Robert Downey Jr. As Doctor Doom Will Melt Your Face Off, Says Simu Liu

Simu Liu just teased what it was like stepping onto the Avengers: Doomsday set, and it sounds like a kid-in-a-candy-store situation with a healthy dose of nerves. Also: his take on Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom is basically, prepare to have your face melted off.

Working with the Marvel lifers

Liu says shooting Doomsday surrounded by Marvel veterans felt surreal in the best way. Think dream job meets first-day jitters. The guy grew up admiring these actors, and now he is suiting up alongside them. That mix of awe and anxiety tracks.

These comments come from an interview first published by the Japanese outlet The River and translated into English. So the vibe is clear, even if a word or two may read a bit different in translation. The quotes started making the rounds after DiscussingFilm amplified them on September 2, 2025.

On Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom

Yes, Downey is back in the Marvel sandbox, but not as Tony Stark. He is swapping the arc reactor for a metal mask as Victor Von Doom. Liu could not stop talking about how generous and approachable Downey is on set — which is wild considering the guy spent a decade basically defining the MCU — and says he still takes the time to connect with everyone around him.

Everyone will be blown away by the way he tackles this new character.

Liu points to Downey’s range as the reason the Doom turn is going to hit hard. And reading between the lines, it sure sounds like Shang-Chi and Doom share screen time in this one.

What Avengers: Doomsday looks like right now

• Directors: Anthony and Joe Russo
• Cast: A big crossover of Marvel heroes and villains, with returning X-Men characters in the mix
• Release date: December 18, 2026
• Key swing: Robert Downey Jr. returns to Marvel as Doctor Doom after years as Iron Man
• Simu Liu’s read: Working with Marvel vets felt like a dream, with a side of anxiety; Downey’s Doom will blow people away

Meanwhile, Liu’s next gig

Outside the MCU juggernaut, Liu has a new movie, Last Breath, opening in Japan on September 26, 2025.

(The Doomsday interview details were originally reported in English by Anubhav Chaudhry at SuperHeroHype, from The River’s Japanese interview.)