2024-07-29 12:55:23
Oscar-winning actor Robert Downey Jr. stunned attendees at San Diego, California’s Comic-Con pop culture festival on Saturday when he took off his mask on stage to reveal that he would be returning to the Avengers superhero saga in a new role. He will play a supervillain called Doctor Doom, who wields supernatural abilities and knowledge in the field of science.
Brothers Anthony Russo and Joe Russo, who filmed the last two Avengers installments, Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, were standing on stage at that moment. They just revealed to the audience that they will return to one of the most lucrative Hollywood series with two more films. The first one will eventually be called Avengers: Doomsday, instead of the currently used name Avengers: The Kang Dynasty, and is scheduled to premiere in May 2026. It will be followed by Avengers: Secret Wars in May 2027.
“But in order to bring Victor Von Doom to theaters around the world, we need the best actor to do it. Here you have him as proof of the unimaginable possibilities in the Marvel multiverse,” said Joe Russo. At that moment, a crowd of people in masks and green clothing typical of this character stood on the stage. One of them stepped forward and removed the mask. When it was revealed to be Robert Downey Jr., the crowd erupted into applause. “I like to play complex characters,” Downey then declared as the crowd chanted his name.
The 59-year-old Oscar winner has played Tony Stark aka Iron Man in ten Marvel movies so far.
“When he hinted at a possible return to the Marvel universe in recent interviews, everyone logically expected him to play Iron Man again. The fact that he got the role of Victor von Doom completely shocked fans,” writes Variety.com.
Doctor Doom isn’t the only new character in Marvel’s superhero universe. A cosmic entity called Galactus is also coming to the cinema screens for the first time. He will be the main antagonist of the upcoming film The Fantastic Four: First Steps, which will premiere next year. He will be portrayed by Ralph Ineson, Pedro Pascal, John Malkovich, Paul Walter Hauser or the actresses Vanessa Kirby and Natasha Lyonne are also scheduled to act in the film. Matt Shakman, author of the WandaVision series, will direct.
Anthony Mackie and Harrison Ford introduced Captain America: The New World. | Photo: Getty Images / Profimedia.cz
At the Comic-Con festival, representatives of the Marvel studio also praised the response of the new film Deadpool & Wolverine. It seems to be headed for the most commercially successful start of all this year’s films.
According to estimates, it could take up to 185 million dollars in the US and Canada in the first weekend, even over 400 million dollars worldwide, said Paul Dergarabedian of the analytical company Comscore. The exact numbers will be known on Monday. The success at Comic-Con was reminiscent of characters dressed as Deadpool weaving through people.
At the festival, Marvel also presented the upcoming new film Captain America: The New World, which will be sent to cinemas in February 2025. The main role of Captain America, who was played by Chris Evans in the previous three films from 2011 to 2016, will be taken over by Anthony Mackie. He already portrayed his character Sam Wilson in the saga earlier, but now he will become the titular hero. “This time Sam will be joined by a lot of other characters who will help him get further. And it won’t be all about who has what muscles anymore,” Mackie indicated.
He was joined on stage by actors Tim Blake Nelson, Danny Ramirez, Giancarlo Esposito, as well as Harrison Ford, who will take on the role of the antagonist, General Thaddeus Ross aka Thunderbolt. He was played by William Hurt until his death in 2022. At the beginning of the new film, he will have just been elected American president.
At the presentation of the film, Ford confirmed that Ross’ character will transform into the Red Hulk monster in the new film, as he imitated the Hulk’s roar in front of the audience, reports Variety.com.
Video: Captain America: The New World trailer
The movie Captain America: The New World will start screening in Czech cinemas on February 13, 2025. | Video: Falcon