RUMOR: Robert Downey Jr. Could Return As Tony Stark... Before Becoming DOCTOR DOOM

RUMOR: Robert Downey Jr. Could Return As Tony Stark... Before Becoming DOCTOR DOOM

Could we see Robert Downey Jr. reprise the role of Tony Stark in the MCU? His return has been rumored for a while, but we're now hearing that this Iron Man could undergo a villainous transformation...

By MarkCassidy - Jul 18, 2024 07:07 AM EST
Filed Under: Doctor Doom

Rumors have been doing the rounds that Robert Downey Jr. could return as a Tony Stark/Iron Man Variant in the Marvel Cinematic Universe for quite a while now, and the actor himself has admitted that he would be interested in reprising his most famous role should the opportunity arise.

"It’s just crazily in my DNA. Probably the most like-me character I’ve ever played, even though he’s way cooler than I am," he said in a recent interview when asked about a potential return. "I’ve become surprisingly open-minded to the idea."

If Downey Jr. does suit-up as Iron Man again, it will most likely be in one of the upcoming Avengers movies - but what if this new take on the Armored Avenger goes down a villainous path?

In his latest newsletter, Jeff Sneider says he's heard that Downey Jr. could return in a future Avengers movie, with his Stark Variant ultimately transforming into Doctor Doom. Interestingly, Downey Jr. initially auditioned to play the iconic villain in 20th Century Fox's Fantastic Four movie before he landed the role of Tony Stark in Iron Man.

If this does happen, we'd say it would almost certainly be a "one-and-done" situation, as another actor will likely be cast as Doom in Marvel Studios' The Fantastic Four reboot.

Stark's death in Avengers: Endgame will go down as one of the most emotional and impactful moments in MCU history, and a lot of fans feel that bringing the character back in any capacity would be a mistake.

Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige echoed this sentiment when asked about the RDJ return rumors last year.

"We are going to keep that moment and not touch that moment again. We all worked very hard for many years to get to that, and we would never want to magically undo it in any way."

Would Downey Jr. returning as a Stark Variant who becomes Doctor Doom count as "undoing" this moment?

In related news, Sneider also mentions that Jeremy Renner is likely to return as Clint Barton for Avengers 5 following his near-fatal accident last year.

Renner recently said that he was "ready" to return, but it sounds like it might take the right story for him to fully commit to taking up Hawkeye's bow and arrow again.

"Maybe if enough time goes by, right? I think it kind of has at this point, but also what is the point of the narrative [and] the story?" he told the Happy Sad Confused podcast. "These are beloved characters. We did spend 23 films together essentially as a collective. What is the reason? What is the story? Do you have to do more after that? How do you ever resolve this?"

"When is it ever gonna feel like, 'Everyone gets their little bow, nobody died, it feels great!' What happens here?" he continued. "I've got feelings about it. I think everybody does. I think the guys that died have feelings about it."

What do you make of these rumors? Would you like to see Robert Downey Jr. play Doctor Doom in the MCU? Drop us a comment down below.

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Doomsday8888
Doomsday8888 - 7/18/2024, 7:52 AM
ItsNotForMeWahh
ItsNotForMeWahh - 7/18/2024, 8:00 AM
User Comment Image
IAmAHoot
IAmAHoot - 7/18/2024, 8:03 AM
Downey has clearly expressed his desire to get away from this all so he can do other films. Doesn't mean he won't appear as Tony Stark in Secret Wars, but this is definitley not happening.
TheVisionary25
TheVisionary25 - 7/18/2024, 8:07 AM
@IAmAHoot - given his recent comments , I could see Downey recurring at most on a semi recurring basis but he will no longer be a regular part of this universe.

Dudes almost 60 and he clearly is also interested in doing other things.
mountainman
mountainman - 7/18/2024, 9:20 AM
@IAmAHoot - Absolutely zero chance Downey would want or need to sign on to any long term MCU contract, especially not as a new character.

Oppenheimer alone proves he has a viable career post-MCU. Probably not as much as a leading man of big tent poles, but he got his bag already.

This whole Downey as Doom thing is so dumb. Sure he will likely return in some capacity (as Tony Stark) Secret Wars (and leading up to it). But that’s it.
IAmAHoot
IAmAHoot - 7/18/2024, 10:28 AM
@mountainman - I know everything in The Multiverse Saga is getting especially wild, but Feige is still rather steadfast about not having actors plays two different roles in the MCU (small exceptions aside, that often have an explanation). And even just rumor-ing someone like RDJ for this villain is just outlandish.
Apophis71
Apophis71 - 7/18/2024, 11:42 AM
@mountainman - Yup, don't like the idea of RDJ as Doom even as a one off, can have a Doom like role in Secret Wars as an evil Variant of Iron Man but not Doom himself. As in if they avoid Doom entirely in Secret Wars but have a similar enough character thats a Stark Variant being a major antagonist they can kill him off without causing issues long term. THEN doing Doom's arc building him up to the sort of ultimate version, maximum threat, starting out approaching ultimate Doom would be silly I feel.

