- His Marvel comeback was facilitated through that means.
It was the buzz at Comic-Con in San Diego in July: Robert Downey Jr., age 59, is making a return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). However, he won't be reprising his role as former Avenger Tony Stark, also known as Iron Man. Instead, he'll be portraying a foe for the superhero team: Doctor Doom. In the podcast "Awards Chatter" from The Hollywood Reporter, downtown Jr. discussed how this return to the MCU came about.
He revealed that he and his wife Susan met with Kevin Feige, the MCU's head, last year. Feige brought up the idea, suggesting, "I keep thinking about what it would be like if you came back..."
But he didn't stop there. Feige pondered, "How do we avoid moving backwards? How can we not disappoint expectations? How can we continue to exceed them?" Then, he suggested Doctor Doom as a potential character for Downey Jr. to play. The Avengers' most iconic villain in the Marvel comics is none other than the mad scientist Doctor Doom. Downey Jr. was excited at the prospect and Feige added, "Let's really do Doctor Doom justice." And so, the return was likely solidified.
Doctor Doom as the future top antagonist in the MCU
Marvel is planning to introduce Doctor Doom, a.k.a. Victor von Doom, as the main villain for the Avengers. Initially, Kang was supposed to fill that role, but Kang's actor, Jonathan Majors, was found guilty of domestic violence in 2023.
"Avengers 5" dubbed "Doomsday" is scheduled to hit German cinemas on April 29, 2026. "Avengers 6" will follow approximately a year later on May 5, 2027.
Robert Downey Jr.'s enthusiasm for portraying Doctor Doom was evident during his conversation on "Awards Chatter," expressing his eagerness to do justice to the character. Fans are eagerly anticipating Downey Jr.'s return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe as the renowned villain in the upcoming "Avengers 5" and "Avengers 6."
