Instead of stepping back into the legendary Iron Man suit, a character he portrayed in ten films, he will take on the role of the arch-villain Doctor Doom in a new movie titled “Avengers: Doomsday”.
The news was announced on Saturday at San Diego Comic Con during Marvel’s panel, when Downey Jr., who was on stage wearing Doctor Doom’s mask, removed it and revealed himself to the audience, causing a frenzy.
“New mask, same task,” the actor said, according to videos posted on social media. “What did I tell you? I love playing complex characters.”
The film “Avengers: Doomsday” is set to release in theaters in May 2026 and will be directed by Anthony and Joe Russo, who have previously directed four Marvel films. The Russo brothers are also set to direct “Avengers: Secret Wars”, which will be released in May 2027.
Joe Russo stated that Downey Jr.’s return is “proof of the unimaginable possibilities in the Marvel multiverse” and that he is “the only person who could play Victor Von Doom.”
The 59-year-old actor first embodied the comic book superhero Iron Man in the 2008 film of the same name, which had two sequels. He also appeared in several films of the Marvel franchise, including the 2018 “Infinity Wars” films and “Spider Man: Homecoming.” His character famously died in the 2019 film “Avengers: Endgame.”
“Avengers: Doomsday” will replace the previously announced “Avengers: The Kang Dynasty” in the release schedule of the Marvel cinematic universe.
Jonathan Majors was supposed to star as the villain Kang in that particular film but was “dropped” by Marvel after being found guilty of assault and harassment in a 2023 trial.