Robert Downey Jr Is Doctor Doom In Avengers Doomsday And 'Pepper' Gwyneth Paltrow Is Confused

Robert Downey Jr has made the big reveal at 2024's San Diego Comic-Con. Known for his long-standing role as Tony Stark in the Marvel universe, he revealed that he will not be returning as Iron Man but will instead play a major villain in the upcoming Avengers movies.

Downey Jr made this official announcement on social media, prompting a confused reaction from his co-star, Gwyneth Paltrow, who has played Pepper Potts opposite Tony Stark.

Different Mask, Same Task: Robert Downey Jr reveals he is Doctor Doom

Recently, during 2024's San Diego Comic-Con, Robert Downey Jr was hiding behind Doctor Doom's mask on stage before dramatically revealing his face. He even joked, "Different mask, same task." Robert Downey Jr will be seen playing the new role of Doctor Doom in his upcoming movies as he signed two Avengers films, the titles Avengers: Doomsday (2026) and Avengers: Secret Wars (2027). He took to his Instagram to share a picture with Doctor Doom's mask.

Gwyneth Paltrow reacts to RDJ's return to MCU

The post shared by the Oppenheimer star included a video showing the exact moment when RDJ removed his mask on stage at Comic-Con, which elicited a huge reaction from the audience. Gwyneth Paltrow commented on the post and asked, “I don't get it, are you a baddie now?”

It seems Gwyneth's comment is not in jest, and that the surprise genuinely threw her off. The actor has shared screen space with Robert before, playing Pepper Potts to his Tony Stark in 2008’s Iron Man, which was the first installment in the MCU. She also starred in Iron Man 2, The Avengers, Iron Man 3, Spider-Man: Homecoming, Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame.

Meanwhile, in the same post, the Russo Brothers, who will be directing the upcoming two installments of Avengers, commented, “We’ve always said green is your color…” Many fans have shared their excitement over the announcement. One fan wrote, “The most legendary unmasking of all time.” A second fan said, “Being hero or villain, I love you in all the Universes.”