Robert Downey Jr. is returning to the MCU, however Iron Man is not. As a substitute, he’ll be taking a brand new title and sporting a brand new mask–that of Victor von Doom, certainly one of Marvel’s best villains. RDJ kicked off the MCU and launched superheroes to Earth-616 in 2008’s Iron Man and ended his run as Tony Stark in 2018’s Avengers Endgame. This may very well be the MCU’s coolest moment–or its silliest.
Downey revealed his new position on the Corridor H stage, popping out in a Dr. Doom masks and tearing it off to disclose his face to a stunned viewers. His remark was easy: “New masks, identical activity.”
As a part of Marvel Studios’ San Diego Comedian-Con 2024 panel, the studio introduced that directing crew Joe and Anthony Russo will return to direct a pair of recent Avengers movies, with Avengers: Doomsday coming in 2026 and Avengers: Secret Wars following a 12 months after. Victor von Doom will act as the first antagonist for this pair of films.
Downey had mentioned in latest interviews that he would return to the MCU “fortunately.” “It is too integral part of my DNA,” Downey mentioned. “That position selected me. And look, I all the time say, by no means, ever guess in opposition to Kevin Feige. It’s a shedding guess. He is the home. He’ll all the time win.”
Victor von Doom is the long-time enemy of Marvel’s founding household, the Implausible 4, so the character’s introduction now, simply after the upcoming Implausible 4: The First Steps, is sensible.
Particulars other than the titles and administrators are mild; we’re very excited and very curious to see how Marvel Studios makes Robert Downey Jr.’s return–as a brand-new character, no less–make sense.
Implausible 4: The First Steps hits theaters in a single 12 months on July 25, 2025. Avengers: Doomsday comes a 12 months later in Could 2026, adopted by Avengers: Secret Wars in Could 2027.