Marvel Studios Announces ‘Avengers: Doomsday,’ Robert Downey Jr. Returns

In a very surprising move, Marvel Studios confirmed the return of Robert Downey Jr. to the MCU at the SDCC today, but not as Iron Man or Tony Stark. Robert Downey Jr. is the new Victor von Doom aka Doctor Doom of the MCU in the upcoming Avengers 5, Avengers: Doomsday, which was also revealed during the SDCC panel led by Kevin Feige. 

Directed by the Russo Brothers based on a script written by Stephen McFeely, ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ will be released in theaters in May 2026. Fantastic Four and the Thunderbolts will have a major role to play in this film.

Avengers 5 was previously supposed to be "Avengers: The Kang Dynasty," but after Jonathan Majors was caught in a scandal, Marvel Studios began to find a way to move on from the whole Kang storyline. The failure of ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania’ was also one of the reasons to look beyond Kang the Conqueror.

The return of Robert Downey Jr. in the MCU is shocking as previously his character Tony Stark, who was also the most popular character of the MCU, died in the final battle of Avengers: Endgame. Tony's sacrifice saved the world and killed Thanos. The new character RDJ is playing won't be related to Tony Stark in any capacity. Dr. Doom will not be any version of Tony Stark, he will be just Victor von Doom, the new villain of the multiverse saga.

The multiverse theory makes it possible for Robert Downey Jr. to return to the MCU. The latest MCU film, Deadpool & Wolverine that explored the multiverse shows that any character's return is possible in an infinite number of ways.

Doctor Doom's project has always been rumored to be in the works at Marvel Studios, but it has never been confirmed officially until now. When the Fantastic Four movie was announced, we expected Doctor Doom to be just around the corner. Currently, Marvel Studios' The Fantastic 4: First Steps is set to be released on July 25, 2025. Joseph Quinn, Pedro Pascal, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, and Vanessa Kirby lead the team of Fantastic Four, which is set in the '60s.

Doctor Doom has already appeared in a couple of live-action Fantastic Four movies. Julian McMahon played the character in 2005 and 2007 movies, while the character was portrayed by Toby Kebbell in 2015's Fantastic Four film.

In the comics, Dr. Victor von Doom is a Latverian politician who serves as the Kingdom of Latveria's King and Supreme Leader. He was scarred in an accident and hides his true face behind an iron mask and armor. He is regarded as having one of the most brilliant minds and scientists on the globe. He is also a sorcerer with magical abilities comparable to the most powerful beings in the Universe, making him a possible candidate for Sorcerer Supreme. Through universal conquest, he intends to bring order and betterment to humanity. He has clashed with both superhumans and cosmic creatures due to his unparalleled abilities, arrogance, and strength. He is best known as Reed Richards' opponent and the Fantastic Four's archenemy.

Victor Doom's origin has been always associated with Fantastic Four leader Reed Richards. Victor was given a scholarship by the State University of New York, where he met Reed Richards and Ben Grimm for the first time while taking classes. They grew to dislike each other, which prompted Reed Richards to conduct his first prank, changing Victor's last name on a trophy to "Doof." Doom first confronted the Fantastic Four by taking Sue Storm hostage.