The Marvel Cinematic Universe has become a well-oiled machine over the years, expanding in both theaters and streaming with a Disney+ subscription. The last few phases have introduced a ton of new characters, although some fans are still hoping to see the OG Avengers return for an upcoming Marvel movie. There’s a wild MCU rumor about Robert Downey Jr.’s return, and I so hope it’s true. Let's break it all down.
Fans who spent years watching the Marvel movies in order have a certain affinity for the original Avengers, especially Robert Downey Jr.'s Iron Man. Tony Stark died during Avengers: Endgame, but fans are still hoping he returns sooner rather than later. A new rumor from Hollywood insider Jeff Sneider (via Comic Book) claims that he might be back in the shared universe in a very different role. He's quoted as saying:
Speaking of Doctor Doom, there's still no word yet about his casting in Fantastic Four, as insiders denied my inquiry about Robert Downey Jr., who I was told might come back as an alternate-universe Tony Stark who becomes Doctor Doom instead of Iron Man. It seems far-fetched, yes, but I figured that if there was any hope of Downey coming back, there'd have to be a new wrinkle for him to play. So, for now, we continue to wait.
Well, my mind is blown. It would be crazy to see RDJ in the MCU at any point, but playing a villainous variant of Tony Stark that ultimately became Doctor Doom would be crazy. And I have to admit I'd love to see the Oscar-winning actor flex those villain muscles.
For now we should treat this as a rumor, as what we know about Fantastic Four is extremely limited. And even if Robert Downey Jr. is in talks to play this wild variant of Doctor Doom, those talks could very well fail. So I'm taking this exciting news with a grain of salt.
The cast list of Fantastic Four is still coming together, but this isn't the only rumor that's been circulating about Downey possibly returning to the MCU. Back in November it was rumored that Marvel was considering bringing back the OG Avengers, including characters who had perished like Iron Man and Black Widow. There's been no news on that front either, but clearly fans are hoping to see RDJ back in one way or another.
While I'm definitely down to see his take on Doctor Doom in Fantastic Four, yet another possible entry for Robert Downey Jr.'s return to the MCU just opened up. It was revealed that The Russo Brothers are in talks to direct two more Avengers movies, which might be just the reason certain longtime actors have to pop back up again.
The next MCU movie hitting theaters is Deadpool & Wolverine on July 26th. For now, check the 2025 movie release dates.
