Fans slam Marvel for ‘whitewashing’ Doctor Doom to give Robert Downey Jr another role

The 2024 Academy Award winner made a surprise appearance at the San Diego Comic Con this weekend.

Downey Jr announced his return to the MCU after a dramatic showing on stage at the San Diego Comic Con yesterday.

The Oppenheimer star hid behind a Doctor Doom mask, before removing it to reveal his identity to the unsuspecting crowd.

He told the room full of excited fans: "New mask, same task. What'd I tell you, I like playing complicated characters."

Joe and Anthony Russo, the filmmakers behind four of the biggest MCU films, revealed that they will direct Downey Jr's next appearance as Doctor Doom in the next two Avengers movies - Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars.

"When we directed Avengers: Endgame, Joe and I truly believed that it was the end of the road for us in the Marvel Cinematic Universe," Anthony Russo told the Comic-Con crowd.

"In the time since, through a very special story, Joe and I have come to potentially see a road forward with you."

Robert Downey Jr will star as Doctor Doom in ‘AVENGERS: DOOMSDAY’

In theaters on May 2026. pic.twitter.com/qOBPSMlm0F

— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) July 28, 2024

The 59-year-old is synonymous amongst Marvel fans for playing Iron Man in 2008, 2010, 2013, along with reprising the famous role in several of the Avengers films.

Some fans appeared unhappy with the announcement, however, and accused the Russo brothers of 'whitewashing' the character of Doctor Doom.

In the original comic book descriptions, Victor von Doom was born decades ago to a tribe of Latverian Romani people under the rule of an unnamed nobleman called the Baron.

The Romani people have grappled with their cultural identity and suffered extreme racism throughout their history.

Doctor Doom's non-white identity and the marginalisation following from it have always been a core part of his mythos.

His ‘original wound’ that leads to him becoming Doctor Doom is tied to the cruel fate his family suffered as a result of their ethnicity.

As a result, many die-hard fans of the supervillain are appalled by the decision to cast a 'white Hollywood male' as a character who famously hails from an ethnic minority.

There's a whole Reddit thread in a Marvel subreddit dedicated to the question: "What Romani actor would you cast as Dr Doom?".

The comments section is filled with users suggesting names such as Goran Višnjić, Nikola Jokic and Pilou Asbæk.

One X user wrote: "This is straight up whitewashing. Like this is absolutely disgusting. F**k Marvel.

"Like I knew they would whitewash him," they continued. "Marvel doesn't give a f**k about Romani representation. BUT ROBERT DOWNEY JR???"

Sorry but I’m really disappointed that Robert Downey Jr is playing Doctor Doom. It just reeks of the MCU wanting to get rid of Kang quickly and using stunt casting/nostalgia bating to gain favour with fans. Is Doom now a Tony variant? Would’ve been nice to see his Romani origins. pic.twitter.com/XmVy9LilMa

— Ben L Maden (@blmaden) July 28, 2024

Another commented: "Knowing nothing about Doom but then seeing everyone talk about how important him being Romani is to his backstory, and then Marvel casting Robert Downey Jr. Crazy work!"

One other person said: "I don’t see Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom. Victor von Doom is a Romani character and someone close to the ethnicity should have been cast.

"It’s too early for him to return to the MCU either ways. Enough with the fan servicing. I said what I said."

I don’t see Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom.

Victor von Doom is a Romani character and someone close to the ethnicity should have been cast.

It’s too early for him to return to the MCU either ways.

Enough with the fan servicing. I said what I said. https://t.co/pts8nFNPED

— Nikita Pahwa (@PahwaNikita) July 28, 2024

Others expressed concern at how the Oppenheimer actor is going to shake off Tony Stark in his new role.

Having played the Iron Man character for 11 years, people might find it hard seeing him as the Dr Doom supervillain.

One fan wrote: "Marvel actually dug a deeper hole for themselves by bring RDJ back.

"Yes he will save their dying franchise but it will be an even harder job to take that Iron Man image off people's mind."

Another added: "It will be the end of Marvel if they mess up the next two Avengers movies."

"Am I the only one that’s more worried than excited???"

According to ScreenRant, Avengers: Doomsday will premiere in May 2026 with Avengers: Secret Wars following in May 2027.