Robert Downey Jr. and Pedro Pascal swapped superhero identities for Halloween, posting a video of the two Marvel co-stars in each other’s costumes weeks before their showdown in “Avengers: Doomsday.” Downey, who plays the villain Doctor Doom, wore the blue Fantastic Four suit with a number 4 on the chest and a white utility belt.
Pascal made that outfit famous as Reed Richards in “The Fantastic Four: First Steps.” Pascal returned the favor in a cape, a green hooded sweatshirt and a silver Doom mask, which he pushed up onto his head in several shots. Downey posted the clip on Instagram with a two-word caption: “Costume swap!” Pascal is visibly laughing beside him.
The gag lands because the film pits the pair against each other. Doom is Richards’s arch-enemy in the comics. Downey’s casting as the villain, announced at San Diego Comic-Con in 2024 with the line “New mask, same task,” brought him back to a franchise he launched in 2008 as Iron Man.
Fans responded with praise for the accuracy of Downey’s Reed Richards suit. Others read hidden clues into Pascal’s hoodie, which appears to carry an M.I.T. logo. One viewer on X suggested it points to a shared college past for the two characters, a theory no one at Marvel has confirmed.
The mood contrasts with the reaction to Downey’s return. Many fans met the news of his comeback in a new role with mixed feelings, and some wanted Tony Stark back. Pascal faced his own backlash over his casting as Reed Richards, with critics questioning his age and physique. He has said Downey phoned to support him during that period.
The two have grown close on set. Downey hosted the cast at his home for what he called “homework days,” where actors rehearsed scenes together. Pascal has teased his co-star with the nickname “Daddy Doomsday.” The film carries a cast of more than 60, including Anthony Mackie’s Captain America, Letitia Wright’s Shuri and Sebastian Stan’s Bucky Barnes. It opens in December.
