Marvel Shares First Look at Robert Downey Jr. (Doctor Doom) On Avengers: Doomsday Set (Photos)

Robert Downey Jr. debuted a new eye-popping haircut in one of the first official images from the Avengers: Doomsday set. Downey Jr. is set to come back to the MCU next May, returning to the franchise to play a Multiversal take on the iconic Marvel Comics villain Doctor Doom. 

A new image taken on the set of Avengers: Doomsay revealed that Doctor Doom actor Robert Downey Jr. has shaved his head for the upcoming film. This marks the first taste of Downey's take on the beloved big bad set to debut in the next Avengers movie, as it could point to where the franchise will take Doom in his MCU debut. 

The picture comes by way of fellow Doomsday co-star Simu Liu, who shared the group shot on his Instagram Story. It shows Liu alongside several Avengers cast members, including Downey, Channing Tatum, Anthony Mackie, and Chris Hemsworth. 

This is one of the first official looks from the Doomsday set fans have gotten.

The image was included with another picture of several members of the Avengers ensemble, including Downey sitting down to watch the latest MCU epic Thunderbolts*. In that picture, he is also sporting the buzzed look.

Funnily enough, Downey's buzz cut is not the first time fans have thought they have gotten a sneak peek at what his Doctor Doom character will look like in the movie. The Doom actor was seen sporting a wild, wind-swept look in an image taken just before the production started. 

Avengers: Doomsday will notably see the longtime MCU actor returning to the super-powered world; however, instead of reprising his role as the father of the MCU, Tony Stark, he will play a villain role as the mysterious Doctor Doom. 

Directed by The Russo Brothers (best known for their work on Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame), the upcoming big-screen team-up is set to swoop into theaters on May 1, 2026, setting up an epic finale to the ongoing Multiverse Saga in 2027's Avengers: Secret Wars. 

Why Is Robert Downey Jr.'s Shaved Head a Big Deal?

How the MCU would differentiate Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom from his Tony Stark/Iron Man has long been a topic of conversation among Marvel Studios fans, and this first look at the actor on the Doomsday set may give away how that will ultimately come together. 

Changing his hairstyle is the easiest way to make the character immediately unique. Since 2008, Downey has traditionally been seen in the super-powered franchise, sporting his perfectly quaffed, slicked-back hair where every strand felt perfectly placed. 

This shaved look better reflects the ruthless warlord energy that Doctor Doom exudes, making the actor stand out from his past appearances in the long-running series. 

Seeing as the character is often only ever seen from behind his metallic mask, the shaved head could be in order to make fitting the mask Downey's character will be wearing for much of the movie easier to slip on and off in production. 

Some have speculated that the shaved look could also be the first indication that Downey's Victor Von Doom will be wearing a wig in the movie.

While it could be fun for Downey to rock some crazy shoulder-length hairpiece, seeing as Doom's hair is often short and straightforward in the comics, this seems highly unlikely at this point.