It’s been about a month since it was revealed that Robert Downey, Jr. would be making a return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. However, he won’t be playing Iron Man. Instead, the actor is taking on the role of Doctor Doom. And according to Downey, Jr., first discussions about his return happened a year ago.
Speaking to THR, Robert Downey, Jr. talked about the news that he is returning to the MCU in the upcoming “Avengers: Doomsday” and “Avengers: Secret Wars.” While he still hasn’t really talked about how his return will be explained, it’s clear this wasn’t just a spur of the moment decision. This was something months in the making.
“Probably a year ago, because [Kevin] Feige and I have kept in touch, we’re pals,” said Downey, Jr. “Favreau and Feige and I have kept in touch—so there’s this little group of fellow travelers. And Susan [Downey] and I were sitting down with Feige at one point and he said, ‘It just keeps occurring to me, if you were to come back…’ Susan was like, ‘Wait, wait. Come back as what?’”
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But Downey Jr. wasn’t interested in making a return just to appease fans. Instead, he wanted to make sure it was worth it, which is when the Doctor Doom of it all was first discussed.
“How can we not go backwards? How can we not disappoint expectations? How can we continue to beat expectations?” Downey said. “And he brought up Victor Von Doom. I looked into this character. Later on, he goes, ‘Let’s get Victor Von Doom right.’”
In addition to the news that Robert Downey, Jr. was returning to the MCU, it was also formally announced that the Russo Brothers would be coming back to direct both ‘Doomsday’ and ‘Secret Wars.’ While it’s unclear when that decision was made, it’s clear the actor was pleased with the news. In fact, he talked about how close he is with the Russos and how they are actually also working on things non-Marvel.
“I’m close with the Russo Brothers,” said Downey, Jr. “We have other business we’re doing.”
“Avengers: Doomsday” is set to debut in theaters on May 1, 2026.