Robert Downey Jr. sent the Marvel fandom into a frenzy after the actor revealed a cryptic new art through his social media, which left many wondering if Iron Man might be back in the MCU. On Friday, the star debuted a comic-style illustration wittily nodding toward his iconic past as Iron Man and his upcoming role as Doctor Doom. In the drawing, shared as one way of offering a Thanksgiving greeting, the forearms of both Iron Man and Doctor Doom are seen breaking a wishbone of a turkey in a symbolic gesture traditionally believed to portend good luck.
The photo sparked intense speculation regarding a potential crossover or story connection between the two characters for upcoming projects in the MCU. Comments exploded on the site, with one fan saying, “Iron Man is definitely coming back in Secret Wars,” and another questioned, “Iron Man vs Doctor Doom in Doomsday?!?” Others included, “I wish to see Tony again, but I’m still psyched to see you as Doom.” In keeping with tradition, Marvel Studios hasn’t said a word, further fueling theories and discussion online.
Robert Downey Jr. went onto become an international sensation as Tony Stark and played the iconic character of Iron Man in 10 MCU films, from Iron Man to Avengers: Endgame, from 2008 to 2019. Downey Jr. is finally returning to Marvel, at San Diego Comic-Con 2024, but this time as the most iconic villain, Victor Von Doom, first in Avengers: Doomsday in 2026 and then Avengers: Secret Wars in 2027.
As each film is looking to be among Marvel’s biggest releases to date, plot details remain scarce. Still, Marvel confirmed their release dates: Avengers: Doomsday hits theaters on December 18, 2026, followed by Avengers: Secret Wars on December 17, 2027.
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With returning favorites and MCU heavyweights, Avengers: Doomsday promises star-studded appeal. Hence, with Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Vanessa Kirby, Rebecca Romijn, Paul Rudd, Anthony Mackie, Sebastian Stan, Letitia Wright, Florence Pugh, Kelsey Grammer, Danny Ramirez, and Pedro Pascal, the anticipation should be sky-high for fans worldwide.
