San Diego: Oscar-winner Robert Downey Jr. announced his return to the Marvel superhero films during a blockbuster Disney presentation at Comic-Con Saturday, as the company attempts to reinvigorate its all-time record-grossing movie franchise. Harrison Ford and Pedro Pascal were also officially unveiled among a batch of new stars joining the movie franchise, which has grossed an unprecedented $30 billion at the box office, but in recent years has suffered a number of high-profile flops.
Marvel film president Kevin Feige unveiled new details about multiple upcoming superhero movies in front of a crowd of screaming devotees at the San Diego, California gathering on Saturday -- but nobody drew a louder reaction than the returning Downey Jr. The actor, who launched the entire Marvel movie universe with 2008's "Iron Man," will return as a totally different character -- Doctor Doom, a prominent villain in the Marvel comic books -- it was revealed. He appeared anonymously on stage among a group of hooded and masked figures, before stepping forward and revealing his much-rumored return.
"New mask. Same task. What'd I tell you? I like playing complicated characters," said Downey Jr.
, to the delight of the assembled Marvel obsessives. Downey Jr. won an Oscar this year for his role in Christopher Nolan's "Oppenheimer," and had seemingly retired from the Marvel films in 2019.
- 'Doomsday' -The presentation was the hottest ticket of the four-day pop culture extravaganza, with fans lining u.