Robert Downey Jr. returning to theMarvel Cinematic Universein some capacity seemed inevitable, although his confirmed role as Doctor Doom inAvengers: Doomsdaymakes the return I was hoping for much less likely to happen.Downey Jr.’s career was revitalized in 2008 with his appearance as Tony Stark, which helped turn him into one of the biggest stars in the world.While the actor has since gone on to win an Academy Award,everything known aboutDoomsdayconfirms the universe is still important to him.
Iron Man’s impact on the Marvel Cinematic Universe is almost immeasurable. The actor truly embodied the character as he appeared throughout the franchise, shaping so many of its stories and heroes on a fundamental level.This Iron Man essentially created Spider-Man, Ultron, and so many more events and characters in the universe.Following this,theories concerning Iron Man’s returnhave circulated for a long time, but appear to no longer be the case, as the actor will return as a different character altogether. Unfortunately, this makes something I’ve hoped for in an upcoming series much less likely.
One Of The Best MCU Villains Is Returning After 9 Years As Iron Man’s Perfect Replacement
An upcoming Marvel release has been given a huge injection of hype thanks to news of the return of an Avengers villain who left a huge mark.
I Wanted RDJ’s MCU Return To Be In Ironheart
The Disney+ Series Would Have Been The Perfect Place For Tony Stark To Return
Robert Downey Jr. could have been an important part of theIronheartstoryline.Ironheart was introduced inBlack Panther: Wakanda Foreverbefore receiving a series of her own that is set to debut in 2025.Everything known aboutIronheartsuggests the series will combine the technological and mystical sides of the MCU. However, there is much of the character’s comic book history that also needs to be explored, and I believe the best way to do this would have been by integrating Tony Stark.
In the comics,Tony Stark’s relationship with Riri Williams is similar to the relationship he had with Peter Parker in the MCU films.Stark played a mentor role to the young hero, and their stories were often entwined together. While the MCU has been working to set up Ironheart as a replacement to the Iron Man character in the franchise, exploring some of these links with Downey Jr. in the series would have been an effective way to do this. Unfortunately, this option was limited after Stark’s death as the timeline does not overlap.
RDJ’s MCU Return Is Now As Doctor Doom In Avengers: Doomsday
The Actor Was Confirmed For The Role At San Diego Comic-Con 2024
While there are still questions abouthow Robert Downey Jr. will play Doctor Doom, the actor is confirmed to be returning to the universe in this new role.He will play the villain ofAvengers: DoomsdayandAvengers: Secret Wars, and is also rumored to appear inThe Fantastic Four: First Steps.It is clearly important to the studio to bring back the actor in some capacity, although these developments make it seem unlikely he will also return as Tony Stark.
How RDJ will play Doom is not yet clear. Victor von Doom in the MCU may look exactly like Tony Stark, as a coincidence that is never acknowledged in the films. After all,Doom is generally seen wearing a metal mask that covers his face.It is also possible that Doctor Doom in the MCU will be a Tony Stark variant named Victor von Doom. Taking one of the greatest heroes in the MCU’s history and inverting him into a villain with the same brilliance and ability could be effective.
Robert Downey Jr. Confirming Which Doctor Doom He’s Playing Has Me More Excited Because It’s The Best Choice
Robert Downey Jr. is the MCU’s Doctor Doom, and after clearing up which version of the character he will play, I’m excited about the villain.
How RDJ Could’ve Appeared In Ironheart Despite Iron Man’s Death
Several Opportunities To Tie Tony Stark Into Ironheart Seemed Likely
I believe Robert Downey Jr. absolutely could have appeared inIronheartdespite Iron Man’s death inAvengers: Endgame. This could have been done in multiple ways:a flashback to Riri Williams’ early days in college could be shown, where Stark was giving a speech at MIT.A relationship of some kind, or at least an inspiration, could have been explored in a scene like that, which would have been fun and effective. I believe this would not have tainted Tony Stark’s legacy, and would have helped to establish Riri’s.
More likely, however, would have been the use of Downey Jr.’s voice as Ironheart’s AI. RDJ could have provided the voice of her suit, similar to Iron Man’s Jarvis.In the comics, Stark builds an AI with his voice and personality that advises Ironheart in her suit.I believe this would have been the most effective way to tie into the comic book lore while featuring Downey in a believable reappearance in the universe. Unfortunately, with the actor appearing as Doom, him also doing this feels very unlikely.
New MCU Star’s Doctor Doom Hopes Are The Next Best Thing To An Iron Man Crossover
Doctor Doom’s story has a lot of potential for the MCU - including providing the next best thing to an Iron Man crossover for one key Marvel hero.
I’m a little bit disappointed that Downey Jr.’s Tony Stark will not likely be able to be used in the story ofIronheart, although I am excited for what the actor does with Victor von Doom.TyingIronheart’s story more directly to the Tony Stark inspiration would have done a lot to make the character feel more important immediately to the MCU.While this is not likely to happen, I hope that they find effective, new ways to use Riri Williams in theMarvel Cinematic Universegoing forward.
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.
