Iron Man might no longer be with Us, but Robert Downey Jr. isn’t done with the Marvel franchise just yet.
During Marvel’s Hall H panel at San Diego Comic-Con on Saturday, July 27, it was announced that Downey, 59, would portray comic book character Doctor Doom in Avengers: Doomsday. Brothers Anthony and Joe Russo, who directed Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, will be back to helm the upcoming film and the following Avengers: Secret Wars.
“As proof of the unimaginable possibilities in the Marvel multiverse, we give you the one person who could play Victor Von Doom,” Joe, 53, said during the panel, per social media footage.
The Russos were joined on the stage by an array of cloaked, masked individuals. In the middle stood Downey, who removed his costume to announce the news.
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“What did I tell ya? I like playing complicated characters,” Downey quipped.
The Hall H crowd went nuts for Downey, completely surprised by the reveal. The news also shocked Florence Pugh, who is set to reprise her character of Yelena in Thunderbolts* after appearing in Black Widow and Hawkeye. (Pugh also appeared in Oppenheimer with Downey.)
“I didn’t see this,” a shell-shocked Pugh, 28, told Variety on the red carpet at SDCC. “I bet it went insane in there!”
Downey was one of the first actors to star in an MCU film, playing Tony Stark/Iron Man in the eponymous 2008 origin film. He reprised the role in two more solo films and multiple Avengers team-ups. At the end of Endgame, Tony Stark was one of the few OG heroes who perished in the aftermath of Thanos’ snap.
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Downey, now an Oscar winner for his role in Oppenheimer, previously teased that he could be interested in returning to his superhero roots. In an April Esquire profile, Downey said he would “happily” sign onto another MCU project.
“It’s too integral a part of my DNA. That role chose me,” he gushed. “And look, I always say, ‘Never, ever bet against Kevin Feige. It is a losing bet. He’s the house. He will always win.’”
Feige, 51, has also been open about Downey’s potential return.
“We’ve been spending, you know, the last two-plus years figuring that out for Wolverine,” the president of Marvel Studios told Discussing Film earlier this month, referring to Hugh Jackman’s X-Men character appearing in the latest Deadpool movie. “So, what’s to come? We’ll see. We’re just proud that we, I think, have figured it out for Wolverine.”
He continued, “I think Hugh’s appearance and starring role in [Deadpool & Wolverine] is a great sign that it can be done — if great care is taken.”
Avengers: Doomsday is due in theaters in May 2026 and Avengers: Secret Wars is expected in May 2027.
