He’s back!
Robert Downey Jr. is returning to the MCU, and this time, there’s no doubt as to whether or not he’s the villain.
The Marvel legend made an epic, surprise return during the studio’s Hall H panel at San Diego Comic-Con on Saturday, taking the stage after the reveal of The Return of Joe and Anthony Russo to direct the next two Avengers films.
As you can see, Avengers 5 — which was previously titled Avengers: Kang Dynasty, but discarded amid Jonathan Majors ongoing legal issues — is now titled Avengers: Apocalypsewith Downey as his villainous mentor.
The Russos said the casting of Downey — who, of course, played MCU mainstay Tony Stark, aka Iron Man, in nine MCU films — is “proof of the unimaginable possibilities in the Marvel multiverse.”
“I mean, this is potentially one of the most entertaining characters in all of fiction,” they teased ahead of Downey’s big reveal. “If we’re going to do this, if we’re going to bring it to theaters around the world, then I think we’re going to need the greatest actor in the world to play this character.”
Avengers: Apocalypse will initiate the end of MCU Phase 6 in May 2026, followed by Avengers: Secret Wars in May 2027.
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