Robert Downey Jr. Details Why He Returned to the MCU as Doctor Doom

Overview

• Doubled down on reinvention, Downey Jr. said he took on Victor von Doom to break from his Tony Stark image.
• He told Bran Ferren’s Conversations for Our Daughters that Nolan’s trust on Oppenheimer gave him the push to try a new kind of role.
• Footage shown at CinemaCon points to a distinct take on Doom with an accent and a scarred face to set him apart from Iron Man.
• He said he used “dream work” with co-star Vanessa Kirby, a method that mines an actor’s dreams taught by coach Sandra Seacat.
• The film, led by directors Joe and Anthony Russo after plans shifted when Jonathan Majors left the franchise, is scheduled for December 18, 2026.