Iron Man 3 Showed You The MCU’s Doctor Doom As A Child According To Wild Avengers: Doomsday Theory (2025)

Doctor Doom's MCU origins are finally answered in an Avengers: Doomsday theory so wild it actually makes sense. As Avengers: Doomsday's release date approaches, all the pieces are starting to fall into place, and its plot is starting to make itself clear. Avengers: Doomsday's cast announcement confirms at least four active superhero teams, Thunderbolts*' post-credits scene teases Avengers: Doomsday's crossovers, and The Fantastic Four: First Steps is set to lay the foundations for Avengers: Doomsday's multiversal premise.

Since Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom will only make his official MCU debut in Avengers: Doomsday, one of the biggest questions surrounding Phase 6's Avengers movies is Doctor Doom's origins. It's unknown whether Downey's Doom has any previous relationship with the Fantastic Four, whether he comes from an already established MCU timeline, and most importantly, why he's played by the same actor as Iron Man. After Iron Man's well-deserved farewell in Avengers: Endgame, Robert Downey Jr.'s return as Doctor Doom suggests Tony Stark must still be relevant to the MCU in the Multiverse Saga.

There Are A Lot Of Theories About How Avengers: Doomsday Connects To Iron Man's Story

Robert Downey Jr.'s Return As Doctor Doom Raises Questions About Iron Man

If Tony Stark and Doctor Doom weren't connected, it would make little sense to bring back such a prominent MCU star in a different role. However, there are few connections between Iron Man and Doctor Doom in the comics. The MCU may be adapting either of the source material's two multiversal Tony Stark and Doctor Doom fusions (from Earth-11029 and Earth-5012) or the brief period where Earth-616's Doom takes up the Iron Man mantle (Superior Iron Man). Such adaptations wouldn't be too faithful to the comics, though, as they would need several MCU events to be different.

Alternatively, Doctor Doom could be an entirely different variant who decides to copy Tony Stark's appearance, either to impersonate Iron Man in the MCU's main timeline, or simply to torment the Avengers. Otherwise, Doom could be a Tony Stark variant who became Doctor Doom instead of Iron Man in his universe, or a Victor von Doom variant who just happens to look exactly like Earth-616's Tony Stark. Following Thunderbolts*' post-credits scene, the theory that states Doctor Doom willingly copies Iron Man's likeness gains a little bit of credibility if Doom is the one heading towards Earth instead of the Fantastic Four.

An Alternate Universe Harley Keener Becoming Doctor Doom Is One Of The MCU's Most Intense Doomsday Theories

Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom May Not Be Tony Stark After All

In an interview with The Sunday Times, Avengers: Doomsday directors Joe and Anthony Russo promise "there’s nobody else in the world who could play [Doom]the way [Downey]’s about to.” This comment may suggest that Tony Stark's death will have a direct connection to Doctor Doom's familiar appearance. However, instead of being an alternate Iron Man variant or a Victor von Doom variant who impersonates Tony Stark, Avengers: Doomsday's Doctor Doom could be a different character who chooses to become an evil Iron Man. If true, Iron Man 3's Harley Keener could be the one who takes up the Doom mask and seeks revenge for his mentor's death.

Since Harley Keener only returned for a brief cameo in Avengers: Endgame, the MCU could take advantage of the blank slate provided by Ty Simpkins' original MCU character to create a brand-new version of Doctor Doom. In Avengers. Doomsday, Harley could be the exact same version introduced in Iron Man 3 or an alternate variant with a similar backstory. Either way, Harley Keener not being able to reunite with Tony Stark and failing to become the next Iron Man could be his motivation to become an evil Iron Man nicknamed Doctor Doom.

Why The Iron Man 3 Theory Isn't Impossible

Avengers: Doomsday's Doctor Doom Will Probably Be Very Different From The Comics

Doctor Doom's familiar appearance in Avengers: Doomsday is already a huge departure from the villain's comic book history, where Doom is usually Reed Richard's jealous archnemesis, driven by anger and vanity and known for hiding his injured face with a metal mask. Just how Thanos' motivation to balance the universe is a far cry from his obsession with death, and just how Kang the Conqueror isn't an ever-present threat in the MCU's main timeline, the MCU's Doctor Doom may have a drastically different origin in Avengers: Doomsday.

Iron Man 3 left the door open for Harley Keener to become Tony Stark's Iron Man successor, but the MCU hasn't shown what Harley has done since Stark donated the kid some of his technology. For a while, Harley Keener seemed like the perfect character to transform into the MCU's Iron Lad, at the cost of a few major changes to Kang the Conqueror's backstory. Now that Kang isn't the Multiverse Saga's main villain, the same idea could be integrated into Doctor Doom's adaptation.

• 

  Follow

  Followed

  Avengers: Doomsday

  Superhero

  Adventure Action Sci-Fi

  Release Date

  May 1, 2026

  Director

  Anthony Russo, Joe Russo

  Writers

  Stephen McFeely, Jack Kirby, Stan Lee

  Cast

  See All

  • 

    Chris Hemsworth

    Thor

  • 

    Vanessa Kirby

    Sue Storm / Invisible Woman

  • 

    Joseph Quinn

    Johnny Storm / Human Torch

  • 

    Ebon Moss-Bachrach

    Ben Grimm / The Thing

  Powered by

  Expand Collapse

• 

  Your Rating

  10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 stars 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star

  Rate Now

  0/10

  Leave a Review

  Your comment has not been saved

  Follow

  Followed

  Iron Man 3

  PG-13

  Action Adventure Science Fiction

  Superhero

  

  8/10

  29 7.4/10

  Release Date

  May 3, 2013

  Runtime

  130 Mins

  Director

  Shane Black

  Cast

  See All

  • 

    Robert Downey Jr.

    Tony Stark

  • 

    Gwyneth Paltrow

    Pepper Potts

  • 
  • 
  • 

  Where to watch

  Close

  WHERE TO WATCH

  Streaming

  • 

  RENT

  • 
  • 
  • 
  • 
  • 

  BUY

  • 
  • 
  • 
  • 
  • 

  Writers

  Drew Pearce, Shane Black

  Powered by

  Expand Collapse