The Russo Brothers are set to return to the MCU with Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars, promising unexpected narratives. Avengers: Doomsday is slated for release in May 2026, followed by Secret Wars a year later, forming a two-movie arc similar to Infinity War and Endgame. The duo has hinted that these films will stand apart from past MCU projects, bringing fresh elements to the franchise.
One of the elements being, bringing Robert Downey Jr. back into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. This can only be described as a bold and uncertain decision. After all Iron Man and Doctor Doom are both brilliant, powerful, and armoured individuals. But they represent two sides of the same coin. Tony Stark ultimately becomes a self-sacrificing hero in Avengers: Endgame, while Doom remains a megalomaniacal ruler who believes in his own superiority. Their contrasting philosophies make them compelling characters in the Marvel Universe and it will be interesting to see how the hero morphs into the villain.
Avengers: Doomsday writer Stephen McFeely had his doubts about bringing back Tony Stark. Speaking at the world premiere of The Electric State, McFeely admitted that he initially resisted the idea when directors Joe and Anthony Russo approached him about it reported The Hollywood Reporter
“When I got the news that this was where it was going, I thought it was pretty electric. There’s an understandable desire to bring Robert Downey Jr. back to the universe, but to do it as Tony Stark would be betraying what I felt was a very lovely ending for him in Endgame. So the powers that be, do all of their business affairs and then it comes to this, so I was very excited to try to bring this thing to life.”
When asked if the duo is looking for new faces for the upcoming films Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars., Joe Russo stated “I think we’re always looking for new faces, cause there’s always new stories to tell,” before further outlining the two movies on the whole:
“I think these movies are gonna be a surprise to people. We found a way into the story that’s very exciting to us, but, we think, very radical, and I think it’s gonna challenge audiences.”
Overall, this aligns with the tone of the Russos’ previous MCU films. While the idea of challenging audiences may feel distinct from the broader MCU, Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame featured plenty of unexpected moments. It seems this trend will continue in Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars.
