Actor makes Marvel return after his turn as Tony Stark aka Iron Man
Robert Downey Jr. is returning to the Marvel universe for two Avengers movies. Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige announced the news during Marvel’s panel at San Diego Comic-Con on Saturday, as The Hollywood Reporter reports. Feige also revealed that the Russo brothers would direct the next Avengers film.
The upcoming films are Avengers: Doomsday, set to arrive in May 2026, and Avengers: Secret Wars, which is expected in May 2027.
“If we’re going to bring Doctor Doom to the screen — he is one of the most complex characters, most entertaining characters in all of fiction,” said Joe Russo during the panel. “If we’re going to do this … then we are going to need the greatest actor in the world.” He added: “As proof of the unimaginable possibilities of the Marvel Universe, we give you the one person who could play Victor von Doom…” before Downey joined Feige and the Russo brothers on stage.
Downey starred as the titular character in 2008’s Iron Man and reprised his role as Iron Man, aka Tony Stark, for 10 films within the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He will now play a villain of the Fantastic Four. “Same mask, new task,” Downey told the audience at Comic-Con.
Two years ago, Feige had announced a new direction for Avengers 5, with plans for Avengers: The Kang Dynasty, which was supposed to star Jonathan Majors as Kang. In December, Majors was convicted of assaulting his ex-girlfriend, with a jury finding him guilty of harassment in the second degree and misdemeanor assault in the third degree, and he was dumped from the project minutes after the verdict.
The Russo brothers have had a winning run on Marvel films with 2019’s Avengers: Endgame, the second-biggest selling film of all-time, and they also helmed 2014’s Captain America: Winter Soldier, 2016’s Captain America: Civil War, and 2018’s Avenger: Infinity War.
Downey has had a big year thus far. His portrayal of United States Secretary of Commerce Lewis Strauss in Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer earned him his first Oscar, winning Best Supporting Actor in March. He also earned an Emmy nomination for his role in HBO’s The Sympathizer.
