Robert Downey, Jr. reveals why he's returning to the MCU to play Doctor Doom

Nobody was prepared for the Comic Con footage of Robert Downey, Jr. ripping off a Doctor Doom mask and literally basking in the spotlight of Hall H. It was a moment so bizarre, so unexpected, that it almost seemed AI generated on first viewing.

Turns out, it was the real deal. Downey, the man who was the face of the MCU for over a decade, and who spearheaded the most successful franchise run in cinematic history, is going back to the well. "New mask, same task," he told a gobsmacked crowd. He hasn't said much about the casting since the Comic Con announcement, but a recent Hollywood Reporter interview shed light on Downey's reason for returning.

Well, besides money, of course.

Downey was won over by Kevin Feige's passion

Robert Downey, Jr. appeared on the THR podcast Awards Chatter to discuss his turn on the miniseries The Sympathizer. The actor played a number of different roles in the Park Chan-wook drama, which seemed like a natural pivot point to discuss the MCU and Downey's decision to double up on iconic characters.

Downey ultimately told Awards Chatter that he was won over by the pitch from Marvel boss Kevin Feige:

"[Feige said] how can we not go backwards, how do we not disappoint expectations, how we can continue to beat expectations… Let’s get Victor Von Doom right."

Downey was surprised Disney wanted him back

Getting it "right" in Feige's estimation meant bringing back Downey and playing with his perception as the shining light of the MCU. Downey stated that he and Feige have remained close since the release of Avengers: Endgame (2019), and while he was initially hesitant to come back, he was intrigued by the depth and tragedy of the Doom character.

"I looked into this character and I was like 'Wow,'" Downey recalled. "We go to [Disney CEO Bob] Iger's pad and we sit down. I start saying I just really wanna be, he goes 'I like it,' I was like, 'He likes it.'"

The decision to bring Robert Downey, Jr. back has not gotten as high an approval rating with fans as it did that day in Iger's office. Some feel the MCU is regressing, and resorting to gimmicks to bring fans back into the fold. Others simply feel that Downey's dry delivery and general screen presence is all wrong for the Doctor Doom character (I'm firmly in the latter camp).

Time will tell if Downey and Feige are able to pull this high risk casting off.