Kevin Feige explains why Marvel brought back Robert Downey Jr.
“We never lost contact with him…” assures the boss of the MCU.
Goodbye Iron Man, long live Doctor Doom!
Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige has finally detailed (via EW) the reason behind a choice that raised more than one eyebrow: the return of Robert Downey Jr. to the franchise after the end of Tony Stark in Avengers: Endgamee. He will now take on the role of Doctor Doom for Avengers: Doomsday.
According to the MCU boss, several factors guided this decision, notably the freedom offered by the multiverse and the recent trajectory of the actor, increasingly acclaimed by critics. Feige first recalls that the link with Robert Downey Jr. was never broken:
“We never lost touch with Downey. He is part of the DNA of the MCU, and we always discussed when, how – or even if – he might return.”
But the idea of transforming him into Doctor Doom was born about three and a half years ago. Just as the studio was finally preparing for the arrival of Victor Von Doom, an opportunity presented itself.
“At that time, he was on a critical rise after Oppenheimer. Everyone was talking about him as the greatest actor in the world, and we said, ‘What if this was the right role? The right time?’
The studio then fully embraced the possibilities of its multiverse:
“This is our universe. And it’s a multiverse. We can do what we want. He played the most iconic hero. Let’s make him the most iconic villain!”
In Avengers: DoomsdayDoctor Doom thus becomes a major new threat, at the heart of a clash bringing together heroes from several universes.
The film, directed by Joe Russo and Anthony Russo, will be released in theaters on December 16 in France.
