Robert Downey Jr. announces shock Marvel return at Comic-Con

Agence France-Presse

<p>SAN DIEGO — Oscar-winner Robert Downey Jr. announced his return to the Marvel superhero films during a blockbuster Disney presentation at Comic-Con Saturday, as the company attempts to reinvigorate its all-time record-grossing movie franchise.</p><p>Harrison Ford and Pedro Pascal were also officially unveiled among a batch of new stars joining the movie franchise, which has grossed an unprecedented $30 billion at the box office, but in recent years has suffered a number of high-profile flops.</p><p>Marvel film president Kevin Feige unveiled new details about multiple upcoming superhero movies in front of a crowd of screaming devotees at the San Diego, California gathering on Saturday — but nobody drew a louder reaction than the returning Downey Jr.</p><p>The actor, who launched the entire Marvel movie universe with 2008&#x27;s &quot;Iron Man,&quot; will return as a totally different character — Doctor Doom, a prominent villain in the Marvel comic books — it was revealed.</p><p>He appeared anonymously on stage among a group of hooded and masked figures, before stepping forward and revealing his much-rumored return.</p><p>&quot;New mask. Same task. What&#x27;d I tell you? I like playing complicated characters,&quot; said Downey Jr., to the delight of the assembled Marvel obsessives.</p><p>Downey Jr. won an Oscar this year for his role in Christopher Nolan&#x27;s &quot;Oppenheimer,&quot; and had seemingly retired from the Marvel films in 2019.</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/2024/7/24/-deadpool-wolverine-review-guffaws-gore-and-guests-galore-853">&#x27;Deadpool &amp; Wolverine&#x27; review: Guffaws, gore and guests galore<br/></a></div><div><strong>&#x27;Doomsday&#x27;</strong></div><p>The presentation was the hottest ticket of the four-day pop culture extravaganza, with fans lining up for hours to get a coveted seat.</p><p>Marvel fans have complained in recent years about over-complicated plotlines and the departure of beloved characters, including Downey Jr&#x27;s Iron Man, with some calling for a wholesale reboot of the movies.</p><p>The franchise was also rocked by domestic violence revelations about actor Jonathan Majors, who had been set to become the major new supervillain across multiple films.</p><p>Majors, who was convicted for assaulting and harassing his then-girlfriend, was dropped by Marvel.</p><p>The answer to who will fill that role was seemingly answered by Downey Jr.&#x27;s return as a villain.</p><p>Joe and Anthony Russo — the brothers who previously oversaw 2019&#x27;s &quot;Avengers: Endgame,&quot; which briefly became the highest-grossing film of all time at more than $2.79 billion — will also return.</p><p>They will direct &quot;Avengers: Doomsday,&quot; in May 2026, and &quot;Avengers: Secret Wars&quot; in May 2027.</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/2024/4/8/jonathan-majors-sentenced-to-1-year-domestic-counseling-012">RELATED: Jonathan Majors sentenced to 1 year domestic counseling</a></div><div><strong>&#x27;Piece of the action&#x27;</strong></div><p>The Marvel event opened with dozens of singers and dancers dressed in the red and yellow of &quot;Deadpool &amp; Wolverine,&quot; the new R-rated superhero movie that is enjoying a record breaking opening this weekend.</p><p>&quot;But Hall H doesn&#x27;t just look back... Hall H looks forward,&quot; said Feige, referring to the Comic-Con event&#x27;s famous venue, before setting out Marvel&#x27;s plans for the next three years.</p><p>Next year will see three films including February&#x27;s &quot;Captain America: Brave New World,&quot; with Harrison Ford as Thaddeus Ross, a US president who turns into a Red Hulk.</p><p>&quot;I wanted a piece of the action,&quot; said Ford, on joining the Marvel franchise.</p><p>Also due in 2025 are &quot;Thunderbolts&quot; in May starring Florence Pugh, and July&#x27;s &quot;The Fantastic 4: First Steps,&quot; starring Pedro Pascal and set in 1960s New York.</p><p>Earlier on Saturday at Comic-Con, Disney&#x27;s rival studio Warner, which runs the DC superhero movies, offered a glimpse at &quot;The Penguin,&quot; starring Colin Farrell.</p><p>Spun off from the 2022 film &quot;The Batman,&quot; which starred Robert Pattinson as a grungy, noirish incarnation of the beloved superhero, &quot;The Penguin&quot; will hit HBO on September 19.</p><div><strong>© Agence France-Presse</strong></div><div><br/></div><div><br/></div>

<p>Oscar-winner Robert Downey Jr. announced his return to the Marvel superhero films during a blockbuster Disney presentation at Comic-Con Saturday, as the company attempts to reinvigorate its all-time record-grossing movie franchise.</p>

Oscar-winner Robert Downey Jr. announced his return to the Marvel superhero films during a blockbuster Disney presentation at Comic-Con Saturday, as the company attempts to reinvigorate its all-time record-grossing movie franchise.