It looks like Marvel fans haven’t seen the last of Robert Downey Jr.‘s Iron Man.
The beloved superhero was once the face of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, appearing frequently throughout The Infinity Saga. However, since his demise in Avengers: Endgame (2019), Tony Stark/Iron Man has been absent from the MCU outside of some animated appearances where Downey did not voice him.
Since January, there have been reports claiming that Downey would be returning to the role of Iron Man in Avengers: Doomsday, albeit as a variant from an alternate timeline or universe. In February, noted scooper MAJESTIC_ucm reported that Doomsday would feature a fight between Iron Man and Doctor Doom. Fellow scooper MyTimetoShineHello recently supported MAJESTIC_ucm’s claim on X, but made one major change in their report.
Avengers: Secret Wars may also give fans Iron Man vs. Doctor Doom
“RDJ’s Iron Man will fight RDJ’s Doctor Doom in Avengers Secret Wars,” MyTimeToShineHello wrote on X. Since these are unconfirmed scoops, it’s unclear whether Doomsday and Secret Wars will both feature fights between Iron Man and Doctor Doom, or if one of the scoopers is confused as to which Avengers movie will feature what fans can only consider to be a dream fight.
Joe and Anthony Russo are directing both Doomsday and Secret Wars. Plot details remain under wraps for the two-part crossover event, although Doomsday will be set 14 months after the main events of Thunderbolts* (and concurrently with its post-credits scene).
The hype is already high for Doomsday, which will be the first time the Avengers, the New Avengers, the Fantastic Four, and the X-Men have shared the big screen. Chris Hemsworth, Paul Rudd, Anthony Mackie, Vanessa Kirby, Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Florence Pugh, Sebastian Stan, James Marsden, and Channing Tatum are among the actors confirmed to appear in the Avengers sequel. Other familiar faces, like Elizabeth Olsen, Benedict Cumberbatch, and Brie Larson, are expected to appear, but remain unconfirmed at this time.
Avengers: Doomsday is scheduled to hit theaters on December 18, 2026, with Avengers: Secret Wars following one year later on December 17, 2027.
