Everyone cheered when Robert Downey Jr. took off his Doctor Doom mask at San Diego Comic-Con 2024. This moment marked his big return to the MCU.
But rumors say Marvel Studios had another actor in mind for the role of Doctor Doom—someone many thought was even better for the part. However, it seems Marvel chose to play it safe and went with Robert Downey Jr. instead.
In Hollywood, some actors seem born to play villains. Whether it’s Heath Ledger, Jared Leto, Joaquin Phoenix, or Colin Farrell, these actors have the look that fits a bad guy role (even though they’re not bad guys in real life).
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One of these actors is so famous that he took over Johnny Depp‘s role in the Fantastic Beasts series during the well-known defamation trial. That actor is the Danish star, Mads Mikkelsen.
Mads Mikkelsen, famous for playing a young Hannibal Lecter in the TV show Hannibal and Gellert Grindelwald in the Fantastic Beasts series, is a captivating actor when it comes to villain roles. According to a report, he was even in talks with Marvel Studios about playing Doctor Doom.
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But Marvel Studios reportedly chose to stick with a familiar face and brought back Robert Downey Jr. for the role with the slogan “New mask. Same task.” Fans were definitely excited to see him return.
But when people found out that Mads Mikkelsen was also considered for the role of Doctor Doom, they had a different reaction and quickly shared their opinions on social media.
Fans Think Mads Mikkelsen Would Make A Great Villain!
Mads Mikkelsen played the role of Kaecilius in the 2016 movie Doctor Strange and fans loved his performance. Even though he’s already part of the MCU, fans said they wouldn’t mind seeing him as Doctor Doom.
See More: Marvel Fans Condemn ‘Desperate’ Doctor Doom News As Robert Downey Jr Returns As Villain
On social media platform X, fans shared how amazing Mads Mikkelsen would have been as Doctor Doom. Some even argued that he might have been better than Robert Downey Jr. in the role!
Marvel Studios probably has its own reasons for choosing Robert Downey Jr. over Mads Mikkelsen. But for now, this is just speculation, as no official reports have confirmed it yet.
Robert Downey Jr. will play Doctor Doom in the upcoming MCU movie Avengers: Doomsday. The film is scheduled to hit theaters worldwide on May 1, 2026.
Source: Fandomwire