Doctor Doom or Iron Man? Robert Downey Jr. actually answers it
With Avengers: Doomsday looming, Robert Downey Jr. has finally picked a favourite between suiting up as Iron Man and stepping into Doctor Doom.
Everyone assumed Robert Downey Jr. was done with Marvel after that grand send-off in Avengers: Endgame. But now, with Avengers: Doomsday hitting cinemas on 18 December 2026, he's back — only this time he's traded that famous Iron Man suit for a villain's hood as Doctor Doom. Yes, you read that right, RDJ is swapping sides for the next big MCU event film. Not the obvious play, but definitely a conversation starter.
Avengers: Doomsday brings Robert Downey Jr. to the screen as Doctor Doom, departing from his decade-long run as Iron Man.
D23 Stage Antics
Recently, at the Disney fan gathering D23, Downey Jr. made a surprise appearance — and didn't turn up alone. He was flanked by Hayley Atwell (Peggy Carter) and Chris Evans (who'll always be Steve Rogers, really). The Good Morning America crew got them cornered for a proper catch-up.
It didn't take long for the conversation to get to the big one: does Downey Jr. enjoy playing the MCU's most beloved genius billionaire, or is he now fully on board with supervillainy as Doctor Doom? His answer was delightfully offbeat, and he made it plain he's relishing the villain gig these days. Here's what he told them right at the event:
It was really weird being the guy — everyone else is hanging out, they're the good heroes, and I'm [in] this mask and this hood. I'm like, 'They're all on one side of the camera, and I guess they're all mad at me or something.'…I will say Doom, for now, because I got to really observe what I've been missing the whole time, just everybody else.
RDJ's Marvel Movie Legacy
Worth remembering just how thoroughly Robert Downey Jr. has imprinted himself on the MCU. Counting it up, he’s played Iron Man in a whopping ten films. Started with the original Iron Man back in 2008 (the one that kicked this whole machine into gear), followed straight away by a brief cameo in The Incredible Hulk the same year. Then two more solo headliners: Iron Man 2 (2010) and Iron Man 3 (2013).
- The Avengers (2012)
- Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)
- Captain America: Civil War (2016)
- Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
- Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
- Avengers: Endgame (2019)
No matter what happens next, that's quite the streak: Downey Jr. put in an unbroken run spanning more than a decade, long enough to become the face of the whole franchise. Now, with Avengers: Doomsday, he's giving us something entirely new — even if it means playing the bad guy, mask and all.