Hate the MCU changing Marvel Comics lore? Blame Robert Downey Jr. and Iron Man

The MCU could be about to make huge comic book changes with the casting of Robert Downey Jr. Iron Man established the precedent. Iron Man Launched the MCU into the stratosphere in 2008, preceding nearly two decades of iconic Marvel Comics adaptations that are still going strong with Deadpool & Wolverine His last triumph. Nevertheless, it is impossible to ignore the clear effect that the departure of Robert Downey Jr. On the MCU.

This led many to assume that the MCU return of Robert Downey Jr. is orchestrated to help recapture the incredible success of the Infinity Saga. While this is the most cynical reasoning behind Marvel’s decision to recast RDJ, there’s no denying that someone who is arguably the MCU’s most famous contributor embodying a role as iconic as Doctor Doom raises many questions about how faithfully the franchise can adapt Doom in 2026. Avengers: Doomsday. The fact, however, is that Marvel is capable of making changes to established lore for the better.

Marvel isn’t afraid of changing comics stories

The MCU alters multiple origin stories

The MCU is generally faithful to its comic book origins, especially when it comes to character design. The latest example of this can be found in Deadpool & Wolverine. Whereas the X-Men franchise was hesitant to faithfully depict the titular team in their classic costumes, even going so far as to address the changes with a cynical joke from Cyclops, it took a migration to the MCU for Wolverine to finally don his classic Yellow. And blue suits complete with shades for his claws. 24 years after Wolverine debuted in live action, the decision was a storm.

even after The MCU is no stranger to taking creative liberties. Just a few examples of his alterations to established lore include the origins of the Maximoff twins, the origins of the Infinity Stones and the minutia of their powers, and the various situations that saw Tony Stark fill the shoes of Hank Pym, such as with The creation of Ultron. The results of these minor changes speak for themselves, with the Infinity Saga game hosting 9 of the MCU’s 11 billion-dollar movies.

These alterations arguably ramped up in the Multiverse Saga. Kamala Hans’s powers and mutant genes were revealed in her debut series and flew in the face of her comic book origins. Namor, meanwhile, is practically an original character when you compare his MCU and comic book iterations. Unfortunately, the new directions also resulted in the MCU’s worst-rated series, as it morphed the story on which Secret invasion was based on an unrecognizable degree, while MODOK was also changed for the worse.

All of this shows how changing comic book lore is par for the course in the MCU as an active creative decision. At various times, Marvel creatives, including James Gunn, have broken cover to defend the changes to the source material as simply doing what was best for their own stories. Ignoring the sanctity of the comics is now part of Marvel’s playbook, and it all goes back to one unplanned moment that changed everything.

Marvel’s comics changes all trace back to Iron Man

“I Am Iron Man” was a bold change

The truth is that Marvel laid down its stall from the jump. The influence of Iron Man on the superhero genre in general is clear, with the incredible success of the MCU turning what was once an obscure Marvel hero into one of the most illustrious. The ending of Iron Man, which saw Tony Stark confidently reveal himself to the world, was brazen enough to make it seem as if Iron Man had always been a sincere hero – but that was not the case. actually, The line was ad-libbed by Robert Downey Jr. And set a new standard that was then actively taken up by Marvel Studios.

Marvel’s decision to end its debut movie with such a stark contribution from established comic books was bold, especially after scoring such a win with its expert casting. Until then, superheroes keeping a secret identity was one of the biggest superhero tropes, which is why Tony Stark’s iconic closing line was so full of impact for casual moviegoers. It’s become so iconic, however, that it can be easy to forget how much it diverted from comic book precedent, and that the MCU was willing to do that from the start.

And none of what followed was accidental. As Kevin Feige told Deadline in 2018, Robert Downey Jr’s ad-lib and divergence from the comics gave the studio the confidence to change other stories that followed it:

“The success [of Iron Man‘s twist ending] inspired us [at Marvel Studios] To go further in trusting yourself to find a balance of staying true to the comics and the spirit of the comics, but not being afraid to adapt and evolve and change things.

It is acceptable that Robert Downey Jr is once again at the center of what could be a significant comic book departure. The MCU’s decision to cast the MCU icon as its Doctor Doom has sparked several theories, with the idea that he is playing a Tony Stark variant chief among them, while evoking concerns that Marvel will have to detract from Doom at least a little s established comic book. . Whether this will be the case remains to be seen, but perhaps the concerns may be somewhat overblown.

There are actually positives to Marvel changing original stories

The MCU changes worked well (for the most part)

Marvel has proven that swinging changes from original stories are generally beneficial. When it comes to doom, It can be reassuring to reflect on how much the MCU has altered ThanosA villain that remains his most consequential and one of his most beloved. Eliminating such paraphernalia from his arsenal as his Thanos-copter and changing his personality to be a dispassionate and somewhat sympathetic villain from a normally sadistic and power-hungry one made him immensely compelling. The MCU has also wisely changed Thanos’ motives away from an obsession with Mistress Death.

Changing the origins of Ultron, Scarlet Witch, and Quicksilver are also positive examples of how minor changes to comic book lore can be beneficial because it ties them more closely to the larger narrative. Wanda and Pietro’s connection to the Mind Stone adds more compelling complexity to the Avengers’ relationship with the Infinity Stones, and Wanda’s relationship with Vision in particular. Meanwhile, the creation of Ultron has become a cornerstone of Tony Stark’s iconic MCU story, and may still impact Doom, again from the wider narrative of the MCU.

That’s not to say, of course, that there weren’t some mistakes. Iron Man 3‘s infamous carpet-drag with the Mandarin warranted a quick recon one year later Like these All hail the king One-shot established that the real Mandarin was completely removed from Trevor Slattery and Aldrich Killian, although he would tragically never come to blows with his rival, Iron Man. The conspicuous absence of Uncle Ben, meanwhile, remains a sticking point for Spider-Man fans aware of how important the character is to his identity.

Ultimately, there’s no way to know what Marvel intends to do with Doctor Doom until more details are revealed Avengers: Doomsday come out The ball may start rolling with The Fantastic Four: First StepsBecause Doom is so closely tied to the team in the comics, even though RDJ’s involvement in the movie has yet to be confirmed. There is a lot to be said, however, for the unpredictability of Doom’s future, with the precedent of creative license established in Iron Man Ensuring that even a deep knowledge of the comics cannot reveal exactly what’s to come.