Robert Downey Jr. is making a surprising return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) as Victor von Doom in the upcoming "Avengers: Doomsday," directed by Joe and Anthony Russo. The Russo brothers are set to direct two new "Avengers" movies: "Doomsday," featuring the debut of Victor von Doom, and "Avengers: Secret Wars."
Although Downey hinted at a potential Marvel return in recent interviews, many fans expected he would reprise his role as Iron Man/Tony Stark. His comeback as the villainous Victor von Doom has shocked the fandom, especially those attending Marvel’s presentation at San Diego Comic-Con. Downey made a triumphant appearance at Hall H on Saturday evening to announce his return.
Downey first appeared as the charismatic Tony Stark in 2008’s "Iron Man," which launched the MCU under Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige. Over the next 11 years, he played Stark 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."
"Iron Man" met his end in "Endgame," and Feige emphasized to Vanity Fair last December that they had no intention of undermining Stark's poignant farewell.
“We are going to keep that moment and not touch that moment again,” Feige stated regarding Iron Man’s death. “We all worked very hard for many years to get to that, and we would never want to magically undo it in any way.”
Downey’s return to Marvel as a new character, Victor von Doom, marks a fresh chapter. After his Oscar win for "Oppenheimer," where he portrayed Lewis Strauss, Downey expressed his enthusiasm for returning to the MCU. In an interview with Esquire magazine, he affirmed his willingness to come back.
“Happily. It’s too integral a part of my DNA,” Downey said. “That role chose me. And look, I always say, ‘Never, ever bet against Kevin Feige.’ It is a losing bet. He’s the house. He will always win.”
This news caps off a significant year for Downey. His role in "Oppenheimer" earned him the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor in March. Recently, he also starred in Park Chan-wook’s HBO miniseries "The Sympathizer," playing CIA operative Claude and several other characters, which garnered him an Emmy nomination for Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Anthology.