There have been plenty of big announcements and teases from Marvel at San Diego Comic Con this year, but the one that has everyone talking is Robert Downey Jr. ‘s return to the MCU to play Doctor Doom. He will play the role in two projected films, Avengers: The Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars, with the Russo brothers also backing to direct both projects. It was perhaps the loudest announcement in Hall H, and no one seemed to have noticed it coming. Apparently, even the other MCU cast members had no idea that Downey would endorse, as Florence Pugh explained that she found out along with everyone else.
Marvel is known for its secrecy. The studio provides actors like Tom Holland with partial scripts for big projects, and everything is kept on a need-to-know basis to avoid spoilers. This also comes with all the big announcements made at this year’s Comic-Con. The studio had actors from Thunderbolts* and Fantastic Four: First Steps on its panel, but even they didn’t hear about the big news about RDJ. Pugh told GamesRadar:
I didn’t even see that, I’m doing press with all of you!
She’s referring to the many sleuths on offer at San Diego Comic-Con to connect with the cast and get a look at what’s new and coming to Marvel. However, even though it turns out that those actors know it, they just know it. as much as the enthusiasts. Downey’s announcement was a big one, sparking a frenzied reaction from enthusiasts after the big reveal. It’s understandable that the MCU should remain silent until everything is official and they can announce it on their own terms.
The studio possibly would have also been hiding news about Pugh and the rest of the Marvel cast, because even though other people are looking their best, spoilers have already come out. Mark Ruffalo livestreamed the first 20 minutes of Thor: Ragnarok while at the premiere, and Tom Holland let slip the wonderful role of Andrew Garfield in Spider-Man: Far From Home. It’s never intentional, but the less others know, the less likely one of the actors is to let something slip.
As for Pugh, this announcement means more than just some Marvel fans, as he has found a potential high-profile partner. Downey and Pugh know each other from Oppenheimer’s press tour, but they appear in the film. They have never shared the screen. Pugh is expected to be in Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars, so this may be his chance to finally work really well with the Iron Man star. They are both very talented and it would be exciting. to see a meeting between Yelena Belova and Doctor Doom.
You can catch Florence Pugh and Robert Downey Jr. in Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars when they hit theaters on May 1, 2026 and May 7, 2027, respectively. Fans can also catch Pugh in his upcoming Marvel project, Thunderbolts*, which is lately scheduled for April 30 according to the 2025 film schedule. To learn more about other MCU movies coming to theaters soon, be sure to check out our upcoming Marvel movie guide.
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