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Robert Downey Jr. speaks onstage during the Marvel Studios panel in Hall H at SDCC in San Diego, California, on July 27, 2024.
CNN
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Robert Downey Jr. is returning to the Marvel Cinematic Universe — but it’s not what you think.
Instead of donning his legendary Iron Man suit again, the comic book character he played in over nine MCU films, he will play Doctor Doom in a new film titled “Avengers: Apocalypse.”
The news was announced Saturday at San Diego Comic-Con during the Marvel panel, when Downey Jr. revealed himself on stage in front of the crowd in the event’s largest venue, Hall H.
“New mask, same job,” Downey Jr. said, according to video footage posted online from inside Hall H. “What did I tell you? I like playing complicated characters.”
“Avengers: Doomsday” is set to hit theaters in May 2026, according to a press release. Anthony and Joe Russo, who have previously directed four Marvel films, will direct. The Russo brothers are also set to direct “Avengers: Secret Wars,” which is set for release in May 2027.
Joe Russo told the Hall H audience that bringing Downey Jr. back into the Marvel fold is “proof of the unimaginable possibilities at Marvel [Multiverse]” and that he is “the only person who could play Victor Von Doom.”
The Oscar winner has previously spoken about his openness to returning to the MCU, telling Esquire in April that he would “happily” return because the MCU “is such a big part of my DNA.”
Downey Jr. first played the comic book superhero Iron Man in the 2008 film of the same name, which spawned two sequels. He has also appeared in several Marvel franchise films, including 2018’s “Infinity Wars” and “Spider-Man: Homecoming.” (Year-old spoiler alert:) His character was killed off in 2019’s “Endgame.”
Since Marvel is always coy about the tricks it has up its sleeve, many questions remain about how the universe will balance Downey’s dual role — but the Marvel Multiverse is infinitely vast. (See: A Major Marvel Actor’s Smart Return to the MCU in “Deadpool & Wolverine.”)
“Avengers: Doomsday” will replace the previously announced “Avengers: The Kang Dynasty” on the MCU release schedule.
Jonathan Majors was set to star in “Avengers: The Kang Dynasty” in 2026, but was dropped by the studio after being found guilty of assault and harassment at a trial in 2023. Shortly after news of the verdict broke, a source with knowledge of the matter told CNN that Marvel Studios would not move forward with any future projects with Majors.
