The one Infinity War scene that made Robert Downey Jr. cry like the rest of us

There are plenty of emotional gut-punches in the Marvel films, but if you ask Robert Downey Jr. which scene nearly finished him off during 'Avengers: Infinity War', he knows exactly which moment to blame.

The Scene That Hit Hardest

Of all the superhero casualties at the end of 'Infinity War', it’s Peter Parker turning into dust that had even the hardest Marvel fans reaching for tissues. Apparently, Downey Jr. absolutely felt it too – and he bloody well should, considering Iron Man spends half the film as Spider-Man’s sort-of dad.

Downey Jr. spoke to CBR about how the day they filmed Spider-Man’s disappearance isn’t one he’ll forget in a hurry. There's no polite way to say it: the camera was rolling, Tom Holland was apparently in bits, and RDJ felt dead useless. Here’s how he put it:

'I knew that Holland at this point was a veteran of... I think it’s his third Marvel film? He’s three in, and he already really gets it. And he’s like, "Oh, I’m sorry? Is this about can you bring it or not?" And he just rakes our hearts.'

If you've ever wondered, even mega-stars can be completely floored by young Spider-Man. Downey Jr. describes just trying not to mess up Holland's performance. He said he stood there, barely moving, while Holland absolutely smashed it: 'He really lands the whole emotional impact of the film in eight seconds.'

The Directors Weren’t Immune Either

It wasn't just the actors. Joe Russo, who directed 'Infinity War', has gone on record saying he was 'crying at the monitor' during the whole thing – and, to be fair, most fans probably weren’t dry-eyed at home either.

After the Dust Settled

Of course, it wasn’t all doom and gloom forever, thanks to Marvel logic. Everyone who got dusted – Spidey included – was brought back in 'Endgame' when the Avengers reversed Thanos’s big show-off finger-snap. That film wrapped things up with Thanos finally getting what was coming to him, but not without a price. That was, of course, the death of Iron Man himself. Quite a way to clock out.

What Next For Downey?

Now, here’s the genuinely unexpected part. Robert Downey Jr. is making his Marvel comeback, but with a twist: he'll be taking on the role of Doctor Doom, the classic villain, in 'Avengers: Doomsday' – due out in UK cinemas 18 December 2026. If you’re keeping count, that means he’s joining the rare group of actors who get to play both hero and villain in the same sprawling movie universe.

• Robert Downey Jr.: Coming back to Marvel as Doctor Doom in 'Avengers: Doomsday' (opening 18 December 2026)
• Spider-Man: Next film 'Brand New Day' hits cinemas next month, on 31 July 2026