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Avengers: Doomsday Trailer Raises One Giant Question About Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom

By Ben Pearson

July 20, 2026 5:00 pm EST

Marvel Studios

The latest trailer for "Avengers: Doomsday" finally reveals Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom voice, but the giant question we're left wondering about is not "why the heck is Downey doing a Nandor the Relentless voice as Doom?" (The answer to that is Marvel is likely paying him an astronomical sum of money to return, and is probably willing to let him basically do whatever he wants after he won his much-deserved Oscar for his work in "Oppenheimer." Or maybe the answer is Downey is just a huge "What We Do in the Shadows" guy.) No, the question we're pondering is more consequential to the overall story being told in "Doomsday."

As Thor gravely intones in this trailer, the heroes in this film have faced off against many villains and significant threats over the years. But Thor implies that the one they're facing here — and for now, we'll assume he's referring to Doctor Doom and not some secret extra threat the marketing might be hiding from us — scares him more than anything he's ever gone up against. More than Loki, Gorr the God Butcher, the Dark Elf Malekith, Hela, and Ultron.

And yes, apparently more than Thanos.

How is Doctor Doom a bigger villain than Thanos?

Marvel Studios

In the comics, Doctor Doom has typically been portrayed as the dictator of the fictional Eastern European nation of Latveria, and as a genius scientist who rivals the intelligence of Fantastic Four member Reed Richards, played in the Marvel Cinematic Universe by Pedro Pascal. (In the comics, Doom is also a sorcerer, and an extremely powerful one, but it's not clear if that element will be present in the MCU.) So why the heck is Thor more scared of a politician and scientist than Thanos, the powerful alien warlord who (at least temporarily) managed to outmaneuver the Avengers and wipe out half of life in the entire universe?

Let's look at the recent plot leak of "Avengers: Secret Wars," which allegedly lays out some details about the next MCU mega-movie that's slated to come out after "Doomsday." In the comics, "Secret Wars" involves Doom rewriting the multiverse so there is only one universe, which he rules over as emperor, and it certainly seems the movie is aiming to take heavy inspiration from that plot line. Thanos could wield the Infinity Stones to manipulate time and the very fabric of reality, but through mad science or magic, Doom may have figured out a way to tap into similar powers without having to rely on the possession of those particular items, which is a very scary prospect indeed. He certainly doesn't seem to be fazed one bit by an angry God of Thunder swinging a lightning-imbued axe at him, so it looks like the Avengers and the X-Men are going to have to think outside the box to defeat this guy. And like Thor's fallen comrades, don't expect all of them to get out of this alive.

"Avengers: Doomsday" hits theaters on December 18, 2026.