ICONIC RETURN

Marvel Boss Explains ‘Avengers’ Star’s Dramatic Comeback

“We can do whatever the heck we want,” Kevin Feige explained.

Marvel fans will easily remember the death of Robert Downey Jr.’s Tony Stark in 2019’s Avengers: Endgame. It turns out any tears shed were wasted, as the actor is returning for the next two films—the first of which, Avengers: Doomsday, is scheduled for release in December this year. Marvel president Kevin Feige explained that RDJ, 61, “is ingrained in the fabric of the MCU,” and thus was always considered for a return if the stars aligned. It seems the stars did align—this time, however, RDJ will be taking on a much more antagonistic role. “We hit on this idea maybe three, three-and-a-half years ago about bringing Doctor Doom to the screen and needing to find the greatest actor possible to do it,” he said of the post-death recasting. Feige’s message to naysayers is clear: “We thought, this could be it. Let’s do it. It’s our universe. It’s a multiverse. We can do whatever the heck we want. He played the most iconic hero, let’s have him play the most iconic villain.”