Robert Downey Jr., renowned for his iconic role as Iron Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, is set to return as Doctor Doom in an exciting new season. This revelation, coupled with the appearance of Doctor Doom on the leaked roadmap, positions him as a central antagonist in the upcoming content.
There is growing speculation about whether a Doctor Doom skin will feature Downey Jr.’s likeness. Historically, Marvel has refrained from using actor likenesses in its skins, particularly as seen with the Tom Hardy/Venom, Tom Holland/Spider-Man, and Zendaya/MJ skins, which are officially licensed from Sony. In contrast, characters from Disney’s MCU have not received similar treatments.
Fortnite already released a Doctor Doom skin during the Marvel-centric Chapter 2 Season 4, implying that any new iteration would need to be significantly different. A celebrity likeness could serve to distinguish a new version of Doctor Doom, akin to the way the recent Tom Holland Spider-Man skin was developed.
Furthermore, licensed skins have often seen limited availability; for instance, Sony’s Marvel characters have not been consistently available in-stores, with the Eddie Brock skin missing since late 2021. This could pose challenges for continual licensing renewals. Incorporating a skin within a battle pass could provide a practical solution, as these are exclusive for that season and cannot be renewed.
There’s also a history of battle pass skins featuring real persons’ likenesses, with the last being Khaby Lame in Chapter 4 Season 4. Given the current landscape, the introduction of another high-profile likeness could boost player engagement after a challenging summer season.
Despite the divisiveness of Season 3, expectations for the next season are varied. Previous Marvel seasons have delivered a variety of unique mythic items based on Marvel superpowers. According to sources, players can expect a new iteration of Wolverine’s claws, aligning with the tradition of pairing battle pass skins with mythic items. However, given the current state of the game, it remains to be seen if Epic Games will adjust this approach.
