Warning! This article contains minor spoilers for Deadpool & Wolverine.
Summary
Getting theMCUreturn of both Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Evans in one month was shocking for most fans, but Kevin Feige might’ve been teasing it for a while. Marvel Studios returned to San Diego Comic Con’s Hall H after a notable absence last year, and the panel ended with a jaw-dropping moment. Alongside the fact that the Russo Brothers would be returning to direct the next twoAvengersfilms, the reworked title ofAvengers 5was revealed to beAvengers: Doomsday.Doctor Doomtook to the SDCC stage himself, revealed to be none other than Robert Downey Jr.
Thehuge SDCC announcementcame just a day afterDeadpool & Wolverineofficially released in theaters, whereChris Evans made a surprise cameo as Johnny Stormfrom 2005’sFantastic Four. Though neither of these roles are the continuation of Tony Stark or Steve Rogers, the return of two iconic Marvel actors in some capacity has been welcomed nonetheless. Such big decisions wouldn’t have been worked out overnight, meaning that Feige has likely been teasing fans for quite some time now.
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Kevin Feige’s Robert Downey Jr & Chris Evans MCU Comments Foreshadowed Their Returns
Marvel Studios president Feige has been asked in countless interviews whether Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Evans would ever return and generally answered vaguely. However, he has always been open to the possibility. In an interview withDiscussing Film, Feige explained how Hugh Jackman’s appearance as Wolverine inDeadpool & Wolverinewas an example of a return done right. Feige and the studio would only want to bring Downey or Evans back if the role felt absolutely right, and most fans would probably agree with the sentiment for the sake of the characters’ legacies.
Both the decision to haveEvans cameo as Johnny Stormand to cast Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom also must’ve taken months of planning. In every interview where Feige had been asked about the two actors’ possible returns in the past year, he likely already knew the answer. Feige telling the media that the two could come back if done right was almost his way of teasing their returns, as he probably wouldn’t have given fans false hope if the answer was a firm no.
How Long Were Robert Downey Jr. & Chris Evans' MCU Return Planned For?
SinceDeadpool & Wolverinewrapped filming in early 2024, Evans’ cameo must’ve been in the works since last year. A possible Evans cameo might’ve already been planned since hisEndgameexit. In the same vein,Fantastic FourdirectorMatt Shakman said that he’s had to keep the secret under wraps “for a while”(viaCollider) when asked about the SDCC Doctor Doom reveal. The fate ofAvengers 5was up in the air for a while afterJonathan Majors’ 2023 firingand though Marvel took some time to announceDoomsday, it was a pivot that had to be made quickly.
The Russos commented at SDCC that bringing Doctor Doom to the MCU meant having the best actor play the villain, soMarvel likely had Downey Jr. in mind for the role for a while. Even ifAvengers 5hadn’t turned intoDoomsday, Downey Jr.’s casting might’ve been in the works for a future project. The exact timeline of when Downey Jr. and Evans’MCUreturns were planned hasn’t been confirmed, but every Marvel decision is made with months, if not years, of planning.
