By: Nina He

When Dr. Doom stepped forward and announced his name as Robert Downey Jr., the crowd at the Marvel Cinematic Universe went wild. Robert Downey Jr. had previously played Iron Man in the “Iron Man” series, “Captain America: Civil War,” and “Spider-Man: Homecoming.” The 2019 film, “Avengers: Endgame,” was Downey’s last appearance in the Marvel world.

And now, popular as ever, Downey will be playing Dr. Doom, the main supervillain, in “Avengers: Doomsday,” which will be released in May of 2026, and “Avengers: Secret Wars” a year after that.

“New mask, same task,” Downey announced at a Comic-Con event in San Diego on Saturday. “What can I tell you? I like playing complicated characters.”

Downey, at 58, has been an actor since the 1980s. He earned Academy Award nominations for playing Charlie Chaplin in the 1992 film “Chaplin” and for his role in the 2008 war comedy “Tropic Thunder.”

However, he was sentenced to prison in 1999 for several drug and weapons related charges. He then overcame a long battle with substance abuse. 20 years later, after getting out of jail, he won the Academy Award for best supporting actor for his role in “Oppenheimer” as Lewis Strauss.

Downey’s return to the Marvel universe has boosted his popularity to another level. His journey and experience as an actor will allow his role as Dr. Doom to exceed audience’s expectations. Whether Iron Man, Lewis Strauss, or now Dr. Doom, one thing is certain: whenever hero or villain, Downey will not disappoint.