We get insights as to how Robert Downey Jr. returned to not only the MCU as Doctor Doom, but he also will be reprising the role of Tony Stark and Iron Man in Disney’s new Avengers rides.
Comic-Con saw the big announcement that Robert Downey Jr. will be starring in Avengers: Doomsday and reuniting with the Russo Brothers, out in 2026.
At the recent D23 Expo, it was further announced Robert Downey Jr. will be appearing in two new attractions planned for Disneyland’s California Adventure theme park. Downey Jr. will return as Tony Stark at the center of Stark Flight Lab, a thrill ride featuring Iron Man as he sends riders on a wild experiment in two-person robotic pods that whirl around to simulate flight. He’ll also appear in the park’s world-hopping Avengers Infinity Defense ride, which will take guests to various worlds seen throughout the MCU featuring King Thanos.
Feige, Favreau Russos instrumental in RDJ MCU return
During a recent interview with THR, Robert Downey Jr. shared how these projects came about, revealing that his close relationships with key players like Kevin Feige, Jon Favreau, and the Russo Brothers were instrumental in his return.
“So, probably a year ago…cause, you know, [Kevin] Feige and I have kept in touch. We’re pals. Favreau, Feige, and I have kept in touch. I’m close with the Russo Brothers; we have other business we’re doing,” he explained. “So, there’s this little group of fellow travelers and I had this instinct that I wanted to go to Bob Iger and I had an idea outside of the Cinematic Universe for how I could be of service to what’s going on in the Parks and all their location-based entertainment.”
“Let’s get Victor Von Doom right”
The discussion about returning to the MCU in a new capacity began to take shape during a conversation with Feige.
“Susan and I were sitting down with Feige at one point and he said, ‘It just keeps occurring to me that if you were to come back…’ and Susan was like, ‘Wait, wait, come back as what?'” explained Downey.
He continued, “Then we both realized over time that it was another thing that just disproves any doubt anyone could ever have about that guy, a very sophisticated creative thinker, about how can we not go backwards, how can we not disappoint expectations, how we can continue to beat expectations?”
Downey added, “And he brought up Victor Von Doom. I looked up this character and I was like, ‘Wow.’ Later, Kevin goes, ‘Let’s get Victor Von Doom right. Let’s get that right.'”
Bob Iger on board
The excitement only grew when Downey Jr. pitched his ideas to Disney CEO Bob Iger.
“So then I said to Kevin, ‘Can I go talk to Bob Iger?'” Downey Jr. said. “He goes, ‘About?’ I go, ‘About everything.’
“I’d gone to Bob’s house, and I don’t know how to describe that experience,” he continued. “I’ve had a lot of really cool experiences, but I go to Iger’s pad, we sit down, and he goes, ‘I like it.’
“I was like, ‘He likes it,'” Downey Jr. added. “He said, ‘Come by the Imagineering Campus.’
“Feige and I go to the Imagineering Campus, and you want to talk about two guys that are not easy to have their minds blown, let alone at the same time…” Downey Jr. trailed off, hinting at something big. “I can’t say too much, but what is going on there right now is so beyond my expectation of what was possible.”
Avengers Infinity Defense
Regarding the Disney Avengers rides, Disney Portfolio Executive Creative Director Scott Trowbridge previously explained the plot of Avengers Infinity Defense.
“We’re going to find out that some of this global technology has gone missing and now King Thanos is using it to wreak havoc across multiple worlds,” he said. “It’s gonna be all hands on deck as we assemble the Avengers to take on his army,” he said, teasing “favorite heroes, both big and small.”
The ride will journey through iconic MCU locations like Asgard, Wakanda, and New York City, “where we might even encounter King Thanos himself,” the exec revealed to the D23 audience. The crowd erupted into cheers at the mention of the villain, a Multiverse variant of Thanos.
