Robert Downey Jr."s MCU Recast Would Have Made More Sense If He Was Playing A Different Returning Marvel Villain

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Since his MCU recast has been so divisive, Robert Downey Jr.'s return might have made more sense if he'd come back as a different Marvel villain in the upcoming Vision series. After 11 years of playing Tony Stark's Iron Man in the MCU, it could have been assumed that Robert Downey Jr. wouldn't come back to the franchise. However, this year's SDCC presentation saw Marvel Studios confirm Robert Downey Jr.'s return to the MCU, but the reveal of his casting as Doctor Doom has been polarizing among audiences.
Robert Downey Jr. isn't the only actor who has recently been confirmed to be returning to the MCU, as James Spader will also be reprising his role in Marvel Television's upcoming Vision series. Previously having voiced the tyrannical artificial intelligence Ultron in 2015's eponymous Avengers: Age of Ultron, James Spader's return to the MCU is incredibly exciting. Even so, there's some confusion surrounding Ultron's return, and one major question could have been answered by bringing Robert Downey Jr. back to the MCU as someone other than Doctor Doom.

Related Every Actor Cast In MCU's Vision Show (So Far) With the MCU’s Vision series set to come out in 2026, here are all the actors cast in the upcoming show so far, both new and familiar.
1 Why Robert Downey Jr.’s Recast As Doctor Doom Has Been So Polarizing Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom Is Set To Debut In 2026's Avengers: Doomsday

Robert Downey Jr.'s casting as Victor Von Doom has been met with a mixed reception, as many have expressed confusion about exactly how Downey Jr. can debut as Doctor Doom after playing one of the faces of the MCU's Infinity Saga. There have been theories suggesting Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom could be a Tony Stark variant, or an adopted Stark who was raised in Latveria, but Downey Jr. and Marvel Studios have confirmed that he will indeed be Victor Von Doom. This has opened the MCU up to new criticism.
Robert Downey Jr. MCU Movie
Year
Role
Iron Man
2008
Tony Stark's Iron Man
The Incredible Hulk
2008
Tony Stark's Iron Man
Iron Man 2
2010
Tony Stark's Iron Man
The Avengers
2012
Tony Stark's Iron Man
Iron Man 3
2013
Tony Stark's Iron Man
Avengers: Age of Ultron
2015
Tony Stark's Iron Man
Captain America: Civil War
2016
Tony Stark's Iron Man
Spider-Man: Homecoming
2017
Tony Stark's Iron Man
Avengers: Infinity War
2018
Tony Stark's Iron Man
Avengers: Endgame
2019
Tony Stark's Iron Man
Avengers: Doomsday
2026
Victor Von Doom's Doctor Doom
Avengers: Secret Wars
2027
Victor Von Doom's Doctor Doom
Some have suggested that an unknown actor, or at least someone of a lower prominence than Robert Downey Jr., should have been given the chance to play Doctor Doom instead. Others noted that someone who didn't have such a huge role in the MCU could have become Doctor Doom, such as Mads Mikkelsen, who was a popular fan-cast for the iconic Marvel villain. Downey Jr.'s Tony Stark was at the forefront of the MCU for over a decade, so it will be hard to ignore his similarities to the new Doctor Doom.
Ultron Could Be Appearing In Human Form In The MCU’s Vision Series James Spader Will Be Reprising His Voice Role Of Ultron In 2026's Vision Series Close Shortly after James Spader was confirmed to be returning as Ultron in Terry Matalas' Vision series in 2026, The Hollywood Reporter released an article revealing Star Trek: Picard star Todd Stashwick's casting in the series. This report also included more information about Ultron's return, as The Hollywood Reporter surprisingly noted that "it's unclear whether Ultron will be returning as a robot or in human form." Prior to this, it seemed unquestionable that Ultron would return in his robot form, but his Marvel Comics history tells a different story.

Related The MCU's Ultron Return Needs To Beat His Secret 2019 Avengers Villain Role James Spader has been confirmed to be returning as Ultron in the MCU"s Vision series, and this version is already beating 2019"s secret Ultron return.
Ultron has merged with human characters several times in Marvel Comics, mostly on his quest to create a superior lifeform combining man and machine. He has infiltrated the bodies of Tony Stark, Adam Warlock and the original Human Torch android, but his most notable partnership was with his own creator, Hank Pym. Ultron and Hank Pym were merged into one being for several years in Marvel Comics, so it's very possible that a similar story could be told in live-action, and this may have presented a much clearer recasting for Robert Downey Jr. in the MCU.
Robert Downey Jr. Would Have Made More Sense Returning As A Human Ultron Tony Stark Created Ultron In The MCU's Phase 2

Ultron and Hank Pym have no connection in the MCU, so it could be unlikely that this pair would merge into one. However, this story could have still been told, had Robert Downey Jr. not returned as Doctor Doom. Tony Stark's Iron Man helped to create Ultron in Avengers: Age of Ultron, and the robot considers Stark to be his father, so it would have made much more sense if Ultron had returned to take over Stark's body. This would have allowed Robert Downey Jr. to return as a human version of Ultron.
Ultron was created in the MCU by the combination of Tony Stark and Bruce Banner's genius, the Mind Stone located in Loki's scepter, and the artificial intelligence of Tony Stark's former virtual assistant, JARVIS.
This would have been much easier for Marvel Studios to explain to audiences, especially since Ultron literally takes over his creator's body in Marvel Comics. This precedence meant there was a clear opportunity for Robert Downey Jr. to return as Ultron, giving the villain a much more substantive role than he had in Phase 2, and allowed Downey Jr. to challenge himself with some new and fresh material in the MCU. Downey Jr.'s casting as Doctor Doom is far harder to explain away, but this choice by Marvel Studios opens the door for another actor to excel.
Ultron’s Human Appearance Is Exciting For 1 Wasted MCU Veteran James Spader Has More Opportunities In The MCU As A Human Ultron

Assuming it isn't Hank Pym whose body Ultron takes over in the Vision series, and that he instead creates himself a new human body, James Spader could be given a more juicy role in the MCU. Spader is a remarkable actor, having delivered fantastic vocal and physical performances in The Office, The Blacklist and Lincoln, so it would be incredible to see him finally physically debut in the MCU. Spader missed out on this opportunity in Age of Ultron, but the possibility of a human Ultron means the acclaimed actor could have a bright future in the MCU.

Related 10 Powerful MCU Villains We Want To See Return After Ultron James Spader"s Ultron is returning to the MCU after 11 years in 2026"s Vision series, but there are many other villains we want to see come back, too.
Ultron's future after his return in 2026 is unclear, but the fact that James Spader is willing to return to the MCU suggests he will be utilized for much longer than just a Disney+ series. By the time the Vision series premieres, Spader will have been absent from the MCU for 11 years, so he deserves to come back with a vengeance, and has earned his place on the big-screen. While Robert Downey Jr. returning as Ultron might have made more immediate sense, it will be brilliant to see James Spader finally reprise his iconic villain role.

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ActionAdventureScience Fiction Marvel Studios' Vision Quest is a limited series set in the MCU and released on Disney+. It reveals the fate of Paul Bettany's resurrected Avenger, which was last seen fleeing Westview at the end of 2021's WandaVision. After the original synthezoid died at the hands of Thanos in Avengers: Infinity War, his body was reassembled by the secret organization SWORD, and his consciousness was restored by Scarlet Witch's magically recreated version of the robot.
Cast Paul Bettany , James Spader Seasons 1 Streaming Service(s) Disney Plus Showrunner Terry Matalas Prequel WandaVision Production Company Marvel Television Release Window 2026 Expand Upcoming MCU Movies