Marvel just teased Iron Man's MCU return right in front of us

The biggest question currently being asked in the MCU fandom is, “How is Robert Downey Jr. playing Doctor Doom when he was Iron Man"?

It’s a question I’ve seen numerous times and have attempted to answer. Some think it’s a multiverse Tony Stark as Doom, while others think RDJ is a variant of Doom, with the actual Doom yet to be revealed.

Before we get to Doom, we need to get to Thunderbolts* first

Another theory is that RDJ will exist as both Tony Stark and Doctor Doom at the same time, in some multiversal shenanigans.

Comicbook posits this is “the easiest explanation for how Downey can be both Iron Man and Doctor Doom.”

And that would make sense. As the multiverse is coming to an end, it allows Marvel to be as silly as they like with the characters, as long as it doesn’t get in the way of the plot.

I’d argue that the biggest hint to how Avengers: DOOMSDAY and Avengers: Secret Wars plays out can be seen in Deadpool & Wolverine.

In that film, the ‘serious’ plot points gathered around the multiverse concept, while the crew and the fanbase had fun at the edges with silliness.

However, fans loved the silly bits just as much as the plot, so yeah, maybe Iron Man will face off against Doctor Doom with Robert Downey Jr. staring into a green screen.

It wouldn’t surprise me at this point.

With Marvel ramping up Doctor Doom appearances in the comic books, they’re betting big on the Latverian ruler.

In the latest issue of Iron Man, he directly goes to face off against Doom who has named himself Emperor of Earth, perhaps foreshadowing what’s to come in the MCU.

At least, that’s the latest theory, anyway.

And hell, if RDJ makes Marvel that much money, why not cast him in two roles in the same film and watch fans lose their minds?