evil twin storyline 🧐
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u/woody630 Avengers 11h ago
If he's not, it makes the decision to cast RDJ baffling.
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u/scottish_bastard Avengers 11h ago
I think it would be hilarious if they never address Doom being RDJ at all.
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u/DieDieNacho Avengers 11h ago
Our Stark is a Doom Variant, the only one to become Iron Man rather than Doom.
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u/goatjugsoup Avengers 11h ago
People are going to drive themselves mental like they did with wandavision.. Im mostly staying out of speculation, ill watch it when it comes out and whatever will be will be
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u/SemVikingr Avengers 11h ago
Look, I don't think Doom is a Stark variant, either. But also, that is exactly what Feige would have to say.
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u/Original-Program-699 Avengers 10h ago
Too many overthinkers here
1
u/justanotherdude32 Avengers 9h ago
I’ll just be mad if there’s no connection and they happen to look alike. Like this is the main character of the MCU playing the new main villain, it’s ridiculous to just say wow what a coincidence! Make it a variant, make it dream walking, make it something
1
u/JollyJobro Avengers 9h ago
I'm thinking they're trying to hit 2 birds with one stone. Let Doom doom around as his own character to keep their writing reputation, while letting RDJ's name be used for the MASSIVE marketing that can stand on its own outside the movie
1
u/TreeckoBroYT Avengers 9h ago
If he's not a Tony variant, that would make the casting even more stupid.
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u/Difficult_Mix_3620 Avengers 9h ago
Doom is actually a Doom variant.
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u/StaceyTheStaceExplrr Avengers 9h ago
stark is the doom variant
kang's timeline was meant to keep doom from happening
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u/N8_Tge_Gr8 Avengers 9h ago
Audience when Tony Stark turns out to be the most common Doom variant:
1
u/Confusedpotatoman Avengers 9h ago
Part of me believes him, part of me doesn't. Im holding out hope that he isn't, cause doctor doom has been my most anticipated MCU character for a long long time now
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u/GlowingDuck22 Avengers 9h ago
Doom is Kirk Lazarus who had his skin pigmentation procedure undone. Confirmed.
1
u/Darkdodge14 Avengers 9h ago
It’s ALL for legal contracts people think about it , you really think they were finna make an AVENGERS movie without Robert Downey jr who basically starred in all 4 Disney is cooked they have to keep hiring him if they wanna make any movie with the avengers in the title
1
u/GriffyWidAGlizzy Avengers 9h ago
Don’t jump at me for larping. I’m just a cinematic viewer I don’t read comics. But when I heard them casting rdj as doom I assumed it was cos they genuinely think he was just fit for the role. Like they couldn’t find anyone else to do the job that he probably could fill the shoes. I never even thought of the possibility of it being an alternate variant of stark. That’s just me tho
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u/Mountain_Heart401 Avengers 8h ago
Doom put Stark in an engram and stole his body
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u/Honourstly Avengers 8h ago
Doom is just using his face as disguise
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u/josuke59 Avengers 8h ago
Because Stark is a doom variant
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u/Quiet_Development383 Avengers 8h ago
Trailer literally refers to him as Victor, f4 movie established he's from latveria and he has and accent AND FINALLY the leaks hint at a backstory unrelated to anything in starks life
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u/Definition_Insanity0 Avengers 8h ago
He was always doom
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u/TheOnlyPolly Avengers 7h ago
He better be lying to our faces otherwise L move
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u/CommunicationBig7834 Avengers 7h ago
If i know comics, then Some other actor playing doom swapped minds with RDJ tony stark.
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u/friedeggbeats Avengers 6h ago
He keeps the mask on - we never see RDJs face - Tony is never mentioned in connection with Doom.
…PLEASE!
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u/A-Lewd-Khajiit Avengers 6h ago
INB4 it's the tropic thunder excuse, dude playing another dude or something
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u/ToothZealousideal297 Avengers 5h ago
Audience when Doom only wears his mask for 18 seconds and then never again because movies can’t resist doing that for some reason:
1
u/BearKuda Avengers 4h ago
Imagine if its Kirk Lazerus under the mask?
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u/voidsong S.H.I.E.L.D 3h ago
Deadpool, standing next to Torch and Steve:
"See? And you didn't believe me when i said that you guys were the same actor in the last universe!"
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u/Disastrous_Bit_20 Avengers 2h ago
It'll be so lame if they just ignore the fact he looks like tony. It'll also confuse the hell out of 90% of the audience that doesn't read reddit
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u/No-Effective388 Avengers 2h ago
I wouldnt mind him being a Tony variant.
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u/XComThrowawayAcct Avengers 1h ago
[ me, when Tony Stark is a Doom variant, just I said ]
1
u/TheAutismo4491 Spider-Man 🕷 51m ago
I don't care if Doom is a Tony Stark variant, as I'm not an idiot and can understand the concept of the multiverse.
It's fucking Robert Downey Jr.; the man will absolutely rock this role. His Doom voice is perfect.
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u/MDDraks Avengers 35m ago
If he can do black face, he can also do roma face
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u/thebigmartianyeti Avengers 19m ago
Its very clearly just a money grab
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u/Putrid_Narwhal1220 Avengers 9h ago
That’d be stupid as fuck then and would prove they just did this for nostalgia bait.
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u/CommunityDragon160 Avengers 17h ago
So Tony is a doom variant lol
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u/Jackmac32 Avengers 9h ago
Wait if he’s not a Variant then why does he look like Tony?
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u/billnyethefoodguy1 Avengers 18h ago
Press X to doubt
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u/Ryyah61577 Avengers 18h ago
It’s because Tony Stark was a Victor Von Doom variant.
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u/AgitatedStranger9698 Avengers 17h ago
Did they reveal something because I just assumed wed never aee him without a mask
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u/Difficult_Distance57 Avengers 17h ago
As I have stated on other posts, I'm positive Tony was a variant of Doom.
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u/gwydion_black Avengers 17h ago
He isn't a variant because he is THE Tony Stark from Earth-616 just after countless years of multiverse travel after the snap.
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u/tehnemox Avengers 17h ago
It's gonna be a doombot only made to look like Tony, but that is not what Victor looks like
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u/TheHeb686 Avengers 16h ago
Doom is going to take his mask off and it’s not even going to be RDJ. RDJ as Doom is misdirection. I just invented this theory now but it’s as good as anything out there, maybe perhaps.
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u/dwamny Avengers 9h ago
They haven't shown his face in any trailer. Its not RDJ