At Comic-Con, former Iron Man star Robert Downey Jr. stunned fans with the announcement that he would be taking on the role of Doctor Doom, shortly after winning an Oscar. The crowd erupted in cheers and applause, but once the excitement settled, questions began to surface. Is this Doctor Doom from a different universe than Tony Stark? How will they weave his rich origin story into the MCU? And will the Avengers recognize him as the former Iron Man? And, most curiously, what happened to Howard Stern’s rumored involvement?
Back in June 2022, Howard Stern may have accidentally spilled the beans about his potential involvement in a Doctor Doom project. While signing off from The Howard Stern Show, his microphone stayed live, capturing him talking about a possible role in a Doctor Doom production—and how unhappy he was about it.
“They’re going over the schedule with me and it’s gonna suck,” Stern said, apparently unaware his mic was still on. When asked if he was working that summer, Stern replied, “Well, I told you I’m gonna do Doctor Doom. But… believe me, I’m f*cking miserable about it.” Stern’s remarks suggested he wasn’t thrilled about the project, but then something intriguing happened—he mentioned calling Robert Downey Jr. before the mic cut off. Could this phone call have sparked Downey Jr.’s return to the MCU? Or did Stern somehow persuade him to take on the role?
It’s also possible that Stern was originally considered for the role, but as the MCU evolved, plans shifted. The truth might never come to light.
There’s still a chance that Stern could appear as a different variant or iteration of Doctor Doom, given the MCU’s penchant for multiverse storytelling. With that in mind, perhaps fans might even see Julian McMahon return to the big screen as another version of the iconic villain. One can only hope.
Robert Downey Jr. is set to debut as Doctor Doom in Avengers: Doomsday, which is scheduled for release in May 2026.
