20 years ago, Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom casting was actually foreshadowed in a niche Marvel show

Iron Man and Doctor Doom are more linked than you might initially think. Robert Downey Jr. of course plays both characters in the MCU, after his casting was announced at San Diego Comic-Con 2024. However, it seems they've been mistaken for each other in another adaptation too, 20 years ago.

One Marvel fan noticed this on Reddit and shared a screenshot from the series Fantastic Four: World's Greatest Heroes. Alongside it, they wrote: "This show was 20 years ahead of its time. They foreshadowed it back in 2006."

This show was 20 years ahead of it's time. They foreshadowed it back in 2006 from r/marvelstudios

The scene in question sees a taxi driver speaking to a disguised Doctor Doom in his back seat. "Hey, you're that Iron Man guy, ain't cha?" he says before Doom replies: "Why yes. Yes I am."

Fans have been loving the detail in their replies as one wrote, "Kevin Feige you’ve done it again" while a second added, "Back before RDJ was even cast as Iron Man. Wow." A third added: "Omg how freaky."

Interesting, there is some history of connections between the pair in the comics too. For a time Victor Von Doom actually took up the mantle of Iron Man. This happened in the 2016 comic the Infamous Iron Man written by Brian Michael Bendis in the aftermath of Secret Wars. You can read more about it in our handy explainer here.

For more on all things MCU, check out our guides to all the upcoming Marvel movies and shows as well as our breakdown of how to watch the Marvel movies in order.