DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn recently appeared on the ‘Happy Sad Confused’ podcast hosted by Josh Horowitz. On top of sharing insights about his upcoming projects, he also commented on Marvel’s decision to cast Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom.
“I thought it was a smart move,” the ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ director said. “I was excited about it. And I also love Robert. So, I think that’s cool. I think it’s a great idea. I think there’s nobody better than him.”
Marvel announced Doctor Doom as the new villain of the upcoming ‘Avengers’ films at San Diego Comic-Con earlier this year. The decision surprised many, including Downey’s MCU co-stars.
The actor later explained how he and Marvel Studios President, Kevin Feige, came up with the idea in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter.
Downey shared that Feige proposed the idea during a personal meeting with him and his wife. “And he brought up Victor Von Doom. I looked up this character and I was like, ‘Wow.’ Later, Kevin goes, ‘Let’s get Victor Von Doom right. Let’s get that right,’” he recalled, dismissing early rumors that his version would be an evil Tony Stark variant.
Doom will make his official debut in 2026’s ‘Avengers: Doomsday,’ replacing Kang the Conqueror as the MCU’s new Multiversal threat. He’s likely to have a cameo in ‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps,’ as well, though it’s not confirmed.
