Marvel’s hour-long presentation at the San Diego Comic-Con concluded with the surprise entry of Dr. Doom in a mask. When the mask came off, it was Robert Downey Jr. and the whole crowd erupted in joy. The Iron Man actor is all set to portray one of Marvel’s greatest villains in the upcoming film Avengers: Doomsday. However, X-Men ’97 showrunner Beau DeMayo’s X post did not share this excitement.
Downey Jr. is not the only one back after MCU Phase 3. Kevin Feige also brings back the Russo brothers, Anthony and Joe Russo, to helm the next two Avengers films. Avengers: Doomsday will replace the earlier announced Avengers: The Kang Dynasty, which faced issues after Marvel severed ties with Kang actor Jonathan Majors.
Robert Downey Jr.’s Marvel Return May Not Be The Big Update Beau DeMayo Expected
Marvel has decided to move away from Kang as the main villain in the upcoming Avengers films. It was announced at the San Diego Comic-Con that Victor Von Doom, the Fantastic Four villain, will now be the big baddie. The biggest surprise for fans was the casting of MCU veteran Robert Downey Jr. as Dr. Doom.
Downey Jr. was chill as always and shared about his casting, “New mask, same task. What can I tell ya? I like playing complicated characters” (via @NewRockstars | X). For now, fans know for sure that he has a major role in the upcoming film, Avengers: Doomsday. While Marvel fans all over the world celebrate this casting, one important figure in the MCU was not happy.
“New mask, same task.”
— Marvel Studios (@MarvelStudios) July 28, 2024
Robert Downey Jr. surprises Hall H to announce his return to the MCU as Doctor Doom. pic.twitter.com/j1SEjzse3p
Beau DeMayo, the showrunner of X-Men ’97, wrote on X, “Sigh”, after the Marvel SDCC panel wrapped up. It is not exactly clear if it was Downey Jr.’s return that disappointed DeMayo. He has been vocal about the happenings in the Marvel universe on X despite being shown the door from his show X-Men ’97.
Sigh.
— Beau DeMayo (@BeauDemayo) July 28, 2024
While the Sherlock Holmes actor’s return to the MCU is exciting for sure, many fans wonder what this could mean to his Iron Man legacy. Some fans are happy that he did not choose to return as a variant of Tony Stark. The Oscar-winning actor’s return will also help regain some of the lost reputation for Marvel.
It is also possible that DeMayo was upset about the absence of any major X-Men update from the Marvel panel. X-Men fans are surely not happy about it either, especially after the successful theatrical run of Deadpool & Wolverine. Interestingly, a new X-Men reboot was announced a few days earlier, but it failed to make it into the SDCC panel.
All The Major Marvel Updates At SDCC 2024
Marvel’s biggest announcement at the San Diego Comic-Con aside, they had some pretty interesting updates regarding some of the upcoming films. Mahershala Ali‘s Blade was notably absent from Marvel’s panel despite the movie heading for a 2025 release. Here are all the other major updates:
- A first-look footage of Captain America: Brave New World was screened at the SDCC.
- Harrison Ford’s Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross looks to rebuild The Avengers with the help of Sam Wilson in this film.
- In Anthony Mackie‘s film, Giancarlo Esposito will play the character of the King of the Serpent Society, Seth Voelker aka Siderwinder.
- Early footage of Marvel’s Thunderbolts* showed Florence Pugh‘s Yelena Belova face off against Hannah John-Kamen’s Ghost and Wyatt Russell’s John Walker.
- The newly introduced family in Marvel gets an official title for their film, The Fantastic Four: First Steps.
- Some early footage of the film showed a ’60s setting, with Reed Richards leading a science program while Ben Grimm appears in a dating show.
Captain America: Brave New World has a release date for next year on February 14. Thunderbolts* is scheduled to be released on May 5, 2025. The Fantastic Four: First Steps will premiere on July 25, 2025. Avengers: Doomsday is expected to come out in May 2026.
