The first Avengers: Doomsday trailer has finally released online after months of fevered anticipation, and with it the first snippet of Robert Downey Jr.'s performance as Doctor Doom. But despite the many thrilling teases (Loki! Mystique! Herbie!), all anyone can talk about is RDJ's 'Latverian' accent.
The trailer opens with an ominous bit of Doom narration: "Something's coming, something we may not be able to deter. Before this day is done, we should be faced with an unthinkable decision," delivered in pseudo-Eastern European speech. While it's only two sentences, it gives a pretty clear sense of what Downey Jr. is going for with Doom, and it couldn't be more different from his iconic Tony Stark delivery.
"RDJ's Doom voice is actually really good," one fan began on Reddit. "It's like people forgot that RDJ is an actual, serious, versatile, Oscar-caliber actor and not just Tony Stark," added another – a damning statement given it's only 2 years since he swept awards season for his role in Oppenheimer. "His heavy accent made me so happy because I was worried they're just gonna pull a Stark mk.2," notes another, a fair point and one Marvel should get credit for.
Not everyone is convinced, though. "Bro is giving his best Nandor the Relentless," says one fan, landing a near-fatal blow. Nandor, if you don't know, is one of the comedy vampires from What We Do in the Shadows. Let's just say the comparison isn't meant as a compliment. Plenty of fans don't even seem to have realized that is RDJ speaking, which may be a good thing or a bad thing depending on your perspective.
Either way, Downey Jr. and Marvel are clearly taking a big swing with Doctor Doom, who's leading the villainous charge in both Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars. Tickets for 'Infinity Vision' screenings of the 39th Marvel movie are now on sale, and there's a new Avengers: Doomsday synopsis as well, teasing "an existential threat unlike anything ever encountered" and a film that will "lay the foundation for the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe."
Alongside Robert Downey Jr., Doomsday's stacked cast includes Chris Hemsworth as Thor, Chris Evans as Steve Rogers, and several Fox-era X-Men, including Patrick Stewart's Professor X, Ian McKellen's Magneto and James Marsden's Cyclops. The new Fantastic Four and Thunderbolts will also appear, as well as the Wakandans and Loki, who is notably not sitting at the base of Yggdrasil in the trailer.
Avengers: Doomsday releases in theaters on December 18. For more on Marvel Phase 6, check out our guide to all the upcoming Marvel movies and shows.
