Anthony Mackie Says “It Wasn’t” Robert Downey Jr. He Was Fighting on the Set of AVENGERS: DOOMSDAY

Anthony Mackie just gave Marvel fans something to laugh about, and possibly something to argue over, after revealing that the Doctor Doom he fought on the set of Avengers: Doomsdaywasn't actually Robert Downey Jr.

Downey is making his big MCU comeback as Doctor Doom, trading Tony Stark's Iron Man armor for one of Marvel's most dangerous villains. With the Avengers, Fantastic Four, X-Men, and the forces of Wakanda and Talokan facing a multiverse-threatening catastrophe, Doom is looking to take advantage of the destruction and build a new reality under his control.

Naturally, fans are dying to see what happens when Downey's Doom goes up against Earth's Mightiest Heroes, especially Sam Wilson's Captain America.

During a recent interview with ET, Mackie was asked whether going toe-to-toe with Downey as Doctor Doom was as epic as fans might imagine. His response was hilarious: “Well, no, because, like, it wasn’t him; Robert don’t fight! No! Hell no!”

That's one way to kill the Hollywood magic! Mackie was clearly having some fun with the question, but he also wasn't pretending Downey was out there throwing punches in a metal suit. That's what stunt performers are for, and Marvel has plenty of experience making its superheroes look badass without putting its biggest stars through every fight sequence.

Downey spent years playing Iron Man, a character whose action scenes relied heavily on CGI. Much of his work involved recording dialogue and facial performances for scenes inside Tony Stark's helmet, while digital effects handled the armored action.

Doctor Doom could work in a similar way. With the character spending plenty of time concealed behind a metal mask, a stunt performer can handle the physical combat while Downey takes care of the scenes that require his face and performance.

Of course, Mackie's comment doesn't confirm exactly how Marvel is filming Doom's action sequences, but it wouldn't be surprising if the studio used the same tricks that helped bring Iron Man to life.

When Mackie got a little more serious, he talked about what makes these massive Marvel productions enjoyable for the actors, particularly the opportunity to reconnect with people they haven't worked with in years.

“Look, you know, these movies, they’re like summer camp, Mackie said. You know, everybody comes together, and it’s like, ‘Oh, how have you been? Oh, you have a kid now. Oh, wow, you’re married now!’ It’s just one of those things where you just catch up with everybody.”

Interestingly, Mackie didn't specifically mention Downey among the familiar faces he reunited with during filming. That doesn't necessarily mean anything, but it does leave fans wondering how much time the two actors actually spent working together.

There's still plenty Marvel is keeping under wraps about Doom's role in Avengers: Doomsday and how his story will carry into Avengers: Secret Wars. One of the biggest questions is how Downey's return will play out when audiences know him as the guy who spent more than a decade saving the universe as Iron Man.

Now he's playing the guy who might tear it apart. Regardless of who's actually inside the Doctor Doom armor during those fight scenes, what matters is whether Downey can deliver a villain worthy of the massive expectations surrounding his return.

Avengers: Doomsday hits theaters on December 18, 2026.