The first trailer for Avengers: Doomsday (2026) has given audiences their first proper look at Downey as Victor von Doom, and if early reactions are anything to go by, Marvel Studios may have already overcome one of the biggest concerns surrounding his surprise casting.
Ever since Downey was revealed as Doctor Doom during Marvel Studios' San Diego Comic-Con panel in 2024, fans have questioned whether they'd be able to separate the actor from Tony Stark, the character he played from Iron Man (2008) through Avengers: Endgame (2019).
Now, with the first trailer finally here, many believe Marvel has pulled it off.
Related: Marvel Confirms Official ‘Loki' Replacement Months Before ‘Avengers: Doomsday'
Marvel Fans Are Loving RDJ's Doom Voice
While the footage includes several major moments—including Thor (Chris Hemsworth) facing Doctor Doom (Downey), Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) wielding Mjölnir again, and the return of multiple X-Men actors—it's Downey's transformed voice that has become one of the trailer's biggest talking points.
“Holy sh*t, I didn't recognize his voice,” one fan wrote on X (Twitter).
“I didn't even know that was supposed to be him,” another added.
Others praised what appears to be an Eastern European-inspired accent, while one viewer joked that Doom sounds like filmmaker Werner Herzog.
One fan even pushed back against critics who claimed Downey only returned for the money, arguing that his vocal performance alone proves he's fully committed to creating a completely different Marvel character.
The praise continued, with fans describing the performance as “completely transformed” and admitting they could no longer hear Tony Stark whenever Doom spoke.
Whether audiences feel the same across an entire film remains to be seen, but the trailer has certainly given Marvel fans plenty of confidence.
Directed by Anthony and Joe Russo (Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Infinity War, and Avengers: Endgame), Doomsday arrives in theaters on December 18, 2026. Its sequel, Avengers: Secret Wars, follows on December 17, 2027.
Are you excited about Avengers: Doomsday? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!
