Russo Bros. and Robert Downey Jr. Were Already Working on a New Project When Marvel Called to Reunite: ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ Idea Is ‘Really Explosive’

Joe Russo revealed to GamesRadar+ at MCM Comic Con 2024 that Marvel approached the Russo Brothers and Robert Downey Jr. to return for another “Avengers” movie of their record-breaking “Avengers: Infinity War” when the trio was already in discussions with each other for another project. It was announced at Comic-Con in July that Anthony and Joe Russo are directing two new Marvel movies, “Avengers: Doomsday” and “Avengers: Secret Wars,” the former of which will introduce Downey as the MCU’s Doctor Doom.

“We’re all very close,” Joe said about the brothers relationship with Downey. “We had been working on another project before Marvel approached all of us – so we’re working on another project with Robert – and there was a story that evolved through conversations [with Marvel] that we got very excited about. Because it’s always got to be the story.”

“Why would we come back if we didn’t feel like we had a story that had that possibility of being on an equal footing with ‘Infinity War’ and ‘Endgame’ unless there’s a kernel there for an idea that’s really explosive?” Joe added.

The Russos have directed four Marvel films, the two “Avengers” movies plus 2014’s “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” and 2016’s “Captain America: Civil War.” “Avengers: Endgame” is the second-highest grossing movie in history with $2.79 billion, while “Infinity War” is the sixth biggest with $2.05 billion. They’re in the company of James Cameron as the only directors with two $2 billion blockbusters.

Downey’s Marvel return was an even bigger shock than the Russo Brothers’ return. While the actor had said in interviews prior to Comic-Con that he was open to returning to Marvel, comic book movie fans naturally assumed that meant he would come back as Iron Man/Tony Stark. The character died at the end of “Endgame,” but the MCU is currently exploring the multiverse so it wouldn’t be out of the ordinary for Downey to play a different iteration of his beloved superhero. That’s not happening, as fans now know he’s playing Doctor Doom.

Downey’s very first appearance as the playboy super-genius Stark came in 2008’s “Iron Man,” which was the first installment in the MCU. Over the next 11 years, Downey would reprise the role in 10 Marvel films, including “Iron Man 2,” “Iron Man 3,” “The Incredible Hulk,” “The Avengers,” “Captian America: Civil War,” “Avengers: Age of Ultron,” “Spider-Man: Homecoming,” “Avengers: Infinity War” and “Avengers: Endgame.”

Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige stressed to Vanity Fair last December that he had no interest in messing with Downey’s emotional exit as Tony Stark, which should have signaled to fans that if Downey was to come back to the MCU it would be a different character.

“We are going to keep that moment and not touch that moment again,” Feige said at the time about Iron Man’s death. “We all worked very hard for many years to get to that, and we would never want to magically undo it in any way.”

Whatever Marvel has planned for Downey’s Doctor Doom, at least Joe Russo thinks it will be as explosive as the events of “Avengers: Infinity War” and “Avengers: Endgame.”