Robert Downey Jr. is revealing how his deal to return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe came together.
The former Iron Man actor shook the world in July when he announced his MCU comeback as Fantastic Four villain Doctor Doom at San Diego Comic-Con. Downey will play the comic book antagonist in 2026’s Avengers: Doomsday and 2027’s Avengers: Secret Wars.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter’s “Awards Chatter” podcast on Tuesday, August 20, the Oppenheimer star detailed his discussions with Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige and Disney CEO Bob Iger to return to the franchise — and what sealed the deal.
Downey noted that he and Feige are “pals” and have kept in touch since 2019’s Avengers: Endgame, which served as Tony Stark/Iron Man’s MCU swan song.
“I had this instinct that I wanted to go to Bob Iger and I had an idea, outside of the cinematic universe, for how I could be of service to what’s going on in the [theme] parks,” Downey explained. “[My wife] Susan and I were sitting down with Feige and he said, ‘It just keeps occurring to me that if you were to come back …’ Susan was like, ‘Wait. Wait. Come back as what?’”
Describing Feige as a “very sophisticated, creative thinker,” Downey, 59, revealed how the Marvel boss broached the idea of him playing Doctor Doom.
“[Kevin said], ‘How can we not go backwards? How can we not disappoint expectations? How can we continue to beat expectations?’ And he brought up Victor Von Doom,” said the Oscar winner. “And I looked into this character and I was like, ‘Wow.’ Later on, he goes, ‘Let’s get Victor Von Doom right.’”
Following his discussion with Feige, Downey met with Iger, who said he liked the idea of the actor playing Doom. Iger then arranged for Downey and Feige to visit Walt Disney Imagineering, Disney’s research and development facility in Glendale, California. Downey said he was blown away by the cutting-edge innovations that Disney was working on.
“You wanna talk about two guys that are not easy to have their minds blown, let alone at the same time … I can’t say too much but what is going on there right now is beyond my expectation of what was possible,” he said.
Following the visit, Downey agreed to return to Marvel as Doctor Doom. He explained, “It’s also the only way that I felt like I can give a certain entertainment-seeking audience something they may have a hankering to have an experience of, in a way where I can continue to develop my interest in the future of entertainment. Where the hell else would you go but there?”
