ROBERT DOWNEY JR is BACK! Marvel shocked fans at San Diego Comic Con and well..the entire world by announcing Robert Downey Jr will return to the MCU starring as Doctor Doom in the upcoming Avengers Doomsday slated for May 2026 release, which is to be followed by the previously announced Avengers Secret Wars in May 2027.
(See footage below from the surprise introduction)
Also announced was MCU legacy directors - the Russo Brothers (Joe and Anthony) - returning to direct both films. The duo has famously previously directed Captain America: Winter Soldier + Civil War plus Avengers Infinity War + Endgame.
Additionally, the Fantastic Four was announced to appear in both films following their solo adventure in Fantastic Four: First Steps due out July 25th, 2025.
Robert Downey Jr iconically played Iron Man birthing the Marvel Cinematic Universe back in 2008. This time he'll return most likely on the other side of the good/evil equation to play the supervillain. Previously the role was played by Julian McMahon (2005 + 2007) and Toby Kebbell in Josh Tank's 2015 unsuccessful attempt to reboot the franchise prior to it coming over to Marvel in the 2019 Disney acquisition of 21st Century Fox.
The direction of the Avengers series has been in seemingly disarray following Jonathan Majors' conviction on two misdemeanor counts of assault and harassment of ex-girlfriend Grace Jabbari. Before today's announcement replacing it with Doomsday, it had been announced the 2026 Avengers film - and first follow up to the era-ending Endgame - would be Avengers Kang Dynasty starring Majors' character that had previously been built up through Loki and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.
Questions and rumors had been circulating since his firing on the direction Marvel would take, tonight the world got its answer.
