Robert Downey Jr. Returns to MCU

Robert Downey Jr. is making his comeback in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), but this time he won’t be reprising his role as Iron Man/Tony Stark. Instead, he’ll be playing classic Fantastic Four villain Doctor Doom in “Avengers: Doomsday.”

Joe and Anthony Russo are also returning to Marvel to direct two new “Avengers” films. The duo is set to direct “Doomsday,” which introduces Victor von Doom/Doctor Doom, and “Avengers: Secret Wars.”

Downey’s return as the villain Victor von Doom came as a huge surprise to fans everywhere, including the excited crowd at Marvel’s San Diego Comic-Con presentation – where the news of his return was delivered in dramatic fashion. He made a triumphant appearance in Hall H on Saturday night.

Downey’s unveiling was almost ceremonial, with about two dozen men in olive drab robes and metallic masks resembling Doctor Doom joining Feige and the Russo Brothers onstage. “If we’re going to bring Doctor Doom to the screen — he’s one of the most complex and entertaining characters in all of fiction,” Joe Russo said. “To do that, we need the best actor in the world.”

He continued: “As a testament to the limitless possibilities within the Marvel Universe, we present the one person who can play Victor von Doom…”

A masked man in a green suit then stepped forward and revealed himself as Downey, standing proudly and ready to receive the adoration. The reaction was immediate, the audience erupting in cheers and excitement at the sudden revelation.

“Avengers: Doomsday” is expected to hit theaters in May 2026.

Downey rose to popularity as the super-genius and playboy actor Tony Stark in 2008’s “Iron Man,” the first film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, created by Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige.

Over the next 11 years, Downey reprised the role in 10 Marvel films, including “Iron Man 2,” “Iron Man 3,” “The Incredible Hulk,” “The Avengers,” “Captain America: Civil War,” “Avengers: Age of Ultron,” “Spider-Man: Homecoming,” “Avengers: Infinity War” and “Avengers: Endgame.”

The announcement that Downey will play Victor von Doom caps a remarkable year for the actor. In March, he won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Lewis Strauss in Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer.”

More recently, Downey appeared in Park Chan-wook’s HBO miniseries “The Sympathizer,” playing CIA agent Claude and several other characters. He was nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or Anthology.