At San Diego Comic-Con on Saturday night, Marvel Studios figuratively blew the roof off the famous Hall H with a literal unmasking of Robert Downey Jr. in an announcement of his return to the MCU.
However, Downey Jr. won't be reprising as Tony Stark/Iron Man, who perished in "Avengers: Endgame." Instead, the Oscar winner will be breaking bad as Dr. Victor von Doom -- one of Marvel Comics' original villains, Dr. Doom.
Studio head Kevin Feige first announced that "Avengers: Infinity War" and "Endgame" directors Joe and Anthony Russo were also returning to the Marvel Cinematic Universe for a pair of forthcoming films, "Avengers: Doomsday" and "Avengers: Secret Wars." Feige was flanked by rows of figures in green robes wearing Doom's iconic metal mask.
Joe Russo then said, "As proof of the unlimited possibilities of the Marvel [Multiverse], we give you the one person who could play Victor von Doom."
At this, a figure wearing a green suit emerged, dramatically walked to the front of the stage and took off his silver mask, revealing Downey Jr.'s face -- to a thunderous response from the crowd.
"New mask, same task," Downey Jr. said, referring to the difference between Iron Man's faceplate and Doom's covering. He added, "I tell ya, I like playing complicated characters."
As reported, the "Oppenheimer" star had hinted that he reconsidered a return to Marvel, after 10 appearances as Stark beginning with 2008's "Iron Man." For his part, Kevin Feige insisted to Vanity Fair they'd never "magically undo" Stark's climactic "Endgame" sacrifice -- and apparently, the Multiverse will provide a way to bring Downey Jr. back without doing just that.
Downey Jr. later posted a photo of himself face-to-face with the mask with the caption, "New mask, same task," to which his fellow Avenger Mark Ruffalo, also known as the Hulk, commented: "green suits you."
Marvel Studios is owned by Disney, the parent company of ABC News.
