Summary
- RDJ’s return as Tony Stark is confirmed at D23 for new Disneyland rides.
- The new Marvel-themed attractions will be
Avengers Infinity Defense
and
Stark Flight Lab. - Downey is also set to play Doctor Doom in 2026’s
Avengers: Doomsday
.
Robert Downey Jr.’s return as the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Tony Stark has been confirmed at this year’s D23, albeit with one important caveat. Serving as one of the MCU’s most important and enduring characters, Downey’s Iron Man ultimately met his fate in 2019’s Avengers: Endgame. Since then, it has been largely assumed that Downey’s time in the franchise had already come to a definitive end. However, this year’s San Diego Comic-Con sent shockwaves through the Marvel fanbase when it was revealed that Downey would be returning to play the iconic Marvel villain Doctor Doom in 2026’s Avengers: Doomsday.
As part of the D23 Experiences Showcase, for which Screen Rant was in attendance, it was revealed that Downey is also set to reprise his original MCU character in addition to his new role as Doctor Doom. However, audiences will need to head to Disneyland’s Avengers Campus to experience it, as his return as Tony Stark will be for a new ride experiences instead of a future MCU movie. During the panel, two new Marvel-themed attractions were announced, Avengers Infinity Defense and Stark Flight Lab, with construction set to begin later this year.
How RDJ’s Tony Stark Can Still Make His Big Screen Return
Downey’s Iron Man Could Still Make Another MCU Appearance
As one of the MCU’s most beloved and recognizable stars, the decision to bring Downey back for Avengers: Doomsday has largely been lauded by fans concerned with the franchise’s post-Avengers: Endgame struggles. While some online commentators are not completely comfortable with the idea of Downey stepping in to play one of Marvel’s most recognizable villains, his proven versatility as an actor is likely to provide viewers with a vastly different character than the one that first helped to launch the MCU.
While it is unclear whether Downey’s Doctor Doom will originally hail from a different reality to the MCU’s Sacred Timeline, most theories already point to that being the most likely scenario.
Moreover, with Downey’s return coinciding with the MCU’s plans to bring their troubled Multiverse Saga to a proper conclusion in 2027’s Avengers: Secret Wars, it is likely that his physical resemblance to Earth 616’s Tony Stark will end up playing an important part in the unfolding story. While it is unclear whether Downey’s Doctor Doom will originally hail from a different reality to the MCU’s Sacred Timeline, most theories already point to that being the most likely scenario.
Most importantly, however, the idea of Downey’s Doctor Doom being a Tony Stark variant also opens the possibility for other Stark variants to appear during Avengers: Secret Wars. If so, it would not be completely out of the question for that movie to establish a showdown between two different Stark variants and have Downey’s Iron Man battling his version of Doctor Doom in a scene reminiscent of Avengers: Endgame’s Cap versus Cap fight. Either way, Downey’s imminent return as the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Tony Stark may very well end up being for far more than just some new Disneyland rides.
Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU)
Summary
The monolithic franchise that kicked off with Iron Man, the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), is one of the industry’s longest-running and largest cinematic franchises. Based on the heroes from Marvel Comics, the MCU is a new way for fans and newcomers alike to enjoy the ever-expanding universes of some of the world’s most famous superheroes. Releasing as “Phases,” Marvel Studio’s first three Phases came to be known as “The Infinity Saga,” which surrounded the formation of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes and their showdown with the Mad Titan known as Thanos as he sought to collect the Infinity Stones. With his ultimate goal of indiscriminately wiping out half of all life in the universe, this plot ultimately reveals itself over ten years of films, ending in a two-part finale that changed the world’s fate – and the core cast forever. Currently, the MCU is preparing to enter the fifth phase, focusing on Kang the Conquerer as the new core series villain.
