Marvel Studios has provided its audience with another sneak peek at its upcoming film Avengers Doomsday, featuring Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom at the forefront. The newest trailer, introduced at D23, adds more information regarding the events that have created one of the most dangerous enemies of the Avengers - Victor von Doom. The amount of information contained is staggering. Some of the topics touched upon in the film include Doctor Doom's painful history and his relations to the Fantastic Four and the reason behind his attacks on the superheroes, as well as his amazing powers demonstrated in one particular scene that allows him to defeat Thor effortlessly. What is significant this time is that besides the Avengers and the Fantastic Four, the X-Men will also feature in the film, which shows that Marvel is planning another blockbuster crossover.
In Avengers: Doomsday, heroes from all parts of the Marvel universe battle against a threat unlike any faced so far, putting them on the brink of destruction. This conflict is centered around the character of Victor von Doom played by Robert Downey Jr. The latest footage suggests that the change of Victor is not just a result of his thirst for power. The character of Sue Storm played by Vanessa Kirby clarifies that Victor was a good man with a big heart and intelligence as long as he had something to love and care for. The loss of something important changes Victor forever.
The film footage then shows Victor looking at a tapestry depicting his wife and son, hinting that his family has a significant role in figuring out the reasons for Victor's actions. Then the video shifts to pure superhero content. Doom finds himself facing some of Marvel's most powerful characters, including Thor, while the appearance of Sentinels further connects the film to the X-Men. Although the specifics concerning the interaction between different factions in the ongoing superhero film have not been divulged as yet, one thing to say for sure is that Marvel has laid the groundwork for an epic confrontation between them.
Positive Points
The key advantage of the new episode is Robert Downey Jr.'s performance as Doctor Doom. Being related to Tony Stark for more than 10 years, Downey Jr.'s acting in a totally disparate role in the MCU seems to be quite captivating indeed. More importantly, it becomes apparent that Marvel is not considering Doctor Doom merely as a villain.
There’s so much suffering surrounding the character of Doctor Doom. His family and his past history with Reed Richards also play a role in his reasoning behind the actions taken by him. Therefore, the character’s narrative has much more emotional weight in comparison with the usual story dealing with an evil character at war against the world.
Another interesting episode is connected with the character of Thor. Chris Hemsworth’s Thor attacks Doctor Doom with a special weapon called Stormbreaker; however, Doom manages to dodge the weapon simply with two fingers. For a character who has survived battles against some of the MCU's strongest enemies, Thor being handled so easily immediately establishes Doom as a serious threat.
The quote “Hell answers to me” contributes to the intimidating aura of this character. There’s also another impressive aspect of this movie – its scale. The Avengers, The Fantastic Four, and the X-Men coming together is something that we, Marvel fans, have long wanted to see. It is interesting that the Sentinels’ presence in this video implies that the X-Men will not be just introduced. Their role can be major in this conflict.
Negative Points
The greatest problem is the potential overestimate of the film's capacity to deliver. Given the considerable number of characters from different superhero teams, it will be quite challenging to give any particular character enough screen time to be meaningful. Doomsday must masterly coordinate the Avengers, Fantastic Four, X-Men, and a number of old-timers and establish Doctor Doom’s storyline at the same time.
There is a chance that the emotional aspect of Doom's persona could become overly convoluted. While the reality of his childhood is intriguing, Marvel must make sure that his reasoning is backed up instead of just being hit by several calamities leading him to become a villain.
Although it is great to see Downey Jr. return, the return may also bring about complications. While it is exciting to see Downey Jr. again, his return might lead to some problems, too. The actor's strong association with Iron Man might make it difficult for viewers to draw the line between Downey Jr. and Tony Stark, so the film has to invest enough in Victor Von Doom's character to make him stand out. The overall scope of action can be detrimental to the movie because it might focus too much on the visual aspects of the movie and neglect character development.
Overall: The newly released footage of Avengers: Doomsday has definitely increased expectations. Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom appears to be a real threat, while the backstory given to him adds to the complexity of the character. There is a chance that the emotional aspect of Doom's persona could become overly convoluted. While the reality of his childhood is intriguing, Marvel must make sure that his reasoning is backed up instead of just being hit by several calamities leading him to become a villain. Although it is great to see Downey Jr. return, the return may also bring about complications.
