Robert Downey Jr. is returning to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Only this time he won’t wear the red-and-gold mask of Marvel’s heroic philanthropist Iron Man, but rather the titanium one of the mystic scientist Doctor Doom, one of Marvel’s most notorious villains.
“New mask, same task,” Downey said on his return. “What can I tell you? I like playing complicated characters.”
On Saturday, Marvel Studios announced from San Diego Comic-Con that Downey would return to the MCU. Downey’s return was announced moments after Joe and Anthony Russo, directors of “Avengers: Infinity War” and “Avengers: Endgame,” were tapped to direct the next two superhero crossover movies in “Avengers: Doomsday” and “Avengers: Secret Wars,” which are expected to be released in May 2026 and May 2027, respectively.
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“Doomsday” replaces “The Kang Dynasty” as the fifth “Avengers” film, and Doom will seemingly take over villain duties for Kang the Conqueror, who was previously played by Jonathan Majors. Marvel cut ties with Majors after he was found guilty on charges of assault and harassment in December.
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“Secret Wars,” meanwhile, will probably draw from multiple comic book series of the same title. In 2015, Jonathan Hickman’s run of “Avengers” comics culminated with a rebooted “Secret Wars” storyline, where multiple universes were destroyed, and the remnants gathered on a world controlled by, you guessed it, Doctor Doom. So that appears to be where the MCU is headed.
It’s unclear if Downey will play a version of Tony Stark/Iron Man from another universe that turns heel, or specifically Victor Von Doom. (The Disney press release identified him as “Victor Von Doom” but jury is still out on that since, you know, it’s comic books.) The Marvel comics have plenty of stories that connect Iron Man and Doctor Doom to pick from for the adaptation (there’s even a funky story where Tony Stark becomes Doom and Doom becomes Iron Man). Doom also spends plenty of time behind a mask, so that might erase any potential confusion over his likeness to the Stark character.
On social media, Downey’s return was met with mixed feelings. Some fans expressed disappointment that Marvel decided to bring Downey back to the MCU considering his heart-wrenching send-off as Tony Stark in “Endgame.” Others suggested that having one of Marvel’s biggest names returning to the franchise could be a boost amid a recent spell of poor box office performances.
“Totally get why the RDJ as Doctor Doom announcement isn’t woohoo for everyone. I think it’s neat and could be something special,” wrote Jordan Maison, editor of pop culture website Cinelinx on X.
The decision to bring back the Russos ends the years-long search for a new “Avengers” director. The Russos pack a deep Marvel résumé, having directed MCU standouts 2014’s “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” and 2016’s “Captain America: Civil War.” Their biggest success stories were “Infinity War” and “Endgame,” which merged more than a dozen characters into one story to resounding success, grossing more than $2 billion each. “Endgame,” released in 2019, remains the No. 2 movie of all time globally at $2.79 billion — behind only James Cameron’s “Avatar.”
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In addition to Downey’s announcement and the Russo return, Marvel unveiled details about three of its next films: “Captain America: Brave New World,” “Thunderbolts*” and “The Fantastic Four: First Steps.” Comic-Con attendees shared notes and videos from the showcase on social media, including Harrison Ford’s Red Hulk from the new “Captain America” film and the first glimpse at the Fantastic Four’s superhero costumes and their villain — the planet-eating Galactus.
Marvel’s massive announcements happened amid a big box office weekend for the studio. “Deadpool and Wolverine,” the 34th MCU installment featuring Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman, earned an estimated $438 million globally at the box office over the weekend. Its $205 million domestic opening total was the most for an R-rated film in history, not adjusted for inflation. The film’s domestic opening total finished ahead of 2018’s “Black Panther” ($202 million) but slightly behind 2012’s “The Avengers” ($207 million).
Downey’s return and the success of “Deadpool and Wolverine” indicate that Marvel doesn’t mind leaning into nostalgia, especially at a time when the company has experienced some of its biggest box office misses and critical pain points. There’s still a long time before the MCU’s next “Avengers” films arrive in theaters, but it’s clear Marvel is keeping one eye on the future and one on the past as it seeks stability.