Long term most I could see RDJ doing is voicing an AI on occasion, something that requires little time to do and can be worked around his schedule easily either as a suit AI voice or a hologram computer thing that is on rare occassions consulted with (however would not surprise if never in the MCU ever again after Secret Wars).
ObserverIO
ObserverIO - 7/18/2024, 8:04 AM
It's... interesting.

But questions.

1. Tony Stark and Victor Von Doom are somehow the same person now?

2. Wouldn't it be simpler to just have an encore of all the favorite cbm superheroes as Battleworld variants coming together to fight Doom in Secret Wars? Y'know like RDJ as a version of Stark that reminds us of his early appearances in the MCU, Tobey Maguire as Spider-Man, Hugh as Wolverine, etc. etc. The whole gang.
mountainman
mountainman - 7/18/2024, 9:21 AM
@ObserverIO - Yes and please do not give us any evil variants of Steve or Tony. We don’t want that. Maybe there could be a conflict of people from different realities before they unite against the common threat. But they need Secret Wars to be. celebration of all Marvel films that have come before and allow for a fresh start afterwards.
Matchesz
Matchesz - 7/18/2024, 8:07 AM
If this dont happen Dr Doomsarmor is definitely going to be a ironman suit. They’ll find some way to water him down
RedFury
RedFury - 7/18/2024, 8:18 AM
I'm all for Downey coming back but "not like this..."
JustAWaffle
JustAWaffle - 7/18/2024, 8:52 AM
@RedFury - User Comment Image
TheVisionary25
TheVisionary25 - 7/18/2024, 9:02 AM
@RedFury - User Comment Image

I agree though I wouldn’t surprised if this is BS.
RedFury
RedFury - 7/18/2024, 10:31 AM
@JustAWaffle @TheVisionary25 - hahaha glad you guys got the assignment 😆

And yeah, it seems waaaay too out there to be true.
lazlodaytona
lazlodaytona - 7/18/2024, 8:32 AM
Disney desperatedly ,reaching to be up in that upper echelon again: Depending on the star who is what, 60ish yrs old maybe ? The guy who LITERALLY put you on the map and even made your terrible IM2 and not well accepted IM3 (which I actually loved) billions.

I mean, if RDJ wants to do it, then, by all means, you deserve too. That's how comics works.
But, disrespecting Downey's legacy is very much not cool. MARVEL should have given him the same deal as Jordan and LBJ got with NIKE: Lifetime contract.

Downey is Marvel. and I say this as a die-hard DC fan .... but there's a lot I love about the MCU and RDJ is definitely a big part of that.
Blergh
Blergh - 7/18/2024, 9:46 AM
@lazlodaytona - I’d argue that Disney still is in the upper echelon. They’re failing but still powerful
cubrn
cubrn - 7/18/2024, 8:43 AM
His character needs to be somebody who rebuilt Sokovia and rebranded it Latveria. His doom bots can be former Ultron bots that were left to waste
TheVisionary25
TheVisionary25 - 7/18/2024, 8:56 AM
@cubrn - I like it.
Slotherin
Slotherin - 7/18/2024, 12:29 PM
@cubrn - I can go for that.
Cass
Cass - 7/18/2024, 8:45 AM
I mean if he’s all scarred up, then he could just play the two characters. Nothing against him playing VVD and Tony. I think Tony being Doom would kind of suck though.
BobGarlen
BobGarlen - 7/18/2024, 8:51 AM
Why does marvel hate the Fantastic Four?
AnEye
AnEye - 7/18/2024, 8:53 AM
@BobGarlen - Better question if this rumor is true. Why does Marvel hate Doctor Doom?
JobinJ
JobinJ - 7/18/2024, 9:17 AM
@BobGarlen - they’re corny.
JustAWaffle
JustAWaffle - 7/18/2024, 8:53 AM
I’m uber skeptical.
User Comment Image
AnEye
AnEye - 7/18/2024, 8:58 AM
So...Infamous Iron Man, but backwards....Great........
User Comment Image
Slotherin
Slotherin - 7/18/2024, 12:30 PM
@Spoken - Nam Nori Suomafni?
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