It seems that everyone was blindsided by Robert Downey Jr.’s surprise MCU return as Dr. Doom, even one of his closest co-stars, Don Cheadle. Cheadle plays Colonel Rhodey Rhodes, a.k.a War Machine, in the MCU. The character was first played by Terrence Howard in Iron Man, but Cheadle was recast in the role for Iron Man 2, and all subsequent MCU movies. Downey Jr.’s MCU return was announced at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con, and caught the entire fan base off-guard.

After the death of Tony Stark in Avengers: Endgame, few fans thought Robert Downey Jr. would come back to the MCU, especially as a different character (Downey will play Victor Von Doom, the iconic Fantastic Four villain). Despite portraying best friends on-screen for over a decade, even Don Cheadle was astonished by Robert Downey Jr.’s new Marvel role.

Speaking to Collider at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival to promote the upcoming movie Unstoppable, Don Cheadle shared his thoughts on Robert Downey Jr.’s return. The actor was asked about his reaction to Downy Jr.’s MCU re-casting. While his answer was incredibly short, it also encapsulated the reaction of the entire fan base. Cheadle simply said:

“I think that’s exactly what I said,” Cheadle continued. During the conversation, Cheadle was hesitant to answer any MCU questions, out of fear of Marvel’s Super Secret Spoiler Police (as they should officially be known). The actor said he doesn’t know much about the future of the MCU, or Rhodey’s future in the franchise. “Everything is clay right now. They’re re-writing, they’re re-working, and so I honestly can’t even tease anything.” Just as Cheadle finished his sentence, his Unstoppable co-star, Bobby Cannavale, joked about Marvel’s dedication to secrecy, saying “Fired. Just for saying that. Fired.”

Robert Downey Jr. Will Return in Avengers: Doomsday

The reveal of Robert Downey Jr.’s MCU return was perfectly on-brand for the actor. Appearing at San Diego Comic Con, hiding his identity under a Dr. Doom mask and cloak, the actor took center stage before throwing off his mask, and basking in the gasps and thunderous applause of the crowd. “New mask, same task. What’d I tell you, I like playing complicated characters,” Downey Jr. said in front of the star-struck Hall H crowd.

It has yet to be revealed how Robert Downey Jr. will be able to play Dr. Doom in the MCU. Some fans are theorizing that the actor will play an alternate version of Tony Stark from a different timeline or multiverse, who has turned to the Marvel dark side. Meanwhile, others believe Robert Downey Jr.’s casting could be somewhat of a red herring. Face swapping technology was introduced in Captain America: The Winter Soldier and hasn’t been used since. Could Dr. Doom wear Tony Stark’s face to confuse and anger the Avengers, allowing him to complete whatever dastardly mission the Russo Brothers have in store for him?

Robert Downey Jr. is set to make his MCU return in Avengers: Doomsday. The plot of that movie has yet to be revealed. However, it is likely that Dr. Doom will survive the film, as the character will play a pivotal role in the following Avengers movie, Avengers: Secret Wars. Meanwhile, many believe that the reveal of Downey Jr.’s casting has been made now because he could make his first appearance in a post-credit cameo in next year’s Fantastic Four: First Steps.

Avengers: Doomsday
is set to hit theaters on May 1, 2026.