Summary
As one of Marvel’s most iconic supervillains,Doctor Doomis a very coveted live-action role that has been taken on by only a handful of actors, and he will soon be joining theMCU. First seen in Marvel Comics’Fantastic Four #5back in 1962, Victor Von Doom is one of Marvel’s longest-running, most persistent and most dangerous villains. He has been featured as the archenemy ofReed Richards and the Fantastic Fourfor decades, but he has also taken on the likes of Doctor Strange, Iron Man, the Black Panther, and the X-Men.
Doctor Doom’s six decades in action have made him perhaps the most legendary, recognizable and beloved supervillains in Marvel’s history. This has made him a clear threat in previous adaptations of the Fantastic Four’s stories, which allowed three actors to portray the villain. This small group will soon be joined by another, asDoctor Doom will be joining the MCUfor Phase 6’sAvengers: DoomsdayandAvengers: Secret Wars, marking the fourth appearance of the villain in live-action.
10 MCU Heroes Doctor Doom Could Face After His Inevitable Debut
Doctor Doom has been rumored to debut in the MCU’s The Fantastic Four, but he could face many heroes than just Marvel’s First Family in Phase 6.
Joseph Culp Played Doctor Doom In An Unreleased Movie
The Fantastic Four (1994)
German producer Bernd Eichinger purchased the film rights to the Fantastic Four in 1986, and set to work on producing a low-budgetFantastic Fourmovie to retain the rights in the early 1990s. This culminated in thedevelopment of 1994’s TheFantastic Four, which Eichinger developed with B-movie specialist Roger Corman for only $1 million.This unreleased movie starred Joseph Culp as Doctor Doom, and this portrayal of the villain was surprisingly rather effective.
Victor Von Doom’s Doctor Doom
Joseph Culp
Joseph Culp infused his version of Victor Von Doom with a sense of theatricality, grandeur and charisma that perfectly captured the over-the-top essence of the characterfrom Marvel Comics. Of course, the production value of 1994’sThe Fantastic Fourwas remarkably low, meaning Doctor Doom didn’t exactly have as intimidating a presence as he perhaps should have, but Culp did the best with what he was given. This was thefirst ever live-action adaptation of Doctor Doom, so there was a lot of pressure that perhaps wasn’t entirely lived up to.
Julian McMahon Has Made The Most Live-Action Appearances As Doctor Doom
Fantastic Four (2005) & Fantastic Four: Rise Of The Silver Surfer (2007)
After 1994’sThe Fantastic Four, Eichinger and Marvel legend Stan Lee approached 20th Century Fox about developed a big-budget version of the movie.This led to the release of 2005’sFantastic Four, which starred Julian McMahon as Victor Von Doom. McMahon had gained recognition inHome and Away, CharmedandNip/Tuck, but Doctor Doom was one of his first major film roles. Having appeared asDoctor Doom in bothFantastic Fourand its 2007 sequel,Rise of the Silver Surfer, McMahon has portrayed Doctor Doom more than any other actor.
Julian McMahon
Julian McMahon’s Doctor Doom was a more human interpretation of the villain, making him quite relatable, though his ego and arrogance also made him a detestable villain. This version of Doom was sinister, scheming and slimy, especially when it came to his relationship withJessica Alba’s Sue Storm.McMahon’s Doctor Doom wasn’t comic-accurate, and fell victim to a lackluster screenplay forFantastic Fourand its sequel. However, McMahon still pushed Doctor Doom to the limits, delivering a strong adaptation.
Toby Kebbell’s Doctor Doom Completely Changed The Villain
Fantastic Four (2015)
After bothFantastic FourandRise of the Silver Surferunderperformed at the global box office, a potential third film and a spinoff focused on the Silver Surfer were canceled. Instead, a reboot of the franchise was put into development, which sawToby Kebbell cast as Victor Von Doom. 2015’sFantastic Fourhas come to be widely regarded as one of the worst superhero movies of all time, andthe disappointing screenplay certainly had a detrimental impact on Kebbell’s iteration of Doctor Doom.
Toby Kebbell
Toby Kebbell is a strong actor, best known for the likes ofWar Horse, Black Mirrorand, more recently,For All Mankind. However, he was given very little to work with as Doctor Doom, making his version of the villain the most hated iteration ever.Fantastic Fourchanged Doctor Doom significantly, stripping him of what made him such an understandable and empathetic villain.Toby Kebbell deserved better, particularly since he should have been a brilliant casting choice for the villainous role, but the movie fumbled his delivery.
Robert Downey Jr. Will Play Doctor Doom In The MCU
Avengers: Doomsday (2026) & Avengers: Secret Wars (2027)
Following the finalization of Disney’s acquisition of 20th Century Fox in 2019, the film rights to the Fantastic Four and Doctor Doom reverted to Marvel Studios. The MCU’s official Fantastic Four cast was confirmed on Valentine’s Day, whileRobert Downey Jr., best known for playing Tony Stark’s Iron Man, was revealed to have been recast as Doctor Doom at July’s San Diego Comic-Con.Robert Downey Jr.’s confirmed return to the MCUas Doctor Doom has been divisive, but there’s no doubt that he will deliver a remarkable interpretation of the villain.
Robert Downey Jr.
Robert Downey Jr. has become one of the most beloved actors in Hollywood thanks to his previous role in the MCU, as he was almost written off prior to being cast in 2008’sIron Man. Since then, he has won an Academy Award for his role inOppenheimer, and has stunned as four different characters inThe Sympathizer, proving he has the perfect range to deliverDoctor Doomin the MCU after playing Tony Stark for over a decade. Phase 6’sAvengers: DoomsdayandSecret Warspromise to be monumental with Robert Downey Jr. debuting as Doctor Doom.
Marvel Cinematic Universe
The Marvel Cinematic Universe is a multimedia superhero franchise that began in 2008 with Paramount’s Iron Man starring Robert Downey Jr. The franchise quickly grew in popularity, with Disney eventually buying out Marvel Entertainment in 2009. The MCU consists of dozens of movies and TV shows, most notably Avengers: Endgame, WandaVision, and Loki.
