Marvel’s Doctor Doom: Before ‘Iron Man’ Robert Downey Jr, These 3 Actors Played The Super Villain On Screen
Robert Downey Jr. is all set to rejoin the MCU as Doctor Doom; however, the supervillain has already been portrayed by three different actors in the past.
Three actors played Doctor Doom before Robert Downey Jr.(Photo Credit –Instagram)
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The announcement of Robert Downey Jr.’s return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe has broken the internet. The actor, who played Iron Man for years, is joining the MCU in a new avatar as the supervillain, Doctor Doom.
Downey Jr. will likely make his debut as the villain in the upcoming film, The Fantastic Four: First Steps. However, he will not be the first actor to take on the costume of Doctor Doom, as the supervillain has been played by three actors in the past in various projects.
Julian McMahon Has Played Doctor Doom in a Couple of Films
The first released Fantastic Four film, which came out in 2005, featured Australian actor Julian McMahon as Doctor Doom, aka Victor Von Doom. It marked McMahon’s first major film role after appearing in television shows like Home and Away and Charmed. McMahon’s version of Doctor Doom was seen as egoistic and arrogant, but at the same time, was relatable due to its human-like personality. While the character was not comic-accurate, it became famous for its cunning and sinister nature. McMahon reprised the role in the 2007 sequel, Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer.
Toby Kebbell Portrayed the Villain in the 2015 Reboot Film
When Fantastic Four and Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer failed to live up to box-office expectations, 20th Century Fox decided to reboot the franchise with a fresh cast in 2015, which included English actor Toby Kebbell as Victor Von Doom. Known for his performances in films like Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time and Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, Kebbell did a stupendous job as the villain. However, his version of Doctor Doom faced criticism from the fans owing to the character’s starkly different persona from the comic-book villain. The film also suffered from screenplay issues and underperformed at the box office, making Kebbell’s performance easily forgettable.
Joseph Culp was Cast as Victor Von Doom in an Unreleased Fantastic Four Film
Outlaw Posse star Joseph Culp was the first actor to be cast as Doctor Doom in a live-action film in 1994; however, his version of the character could not see the light of day. The film, titled The Fantastic Four, was a low-budget production by German producer Bernd Eichinger. While the movie never got released, those who got to watch it appreciated Culp’s performance, describing his version of Victor Von Doom as charismatic and grand.
