Did a 1970 Ozzy Osbourne Track Inspire Robert Downey Jr.'s Take on Doctor Doom?
Forget multiverse math—fans say the MCU’s wildest twist was hiding in a heavy metal classic, arguing that Black Sabbath’s Iron Man, with Ozzy Osbourne in the lineup, secretly maps Robert Downey Jr.’s path from hero to Doctor Doom in Avengers: Doomsday.
File this under: fun rumor, wild theory. There is a corner of the internet convinced Robert Downey Jr. will come back to the MCU as Doctor Doom in a movie reportedly titled Avengers: Doomsday, and somehow a 1970 Black Sabbath song called Iron Man supposedly predicted it. Yes, really.
The rumor: Iron Man becomes Doom
Fan chatter (helped along by a viral IG clip) claims Downey's Tony Stark will return as Victor Von Doom in Avengers: Doomsday. The hook: people think Black Sabbath's Iron Man basically mapped out Tony's journey from hero to villain decades ago. It's a catchy theory, but let's be clear about the timeline and the canon.
About that Black Sabbath 'prediction'
Black Sabbath released Iron Man in 1970 with Ozzy Osbourne on vocals. It is not about Marvel's character; it's a sci-fi story song. Fans are pointing to a few spooky overlaps with Tony Stark's arc: imagery about turning to metal, a guy traveling through time to save humanity, and a revenge-from-the-grave vibe. You can see why people connect the dots after Avengers: Endgame's time heist and Tony's death. But coincidence is not prophecy.
More importantly, the comic book Doctor Doom showed up way before that song. Doom first appears in The Fantastic Four #5 from 1962, and he's a completely separate character from Iron Man in the comics. So no, a 1970 track did not predict Iron Man becoming Doctor Doom eight years after Doom already existed as his own thing.
Who Doctor Doom actually is in the comics
If you need a refresher on Victor Von Doom's origin, it was detailed in 1964's Fantastic Four Annual #2. Short version: genius scientist, tragic family history, magic, scars, armor, dictator. Longer version:
- Victor Von Doom is born to Cynthia and Werner Von Doom; Cynthia practices sorcery and her soul ends up claimed by Mephisto.
- Victor earns a scholarship to a U.S. university, where he meets Reed Richards. He builds a machine to reach the dead and free his mother's soul.
- Reed warns Victor his math is off. Victor ignores him. The device explodes, scarring Victor's face and getting him expelled.
- He finds a hidden order of monks in Tibet, has them forge armor and an iron mask, and puts the mask on before it cools, worsening the scarring.
- Taking the name Doctor Doom, he returns to Latveria, overthrows the ruling noble, and installs himself as the country's iron-fisted leader.
Notice who is not part of that story: Tony Stark. In the comics, Doom is Doom, and Iron Man is Iron Man.
So what would the MCU even do with this?
If the rumor pans out and Downey returns as Doom in Avengers: Doomsday, the MCU would need to draw some very clear lines between Tony Stark and Victor Von Doom, likely via multiverse/variant shenanigans. That would not be the first major remix the films have done to comic lore, but it would be a big one.
For now, treat the Sabbath angle as a fun coincidence that happens to line up with Tony's time-travel heroics and post-Endgame status, not actual evidence of a villain turn. The movie itself is currently pegged for a December 18, 2026 theatrical release in the U.S., but the studio has not confirmed the 'Tony Stark is Doom' twist. Until someone official says otherwise, it's exactly what it sounds like: a fan theory with a great soundtrack.