Robert Downey Jr’s return to Marvel might not be good news after all

According to the saying, one either dies a hero or lives long enough to become the villain. In the case of Robert Downey Jr., it is possible to experience both roles at different times.

The San Diego Comic-Con panel for Marvel announced exciting updates and teases for their upcoming movies, such as Captain America 4, The Avengers: Secret Wars, and The Fantastic Four. However, the most surprising news of all was the confirmation of Downey Jr.’s return to the MCU.

In 2018’s Avengers: Infinity War, the star retired his Iron Man helmet, but he will be returning to the Marvel universe as the infamous supervillain Doctor Doom.

Despite the widespread anticipation for Doom to take on the role of the main antagonist in Marvel Phase 6, it came as a shock when Tony Stark emerged as the new villain after removing his iconic silver mask. Although, it is evident that not everyone is pleased with this unexpected twist.

“New mask, same task.” Robert Downey Jr. surprises Hall H to announce his return to the MCU as Doctor Doom. pic.twitter.com/j1SEjzse3p

— Marvel Studios (@MarvelStudios) July 28, 2024

Despite the excitement surrounding the big reveal, social media was filled with a mix of reactions. While some were thrilled to hear that Downey Jr. would be portraying a Tony Stark variant version of Doom, there were also those who expressed their opposition to the idea.

According to one X user, the situation is dire. They wrote: “The announcement seems desperate because the only reason to justify this is as a surprise twist in the movie.”

Another person chimed in, questioning if a casting announcement could potentially give off the impression of being created by artificial intelligence.

Despite the emotional goodbye to the MCU in Infinity War, where Tony Stark sacrificed his life to defeat Thanos, there is a sentiment among the naysayers that the casting choice undermines Downey Jr.’s performance. Additionally, some were anticipating a new actor to take on the iconic role of Doom, one of Marvel’s greatest villains.

According to a comment by a user, this is truly the most ridiculous and gimmicky thing they have ever witnessed.

“Despite my low expectations for a potential Doom casting, they were not as low as what was revealed,”said another. “The MCU has consistently cast white actors in roles that should have been portrayed by Roma performers.”

A user on Reddit expressed their opinion, stating, “The casting for this role is incredibly poor, to the extent that I believe there must be a valid reason behind it. However, I hope this is not a permanent decision and we will eventually see a proper Doom in the future.”

Both upcoming Avengers movies, entitled Doomsday and Secret Wars and set for release in 2026 and 2027, respectively, will feature Robert Downey Jr. as Doom.

You can also find out about the upcoming release of Fantastic Four and Captain America 4 for all the details.