A possible return of Robert Downey Jr. to the Marvel Cinematic Universe has long been discussed, and now it is finally official: The Oppenheimer star will also be seen in the upcoming Avengers film. However, instead of rising from the dead as Iron Man and donning the iron suit once again, we can instead see Downey Jr. as one of the most famous Marvel Villains expect at all.
As was revealed at the Comic-Con in San Diego this weekend, the Oscar winner will play Doctor Doom the aptly retitled Avengers 5: Doomsday. After the reveal video on Instagram went viral within hours over 212 million times When the video was called, fans took to social media to share their feelings about the surprising news.
Marvel fans applaud Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom in Avengers 5
One fan on X explained that the decision to cast Robert Downey Jr. in the iconic role saved the MCU for him: “That can’t be! The Faith in the MCU is restored. The Russo brothers and Robert Downey Jr.?! This is going to be epic!”
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Another fan wrote on X that he thought the Comic-Con reveal was a historic moment: “Historical. He is the bestladies and gentlemen!”
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Another fan joined in the cheers for the casting decision: “We love you, 3000! What a revelation!”
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Other fans think the casting decision was wrong
However, not all fans share the joy. One user wrote on X that he thought the casting decision was wrong: “You know that the NOT a good casting is, right?”
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Some fans also expressed criticism in the comments on the official post on Instagram, for example with the following statement: “Marvel has ruined a lot of things in recent years, but To ruin Doom was nothing I expected.” One user, however, picked up on the rumors that Oppenheimer star Cillian Murphy was considered for the role of Doctor Doom: “Someone was confused when they said ‘we should the type of Oppenheimer to play it.'”
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Iron Man co-star Gwyneth Patrow is also confused
Whether Pepper Potts actress and Downey Jr.’s Iron Man co-star Gwyneth Patrow thinks the casting news is good or bad is not clear from her reaction. But the actress made a confused comment under Downey Jr.’s Instagram post: “I do not understand it. Are you a villain now?“
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How exactly Robert Downey Jr.’s role as Doctor Doom unfolds, we will find out at the latest on 29 April 2026when Avengers 5: Doomsday opens in German cinemas.
The 7 most expensive Netflix films of all time
Netflix invests unimaginable sums in its original films, but the question often arises: where on earth did the money go? And was the effort really worth it? In this edition of our Moviepilot podcast Streamgestöber we look at the most expensive films in Netflix history.
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For quite some time now, the streaming service has been trying to compete with big blockbuster productions and is spending a lot of money to do so. But what will the end result be?
We take a closer look at the streaming service’s seven most expensive film projects to find out whether the nine-figure budgets can be compared to the success and quality of the films.