Robert Downey Jr. Returns to MCU as Doctor Doom in ‘Avengers: Doomsday’

In a move that rattled the walls of Hall H at San Diego Comic-Con International and nearly broke the internet on Saturday, Marvel Studios announced that Robert Downey Jr. – who kicked off the Marvel Cinematic Universe in 2008 with Iron Man – will be returning to the MCU donning an altogether difference metal mask as legendary villain Doctor Doom in Avengers: Doomsday in May 2026.

“New mask, same task,” Downey said after taking the stage to an approving roar in a Marvel Studios panel that gave fans a glimpse into the future of the MCU, which included the reveal that Anthony and Joe Russo (Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame) will be returning to helm the next two Avengers films: the aforementioned Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars, which will hit screens May 2027.

The reveal effectively erases Avengers: The Kang Dynasty, which was meant to pit Earth’s Mightiest Heroes against Kang, a villain first introduced in 2023’s Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, a film that received a somewhat lukewarm response from fans and critics. Offscreen, actor Jonathan Majors – who played an outcast Kang variant in that film and reprised the role in the Disney+ Loki series – was convicted on two counts of domestic assault and harassment and will not be playing the character moving forward. In lieu of a recast, Marvel Studios and its president Kevin Feige have opted to shift creative plans completely, focusing on one of Marvel’s top villains and the return of one of the primary architects of the MCU for the fifth Avengers film.

But what does it mean? Is Downey playing a Tony Stark variant that’s broken bad, or is there other multiversal madness at play? Theories are already swirling online amid both praise for the reveal and criticism that bringing back both Downey and the Russos is a desperation play considering the MCU is described by many – including Deadpool in his latest movie – as being in a “low point” right now. 

Personally, I’m confident in the Russo brothers and feel, based on his post-Endgame interviews, that Downey wouldn’t return to the MCU as Iron Man or any other character if there wasn’t a strong reason for him to do so. Now, back to Doom scrolling ...

Hall H. Marvel Studios. Enough said.

Tonight, the talent and filmmakers of Marvel Studios’ upcoming films brought excited fans a first look at what’s next for the MCU. #SDCC2024 pic.twitter.com/IZr62hJKvM

— Marvel Studios (@MarvelStudios) July 28, 2024

‘Deadpool and Wolverine’ Is Exactly What the MCU Needed This Summer

 

We get it. The Marvel Cinematic Universe isn’t what it used to be. In fact, save for certified crowd-pleasers Spider-Man: No Way Home and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, the MCU’s output has gotten a mostly tepid response from audiences since Avengers: Endgame in 2019. Perhaps it’s multiverse malaise or perhaps it’s that oft-cited superhero fatigue, but there’s just something about Marvel’s heroes that hasn’t been resonating like it used to.

Enter Deadpool: The foul-mouthed, blood-soaked Merc with a Mouth who might have just resurrected an entire cinematic universe with his R-rated buddy road-trip comedy, Deadpool & Wolverine.

In his third movie outing – his first under Disney – Ryan Reynolds’ Deadpool (a.k.a. Wade Wilson) finds himself in desperate need of Logan to save his universe. Unfortunately, the mutant known as Wolverine has been dead and buried since 2017’s Logan, a film that was meant to be Hugh Jackman’s swan song as the cantankerous clawed Canuck. But thanks to the multiverse, there are other Logans out there, including one who actually wears the character’s signature yellow-and-blue spandex. They fight, they bleed, they curse, they might even fall in love with each other a little bit. But they stick together through it all, whether it’s encountering several Deadpool variants – including Dogpool, Babypool, Kidpool, Headpool and Ladypool – or facing a near-endless swarm of cameo appearances that would be dismissed as cheap fan service in a lesser movie. But it isn’t a lesser movie … far from it, in fact!  Stars Reynolds and Jackman shine in director Shawn Levy’s scrappy-yet-grandiose love letter to the superhero genre, Marvel’s past triumphs, and 20^th Century Fox’s now-dormant X-Men universe, which Jackman helped launch 24 years ago.

As fun and nostalgic as this movie is, it’s also refreshing to see an MCU film make fun of itself as frequently as this one does. Few things are off limits – except for one thing, which Deadpool points out – as Deadpool and Wolverine shoot, stab and eviscerate their way through stylish set pieces laden with rapid-fire profanity and “can they say that in a Disney movie?” quips. This is more than just the third Deadpool flick. Deadpool & Wolverine is dopamine in movie form.

It will be interesting to see how Deadpool & Wolverine is perceived as the months and years wear on – we’ve already seen certain corners of the internet change their mind about the universally loved No Way Home – since some of the fun of this film on first watch is the feeling that just about any character from any Marvel project can show up. Does it hold up on repeat viewings? I’ll be sure to let you know, since I’m already planning my next screening. Maybe next time I can actually get my hands on that Wolverine popcorn bucket, which was already sold out at my local theater prior to the 7 p.m. opening night showing. I wonder why …

‘Star Wars: The Acolyte’ Season 1 Review

 

Just like that, the first season of Star Wars: The Acolyte has concluded … and what a ride it was.

The 8-episode murder mystery in that galaxy far, far, away brought us new characters, new creatures, new perspectives on the Force and new lightsaber duels while, offscreen, combat of a different sort took place as angry “fans” launched into long-winded, vitriolic rants on space witches, fire in space and characters using “hell” as an expletive – all things that have technically been part of the franchise for most of its 47-year history.

Toxicity aside, there stands a single question: Is The Acolyte any good? In a word, yes. I didn’t love every episode – I had some pacing issues with the first flashback episode, and I was disappointed that they would ultimately spend 2/8 episodes this season telling the same flashback story from two different perspectives – but there was so much to love about this season and I’m eager to see where showrunner Leslye Headland and her team take the story following the blockbuster finale.

Lee Jung-jae’s dedicated-but-flawed Master Sol emerged as one of my favorite Jedi in the Star Wars franchise, and Amandla Stenberg’s double duty as twin main characters Mae and Osha should be applauded, as I honestly kept forgetting these characters were played by the same actress when they shared scenes together. Plus, as someone who loved Manny Jacinto’s  performance as the affable Jason in The Good Place, I was impressed by his villainous turn as the mysterious Qimir/The Stranger. But is he actually a villain? One of many questions Season 2 will answer, assuming we get it.

Of course, there were two massive cameos in the season finale, both of which are worth discovering on your own if you’re still making your way through the series. Trust me, it’s worth the time.

Oh, but I did have one major issue with the show that’s best expressed on video. Check out my “rant” below, via TikTok.

@james.wortman84 I have a MAJOR problem with #StarWars #TheAcolyte … #Disney @Star Wars ♬ Epic Music(863502) - Draganov89