Robert Downey Jnr Returns to the MCU
Ever since the fateful snap after that iconic sentence of “I am Iron Man” fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe have wondered whether they will see the return of Robert Downey Jnr. There are some who think his return would invalidate the sacrifice made. There are some who believe that without its leading man’s charisma the franchise has been in decline.
The latter would be hard to argue as phase 4 and 5 have struggled to make the impact to the audiences the studio executives would have liked. Although there have been positives from Spiderman: No Way Home, Guardians of the Galaxy 3 and the Loki television series, who can forget the unwatchable Eternals, the mis-hit of Thor: Love and Thunder, or the uneventful She-Hulk television series. The mixed reviews called for MCU head Kevin Feige to slow and pause some of the planned productions, with a view of quality over quantity the promise forward.
With the dismissal of Jonathon Majors from the franchise following him being found guilty of reckless assault in the third degree and guilty of harassment between himself and his ex-partner, Grace Jabbari the future of the franchise was in disarray. Majors had been playing the character Kang the Conqueror and featured in both Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania as well as both seasons of Loki, with Kang being built up to be the next key villain for earth’s mightiest heroes to face off against. It appears instead of a recast the whole plan has been shaken.
The Reveal
At this year’s Comic-Con in San Diego it has been revealed that the next two installments of the Avengers films will be directed by the successful Russo Brothers. It appears Kevin Feige has gone back to a tried and tested method with the reintroduction of Joe and Anthony Russo, who have previously directed Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: End Game. Many fans believe Infinity War and End Game are the franchises best films, not just in box office revenue but in quality as well. One thing is for sure the Russo Brothers would not return to direct if they did not believe in a story that could top the previous titles. The upcoming Avengers films have been titled Avengers: Doomsday set for release in May 2026 and Avengers: Secret Wars set for release in May 2027.
“If we’re going to bring Victor Von Doom to the screen, he is one of the more complex characters in all of comics, this is potentially one of the more entertaining characters in all of fiction,” said Joe Russo. “If we’re going to do this, then we are going to need the greatest actor in the world.” He paused so the anticipation in the audience could build. He continued “As proof of the unimaginable possibilities of the Marvel Universe, we give you the one person who could play Victor von Doom…”.
Out of a crowd of over twenty green hooded and metal masked covered men stepped the one and only Robert Downey Jnr. As he removed his mask and stretched out his hands in an all too familiar Tony Stark pose the audience erupted.
The Message
“New Mask, Same Task.” His message to the audience. He is confirmed to appear in both Avengers movies.
Since the news broke there has been mixed reception. Some fans are happy to have Robert Downey Jnr back in the franchise even if Tony Stark is not. He is an incredibly gifted actor and an icon for the franchise. Others are unsure they will be able to get past him as Tony Stark, the two are synonymous and made to fit. I choose to hold onto the glimmer of hope that we will see a return of Tony Stark in Secret Wars.
Let us know your thoughts below.