Robert Downey Jr. Explains What Led to His Marvel Return as Doctor Doom

Robert Downey Jr.’s return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe—not arsenic Iron Man/Tony Stark (RIP), but as Doctor Doom successful 2026’s Avengers: Doomsday—was 1 of the biggest bombshells to look from San Diego Comic-Con. And portion money was surely a factor successful the reunion betwixt workplace and star, Downey precocious explained determination were different cardinal reasons too: his heavy ties with the bosses astatine Marvel and Disney, and his appreciation for Disney’s advancements successful filmmaking technology.

“[Kevin Feige] and I person kept successful touch. We’re pals. [Jon] Favreau and Feige and I person kept successful touch. I’m adjacent with the Russo Brothers; we person different concern we’re doing. So there’s this small benignant of radical of chap travelers,” Downey explained connected the Hollywood Reporter’s Awards Chatter podcast. “And I had this instinct that I wanted to spell to Bob Iger, and I had an thought extracurricular of the [Marvel] Cinematic Universe for however I could beryllium of work to what’s going connected successful the parks and each their location-based entertainment.”

But earlier that meeting, Downey recalled, helium and his woman and producing spouse Susan Downey were chatting with Feige, and the Marvel brag brought up the thought of Downey returning to the MCU. “Susan was like, ‘Wait, travel backmost arsenic what?’ And I was similar [speechless confusion]? And past we some realized implicit clip that it was different happening that conscionable disproves immoderate uncertainty anyone could ever person astir that guy—a precise blase originative thinker—about however tin we not spell backwards? How tin we not disappoint expectations? How tin we proceed to bushed expectations? And helium brought up Victor Von Doom.”

Intrigued, Downey took a look astatine Victor Von Doom arsenic a character. “I was like, ‘wow.'” helium recalled. “Later on, [Feige] goes, ‘Let’s get Victor Von Doom right. Let’s get that right.’ So past I said to Kevin, ‘Can I spell speech to Bob Iger?’ He goes, ‘About [what]?’ I go, ‘About everything.’ And I [went] to Bob’s house, which—I don’t cognize however to picture that experience. I’ve had a batch of truly chill experiences. We spell to Iger’s pad and we beryllium down and commencement saying, ‘I conscionable truly privation to be…’ He goes, ‘I similar it.’ He likes it,” Downey said. Then, Iger invited Feige and Downey to sojourn Disney’s Imagineering Campus, Disney’s probe and improvement hub.

“[We] spell to the imagineering campus, and you privation to speech astir 2 guys that they’re not casual to person their minds blown, fto unsocial astatine the aforesaid time—I can’t accidental excessively overmuch astir [it], but what is going connected determination close present is truthful beyond my anticipation of what was possible,” helium teased. “It’s besides the lone mode that I felt similar I tin springiness a definite entertainment-seeking assemblage thing that they whitethorn person a hankering to person an acquisition of, successful a mode wherever I tin proceed to make my involvement successful the aboriginal of amusement … truthful it’s this crazy, weird happening that’s going on.”

Mysterious—but besides intriguing! Perhaps we’ll recognize what he’s hinting astatine present erstwhile the Russo Brothers-directed Avengers: Doomsday arrives May 1, 2026.

Listen to the Hollywood Reporter’s afloat Downey interview, successful which helium besides shares memories of being formed arsenic Iron Man astir 2 decades ago, close here.

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