Robert Downey Jr. hasn’t appeared in the MCU since Avengers: Endgame in 2019, but we all know this is something that’s set to change in the not-so-distant future. As revealed at Comic-Con this past July, the former Iron Man icon is set to become Marvel’s Doctor Doom in Avengers: Doomsday. Memorably, this news dropped the same weekend Deadpool & Wolverine entered theaters, but originally the movie and Downey’s big franchise return were much more directly connected.
Tony Stark himself is name-checked in Deadpool 3, but it’s Jon Favreau’s Happy Hogan who turns up to represent the Avengers in the film’s rib-tickling opening scene. Given that Shawn Levy’s movie cast its net across the whole multiverse when it came to nailing down its show-stopping crossovers, it’s no surprise to learn that Downey was courted for a cameo at one stage. It is surprising, however, to learn that he wasn’t supposed to play either Iron Man or Doctor Doom.
Deadpool & Wolverine‘s original plans for a Robert Downey Jr. post-credits scene may have broken the Marvel multiverse
We’ve known since before the movie hit screens that Downey was in talks for a post-credits cameo at one point but negotiations didn’t ultimately pan out (via Daniel Richtman). Now we finally know more about how this would’ve come together. The latest rumor is that Downey would’ve interacted with Ryan Reynolds’ Wade Wilson as neither Tony Stark nor Victor Von Doom, but as himself.
It’s a wild idea, but one that’s not entirely unprecedented in the Merc with the Mouth’s playbook. After all, Reynolds appeared as himself in the Deadpool 2 post-credits scene (murdered by his Marvel alter ego before he could make Green Lantern). Even so, the notion of Downey sending up his own MCU history by appearing as himself might have been too much for the Sacred Timeline to handle, and folks are glad the off-the-wall idea never came to pass.
“Glad they didn’t do this. I would have been mad disappointed if they blew the return of Tony Stark on a throwaway joke Deadpool post credit scene,” voiced one Reddit user. Others think this would’ve only intensified the backlash there already is for Downey’s Doom casting: “If this was legit and came out before/after the Doom reveal I think people would be even more pissed.” This may have been too gimmicky for some: “They needed a win, not a gimmick. Changing it was the right choice.”
It’s unclear exactly what prevented Downey from showing up in Deadpool 3, but it’s entirely possible these exact thoughts were discussed behind the scenes at Marvel Studios HQ. With the actor agreeing to play Doom, perhaps it was felt that having him turn up as himself for a quick gag in this production would undercut the hype of seeing him return for real, and as Doctor Doom, in Doomsday and Secret Wars — not coming to theaters until May 2026 and 2027, respectively. Sometimes the wait is worth it.
