Robert Downey Jr. Reflects on Iron Man’s Legacy Before His MCU Return as Doctor Doom

Robert Downey Jr. is gearing up for a Marvel comeback, but as you know, not as the hero we’ve known him as for over a decade.

The actor who brought Tony Stark to life iand helped launch the MCU is stepping into the role of Doctor Doom for Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars. But before fully embracing this new chapter, Downey recently took a moment to reflect on what Iron Man has meant to him.

Speaking at SXSW, the actor shared how his time as Tony Stark has resonated with him, saying: "17 years I've been associated with an iconic superhero, but you know, it's the message he represents that I'm grateful for,"

"Tony [Stark] opened my eyes wider to the power technology has to impact the world for good, and that's something I'll carry with me for the rest of my days."

While Downey has firmly closed the door on returning as Stark in the MCU, he will suit up as Iron Man one last time for Disneyland’s upcoming Stark Flight Lab attraction.

There are also reports that there may be multiple versions of the main Avengers characters showing up in these next two Avengers movies. This leads some to speculate that there’s a chance Tony Stark should show up.

Directors Joe and Anthony Russo, seem excited about his transformation, recently sharing: "He's writing backstory, costume ideas. He just really loves rich three-dimensional characters, and I think he sees a real opportunity here."

It’s still hard to imagine Downey as Doom, especially since we all know him as Tony Stark. But Marvel clearly has a plan, and there’s a chance we’ll get our first look at his take on the character in this summer’s The Fantastic Four: First Steps.

We’ll just have to wait and see. Avengers: Doomsday is set for May 2026, with Avengers: Secret Wars following in May 2027.