Josh Brolin Weighs In on Who Would Win in a Fight Between Thanos and Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom
Few debates have kept Marvel fans arguing as long as the question of who is the franchise’s ultimate villain. For more than a decade, one purple-skinned Titan wore that crown without much competition. Now, with a new big bad on the horizon, a Thanos and Doctor Doom fight has become the matchup everyone wants to settle.
Thanos was the main antagonist of ‘Avengers: Infinity War’ and ‘Avengers: Endgame’, wiping out half of Earth’s population before meeting his end. Tony Stark gave his life to snap the Mad Titan and his army out of existence. Now Robert Downey Jr., the actor who played Tony, returns to the MCU as Victor von Doom in ‘Avengers: Doomsday’.
The man who played Thanos has now been asked directly. At New York Comic Con 2026, Rotten Tomatoes asked Josh Brolin whether he would like to see Thanos square off with Doctor Doom. He said that, having shared that kind of scenario with Downey before, he would love to see a different version of it, and he asked who wouldn’t want to watch.
When pressed on who would actually win, Brolin refused to pick a side. He suggested it doesn’t matter what he says at this point and urged fans to leave the outcome a mystery.
Brolin was in town promoting ‘Whalefall’, in which he plays the father of Austin Abrams’ scuba diver. He also told Polygon that any confrontation with Downey appeals to him. He added that he loves that his old co-star took on the role and that he can’t wait to see ‘Doomsday’.
Could we see Thanos vs. Doom? 👀 #Whalefall star Josh Brolin reveals he’d love to face off against Robert Downey Jr. again in an epic showdown! https://t.co/7ZnF7ZiuaY https://t.co/VZbEDuTsTb
— Fandango (@Fandango) October 18, 2026
Comic fans already have a firm answer. In the 2015 ‘Secret Wars’ storyline, Doom absorbs the powers of the Beyonders and rules Battleworld as God Emperor Doom. When Thanos challenges his authority, Doom kills him by tearing out his spine and skull.
The movie version may not be so cut and dried. GamesRadar argued that a Doom at normal power levels would have a tough time against an unarmed Thanos and little chance against one holding the Infinity Gauntlet. The same analysis predicted that Marvel could still let Doom win decisively, simply to show how dangerous its new villain is.
For now there is no official word. Thanos is not expected to appear in ‘Doomsday’, and Brolin is not part of the announced cast. A rumor claimed he was in talks to come back, likely for ‘Avengers: Secret Wars’, but Marvel hasn’t said anything.
Still, the speculation keeps growing. Marketing for ‘Doomsday’ has teased that Doom defeated Thanos in another reality. ‘Avengers Endgame: Encore’ also showed Doom traveling the multiverse and recruiting powerful figures, which makes a Thanos variant a plausible addition.
Brolin has kept the door open without walking through it. He has said Thanos would need to fit the story if he returned, and at NYCC he answered a question about ‘Doomsday’ with a noncommittal maybe. He also told ComicBook that if a return happens, it happens, and that he loved playing the role.
He used to be different. Avengers: Doomsday arrives in theaters everywhere December 18. Get your tickets now: https://t.co/J5PUbxvAkc https://t.co/OUutSMZneq
— Marvel Studios (@MarvelStudios) August 15, 2026
‘Avengers: Doomsday’ arrives in theaters on December 18. It pits the Avengers, Fantastic Four, X-Men and Wakandans against Downey’s Doctor Doom. ‘Avengers: Secret Wars’ follows on December 17, 2027, which is when many fans expect any Thanos showdown to land, if it ever does.
Until then, Brolin’s playful non-answer is the perfect fuel for the debate. By refusing to crown a winner, he has handed fans permission to keep arguing. And with Doom set to inherit Thanos’ title as the Avengers’ greatest enemy, the question of which one is stronger isn’t going away.
Who do you think would win this epic showdown?
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