What Does Iron Man Mean To Robert Downey Jr? Actor Reveals Learnings of 17 Years Before Returning As Doctor Doom

Robert Downey Jr. recently reflected on his long journey as Iron Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Speaking at a panel during SXSW, he shared his gratitude for playing Tony Stark and how the character influenced his perspective on technology.

"Seventeen years I've been associated with this iconic superhero," Downey said. "It’s the message he represents that I'm grateful for. Tony Stark opened my eyes wider to the power technology has to impact the world for good, and that's something I'll carry for the rest of my life."

Downey's time as Iron Man ended in Avengers: Endgame (2019), but Marvel fans were surprised when news broke that he would return to the MCU in a new role. He is now set to play Doctor Doom, one of Marvel’s most well-known villains. He is expected to appear in Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars as per ScreenRant.

There are also rumors that Downey’s Doctor Doom may make an early debut in a post-credit scene of The Fantastic Four: First Steps, set to release later this year. Marvel has not officially confirmed this, but fans are eager to see how he will take on this new role.

Since the release of Iron Man in 2008, Robert Downey Jr.'s portrayal of Tony Stark has been a major part of the MCU’s success. His performance helped transform Iron Man from a lesser-known comic book character into one of the most popular superheroes in modern pop culture.

As the central figure of the MCU’s Infinity Saga, Tony Stark played a crucial role in shaping the franchise. While Downey is now shifting to a villainous role, his impact as Iron Man will not be forgotten. Fans continue to discuss how his new character might connect to his past role.

There has been much speculation about whether Downey’s Doctor Doom will have any ties to Tony Stark. Some fans believe he could be a multiversal version of Stark, while others think he will be an entirely separate character.

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