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  1. Entertainment
  2. Movies
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  4. Marvel Movies
  5. Avengers: Doomsday

Robert Downey Jr. says he returned to the MCU to "redefine the genre of superhero movies"

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By Fay Watson
Published 24 September 2026

The Iron Man actor has big ambitions for his return

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Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom sitting on a throne in the Avengers: Doomsday 'special look' trailer
(Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney)
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Robert Downey Jr. will soon be returning to the MCU in Avengers: Doomsday as a new character. Now the actor has revealed what was behind the decision to join as Victor Von Doom, and it seems like he has some big ambitions.

Speaking on the Avengers: Endgame special of the Countdown to Avengers: Doomsday Official Podcast, Downey Jr. was asked about his return by Ms. Marvel star Iman Vellani.

"What brought me back was the opportunity to redefine the genre of superhero movies so that's a tall order," he replied. "You know Mr. Feige, you know the group, we love a challenge and we figured, 'Wow let's mix it up and see if we can get ourselves excited, because if we're excited the audience will soon follow.'"

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Despite the success of Spider-Man: Brand New Day, the star is right that the superhero fatigue has been setting in with audiences. A whole streak of MCU movies failed to perform well with audiences and underperformed at the box office in the lead up to the release of Doomsday.

Doomsday has already been tracking well in pre-sales, breaking records before it's even hit theaters. Hopes are high then that this might be a turning point for the MCU, as Feige has already announced a change of strategy with the release of fewer projects between its release and the upcoming Avengers: Secret Wars.

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  • Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom on the Avengers: Doomsday poster Avengers Doomsday co-director responds to fan theory that Robert Downey Jr.'s Tony Stark and Doctor Doom are connected
  • Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom on the Avengers: Doomsday poster The Avengers: Endgame Encore footage has me convinced that Victor Von Doom is a Tony Stark variant

Downey Jr. will be playing iconic villain Doctor Doom in the new film, who will be the toughest adversary yet for the Avengers. Some new teases for the film are also part of the rerelease of Avengers: Endgame, which is in theaters around the world now.

For more on the MCU, check out our guide to upcoming Marvel movies and shows.

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Fay Watson
Fay Watson
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Deputy Entertainment Editor

I’m the Deputy Entertainment Editor here at GamesRadar+, covering TV and film for the Total Film and SFX sections online. I previously worked as a Senior Showbiz Reporter and SEO TV reporter at Express Online for three years. I've also written for The Resident magazines and Amateur Photographer, before specializing in entertainment.

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