Robert Downey Jr returns to the MCU as Doctor Doom for Avengers: Doomsday

We have missed Robert Downey Jr after his character’s death in Avengers: Endgame so its a pleasant surprise to see that he is returning to the Marvel Cinematic Universe albeit as a villain this time and its no ordinary villain. Robert Downey Jr will play Doctor Doom in the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday.

More details after the cut.

The reveal happened just right after the announcement that the Russo Brothers, Joe and Anthony Russo, are returning to direct the two previously announced Avengers movies titled Avengers Secret Wars and Avengers 5 previously titled Avengers: Kang Dynasty. We also find out in the Marvel Hall H panel that Marvel Studios has changed the title to Avengers: Doomsday and then we get a bunch of people wearing Doctor Doom masks who then move aside for a man in Doom’s signature green color to appear and unmask to reveal Robert Downey Jr.

And the crowd goes wild.

I’m sure there are a lot of people who are into the Marvel books who are curious how this happens and the obvious answer is that this is a multiversal variant of Doom. It’s a “What If” scenario too and I’m pretty sure there was a what if story along those lines. But the whole multiverse saga is all about introducing variations like we’ve already seen a John Krasinsky Reed Richards who promptly died in Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness and this year was also the year they announced Pedro Pascal as the MCU Reed Richards for the Fantastic Four movie.

I’m sure we’ll hear more of this in the coming days. The movie is set for 2027 so they have a long way to go till that.

Also it’s funny that he says “New Mask. Same Task” like he’s saying he has returned to save Marvel once more or that he’s returned to help steer the course. Either way, it was an excellent announcement.