Robert Downey Jr.‘s return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe is without a doubt one of the biggest surprises to come from San Diego Comic-Con.
Over the weekend, it was announced that the Iron Man star would be returning to the franchise for the first time since 2019′s Avengers: Endgame. However, he’ll be playing a new role – Doctor Doom – in two new movies, starting with Avengers: Doomsday in 2026.
You might be surprised to learn that he has history with the classic villain, who is most commonly associated with the Fantastic Four.
Keep reading to find out more…
Last year, Iron Man director and star Jon Favreau recalled that Robert had been in talks to play Doctor Doom in 2005′s Fantastic Four. The movie starred his future MCU buddy Chris Evans, Jessica Alba and more. Julian McMahon was cast as the villain. Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige agreed with the recollection.
Jon broached the topic while talking about casting Robert as Iron Man. If you were unaware, it took some convincing to get Robert the role. Before that, either other actors were in the running.