Summary
This year’sMarvelpanel atSan Diego Comic-Condelivered the bombshell that Robert Downey Jr will return to the MCU as Doctor Doom forAvengers 5, and his MCU co-star, Gwyneth Paltrow, has reacted to the casting. The big reveal thatRDJ would be portraying Doomcame during the section that covered the two upcoming Avengers movies, with his presence on-stage prompting a huge response. It was also revealed that the Russo Brothers are returning to direct the Avengers movies and thatAvengers 5is now calledAvengers: Doomsday.
Swiftly after the reveal on-stage, RDJ posted an image onInstagramwhere he can be seen posing with Doom’s mask. In a comment,Paltrow responded, “I don’t get it, are you a baddie now?”
The comment may be tongue in cheek, highlighting a sense of confusion that may have struck several people given RDJ made a name for himself and the MCU as its most prominent hero - only to return as its foremost villain. Alternatively, however, Paltrow may be genuinely thrown off by the post, which would follow an established track record.
How Robert Downey Jr Can Return As Doctor Doom
Marvel Studios has shockingly revealed that Robert Downey Jr. is returning to the MCU…as Doctor Doom! Here’s how it can work.
Why Gwyneth Paltrow’s Response To RDJ’s Casting Is Perfect
This wouldn’t be the first time that Gwyneth Paltrow, who portrayed Pepper Potts in seven movies within the Infinity Saga, has been baffled by MCU developments. One of the most widely circulated clips involving such a moment is taken from her appearance on Jon Favreau’sThe Chef Showon Netflix, where Favreau references their time working onSpider-Man: Homecomingtogether. Paltrow then retorts, “We weren’t in Spider-Man…No, I was in Avengers.” After Favreau reminds her of herSpider-Man: Homecomingscene, Paltrow exclaims “That was Spider-Man?! Oh my God…”
Gwyneth Paltrow has previously stated that her MCU return is hampered by there being no Iron Man - but RDJ’s MCU return may now facilitate this, depending on how it is handled.
Kevin Feige also revealed in a live Q&A with Empire (viaThe Independent) in 2019 that Paltrow had no idea thatSamuel L. Jackson was in the MCUafter spotting him on the set ofAvengers: Endgame. This is despite Jackson appearing in movies that she also appeared in, likeIron Man 2andThe Avengers. When questioned by a fan in an Instagram-based Q&A (viaReddit), Paltrow was also unaware of what theHawkeyeseries was.Paltrow later acknowledged that her forgetfulness around MCU movies had become a running jokeon the internet. She claimed in an interview withElle:
“It is confusing because there are so many Marvel movies, and to be honest, I haven’t seen very many of them…It’s really stupid and I’m sorry, but I’m a 47-year-old mother.”
In Paltrow’s defense, she makes a solid argument. Even setting aside the fact that she is simply carrying out a job to support her family, keeping abreast ofevery Marvel installmentsuch asHawkeye, let alone the mythos from the comics on which movies likeAvengers: Doomsdayis based, is no mean feat. As for herSpider-Man: Homecominggaffe, it should come as no surprise that the short cameo she made merged with her experience filming for surrounding movies likeAvengers: Infinity War, which may have filmed scenes around a similar time.
