Robert Downey Jr's Doctor Doom Design May Have Leaked Online (And We Hope It's The Real Thing)

The post-credits scene for "The Fantastic Four: First Steps" offered our first glimpse at the Marvel Cinematic Universe's Doctor Doom, and what a brief glimpse it was. Doom is visible for three seconds, with his cloaked back to the camera and metal mask in his hand. (It's impossible to tell from the footage, but "First Steps" director Matt Shakman has said it was Robert Downey Jr. playing Doom in the scene.)

That moment is hardly a good look at what Doom will look like during his full-length debut in "Avengers: Doomsday"... but that new look may have just leaked. Promotional art on display at the Disney 2026 Merchandise Expo held in China includes a look at Doom. Fans in attendance have circulated images of the art online, which then spread even further across social media (as news is wont to do).

First Look at Promotional Art for Doctor Doom in 'AVENGERS: DOOMSDAY'.

Displayed at the Disney 2026 Merchandise Expo in China.#AvengersDoomsday hits Theaters December 18, 2026! pic.twitter.com/yRFqVpjgCa

— CinXperience (@CinXperience) September 11, 2025

Now, since this is apparently on display at a Disney event, that makes it more likely it is legit. However, it may not be the final look for Doom. It could be based on concept art, for one. Displayed alongside Doom is an image of Spider-Man in a costume that is not the one that Tom Holland is wearing as Spider-Man in "Brand New Day." However, this Doom look is good enough that we're all hoping it's legit.

Many Marvel fans, including yours truly, have been skeptical of early word about this portrayal of Doom. Downey Jr. is obviously an excellent actor, but bringing him back to play Marvel's greatest villain feels like a Hail Mary given the MCU has been on a downward slope since he stopped playing Tony Stark/Iron Man. Doom is a grandiose character who deserves much more than just being an "evil Iron Man." It stings more because, to this point, no Marvel movie has quite gotten Doctor Doom right, hence hopes that the MCU will finally deliver a silver screen Doom worthy of the comic one.

The jury is still out on the full package. However, if this glimpse of Doom's design is accurate to the movie, then the film has at least gotten the Doctor's costume right.

Some had speculated (or worried) that RDJ's Doom costume would be less classic Doom, more evil Iron Man. See "Infamous Iron Man," where Victor von Doom becomes a new Iron Man and starts wearing Iron Man style armor with a hooded cape. The apparent Disney Expo art, though, shows a Doom who looks like he walked right off of a Jack Kirby or John Byrne drawing.

The big detail is the eyes. To hide his scarred face, Doom always wears a mask, but the mask has eyeholes that keep his eyes visible. That is vital because it's only through those eyes that Doom's face can visibly emote. Despite his mask, Doom is not a stone-faced bad guy. Rather, he's a bombastic character prone to dramatic speeches.

When Downey Jr. played Iron Man, that armor's mask had glowing eyes and completely concealed his head; the MCU's movies usually crosscut to shots of Tony's face inside the armor to let RDJ act. As Doom, though, Downey Jr. should be able to express himself through his eyes while keeping the mask on — the same way, for instance, that all the actors who've played Batman have.

Doom's armor has always been deceptive in its appearance. It's packed with advanced technology, but from the green cloak to the knight-like build of the armor itself, Doom looks almost medieval, à la the historical Man in the Iron Mask. It's telling that in "Marvel 1602," that book's 17th century Doom looked almost identical to the classic one.

This art honors that aspect of Doom's appearance; the details of his green tunic, such as the large belt around his chest and the two circular cloak clasps, make him look like a king or a sorcerer from antiquity. Look closely, and you can notice that chainmail runs underneath his armor; this armor looks like it's composed of tactile, interwoven pieces like true armor, not nanotech like the later Iron Man armors were.

If this Doom look is the final one, then "Avengers: Doomsday" has already gotten the surface level of his character right. Now let's just hope it can nail the deeper layers of Doom's character, from his complex code of conduct to his resentment of Reed Richards (Pedro Pascal), too.

"Avengers: Doomsday" is currently set to release in theaters on December 18, 2026.