Summary
It turns out that getting Robert Downey Jr. back to theMarvel Cinematic Universeas Doctor Doom came with certain requirements, according to a new report. The 2024 San Diego Comic-Con broughtthe MCU timelineone of its biggest announcements of all time by unveiling Robert Downey Jr’s new role. After his exit in 2019, Downey Jr. is coming back to the MCU, but not as Iron Man, as he is set to play Victor von Doom, a.k.a. Doctor Doom.
AVarietyreport has stated that the deal to get Robert Downey Jr. to playDoctor Doom in the MCUhad certain conditions in order for the formerIron Manstar to agree to sign on. Per the trade, Downey Jr. would only return if the Russo brothers also came back to directAvengers: DoomsdayandAvengers: Secret Wars. The report also claimed thatthe Russos are being paid $80 million dollars for their MCU return, and that Downey Jr.’s paycheck is“significantly more"than theirs, which suggests that it could be somewhere in the three digits. Further,Varietyreported that Downey Jr. earned between $500m and $600m for his MCU appearances in Phases 1-3, across 10 movies.
What RDJ’s Doctor Doom Casting Means For Iron Man’s MCU Return Theories
Robert Downey Jr. is coming back to the Marvel Cinematic Universe to play Doctor Doom, and that casting impacts Iron Man’s return chances directly.
Why Robert Downey Jr’s Reported MCU Return Condition Makes Sense
At the time of this story’s publication,Disney and Marvel Studios have not commented on the terms of Robert Downey Jr’s return, and only time will tell if any further light is shed on the report. However, this deal would make a lot of sense in order to get Downey Jr. onboard for the Doctor Doom gig.
Bringing back the Russos to helmAvengers: DoomsdayandAvengers: Secret Warsis a concept that many had been hoping would come to fruition far before it was ever confirmed, as they are the filmmakers to have brought some of the biggest successes to the MCU, includingAvengers: Infinity WarandAvengers: Endgame. With Downey Jr.’s star power being as big as it is in the MCU, it also makes sense that his return would warrant a considerable paycheck, especially as Doom is set to be the focal villain for the fifth Avengers movie.
SinceDoctor Doom is replacing Kang, time will tell if fans will have to wait all the way toAvengers: Doomsdayto see Downey Jr.’s return. It wouldn’t come as a shock if Doctor Doom has at least one cameo in a prior MCU movie that will set up his arc inAvengers: Doomsday. Hopefully, more details about Robert Downey Jr.’s highly-anticipated return to theMCUwill emerge over the next couple of months.
Marvel Cinematic Universe
The Marvel Cinematic Universe is a multimedia superhero franchise that began in 2008 with Paramount’s Iron Man starring Robert Downey Jr. The franchise quickly grew in popularity, with Disney eventually buying out Marvel Entertainment in 2009. The MCU consists of dozens of movies and TV shows, most notably Avengers: Endgame, WandaVision, and Loki.
