Robert Downey Jr. is one of the most beloved actors in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and will return to the upcoming Avengers films in a new capacity. However, while the news was shocking to many, The Fantastic Four: First Steps director already knew about it.
Robert Downey Jr. will return to the MCU not as Tony Stark, as many would've imagined, but as the iconic villain Doctor Doom. The actor will make his debut in the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday (previously known as Avengers: The Kang Dynasty). Ahead of the release, The Fantastic Four: First Steps director Matt Shakman told Collider he already knew about Downey Jr.'s return to the franchise and had to keep it a secret.

“It’s incredibly exciting. I’m a huge fan of Robert Downey Jr., of course, and there’s no one bigger," he explained. "And I have heard about it for a while, and I had to keep that secret for a while. But it’s really exciting! I kept it under wraps.”‘
"And I have heard about it for a while, and I had to keep that secret for a while."
The fact that Shakman already knew about Robert Downey Jr.'s return isn't surprising, as Marvel's First Family is also confirmed to be a part of the upcoming Avengers. As The Fantastic Four: First Steps starts production, knowing about Robert Downey Jr.'s return and his new role is crucial to ensure the continuity between the Fantastic Four and their roles in the upcoming Avengers, Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars.
The Avengers Will Bring Back the Russo Brothers
It's no secret to anyone that the MCU overwhelmed fans with many films and TV series in the last few years, which led to massive disappointments with the critics and the audience, which also translated into disappointments at the box office. While some projects were successful, like 2021's Spider-Man: No Way Home, 2022's Doctor Strange in the Multiverse and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, and 2023's Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, some films underperformed. 2021's Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Eternals, and 2023's Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania and The Marvels barely made Marvel Studios and Disney any profit and people's interest started to drop after 2019's Avengers: Endgame.

Because of this, the MCU brought back not only Robert Downey Jr., but also the Russo Brothers, Joe and Anthony. The reports about who would help the new Avengers included Deadpool & Wolverine's Shawn Levy and the Russo Brothers, and the speculation about the Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame helmers turned out to be true.
Following actor Jonathan Majors' legal issues, who was supposed to become the supervillain of the Multiverse Saga, the MCU shifted to Victor Von Doom/ Dr. Doom, retitling the film as Avengers: Doomsday instead of Avengers: The Kang Dynasty.
Avengers: Doomsday will be released on May 1, 2026, followed by the release of Avengers: Secret Wars on May 7, 2027.
Source: Collider
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