We’re here at San Diego Comic-Con 2024 and Marvel just revealed some earth-shattering news!
Marvel Studios is riding high right now with the success of Deadpool & Wolverine, which was a much-needed win after some box office disappointments. Now, all eyes turned toward San Diego Comic-Con 2024, where Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige and many others from the Marvel team (including its stars) would announce what’s coming up with the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). And, wow, did they deliver!
During its main Hall H panel on Saturday, July 27th, 2024, Feige and company announced some major news…including the MASSIVE shocker that Robert Downey Jr. is returning to the MCU in a NEW role!
Downey Jr. has played perhaps the MCU’s most iconic role — Iron Man — since 2008 and was the first main hero introduced in Marvel’s box-office-juggernaut franchise.
However, Downey Jr. will be portraying a totally different kind of character in this new chapter of the MCU — Doctor Doom. A major villain of the Fantastic Four, Doom is one of Marvel Comics’ biggest and most infamous villains, so this is definitely a substantial shift for the heroically-inclined Downey Jr.
Downey Jr. will portray Doctor Doom in the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday, slated for release in May 2026. The film was previously titled Avengers: Kang Dynasty but has since been officially renamed with Doom replacing Kang as the main antagonist.
Marvel also announced that Anthony Russo and Joseph Russo will return to the MCU to direct Avengers: Doomsday and its sequel Avengers: Secret Wars, which is set to premiere a year later in May 2027. Co-writer of Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame Stephen McFeely is set to write both new films.
We also learned that the new Fantastic Four will appear in both new Avengers films!
As for their first film, the title was officially announced as The Fantastic Four: First Steps and is set to debut on July 25th, 2025. The film will take place in the retro-future 1960s and might explain why Doctor Doom looks a whole heck of a lot like Tony Stark — at least we hope!
It was also revealed that Giancarlo Esposito is playing Sidewinder, King of the Serpent Society in Captain America: Brave New World. More clips and small details were also shared about that film and Marvel Studios’ Thunderbolts*.
We’re super stoked to be able to share this news with you and we’ll continue to provide you with all sorts of Marvel movie updates, so stay tuned right here at AllEars for the latest news!
2 R-Rated Characters Came to a Disney Park and Were…Surprisingly Wholesome?!
Want to learn more about the Disney+ streaming service? Check out these posts:
Join the AllEars.net Newsletter to stay on top of ALL the breaking Disney News! You'll also get access to AllEars tips, reviews, trivia, and MORE! Click here to Subscribe!
Are you excited for Robert Downey Jr.’s return to the MCU? Let us know why or why not in the comments below!
One word. Rebirth.
I believe that RDJ returning to the MCU is the Hail Mary that fans were hoping for. Since the Kang dynasty was cursed from the stark..I mean start. This is the best hook to get fans rejuvenated for the new franchise. The multi-verse is alive and can take us anywhere. This storyline could be a version from the Disney + series…What If?
This is gonna be epic.