Oscar-winner Robert Downey Jr. announced his return to Marvel superhero films during a Disney presentation at Comic-Con on Saturday. The event aimed to boost the popular movie franchise, which has made $30 billion at the box office but has recently faced some setbacks, including less impressive ticket sales for recent offerings.

Harrison Ford and Pedro Pascal were also introduced as new stars joining the franchise. Marvel film president Kevin Feige shared details about upcoming superhero movies at the San Diego, California gathering, where Downey Jr.'s return drew the loudest reaction.

Downey Jr., who started the Marvel movie universe with 2008's "Iron Man," will come back as a new character, Doctor Doom. He revealed his return by stepping forward from a group of hooded figures on stage, saying, "New mask. Same task. What'd I tell you? I like playing complicated characters." Downey Jr. recently won an Oscar for his role in "Oppenheimer" and had retired from Marvel films in 2019.

The presentation was highly anticipated, with fans lining up for hours. On the other hand, Marvel has faced criticism for complicated plots and the departure of beloved characters like Iron Man. The franchise also dealt with the fallout from domestic violence revelations about Jonathan Majors, who was dropped by Marvel.

Joe and Anthony Russo, directors of 2019's "Avengers: Endgame," will return to direct "Avengers: Doomsday" in May 2026 and "Avengers: Secret Wars" in May 2027.

The Marvel event opened with performers dressed as characters from the new movie "Deadpool & Wolverine," which enjoyed a record breaking opening weekend at the box office.

Feige also announced plans for the next three years, including three films in 2025: "Captain America: Brave New World" in February with Harrison Ford, "Thunderbolts" in May with Florence Pugh, and "The Fantastic 4: First Steps" in July with Pedro Pascal.

Source: AFP