A Marvel fan thinks they've worked out how Robert Downey Jr will return to the MCU as Doctor Doom, thanks to Deadpool and Wolverine

Someone thinks they've worked out how Robert Downey Jr will play Doctor Doom , and it's all thanks to newly released Deadpool and Wolverine .

Shortly after Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige and Avengers directors Joe and Anthony Russo announced at this year's San Diego Comic-Con that Downey was returning to the MCU as a different character , fans started speculating as to how it would be explained in the movies. Some pointed out that Doom is rarely seen without his mask, anyway, so it wouldn't necessarily matter that he shares Tony Stark's face, while others suggested he could be a Doombot.

The most common theory, though, is that he'll be a variant; a theory that Twitter user Aaron S Bailey took and ran with. "It's revealed that Tony was the 'anchor being' of the Sacred Timeline," he begins , explaining how he thinks things will play out. "The 616 universe is now dying and to solve this problem the Avengers pull a Stark variant into their universe. They slowly realize he's not the Stark they hoped for and he's actually Doctor Doom."

In Deadpool and Wolverine, Wade Wilson (Ryan Reynolds) learns that the 'anchor being' of his universe, Earth-10005, was Logan, and since the clawed mutant's death, it's been slowly vanishing from existence. What's worse, rogue TVA agent Paradox (Matthew Macfayden) has grown tired of watching it fade out at a glacial pace, so has built a machine that'd extinguish it in an instant – and he plans on using it in 72 hours time.

In an effort to stop him, Wade hops between timelines trying to find a replacement Logan, and winds up meeting the cranky, drunken, guilt-ridden Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) in the title.

While it seems like a plausible theory, we can't help but wonder whether it's a little too close to Deadpool and Wolverine's plot for Marvel to go for it. Only time will tell. As it stands, it's unclear when Downey's Doom will make his first appearance on screen, though we do know he'll definitely show up in Avengers: Doomsday, which is due out in May 2026, and its sequel.

Deadpool and Wolverine is in cinemas now. For more, check out all the upcoming Marvel movies and shows on the way, as well as our guide to how to watch the Marvel movies in order .